Hi...I was interested in buying a car - but head gasket problem?

Question

Hi there
I was thinking of buying a mazda 626 here in ireland. Its a super car inside and out so to speak but it is billowing smoke out of the exaust at start - up. The lady told me the head gasket was gone and i checked the price for this online and cant get any set figures....the car is worth €3000 its a 1999 and she will sell it for €800 euro.....i was hoping to pick it up as a run around vechile since my partner has the other car 24/7. But is it too risky to buy even if i spend say €500 fixing it.......pelase let me know thanks

Answer 1

Way too risky. Once the head gasket is blown, forget about how nice the car looks. Find a different car that will be worth it, and bless the lady for telling you the truth.

Check out this little Mazda for 1500 Euro--it only has 47000 miles on it, which is good for being 12 years old. Chance are that it was parked in someone's garage and well cared for. http://www.carsireland.ie/search.php?make_id=51

Answer 2

If it only smokes at start-up that sounds like a major engine problem, not just a head Gasket, and bear in mind the head normally cracks with the gasket. If the engine is filled with a milk type substance the head has cracked into the coolant system and could be repairable with a througher clean-out and some block seal in the water. but this would cause CLOUDS of smoke all the time, you could literally fill a valley with smoke if this is the case. thats the system used by the navy during world war II to hide entire fleets you would have working in that car if that were the case. That car sounds only fit for the scrap yard.

Answer 3

lol, i dont understand your money translation, but the problems are all the same language... At start up only?? Try putting in a little thicker oil, you generally live in a moist and cool climate, thicker oil will help you pin point the problem easier.. There a 2 problems that come to mind, the oil is to thin for an aging car, the pistons are a little worn, so when a thin oil is cool, its really thin, seeps past the piston rings....Thicker oil is almost always a must in older cars..The second problem is the gasket, and or the seals on the valves, have a simple head job done, they will figure the problem for you, goodluck

Answer 4

if the head gasket is blown, when it's replaced, the head and the cylinders have to be inspected for damage cause by the hot gasses going thru the opening in the gasket. if the damage is slight, just replacing the gasket would make the car good to go. but, if it is severe, an engine rebuild might be in order. at any rate, the engine repair will still cost less than a new car.

Answer 5

500 is a sturdy deal in spite of a blown head gasket. maximum shops in my area value $1100 to $1500 to alter head gasket. the hard paintings is worrying. now on the old carburated 4 cylinders. v6, and v8's that's effortless each little thing is stable there and takes a pair of million.a million/2 hours - 2 hours. yet whilst he ran it too long like this then it potential your block is crammed with water and oil. looks kinda milky. this potential the block will must be wiped clean or flushed . under the intake, crank case, oil pan, piston partitions. etc could be enormously costly. in basic terms ask once you're taking it to the shop if the cleansing of engine is coated in the fee

Answer 6

I would not buy someone else's troubles. Spend a little more time looking. I have had cars that seem to know when my paycheck was coming...broke down just in time for me to spend it to fix. Start off with a decent car and you won't be spending extra time and money getting it fixed everytime you turn around. The lady is getting rid of the car...For A Reason.

Answer 7

head gasket repairs vary, if its just the gasket that needs replacing, its not so bad, if the head is cracked or needs skimming then its a nightmare and will cost lots. It was cheaper for me to replace the engine in my subaru legacy than it was to have the heads skimmed.
it also may have caused more damage to the rest of the engine if it has been run dry lots.

Answer 8

Seriously more trouble than it is worth. Don't even think of buying a car with head gasket problems.

Answer 9

If theres lots of smoke at start-up and its blue smoke then it sounds more like valve guide seals rather than head gasket? I'd agree with everyone else and leave well alone though, theres plenty of tidy cheap cars around.

Answer 10

Don't go near it!! If a head gasket has gone, it can, and most probably will, lead to other, more serious problems. She's obviously desperate to get rid of it, if she's willing to sell at that price.