Very upset............looks like the Mark 2 dream is over ................. :(

[Vinci]

Re: Very upset............looks like the Mark 2 dream is over .................

Here's a nice video about Garage Romijn in Renswoude in the Netherlands, great guys!! Hope you guys won't mind the Dutch voice...

[Black Magic]

Re: Very upset............looks like the Mark 2 dream is over .................

first things I notice, near & offside rot, on the front & headlamp area can be fixed by getting a new panel which houses the headlights. there usually not expensive. so that will sort that out, when that's cut out, & new one welded in.

Emmissions is out, because ur burning oil. Burning oil, because u have a leak somewhere & im guessing its a carb engine under there somewhere, so that could be an easy fix n all.

Rest of the rot however, without pictures, & from what has been written, could & probably would be costly. probably both sills are on there way out, your bulkhead maybe rotting as is your rear quarters.

Best bet, sell the car for someone to do all the work on it, then buy it back ( at a greatly increased cost )

[June Richardson]

Re: Very upset............looks like the Mark 2 dream is over .................

THERE IS NO MOT LEFT AND 1 MONTH TAX. Trouble is I dont know anything about cars and paid alot so far to have it looked at and nothing has been said...........if I could get someone I can trust to do up the car and not rip me off I wud consider it even if it meant taking it and leaving it for however long it takes to put right.................only other options are to use the parts at front as spares for my hatchback, also pictured above or scrap or sell rest for parts. Its painful now to walk outside my door and seeing it just sat there

[DarrenH]

Re: Very upset............looks like the Mark 2 dream is over .................

i suppose the real problem is that a 600 quid merit costs the same to restore as a 5000 quid GTE. gotta do it for the love and ignore the cost, or just scrap it.

[June Richardson]

Re: Very upset............looks like the Mark 2 dream is over .................

If I could find anyone in the yorkshire area to help me with this.....I would consider.......I do not know where to start.........so if anyone can put me in contact with someone who can at least give me an informed opinion

[steve84]

Re: Very upset............looks like the Mark 2 dream is over .................

Hi I am in Rotherham and have done plenty of mk2 Astra welding work. I will have a look at it for you and can give you my opinion on if its fixable.
Steve.

[Black Magic]

Re: Very upset............looks like the Mark 2 dream is over .................

remember june, the cost is going to far exceed the cost of the car. So as Darren said, if its about the love of the car & history, go for it. Otherwise, cut your losses.

But if you spend around £1000-£2000 getting it all done, welded, painted, ran right & no oil burning ( so its like new ), I'd see no reason that you couldn't get another 20 years out of it.

And by that, in the long run, you would of probably saved thousands on a new car, parts if that new one breaks down, or has rot issues its own kind.

& that's what I look at when buying cars. I keep them for many many years.

[June Richardson]

Re: Very upset............looks like the Mark 2 dream is over .................

going to pm you steve84 thanks and black magic............I will try my best to sort this. I had exactly the same model and colour 20 years ago and have been looking for 15 years for one of these........thanks guys..........

[DarrenH]

Re: Very upset............looks like the Mark 2 dream is over .................

wise words black magic

[Vinci]

Re: Very upset............looks like the Mark 2 dream is over .................

Indeed, and probably the 'greenest' too to buy a car with the intention to keep it as long as possible, just dispise that new cars are sold under the false pretenses of saving the environment.

Over here they raised the age for most oldtimers (except petrol) to 40 years recently, and though I can agree that diesels of that era are not that great on emissions, they also excluded LPG vehicles. I remember they started to dilute the laws in 2008 screaming from every tower it was necessary due to the environmental damage that the oldtimers caused.

When do they start admitting it is all about the MONEY!!

[June Richardson]

Re: Very upset............looks like the Mark 2 dream is over .................

Thanks to everyone who have advised me on this post..............and a massive thanks to Steve and Rich..............who are guna help me make mi decision .......cheers.............dunt feel quite as lost or alone now

[F'astra 16v]

Re: Very upset............looks like the Mark 2 dream is over .................

No problem June its all simple stuff I'm sure, like I said, take what garage workers say with a pinch of salt they always say things like that when they've got the face on.

VINCI...

Ha! I've never seen that video, I know the Romijn's quite well I have been over to their place a few times, they helped me out with a load of parts for my Rekord C Coupe. They have an amazing collection of cars.

[Vinci]

Re: Very upset............looks like the Mark 2 dream is over .................

Cheers mate, I find them incredible, if there is one garage honestly there for you to help you fix your car, no matter it's age, it's Romijn. I once called them to ask about a repair on some bodywork and they literally said about getting spare panels:"If it doesn't exist we'll make it ourselves", and they do have equipment and skills to make panels like barely anyone can these days.

[F'astra 16v]

Re: Very upset............looks like the Mark 2 dream is over .................

Yeah they are great guys, they are in the same line of work as me, only work on old cars and make most panels as we specialize in De-tomaso so there is nothing available. I remember erik chasing their dog round their workshop with my commodore axle on a wheel-barrow, ha ha.

[DarrenH]

Re: Very upset............looks like the Mark 2 dream is over .................

No problem June its all simple stuff I'm sure, like I said, take what garage workers say with a pinch of salt they always say things like that when they've got the face on.

and almost always say these things when they are the most likely to get the work to rectify it