Hi. I've only been driving 6 years but my 1st car is a S40 2001. Brought it 6 years ago fo £900. Over the years I've had loads done to it. At the moment it's at 164,000 miles. So my problem at the moment is the engine light came on before Christmas 2020 and the garage is saying it's the air intake. But there could be other problems.

So my question is.... is the air intake easy to replace and at what price. I've got the car booked in for 2 days at the garage. The guy at the garage has reiterated that it's a old car with alot of miles on the clock. Also there is a churning type noise coming from the engine as the engine ticks over.... problems with a old car eh.

Any advice please. Thank you.

 

Exactly what codes are present that is turning the CEL on?

And "replacing the air intake" is not specific enough to know what to say in response. There are all sorts of parts that make up your "air intake".

 

I dont know the codes. I guess the mechanic at the garage does. He says it's fine to drive but as a newish kind of driver I'm paranoid. It's a 20+ year car and I dont have the money to buy another. Its soda law that the engine light has gone off the last 2 days lol

 

Erase the codes - drive the car. Worry about things that are important! If the car has a serious problem later, buy another one, it's old -

Save to buy food, shelter, clothing and retirement - you will need it more than you could ever imagine although you might not realize it now.....

 

So I'll get the mechanic to erase the codes.... I've just been made redundant so yes I'll drive it until it packs up but I've no savings so not as easy as you say. Tough times at the moment.

 

I would make sure any funny noises like that are not related to a timing belt about to fail - if some part of that system malfunctions (idler bearing, tensioner, water pump, bad oil leak onto the belt) causing the belt to come off -
The result will be bent valves and the repair cost for that is more than the value of the car.