Presumably a 1980s / early 1990s car? Depending on how well it has been stored, you could have any or all of the following:
Clutch plate rusted to flywheel - you might be able to free it if you can get the engine running (there was a thread on this subject a while back) otherwise the gearbox will need to come out. If the clutch has stuck, you can forget about bump starting.
Tyres will be flat spotted where the car has stood, and sidewalls may be cracked.
Electrical problems - damp / corrosion in connectors and possibly in the ECU for the fuel injection.
Seized brake calipers - especially the handbrake mechanism on the rear calipers, if the car has discs all round.
Battery is 99% likely to be dead, and if it has been left standing discharged for any length of time, it will need replacing.
And on top of this, whatever other faults led the owner to give up and stick it in a garage, just because the starter motor had failed. And you'll have to get it MoT'd which could bring you another large bill.
To give you some idea, my Polo (dragged out of a garden for free after 18 months off the road) cost around £250 in parts alone to get running and MoT'd. I could have bought a car already tested for less. The car is going to have to be really lovely inside and out, and very cheap, to be worth the risk.
Richard Hall
bangernomics.tripod.com
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Ross,
I'm going to be very harsh here. A car that is off the road in these circumstances has a negative value in that it will cost about £50 to get it taken away and scrapped.
Of course if you judge it is a bit special then you will say "but it will be worth "X" when it's done".
Then you come into all the excellent points Richard makes. The more special it is the more it will cost to get all the bits turning again.
I've seen so many cars in this circumstance where the owner says it just needed a "starter" but I gave up running it. The thing they remember/tell you is usually just the tip of the iceberg with the problems it actually suffered before being taken off the road.
If the owner is convinced it is worth as much as "Y" because it only needs a starter then let them buy one from the breakers for £20 and put the car through an MOT so you both know what you're dealing with.
If you really want it "as is" then pay almost nothing and good luck.
David W
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Thanks For the advice David.
I might propose to the seller that if he gets MOT'd and the starter fixed then I will pay more for it.
If you look at the photo's you'll see why I'm interested. (me being a Corrado nut and all!)
He's asking £1500 for it which is why i'm tempted.
Ross
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There are plenty of good corrados on autotrader at the moment with a more natural mileage for a g reg. The cheapest is £2225 which is only a litle more altogether than a car you know to be a right off. Will the guy email the pictures of the car before it was repaired to you?
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Thanks for the advice Richard.
I have been in contact with the seller via e-mail now.
It turns out that the last time it was driven was 8 months ago not 2 years ago I as originally thought. It has been garaged for those 2 years as the seller bought a corrado storm to replace the 16v version. Now his parents want the garage space back.
THe reason I am interested is due to it being low mileage 60,000 on a G plate. I found out that the reason for the low mileage is because it was written off (EEK!, woiuld this make it hard to insure?). This guy restored (profesionally apparently) it to it's former glory. the Photo's hes supplied would suggest that the car is in immaculate condition. www.angelfire.com/linux/gimp/
As it has been laid up for so long it has been declared SORN. So would possibly have to trailer it back From Aberdeen to Middlesborough. Does anyone know if there are there firms that do this? Does anyone have any idea of how much it would cost? Or would it be better to get the car prepped and MOT'd in scotland and then travel up by train and drive it home?
I am prepared to spend £500 - £750 to get it back on the road.
Any advice would be appreciated? Just trying to figure out how feasible/worthwhile this whole affair would be!
Cheers
Ross
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Ross do *not* buy this car!
You can *ignore* the mileage on a G plate car you have no useful way of verifying it. Does 60k over 13 years sound likely to you? No, me neither.
It's a wreck - so bad the owner took it off the road and bought *another* one.
So even the owner thought another Corrado was better than his.
Then you've got to tow it home.
Run away. Flee!
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Parp, Parp!
Note: All Toad posts come with an implied smiley.
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But if you do buy it check the other threads.
You see, I've got these magic beans I'm looking to sell and...
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Parp, Parp!
Note: All Toad posts come with an implied smiley.
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Hi Ross
In my younger days many such projects were offered and one or two were foolishly accepted.
The main memory of all of them was the expense, the pain and grief realising that many more bit or jobs were needed than first spotted and of course all the time that was wasted.
I would run away very quickly if I were you.
As ever
Mark
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Ross,
As John McEnroe would say , "You cannot be serious, man !!
Forget it !!
Bt B
Remember - it's not how you vote that matters ...it's who does the counting.
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Ross,
Sadly I have to agree with the negative comments already made.
You might strike lucky but I think you would be better off buying a Lotto ticket - and that's from someone who would never buy a Lotto ticket!
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You know, they're probably right, and I certainly wouldn't set myself up as a technical expert on cars.
However, that is a pretty car, and it looks well.
Do you know the guy ? Have you met him ? Do you have an opinion about him and his honesty ?
Have you seen the car in the flesh ?
Me, I`d get on a train and go and have a look, and if nothing else enjoy the day out.
You do have to be careful about buying something which is going to drain your money, but I`d still go and look.
If you do, take a mechanic you trust with you, and only take sufficient money to pay a deposit.
...and bear in mind everything that has been said here.
M.
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Ross,
Nightmare isn't it. You get an exciting idea and we all act like your Dad....don't do it Son!
If you've any serious notion of looking at this car go back to the idea of having a spray job on your old one. That didn't seem a top idea but far better than this.
I'd go further than Mark in his advice if you do go to look. Just take enough money for a McDonalds on the way back so you've not even tempted to leave a deposit without a few days to mull it over.
Let's get real. Forget the between enthusiast inflated prices for these vehicles. What is the auction value of this vehicle on the road with a slightly odd history...under £1000. Then add in a declared write-off and see how low that takes it. Even in top nick on the road (without the crash history) as a trade-in at a dealers I bet it wouldn't see much above £1500.
For goodness sake it isn't worth anything like £1500 in the situation you find it.
You can't even test drive it as it stands. Suppose you do get it and spend £500 then take it for an MOT....and it pulls badly due to a twisted shell from the accident or suffers drivetrain grumbles because of a damaged subframe.
Yes it does look pretty but if it was that good then the guy who re-built it would finish it to realise top money.
David W (Old git)
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Ross, Here's some more Old Git's advice, following on from David and Mark (who might be a middle-aged git or even young git for all I know). Firstly, don't even take enough money for a MacDonalds -- leave the junk food where it is!
If you decide to continue pursuing this car, please have someone who REALLY knows what he's doing to look at it for you, not the local garage apprentice's cousin. Perhaps an RAC or AA inspection would be worthwhile but I don't know how reliable they are.
Rebuilt write-offs are almost certain to look good because,, by definition, they have needed new paint. Unfortunately that paint could be hiding a multitude of sins. Worse, (as David inferred) there could be many mechanical things (like steering castor and camber angles, for example) that could be way out of setting, and many of these things are not adjustable.
I bought a beauty when I was moonlighting in used cars back in the mid-80s. It was a 1984 Peugeot 305GT that looked superb, even to my very critical eyes. At two years old and with only 14,000 miles on the clock, it was a bargain not to be missed. However it turned out to be a disaster with things like distortion of the suspension mounting points, and much, much more that I had failed to spot before I bought it even though I knew that it was a rebuilt write-off.
I sold the Peugeot on to a dealer and then saw it in a car park about a year later by which time it was a rusty heap because the paint had flaked off the new panels (front wings, bonnet, valance), the paint having been applied without proper preparation. The tyres had worn very fast and unevenly and oil was dripping from a fracture in the gearbox casing. I had sold the car on at cost so I lost nothing but I felt VERY sorry for the new owner and I decided, there and then, never to touch another rebuilt write-off.
Forget that this Corrado might be 'the one that got away', you could well wish it was if you were to end up buying it! I certainly wished that about the Peugeot 305GT.
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Hi Ross
this is certainly heading one way and I can sympathise as I have been at the point you are at a few times only to have been dissuaded (mostly) by friends.
It is obvious the asking price is way too high and you are not sure what you are really getting. For some people a professional rebuild is the largest pot of body filler they can find.
The only advice I can give if you have really set your heart on it is to treat it as a source of potential spares and offer accordingly. But I would say give it a few weeks before doing so. Ring the guy in maybe 3 weeks and don't go more than say £50 to £75 for it. You will still then have the cost of getting it home or alternatively in 3 weeks you may have forgotten all about it.
as ever
Mark
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Re RAC engineers checks.
They are the same as the reports you get from the surveyor who does the full house survey that the building society insists that you have. Total crud! I had never had an engineers report before for buying a car intil we bought the MONDEWOE, paid 70 odd quid for "The major mechanical units including the engine and transmission are fully servicable" report for the motoring equivalent of a 15th century half timbered house with dry rot. Next time I will take my own council.
Also bought a car in the mid 70s which had been laid up for a "while" a Fiat 850 Coupe, found it had wooden fencing posts inside the "sills" when I finally cut it up for scrap.
Bill
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£1500 for a 12 year old VW which has been written-off previously ??
Its going to cost you money to view/collect the car and another £220 just to tax and MOT the car plus whatever it needs to return it to roadworthy condition (this could easily run into hundreds).
If it was a one owner with Full History and with no accident history i would be the first to say go for it .. but this particular car sounds like a nightmare.....
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plus whatever it needs to return it to roadworthy condition (this could easily run into hundreds).
It'll be more than hundreds. The previous owner found it so expensive to get it back into running order that he gave up and bought another one.
As for taking an expert forget it. The people on this tread (apart form myself) are experts and they're say 'Don't buy it'.
You are not going to find anyone recomending buying this car.
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Parp, Parp!
Note: All Toad posts come with an implied smiley.
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Bill,
Can't quite remember what we put in the sills of our 850 Coupe, not metal anyway. Wasn't a cream one by any chance??
Ours would rev like the devil and was very entertaining. Now that was hard to catch when the rear came out!
David W
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David
Ah! '70s FIATs! Revs and rust, what a combination!
Friend of mine had a 128. Wonderful engine - loved revs. Great handling - loved corners. Bodywork - loved to rust.
Finally met its end when the lower suspension arm pulled out of the rusty front chassis rail and disconnected the drive shaft from the gearbox.
Advice from my instructor on car restoration when asked about FIAT body repairs. Don't!
Regards
John S
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Hi all.
Firsy of all, Thanks for the time that have all taken to give me your advice. It is all greatly appreciated.
After reading all the posts I decided to think with my head instead of my heart/eyes etc.
Like alot of you said... If it's only the starter motor why doesn't he fix it and sell it on for alot more money. He wouldn't have any problems shifting a car that looks like that.
I would, as someone suggested, put in an offer of £300. Unfortunatley I dont have the storage space.
I am gonna sell on my exsisting corrado as well, So if you know anyone whose interested in a shiny (just spent 7 hours T-Cutting and waxing, I think I have RSI in my right shoulder!)nugget yellow corrado let me know.
I may even bye something smaller, EEK! any one got any suggestions of something small that packs a punch?
Thanks again for all the advice. No doubt I'll be posting again soon asking for advice on buying a new car!
Ross
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Wow! I've never been able to learn from the mistakes of others - you are truely wise!
If you do change your mind about the Ex write off here's a similar investment oppotunity!
timetravelfund.com/
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Parp, Parp!
Note: All Toad posts come with an implied smiley.
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Toad
Pinched pretty much from Douglas Adams 'The Restauarant at the End of the Universe' is it not?
Regards
John S
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Pinched pretty much from Douglas Adams 'The Restauarant at the End of the Universe' is it not?
A long time since I read it but yeah. Didn't they set up investment funds in advance? I liked the dead guy who died for tax reasons. ;-)
The big flaw is that *if* people are coming back from the future to pick up these investors we'd be seeing them. In fact the world would be crowded with time tourists - as would the past.
So we can acurately say there is no way to travel back in time to *now*.
Of course if time travel requires equipment at both ends which would explain why nobody gets this far back...
If Ford made a time machine would it have a 1950's OHV engine with tapered plugs?
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Parp, Parp!
Note: All Toad posts come with an implied smiley.
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Yes, well done Ross. I'm absolutely sure you have made the right decision regarding the rebuilt Corrado.
Incidentally, after telling you about the Peugeot 305GT that I bought as a rebuilt write-off, other faults that I found started to flood back to me. Here are just two of them:
1. The steering column was bent but this fault had been hidden by leaving the column centre bearing assembly loose. After tightening the assembly screws, the steering wheel needed a lot of effort to turn it accompanied by some awful graunching noises!
2. On one front wheel, three of the wheel-to-hub screws were broken. The stubs of the broken screws had been left in the hub and some 'new' shorter screws had been wedged into the couple of threads that remained usable above the broken stubs. I still find it incredible that I drove the car about 30 miles home without the wheel coming off.
I wish I had reported the criminal that rebuilt the car to the 'authorities'. I certainly would do now but I didn't then because I was frightened of losing the £2500+ that the car had cost me. I think the fact that the long-established dealer that I sold the car to didn't spot the faults either shows how very deceptive outward appearances can be. I had, of course, corrected the obviously dangerous faults like the broken wheel screws.
The dealer left the car where I parked it on his forecourt and he marked it up at £750 more than he paid me for it. The car was marked 'Sold' the very next day, still parked in exactly the same place that I had left it! A few days later, the dealer demanded that I provide him with the service record to confirm the mileage, but there wasn't one and the 14,000 mileage shown on the clock might well have been false.
I hope others will learn from my mistakes of which there are many more as yet untold!.
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