Rado 16v Buying Guide

[peacher 0]

Hi,

 

I am new to this site and am hoping to get a Corrado 16v in the next few months. Have already looked at a buying guide but just wondered if there are any things I should especially look out for when looking at one?

 

Also how often should the cambelt be changed on these cars?

 

Cheers,

 

Peter

[chubbybrown 0]

I would always change a cam belt myself regardless if 'its just been done'

smokey engines,crunchy gearboxes water in the footwell.

AS long as its straight valvers appear to me to be very hardy

[Supercharged 2]

60k for a 16V Cam belt

[davidwort 0]

... Have already looked at a buying guide but just wondered if there are any things I should especially look out for when looking at one?...

 

A bunch of receipts for work done and parts changed, at this sort of age you'd expect to see a paper trail covering everything from alternators to wheel bearings, the more info the better and a franchised dealer history is not the most important thing.

If you can, drive the car from cold, up to temperature, makes sure it drives straight with no pulling and try to spend plenty of time looking for corrosion from previous body repair work, it's by far the most expensive thing to put right.

A 1.8 16v should pull cleanly to the red line, 60mph in second (and they thrive on it), a 2L won't rev quite as high but should feel smooth to drive and will feel much more punchy low down and mid range.

[paddyg 0]

on the test drive check for

1. blue smoke from the exhaust, indicates a worn head, valve guides, seals etc ie expensive job.

2. turn on the hot air blower when driving, make sure the hot air is hot to show the heater matrix is working. and no damp footwell like mentioned above.

 

just finished putting my matrix back together this weekend (dash in method) so i know all about it...messy job but good fun!!!

[peacher 0]

Thanks for the replies - is very useful.

 

Just need to try and find a good one now!