Reaching the limits of my patience (and wallet)

[The_Dude 0]

Anyone else feel like its just one thing after going wrong another with your car? It seems to me every time I get in for a spin, something else has broken while its been sat on my drive.

 

My C is a weekend toy, but its getting harder and harder to justify. Putting aside the price of fuel, just keeping the beggar in working order means that it spends more time in garages than in my possession. I've just got the running issues I had sorted (ie new engine) then yesterday I take her out for a spin as I'm still running in the engine and the front brakes start squealing, like the disc is warped or the callipers are binding. So that means its off to (bloody afwul but free) Kwik Fit tomorrow for a brake test and most likely more money to throw at it. Then today I was walking round looking at the bodywork, which is pretty fooked if I'm honest. The arches are all starting to go, my door has a loose scraper so water is leaking in and causing rust from the inside, so that's another door to get, and there are two large rust spots on the roof. So that's another couple of g's looking at a full on respray and rust killing and as I don't have a mate who sprays, so its gonna have to be a random spayer which tbh I'm not sure I can afford. I've been thinking about a reshell, but with my mechanical skills, its probably not the best of ideas, unless I could do the whole front end in one go - is that even possible?

 

I could name a load of other things I want to do to it, but can't afford to atm and just wondering if its all worth it. Don't get me wrong, I love driving her, but its just getting to that stage where I wonder if its all worth it for the twice a month that I do drive it. For the last few years I have been keeping on top of the mechanical side and ignoring the cosmetic and now its starting to show. I spent a ridiculous amount on her last year...I used have savings before, but now I feel like a pelican. Every where I look there's a big bill in front of me. I'm just running out of the will to throw X amounts of cash at it every year, cashing in shares and raping savings etc to pay for bills.

 

I'm considering breaking it (keeping the engine), cutting my losses and starting again with a good shell. But then good shells are hard to come by. Those are being broken generally come with no doors, wings etc so I'd have to get those and probably have it sprayed anyway, which is back to the old problem. Or if I buy one with a knackered engine and replace it with mine, that could be just as expensive.

 

So really I'm after your thoughts, ideas and experiences? Let me know...

[volksworld13 0]

dont break it, remember the good times you experienced with the c, i to got into a state what to do, sell, and i almost did, and now im soo glad ive kept her, its sort of a roller coaster ,love hate you know, but driving another car than the c , does make you want the c back, im sure ppl can sort you out with parts on here, unfortunatly running a c , is exspensive. its just one of thoe things

[Critical_Mass 10]

Id say keep it too and try to restore it. Like you say Jim, if you got a good shell, you'd still need to get the wings, doors etc, which would need spraying too, so you'd be no better off.

[OSV 0]

Diifficult, no matter what the heart says don't throw good money after bad it sounds like your car is great mechanically. Rather than embarking on extensive and expensive body work I think the best plan would be not a complete reshell but buy a very clean car which requires no body work but is perhaps mechanically tired/blown engine and swap only the best of whats needed across (engine, suspension, exhaust perhaps)d. With the money you can raise from breaking and selling on whats left from both cars (Corrados are often worth more in parts) it should prove very cost effective

[n3p 3]

Please save it, too many rado's being broken up at the moment :( My best mate can also weld pretty well if you ever needed it, would work for beer too :D

[dukest 0]

would you enjoy doing any of the work to swap stuff over even if you're not sure of your skills Jim? if the answer's no then given the lack of people/places to do that anywhere nearby then cosmetics is probably the way forward.

if you would enjoy it, but thats caveated by preferring a bit of help, then given that you said that you have an off-road space to work in, asking for some forum help over a weekend to swap stuff could be a good way forward, and, depending on the donor, potentially even pretty cheap too. i'd be happy to be a spare pair of hands, even if then you'd still need another pair which knew what they were doing!

[The_Dude 0]

Please save it, too many rado's being broken up at the moment :( My best mate can also weld pretty well if you ever needed it, would work for beer too :D

 

Unfortunately, if it needs breaking I will have no hesitation doing so it it meant I'd end up with a better looking car at the end. I'd keep the engine and shiny bits attached but would sell the rest. I'd rather not have to start over, but will do if its looking like the shell is too much work to save. The main problem now is that I don't have access to a wedge of cash to buy a new car, all my money comes in dribs and drabs. The other alternative is to wait for better weather, sand it down and rattle can it matt black. Or glow in the dark yellow. :) But even then I'm not sure I could do a decent enough job, having never done anything at all like that and all it entails. :shrug: tbh honest I'm a bit of a spoon with practical stuff and not very patient either.

 

John - yes its something I would enjoy but being the sort of person who can take stuff apart but not generally put it back together again I get the feeling that I would be standing to the side and making cups of tea whilst other people worked on my car, which could be a bit...not embarrassing, but awkward?

 

Anyway, this is all good stuff and before I commit I wanna get as many opinions as possible, ie: what people have done or would do in the same circumstances. I know a lot peeps go down the respray route, but few must have re-shelled as well?

[poll250 0]

I don't think you're alone in your predicament at all.

 

I find myself in a very similar situation having spent a fortune on the mechanicals, while leaving the bodywork. I now find myself with little rust patches appearing everywhere and the respray/reshell options one I've been considering for the future.

 

Put some photos up of the bad areas, maybe someone on the forum can advise you?

 

I've often wondered if there were any amateur painters on the forum who'd be willing to help out?

[KADVR6 0]

my rust free shell is available mate, just needs the frnot wings replacing

 

karl

[mic_VR 3]

Ah, bodywork is the ultimate issue when you're talking about any 16+year old car I'm afraid mate. I've spent a fortune on my car recently and really the next job is the rust on the rear arch and the scratches on the passengerside...... and I haven't even started searching around it with a fine tooth combe.

 

best I'll say is that if the body is buggered its far harder to sort than mechanicals.

[Pat_McCrotch 0]

People really need to start thinking more about the bodywork of their Corrado's now rather than the next engine or suspension mod. Check and waxoil every summer and jump on rust and scratches as soon as financially possible. It's expensive to do but a 5p bit of rust is much cheaper and easier to replace than a complete wheelarch.

[boost monkey 0]

get a good shell, borrow some wings and make fibreglass copies. Start a "group buy". Pay for the rest of the car :D

[Guest]

Id go back to basics and ask myself:

 

Do I really really want a second weekend car?

Am I in a position to maintain it as it needs to be?

Is that second car without doubt a Corrado if I am the spend the money?

If it is, have I the actual Corrado I want to put my hard earned into or do I really want a different model or version?

 

There is nothing as frustrating as the situation you've described and nothing quicker to put you off a specific car. I think we've all been there! Yet second cars do cost and need a yearly budget. If you have the car you want and you have positive sense to the questions above then I'd plan a budget to get the car body sorted. This may mean driving it until next autumn then taking it off the road for some tlc. If however you're in doubt and are struggling with questions above then either a different car or then again no car is the way to go. Only you can make the choice but head must rule heart!

Good luck with decision.

[C488ADO 0]

With out being harsh bud to keep it you need to start getting your hands dirty, taking your car to kwick ccrap is not an option, start looking at various bits and pieces your self use the guys and girls on here everyone is willing to help offer advice etc etc you will get good and bad days with if bur it is rewarding when you fix something yourself and you realise how much you've saved and the knowledge you've gained......

Don't worry about it bud just get stuck in brakes are a piece of piss!! If I can do them anyone can!

[dragon green 5]

If you can fit a drivers door,

You can fix anything !

[Critical_Mass 10]

Think Jim was just getting a brake test done at Kwik Fit.

[Rob_B 0]

a lad on a local forum bought a 20v and ecu for his mk1 from my mate, and roped a load of people in to help do the conversion. I had never met the bloke before, but I got roped in and got stuck in. He himself admitted that he was useless with tools, but he promised limitless tea and fish and chips for lunch.

He did any donkey work we asked him to and was good to his word about the tea! he's now a good mate of mine and would do anything to help me out in return.

If you were closer to me I would be the first to say I'll help you out.

maybe you need to be thinking about organising a corrado forum weekend out! you supply the beer, the tea, somewhere to kip and in return your car gets renovated over a weekend!

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Check and waxoil every summer and jump on rust and scratches as soon as financially possible.

 

Aye, that's what I do. Best to wait until the summer to do DIY paintwork though, less humidity in the air. Until such a time as Summer can bother itself to appear, the rust continues to spread. Catch22.

 

I have to say, a reshell is the most appealing option. Pick up a beater with a shagged engine but tidy body and transfer all the bits over, and to that end I would be sourcing an 8 or 2.0 16V personally. Far less likely to have been understeered into a wall and poorly repaired.

[muppetlab 0]

Better the devil you know if you ask me. Most rados are of the age now where rust will be a concern and if a car was really rust free why would anyone break it. Rust is the killer, welding and fabrication/spraying costs a fortune unless you do it yourself. Mechanicals are fairly cheap and easy in comparison. I can't see how forking out to reshell a car is going to save money, just enjoy what you've got and drive it. At least you don't need to worry too much about car park dings and wether its going to get scratched :grin:

[mimjed 0]

reshell isnt a bad idea, the hardest part is the wiring loom. other than that its basically just a case of unbloting engine mounts/top mounts and wheeling it over to the new shell.

 

but a new shell sadly wouldnt cure running costs, but might make you like it a bit more again.

 

theres a lad in liecs that will have a pretty spotless satin shell once he removes the r32 from it. will ask on progress next time i see him.

[Pat_McCrotch 0]

Maybe someone should start a business buying Corrado Shells, fixing the rust then getting them Zinc Coated like people do with Mk2 Jags etc. You'd make a fortune and it saves them being crushed!

[dukest 0]

^^^^ I've often thought this.

 

if i lived anywhere that had space to keep a few shells then instead of completely breaking anything i got my hands on (mentioning no names) then i would definitely be looking to create the basis for some A1 restorations. i think the market for rolling shells for people to build up to their own taste is very un-explored.

[Wendy 0]

Jim,

 

I am in a position of not really being able to do anything myself on my car - so always have the expense of garages (especially as I am not very good at asking for help either )

 

To me its a mind thing - I really don't do faulty cars - so if my car as much as squeaks its in the garage.

I do rather believe you are going to have wear and tear items every 100k ish.

Mine is used as a daily.

Overal I rather believe mechanical items want to be used, so is the reduced mileage adding to your pain of continued repairs and costs ?

 

Yes, I do spend alot - but accept this as having an older car.

Although I am unable to afford a brand new car - I actually would not want the servicing bills of one either though - due to all the electronics and warranty issues of keeping them serviced - I am sure it would work out more, then you have the depreciation costs too.

 

Re the bodywork issues, I am just as paranoid and when cleaning the car - note all scratches, rusts spots etc- I have 2 - both tiny and got onto them really quickly myself !!!!!. Even though I may not have done the best job in the world - for now - I have stopped the rust spreading.

 

You may be as well to list the Pro's and Con's of Corrado Ownership - I have been in a dilemma a few times with mine - and came to the solution, that apart from the drive experience - she still looks beautiful and then there is the originality factor.

 

I am sure I have not helped, but maybe provided a few more items to think about. :lol:

[4eyes2wheels 0]

It's the domino effect that gets me.

 

Handbrake cable is faulty so the rear brakes freeze on in the cold COLD weather.

 

New cables are cheap, fitting isn't too much in terms of labour but well those calipers are old and are sticking anyway. So new or reconditioned calipers. But they might as well be MK4 Golf (better) versions. Again not too expensive on their own but they need fitting oh and you need new lines as they are different, again not too expensive on their own. Disks and pads might as well be changed while we are doing it to get the best value out of the labour.

 

So my new handbrake cable is going to cost me a lot of money.

 

I know I don't HAVE to do it all in one go but . . . . you get the idea.

 

In the 18 months of VR6 ownership I have bought the car again in terms of work BUT when it's good it is SO GOOD. I'll have to keep it forever or hope not to spend much more on it in the next two or three years (wishful thinking).

[Whitedog 0]

It's the domino effect that gets me.

 

Handbrake cable is faulty so the rear brakes freeze on in the cold COLD weather.

 

New cables are cheap, fitting isn't too much in terms of labour but well those calipers are old and are sticking anyway. So new or reconditioned calipers. But they might as well be MK4 Golf (better) versions. Again not too expensive on their own but they need fitting oh and you need new lines as they are different, again not too expensive on their own. Disks and pads might as well be changed while we are doing it to get the best value out of the labour.

 

So my new handbrake cable is going to cost me a lot of money.

 

I know I don't HAVE to do it all in one go but . . . . you get the idea.

 

 

 

This is why mine has been off the road for 2 years now :lol: