How reliable is your corrado

[Ricardo da force 0]

Once again I am considering a corrado, just hesitant due to reliability problems and maintenance costs, what have yours been like?

 

I am considering a VR6 or G60 as I can't get a slower car than my current one, a very reliable MK3 Golf GTI 16v.

 

Would even consider replacing with my golf engine/gear but not sure of the costs involved.

 

Thanks

[boost monkey 0]

you could only use the engine from the mk3 iirc. The subframes etc will be different. hth.

[v8rumbler 0]

A Corrado is no less reliable than any other car of the era. Normal rules apply--- get one which has been well cared for with good S/H etc etc

[robrado974 1]

mine has never let me down 147000 on the clock ,drives fine . ....oh god what have i just said , thats asking for trouble ,lol.

[VR6 Lee 0]

mine has never let me down 147000 on the clock ,drives fine . ....oh god what have i just said , thats asking for trouble ,lol.

 

mine had 148k on the clock and then engine rebuild required...keerching!

[carrots 1]

mine owes me more than i paid for it,i spend at least £100 a month on parts and it dont seem to end

[VR6 Lee 0]

rado = moneypit

[carrots 1]

o yes just put head back on ,going to cost me £500 ish.just hope its right now

[harryc 0]

rado = moneypit

 

With me the problem is whenever a standard part gives up the ghost i spend 5 times as much replacing it with an aftermarket part or replacing everything near the part which might be old. A nice standard example which has been serviced regularly should be no problem. Always things like chains for a vr or charger rebuild with a g60 to think about so try look for a car which isnt due wither of these in the near future.

[Ricardo da force 0]

thanks harry,

 

i am sure there plenty of threads on this already but whats the VR6 like compared with the G60. I started off looking at VR6's but there seems to be some nice G60's about at the mo...?

[MonkeyVR6 0]

I never really understand these, "How reliable is your/the/my Corrado?" posts. :|

 

I can only speak of my own experience, but my Corrado is reliable and has never really let me down. The only concern that people might have, and it is a valid one, is if the high running costs.

 

The VR6 especially seems to demand a high premium on parts - especially if someone hasn't looked after it, or done what I like to call 'preventive maintenance' ;)

[Ricardo da force 0]

Thats the thing, I don't mind running costs and all the usual costs associated with a car. And as always finding a car that has been looked after is half the battle.

 

However I have heard many stories of continual problems/faults, you have only got to look further up this thread!

[jamiehamy 0]

Mine is at 174k and never let me down, bar one fault that was mine, not the cars.

 

I spend a fair amount of money every month, but only because I want to, rather than need to. The result is that I can depend on it no matter what.

 

Because i've had it over 4 years, I know it pretty well inside out and what stage parts are likely to be at. My attitude to spending is geared towards getting her to 200k+ miles. Performance enhancements are not really on the agenda until I get a 24v :)

 

Oh, and I've done 23k miles in the last 10months and have a 4k road trip coming up in 3 weeks!

[Purple Tom 0]

They suffer with the same problems of neglect that any other car of a similar era does, in my opinion.

 

They actually tend to be reliable to the point of being bulletproof* and seem to savour high milage and regular use. My 8V is knocking on the door of 190k and the engine is as perfect as an engine could be, doesn't use any oil or coolant and hasn't let me down once.

 

*by this I mean that the car will keep on running when it has a catalogue of things wrong with it (whether it be due to wear and tear or general abuse/neglect). Once something goes wrong and renders the car immobile, the rest of the faults are found and it can cost a fair bit/take a little while to put right (depending on your method of car repair!)*

 

Preventative maintenance is the key, as well as a degree of mechanical sympathy towards what is, at its youngest, a 16 year old car. If you look after them they will look after you, but don't expect it to be maintenance free for any length of time, even if you've bought one thats had the majority of the jobs done. There will always be something that requires a little bit of attention but that is par for the course when you own an old car.

 

Look around carefully, buy a half decent one and you won't regret it. Oodles more character than your Golf and if you get a 4-cylinder one you could put the ABF from the Golf in very easily.

 

HTH.

 

Tom

Edited March 13, 2011 by Purple Tom

[quicky1980 0]

I think if I would have left mine as I bought it and kept up with the servicing then it would have been very reliable. Since changing almost every conceivable part on the car, Ive had a few issues if Im honest but considering these cars are getting on a bit now its been very good to me.

 

They are very well engineered and as long as they are looked after, they give many miles of fun.

[sexybourbon 0]

Evers heard of a saying look after those that look after you ?? Same goes with a corrado or any other car for that matter if you keep on top of it and look after it or replace a part you think may be on the way out before it breaks then you can rule out possibly breaking down because of that part and there for making a more reliable car

[quicky1980 0]

...and use good quality bits. Cheap bits tend to be a bit, well, erm pants!!

[sexybourbon 0]

Agree with that some bits you can get away with but if your doing something major best of going for the dealers parts spesh when it comes to replacing bushes and what not !! Go for the cheap fix and your more likely to be there again next month

[C488ADO 0]

never let me down driven it to germany , praha etc alwaysup and down the m5 and tomorrow morn a nice trip to stansted airport....

[Supercharged 2]

Quite simply buy the best one you can afford but obviously hold a bit of cash back for anything needing urgent attention.

 

From experience on here it's the people that buy cheap neglected cars that have problems and moan about costs all the time and then get fed up and sell.

 

Low mileage is important but not as much as overall condition - a rust free body and recent service history are key.

[8vMatt 1]

Got to say I'm so pleased with the reliability of mine. It had done only about 50 miles whilst not in regular use over the bad winter weather. This was about an 8-10 week period. Now its been called into action, I've done 1,200 miles in two weeks and 550 miles this weekend alone. Oil and water temps have stayed rock solid and its been a pleasure doing the miles.

 

As above, get the best car you can and maintain, maintain and do a bit more maintain as you keep it.

[corozin 0]

Well if you want to see how bad it can be follow the link in my sig below.

... not that I want to put you off or anything.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

This again :lol:

 

Think of it another way. How many XR3is, RS Turbos, Calibras, Cavalier GSIs, Pug 205s, Renault 5 Turbos, Fiat Uno IE Turbos et al do you see on the roads now? I was only thinking the other day that I hadn't seen a Renault 5 or Fiat Uno turbo for years, or an XR3i.

 

Practically the only cars you see on the roads still, from that era, are german cars. Golfs, Corrados, BMW E30s, BMW E36, Audis of some description etc. Why? Because they're built to last.

 

Purple Tom and Supercharged hit the nail on the head. Buy a car that's close to retirement and you will spend a fortune on getting it back to work again.

 

And I also agree with Monkey VR6. Why come onto a forum with 100s of 1000s of posts and aks such an obvious question in the first place, and then move onto the predictable "G60 versus VR6". We are mature enough to not fall for that trap on here.

[OllieVR6 0]

VR is better :bonk:

 

who said mature?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

It is with a turbo bolted to the back of it :D