Rpmayne 0 Posted June 18, 2004 Just wanted to start a list of hates people have had with the 'future classic', please add yours.. All to often the bad points are forgotten, and I think people should know what they're getting themselves into. I made the mistake of thinking a Corrado would be a refined mk2 Golf with better handling etc. No doubt faster round the corners, more fun?? Not so sure after driving my old mk2 about at the weekend. Built better, better sensation of speed, lighter, less to go wrong, cheap to fix. I hate rattles.. The Corrado is built like s**t. :mad: Windows, behind dash, centre part with the handbrake. Pretty much everywhere really. Makes me laugh when I tell people and they go 'but its a VW'. Realise that doesn't mean anything now, good old Karmann. May aswell change that badge for Fiat. Sunroof. Say no more, poor poor design. Spoiler. Given up working automatically now. Oil consumption and running temperatures. They managed to put a proper oil cooler on the mk1's, why couldn't they sort something out on this. Price of parts.. Again thought being a VW I would be able to get things at similar prices as the Golf, not a chance. Remember someone on hear saying its comparable to Porsche prices, should have listened to that. Don't get me wrong.. I'm very dissapointed with this car but it does go alright when it wants to. Is it worth all the grief though, thats what Im asking myself. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nick_Micouris 0 Posted June 18, 2004 Oh I think it's definitely worth the grief mate! I adored my Mk2 16v but wouldnt swap my C for it by any means. I really don't think it is built like s**T :? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Scott 0 Posted June 18, 2004 Sounds like you have bought a shed mate..... my VR is built like granite and have no rattles at all!! I have had mine nearly 3yrs and covered over 30k miles and all I have needed is: - Ignition Switch - Auxillary Water Pump - Front Brake discs and pads - New Tyres - Heater Matrix - Headlight lense and routine servicing..... My sunroof works fine... my spoiler works fine... my temps are fine... parts prices are ok as long as you use GSF / ECP wherever possible... in fact my VR6 is cheaper to maintain than my old 16V Corrado was! :shock: Everytime I drive it - it puts a smile on my face.... compared to a MK2 Golf its in another league! :D Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
G-Lader 0 Posted June 18, 2004 Think you must have a 'bad' Corrado.........our MK11 16v golf is like a go-cart and great fun to drive but the Corrado is so much more refined........soon as you sit in the Corrado you notice the diff. to the upright seating position of the Golf - better built as well as far as im concerned............... TBH should not really be comparing the MK11 with the Corrado anyway, Corrado is a sweet cruiser, Golf is a hot hatch.....put them on the motorway at speed and listen to the diff. in wind noise...... Just my 2p worth......... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kuksool 0 Posted June 18, 2004 just sold my mk2 16v and i test drove kev's VR to see what i was getting myself into with raddo ownership (by the way thanks Kev) and oh my god it is in the premier ship compared to the mk2 in divsion 1......!!!! the mk2 was good but a raddo is something else!!!! Scott Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin Bacon 5 Posted June 18, 2004 There's still a lot of them on the road mate, must suggest something? I've a couple of MK2s that were terrible, and a few that were brilliant. Just the luck of the draw........ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin Bacon 5 Posted June 18, 2004 just sold my mk2 16v and i test drove kev's VR to see what i was getting myself into with raddo ownership (by the way thanks Kev) and oh my god it is in the premier ship compared to the mk2 in divsion 1......!!!! the mk2 was good but a raddo is something else!!!! Scott Exactly mate! There aren't many MK2s that could do what we did on that roundabout :wink: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kuksool 0 Posted June 18, 2004 oh yeah the roundabout was awesome i couldt believe it.... .... that was well funny. People saw us coming and decided they could make it out but then i could see there eyes light up when they realised we were going faster than they thought! :lol: :lol: :shock: :lol: :lol: the grip was phenomenal!!!! :shock: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin Bacon 5 Posted June 18, 2004 LOL, glad you enjoyed it, still got the front anti-roll bar to go on as yet! You've got all that fun to come yourself once you find a decent car. Still think you should buy Mike's :wink: It's pretty much the same spec as mine, less the Shrek and in your favoured colour after Aqua Blue :lol: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dr_mat 0 Posted June 18, 2004 There's lots of Corrados out there that aren't necessarily "bad", but just have a constant demand for new bits. Mine included. And mine hasn't been overly abused, or cut+shut, or skimped on in the past, it's just the way it is. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kuksool 0 Posted June 18, 2004 im looking at another one with 77k on the clock monday and funny thing is he works next door to where i work. So its worth to have a look and its all standard then comes the fun as you say with making go round a corner like yours did!!!! ha ha cant wait! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kvwloon 0 Posted June 18, 2004 Went from a Mk2 to a Corrado, and they are like chalk and chees. You could sit in the C all day and cruise along. Nice though Mk2's are they, it's not the same driving experience at all. Think you just may have a bit of a lemon there... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vr6storm 0 Posted June 18, 2004 tempting fate here btw but i can't see how the sunroof can be classed as poor design.......mine has worked without problem in 3 years of my ownership........just by taking 5 mins to give it a good greasing etc as for changing the badge to FIAT how does 10+hours for a timing belt change sound :roll: ............. Corrado parts are dear compared to most other VW's but this is normally only trim and body parts-due to production runs Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dr_mat 0 Posted June 18, 2004 It's around 9-10 hours to change the timing CHAINS on the VR, so the Fiat ain't so unusual... Admittedly it's going to be done more often if it's a belt, but at least it's on the service intervals. With the VRs it's completely down to the attention that the owner pays - my car has been through a number of services and my garage kept telling me it's "running sweet". Of course it was clattery as buggery, but hey.. And VW parts? Don't get me started...!! HOW much for a headlight switch? HOW much for a fog lamp?? HOW much for a crankcase breather valve??? But you all knew I was going to say that anyway... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
corozin 0 Posted June 18, 2004 In the final analysis the Corrado is a pretty high performance piece of kit, and although it has a VW badge on the front, the quality of parts required to keep a 150mph car tip-top are going to be expensive regardless of whether the car has a VW, Porsche or TVR badge on it. If you think a Corrado is expensive to keep on the road, then buy a Porsche or a Jaguar. Indeed we have levels of running costs & reliability that owners of a lot of Japanese performance cars would kill for. My experience (of a 1995 VR6) over the past 5 years is the same as Roddy's - granite build quality with no rattles anywhere, and still going as well as it ever did even though it now has almost 127,000 miles on the clock. Sure some parts need replacing but all cars need that. If your dash (or almost anything else) is rattling on the car, then it's almost certain that at some point that part has been taken off the car and NOT been refitted correctly. No exceptions. John Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dinkus 10 Posted June 18, 2004 It just goes to show how good this forum is, I've been scouring here for a while now and I know what I need to look at when I go lookin for a Corrado. I saw one yesterday that was a dog, but there were people calling up when I was there to put offers in on it. Make sure you check it over thoroughly before you buy it, it's like all 10yr old cars, they need to have been looked after. If you just go out and buy the first Corrado you see then expect to sell it on in a couple of years at a profit and spend no money on it, then you are going to get a shock. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim 1 Posted June 18, 2004 With regards to rattles.. well.. you take any other old (like my 98,000 mile J reg) car for a drive and see how they rattle.. my Y reg Saxo with 18,000 on it rattled and squeaked a LOT more! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Henny 0 Posted June 18, 2004 yeah, with you on that one Jim... J-DUB's done nearly 250K miles, just about every part has been dismantled by me (at least) and it's still got less rattles than my M plate 35Kmile Astra had! :? You gotta remember Dr_Mat that the headlamp switch was Corrado only, and I don't think £70 is bad for a genuine fog lamp... one for a Ford Escort isn't far off that price... It tends to be the parts that were Corrado only which are expensive 'cos you've gotta keep remembering that there were only around 9000 RHD versions made, so parts for them are that little bit more expensive... :? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kongo127 0 Posted June 18, 2004 OK... I am shocked with this topic! :shock: No words to say at all... :mad: How could you say something like that mate? :cry: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dr_mat 0 Posted June 18, 2004 Come on, Henny, even standard, shared parts are pretty heinous. Ball joints £18, front shocks £55, top mounts £12 (for a lump of rubber). They charge OTT, no arguing. I'm sure they're not *as* expensive as certain other companies, but it's pretty mad, some of it. The only justification they have for charging these prices is that they have to retain a stock of them for many years, but even the parts they buy in from other companies have an enormous mark-up too. The headlight switch *can't* be RHD specific, can it? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dr_mat 0 Posted June 18, 2004 But anyway, these are all reasons you shouldn't buy a Corrado true enough. Even I will admit there are still plenty of reasons why you *should* buy one tho.. ;) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim 1 Posted June 18, 2004 Indeed. I can't argue with you on parts prices though dr_mat - VW are very ambitious with their prices, and thats one of the biggest downsides to the car. It just compliments its generally high running costs, high insurance costs, and just about everything else. Can't beat the exclusivity though.. Went to go and see a car for my sister this evening, and whilst my old man & sister took the car round the block, the owner got talking about my Corrado.. he almost had a heart attack when I said it was a J reg - couldn't believe it was so old and in such good nick for its age. Made me feel pretty pleased with myself ;) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VR6 0 Posted June 18, 2004 Indeed. I can't argue with you on parts prices though dr_mat - VW are very ambitious with their prices, and thats one of the biggest downsides to the car. It just compliments its generally high running costs, high insurance costs, and just about everything else. Can't beat the exclusivity though.. Went to go and see a car for my sister this evening, and whilst my old man & sister took the car round the block, the owner got talking about my Corrado.. he almost had a heart attack when I said it was a J reg - couldn't believe it was so old and in such good nick for its age. Made me feel pretty pleased with myself ;) Similar vein to that Jim.... Some guy was asking me about mine last week and asked how much they were. I naturally replied, 'oh, about £5k for a good one'. His reply was '£5k for a brand new car?!!'. I had to inform him that they stopped making them 9 years ago and that they were over £20k new!! :shock: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin Bacon 5 Posted June 18, 2004 Come on, Henny, even standard, shared parts are pretty heinous. Ball joints £18, front shocks £55, top mounts £12 (for a lump of rubber). They charge OTT, no arguing. Oh get out of here, they're not expensive at all. It's a German car for feck's sake. You seem to forget how long those components last. My car has 1 set of top mounts in 95K.....£12 is not expenisve once every 100K is it? I've had more than enough different brands of car to realise VW are not that expensive. When was the last time you looked at the VW parts screen? For example, I bought 2 steering gaiters last week. On the screen it said "OLD PRICE - £27.86. NEW PRICE - £8.58." And that goes for a lot of other stuff as well. You think £390+VAT for a rack is expensive, try £682 for an E30 BMW one or £350-£400 for a 3rd party recon. I can give you several more examples but I won't as I've laboured the point enough. Corrados *can* be cost effective, you just have to be shrewd and shop around. It's purely because the car is 10 years old and things just need doing. Oh and don't forget I'm still on the original exhaust after 10 years Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DaveStorm 0 Posted June 18, 2004 Couldn't agree more Kev, well said :wink: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
