New Member with Dry Stored VR6 Seeks Advice

[Jonnystar5 10]

Hi all, I am new.

 

I have always loved the Corrado but despite having had 12 VDubs (cars and vans, air and water cooled) over the years have never had a Corrado, all this could be about to change!

 

I rent a garage near me for storing work stuff and a long time ago their was an old lady who had a green VR6 Corrado, I chatted with her and said how much I liked them. The other day I noticed that the padlock on her garage was rusty and hasn't been opened for a long while, I manageed to get my phone through the gap at the top of the door and the car is still in their! as you can see from the pics, its very dusty. I have the number plate so looked it up on the DVLA site and it ran out of MOT in 2007. She is obviously still paying to rent (approx £550 per year) the garage and must be in her late 70's by now. I have asked one of the garage tennants to tell her that I would be interested in buying the car and he is going to put a note through her door and hopefully she will call.

 

My questions are:-

 

What's it worth? its a VR6 in Green, 1994, I remember it having a cloth interior, it obviously has moved in around eight years but i believe it was in full working order, it has had two previous owners. It was stored in a garage when she owned it since at least 2002.

 

What should I budget to get it on the road? I'm thinking its going to need brakes, new fuel, oil and filters and possibly tyres? do these cars store well or will it need lots of seals and rubbers that of perished causing oil leaks etc. ?

 

Basically, i'm not sure what to offer the lady if she's up for selling it and what the likely budget would be for getting it roadworthy again.

 

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

I've added the two pics of the back of the car, its very dirty.

 

Thanks

 

Jon

 

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Edited October 29, 2015 by Jonnystar5

[Jim 1]

Welcome aboard. And nice find! Hopefully the mileage is reasonably low.

 

It's impossible to know really until you get the doors open and take a proper look but definitely the things you say are more than likely going to need attention. They seem to store (provided the garage is fairly dry) pretty well. In addition to what you mentioned, I'd definitely be wanting to drain out the coolant too and thoroughly flushing that out and replacing with fresh, and of course prior to attempting to start it I'd be wanting to disable it from starting (so pull the fuel pump relay or something) to let the engine turn over for a bit without firing just to help get some oil moving around.

 

One common thing with 'stored' Corrado's seems to be the interior getting a bit 'furry' / mouldy so you may want to budget some time on stripping it all out and giving it a thorough clean.

 

Unless the mileage is really low

[g0ldf1ng3r 13]

am I missing something on this post?

[mic_VR 3]

am I missing something on this post?

 

Original post is missing?!? Ghost Corrado owner? It is close to Halloween...... :pale:

[Jim 1]

Sorry - mod tools were being stupid. If someone new makes a post it needs manually approving. You tick a box and hit approve. But if they edit the post prior to you approving it, you go through the process as normal but it doesn't actually get approved. You have to go into a separate section of the site to approve it.

[Jim Bowen 1]

Might even be worth speaking to

 

http://www.johnaustin.co.uk/index.php/about-us (taken from sticker on rear window)

 

See what they know about the car.

[g0ldf1ng3r 13]

Original post is missing?!? Ghost Corrado owner? It is close to Halloween...... :pale:

 

ha ha ha that's a cracker Mic lol :D

[mic_VR 3]

I'm a little disappointed it wasn't the ghost of a past Corrado owner. I'm imagining a Jacob Marley style man, shackled by the chains formed in life by the over baring financial and emotional burdens of owning a Corrado......

[g0ldf1ng3r 13]

I'm a little disappointed it wasn't the ghost of a past Corrado owner. I'm imagining a Jacob Marley style man, shackled by the chains formed in life by the over baring financial and emotional burdens of owning a Corrado......

 

PMSL id add the chains would have the tensioners dangling from them too ;)

[g0ldf1ng3r 13]

Welcome aboard. And nice find! Hopefully the mileage is reasonably low.

 

It's impossible to know really until you get the doors open and take a proper look but definitely the things you say are more than likely going to need attention. They seem to store (provided the garage is fairly dry) pretty well. In addition to what you mentioned, I'd definitely be wanting to drain out the coolant too and thoroughly flushing that out and replacing with fresh, and of course prior to attempting to start it I'd be wanting to disable it from starting (so pull the fuel pump relay or something) to let the engine turn over for a bit without firing just to help get some oil moving around.

 

One common thing with 'stored' Corrado's seems to be the interior getting a bit 'furry' / mouldy so you may want to budget some time on stripping it all out and giving it a thorough clean.

 

Unless the mileage is really low

 

engine & running aside it is likely to need many of the rubber parts replacing

 

IE front wishbone bushed, rear beam bushes, steering rack gaitors etc etc - essentially all of the running gear

 

if you are planning on a mechanic doing the above for you, as I did on my VR, I would estimate around £1000+ for all parts & labour

 

suspension could also be perished / past its best - a decent setup would be at least £650 to £1500 depending on which flavours are chosen

 

if the engine needs inspecting & has to be taken apart it would be wise to change chains & tensioner & clutch - another £1000 or so

 

plus I would say you may need to cross your fingers that mice etc have not got into it as it could be a wiring nightmare if they have been munching over the years

 

one positive is that the paint could be excellent - if it is original a good detailer would bring if fully back to life & avoid a respray

[mic_VR 3]

PMSL id add the chains would have the tensioners dangling from them too ;)

 

Definitely! Whilst clutching the remains of a top tensioner and a heater matrix!

[g0ldf1ng3r 13]

Definitely! Whilst clutching the remains of a top tensioner and a heater matrix!

 

ha ha ha & a dash dragging behind him with all the screws etc from it jangling

[Jonnystar5 10]

Thanks Jim, I will pop in to the garage to see what they know.

[Jonnystar5 10]

Thanks for your advice, that sounds like a lot of money and work, I hope I can do some of those jobs myself over time if it needs them and I get it as don't fancy that kind of outlay.

 

Cheers

 

Jon