Advice when looking at Corrado's

[Grande GTi 11]

Hi all.

 

I'm hoping to go and look at a Corrado VR6 over the weekend, everything so far on paper looks great, however I'm looking for some pointers to look out for when buying a Corrado VR.

 

Any help would be appreciated.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Ricky :)

[swiftkid 1]

Hello & welcome, try this:

 

http://wiki.the-corrado.net/the_corrado_buying_guide_checklist.html

 

Biggest things to check are sunroof, rear spoiler (on switch and when upto speed), A pillar and around windscreen for rot and then just other bits on buying checklist.

[Simeon 0]

Look under the battery as the battery tray is a common rust spot.

 

Check all electrics work as a pain to fix.

 

VR6s plagued by idle problems and overheating, so make sure it idles ok cold and warm and get it up to temp so fans kick in.

[fendervg 32]

Sunroof, spoiler and battery tray can all be sorted if needed, but will cost, so make sure to factor that into the price and any bargaining you do. Check the door handles work and feel tight and also the central locking. Make sure the ABS light goes off and that it kicks in when braking hard. The fuel filler neck can be a problem area as well, but is hard to inspect without some work.

 

Everything else is in the guide - a good test drive from cold up to normal temps will tell you plenty. And don't worry so much about high mileage, but buy on overall condition, especially the bodywork and panels. If you have the chance to get a good look underneath, do so.

[robrado974 1]

Also check inside the fuel filler cap . Mud flicks up underneath the rear arch and it gets clogged up , thus causing rust to develop in this area. Cutting out rust and treatment in this area will be expensive.

Edited October 24, 2018 by robrado974

[Beanington 10]

Agree with everything said, of course.

 

Personally, the body is the important bit. Time spent on mechanical stuff is negligible compared to the time it takes to do good and proper panel work or rust removal / replacing metal :)

[easypops 8]

Agree with the guys above. Mechanicals can be fixed relatively easily.

Rust is the big issue, check the rear arches, especially the drivers side, and pay close attention to the fuel cap area, dirt/moisture can accumulate up there causing rust all the way down to the arch and possibly up to the suspension turret. Also check the rear panel where the badges sit, the small blue grommets can break/fall out allowing moisture in.

[Grande GTi 11]

Thank you all.

 

Great help so far feeling a little more confident in viewing this corrado now

 

Thanks again

[nc_corrado 10]

In the US here, new owner, not many good forums for these in the states that I can find. 92 Emerald/Beige leather car, 69k miles. original 77 year old vw/audi/porsche master mechanic sold it 2 years ago to the guy I bought it from. Arizona (hot, dry) desert car, so I guess no surprise that the paint isn't original. It's a 7/10 job only because they didn't remove the glass or seals to do it, and there are 3 silver-dollar sized areas that, in sunlight, you can see the clearcoat isn't perfect. From 10 feet? Looks like a brand new car.

 

#4 fan position doesn't work, radio has a code reading and the speakers are shot. Sunroof works, spoiler works, clutch replaced, caps/rotors replaced, AC converted to 134 and ice cold. Leather in overall good shape, no tears just some minor crinkling on the driver bolsters, and getting dry on the passenger front part of the cushion, and the rear headrests. I've soaked them in Lexol and will continue to do so. The visors really need replacing, and 2 of the clips are broken. The center visor is shot. The interior plastic trim all around the roof is somewhat loose, and I'm sure it's brittle. I would imagine all these are common problems. Would replacing the grommets (if available) fix the looseness?

 

Tires are out of balance else wheels bent (the aftermarket/accessory VW 16" mesh wheel, the OEM BBS 15s have been lost to time along the way I guess, and I'd love to find some good originals). Seems to be a slight engine noise either at lower speeds or in lower gears, it's either when the clutch is depressed or not depressed, just got it and need to drive it again because I've forgotten.

 

Oh, and a pen-point spot of rust under the rear hatch seal that I really need to sand, prime and touch up.

 

Lot of info but that's me, any insight/tips would be appreciated! My goal is a bone-stock Corrado and an exercise in preservation for a rainy day.

 

MODERATOR: Can you please move this to a new post? I accidentally replied to an open thread

Edited November 12, 2018 by nc_corrado
wrong place