VR6 Dilema!

[Purgatori 1]

Hello! Wow, long time no forum (for me that is...) Love the new look by the way!

Ok, I just wanted to a) say hi everyone 🙂 and also b) can I get some advice please?

My gorgeous Blackberry VR6 has been SORN'd since 2011. She's been garaged the whole time and a few years ago (with help from my partner at the time) I started working on her to get her back on the road. Unfortunately, things went sideways with my ex and I had to move out and start my life over, like completely from scratch. (Quit job, move back in with parents etc etc) I've got to the point now where I'm ready to get my girl off him and bring her home, but my dilemma is this: Do I keep her and do her up to drive, or do I let her go to another good home?

I don't have inexhaustible funds as I only work P/T at the moment and I don't have space here to put her anywhere. She'd need to live on the road 😕 I checked on Autotrader to see what prices look like these days and looking at the photos just made me want to drive her, but she'd need to be reliable enough to be a daily driver and as she hasn't gone anywhere for a long time I'm a little nervous that she could initially turn into a bit of a money-pit. I did get her running in 2017 and then the heater matrix went, so I fixed that and discovered a coolant leak, so I was hunting that down in 2018 when shit hit the fan in my personal life.

So, long rambling essay to a close, what do you guys think I should do? It would absolutely break my heart to sell her, but I don't know that I have the money, time or inclination to give her the life she truly deserves any more. Any advice would be gratefully received.

Cheers, Kate 🙂 

[tony_ack 0]

Sounds like a rough journey, but glad you're in a place where you can start thinking about the car again!

I've had mine for 10 years now, and it's gone from being a fairly reliable daily driver, to being off the road for a fair bit, to being back on the road again, and used occasionally. In that time, I'd say it doesn't feel quite as reliable as it used to be, which is fine as a second car, or if you've got other options to get around if you're hit by an unexpected breakdown, but I'm not sure I'd want to be in a position where my livelihood relied entirely on the car getting me to work every day without fail, and it's quite nice to feel I can 'take it out of service' for a week or two if I need to do a big job.

That said, I think that a lot of failures are less likely to happen the more regularly you use it.

It also depends on your own skill level and means to do repairs - if you're able to do some of the basic jobs yourself, it'll save some significant money.

It all comes down on what the car is worth to you - do you enjoy driving it, owning it, how does it make you feel when driving about, or looking back on it in a car park? Yes they could become costly to run, but probably not cost as much as, say, a new car on finance. 

Maybe clean it up, check it over, run the engine, see if you can find the leak, then put it through its MOT. Take a view from there. Even if you get an MOT, and then decide to sell as it's not doing it for you any more, you'll get a better price for it.

[easypops 8]

Hi and welcome 😁

In my experience the bodywork is the hardest part to sort if it’s rusty, mechanicals are a lot easier by comparison. Having said that after 11 years it’ll likely need new rubber bits and new fuel filter/fuel /oil/plugs etc 

[seanl82 23]

As above, o think your best course of action is to put it through an MOT and it'll give you an idea on cost to recommission it. Factor in a full service as well though. Where are you located? Most consumable items are still available and don't cost the earth, so a friendly local member may be able to help do some of the work you're not comfortable with. Unless bodywork or a full engine strip down is required, it should be achievable to do on your drive. Best of luck with whatever you decide! 👍

[Purgatori 1]

Hi guys, thank you so much for your replies. I'm based near Cardiff and I have very little by way of DIY know-how. I always planned to be able to learn my way around the engine bay and do the simpler work on her myself, but it never happened, other than me fitting her with a green air filter and new spark plugs.

I think I'll plan to get her back, check her over and get her on the road. I would love to drive her again for a bit, even if it's just my one last hurrah before finding her a new home. So I'll aim to get her running and see how I feel when she's going.

Thank you again for your input, I really appreciate it 🙂 

Edited June 8, 2020 by Purgatori
Forgot a bit...

[1xshaunx1 27]

Good to see you moving forward and gaining Corrado enthusiasm. 
 

What work were you undertaking on the car prior to you guys falling out.

 

Did the sunroof work, did it have leather or recaro interior and did the engine have anything unstandard bolted on, these things add desirability and value. Least desirable is a grey cloth interior in poor condition, broken sunroof and a rattling tin can standard engine set up. 

[Purgatori 1]

Hello. We were trying to find the source of the coolant leak. My ex was a spray-paint artist for custom motorbikes and he had refurbished many VWs prior to that too, so he had refurbished my Speedlines and the paintwork where the lacquer was peeling or looking dull. She's reasonably standard mechanically, but she does have Koni coilover suspension and black cloth interior which is in good nick except for a small patch on the driver side bolster which is starting to wear through. I always planned to recover it in Alcantara, but sadly never got round to that either. There's a green air filter fitted and the sunroof and spoiler work great. She doesn't run hot and she's not temperamental. When I was using her daily for one of my old jobs she was great. It was gutting to have to SORN her but back then I had 3 years of pay freeze and petrol was £1.36/Ltr. When I get her back I'll probably pop up a load of photos like a proud mama! Lol 😉 

[Cressa 44]

Good decision on keeping her. I think we all learn with the ownership of a Corrado.  Now we have the forum with easy to post pictures,  just post up your concerns and we can see/advise better. Take the problems one at a time, walk away when it isnt happening. 

Best buy ever is a Bentley Manual to help you when taking things apart/ putting them back together. 

Good luck with her

[seanl82 23]

2 hours ago, Purgatori said:

Hello. We were trying to find the source of the coolant leak. My ex was a spray-paint artist for custom motorbikes and he had refurbished many VWs prior to that too, so he had refurbished my Speedlines and the paintwork where the lacquer was peeling or looking dull. She's reasonably standard mechanically, but she does have Koni coilover suspension and black cloth interior which is in good nick except for a small patch on the driver side bolster which is starting to wear through. I always planned to recover it in Alcantara, but sadly never got round to that either. There's a green air filter fitted and the sunroof and spoiler work great. She doesn't run hot and she's not temperamental. When I was using her daily for one of my old jobs she was great. It was gutting to have to SORN her but back then I had 3 years of pay freeze and petrol was £1.36/Ltr. When I get her back I'll probably pop up a load of photos like a proud mama! Lol 😉 

Ok great, did you find the coolant leak or is that your first item on the agenda? If still an issue, how much is it leaking, and can you see any evidence of it dropping anywhere and where is it approximately?

[1xshaunx1 27]

Certainly reads like it’s worth saving. Be gentle with your sunroof when opening for the first time in ages. Make it go up, clean and lube the seal Before !  you try to open it backwards as the seal can stick the sunroof to the roof body stuff breaks when you try to go backward first. 
Never be tempted to just keep adding water to a coolant leak you must put proper coolant in as it can cause its own problems. 
Good luck, you’ll have to keep us updated with your progress, insurance is probably cheaper and fuel definitely is since you last had a blast. 

[Purgatori 1]

6 hours ago, Cressa said:

Good decision on keeping her. I think we all learn with the ownership of a Corrado.  Now we have the forum with easy to post pictures,  just post up your concerns and we can see/advise better. Take the problems one at a time, walk away when it isnt happening. 

Best buy ever is a Bentley Manual to help you when taking things apart/ putting them back together. 

Good luck with her

Thank you! Is the Bentley Manual the big yellow one? Cos I have one of those but I don't understand head nor tail of it 😕 

[Purgatori 1]

4 hours ago, seanl82 said:

Ok great, did you find the coolant leak or is that your first item on the agenda? If still an issue, how much is it leaking, and can you see any evidence of it dropping anywhere and where is it approximately?

It's first item on my list! I need to get her back first before I can start looking again, but from what I remember it was a slow dribble but I can't remember where from exactly. 

[Purgatori 1]

3 hours ago, 1xshaunx1 said:

Certainly reads like it’s worth saving. Be gentle with your sunroof when opening for the first time in ages. Make it go up, clean and lube the seal Before !  you try to open it backwards as the seal can stick the sunroof to the roof body stuff breaks when you try to go backward first. 
Never be tempted to just keep adding water to a coolant leak you must put proper coolant in as it can cause its own problems. 
Good luck, you’ll have to keep us updated with your progress, insurance is probably cheaper and fuel definitely is since you last had a blast. 

Thanks for the sunroof advice 🙂 

I don't think I've ever put just water in the coolant. I always used proper stuff, can't say what my ex did when he was working on her as he did some work without me, but from here on out definitely no water only going on in for sure!

Will keep you all posted and yes, petrol is certainly cheaper than I remember since I got my first car in 2001!

[fendervg 32]

Common places for that kind of leak would be the thermostat/sensor housing or the the plastic "crack" pipe that runs from the water pump to the thermostat housing along the bottom of the front of the block. The oil cooler pipes could also be likely culprits, as well as the cooler itself. None are expensive to fix in terms of parts cost, but will take a bit of time, so labour charges will be a hit if not doing it yourself.

[Dox 23]

I’ll add the lower corners of the radiator and the plastic elbow at the top of the rad. Warm the car up then push a piece of cardboard beneath the engine and look for spotting if coolant  

[Keyo 47]

10 hours ago, Purgatori said:

Hello. We were trying to find the source of the coolant leak. My ex was a spray-paint artist for custom motorbikes and he had refurbished many VWs prior to that too, so he had refurbished my Speedlines and the paintwork where the lacquer was peeling or looking dull. She's reasonably standard mechanically, but she does have Koni coilover suspension and black cloth interior which is in good nick except for a small patch on the driver side bolster which is starting to wear through. I always planned to recover it in Alcantara, but sadly never got round to that either. There's a green air filter fitted and the sunroof and spoiler work great. She doesn't run hot and she's not temperamental. When I was using her daily for one of my old jobs she was great. It was gutting to have to SORN her but back then I had 3 years of pay freeze and petrol was £1.36/Ltr. When I get her back I'll probably pop up a load of photos like a proud mama! Lol 😉 

Wouldnt be surprised if its from the thermostat or the famous fragile crack pipe- possibly a leaky rad- just need to chase the leak. 

[Purgatori 1]

Thanks everyone. I have nowhere to store her when I get her back so it's going to have to be straight to the garage to get the MOT sorted etc, but at least I can now tell them likely culprits so they can hopefully find the leak faster. Once lockdown is lifted and I can actually go get her of course.

[Cressa 44]

No lockdown excuses, go get her 👌

[Purgatori 1]

😅If only it was that straightforward! I have to hire a flatbed and co-ordinate with the ex to get her off his property. And I have to drive past a police hot spot and being as we're still supposed to stay within 5 miles of home and going to get her is like a 98mile round trip I don't think I'd get away with it 😛 

Edited June 12, 2020 by Purgatori
Spelling

[1xshaunx1 27]

The car is in a garage not a restaurant and recovery drivers are allowed and need work, all involved just need to practice distance and self protection, which in turn keeps others safe. 

[Purgatori 1]

It's still more than 5 miles away from home, is a non-essential trip and means I've got to persuade the ex to travel to the workshop to let us on to the property, which might be a bit hard given current conditions. I know the recovery guys need work but I think they'll be easing things here soon, so as soon as they do I'll be on it. I don't want to lose money I could spend on her on a lockdown fine because I jumped the gun. 

[Keyo 47]

Are you outside of England because its OK In England to go further then 5 miles. 

[Cressa 44]

4 minutes ago, Keyo said:

Are you outside of England because its OK In England to go further then 5 miles. 

She's over the border mate, 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 near Cardiff 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 

Go fetch her at the first opportunity though 👍

[Purgatori 1]

Oh you can count on that! 😉 

[Cressa 44]

And have you fetched her yet?