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iwantavr

Wanting to buy a VR need tips and things to look for on a VR

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Lots of things

 

Apart from body,

1. Listen for wheel bearing scream/rumble over 50 mph after 10 mins of driving; also check for steering bias that changes with speed. This is all wheel bearing related.

2. Check for caliper sticking by breaking progressively and also suddenly and see if she pulls about.

3. Suspension drive over a bumpy road and listen to the rear shocks. The n/s one tends to go early. Also check for steering bias. Its a common problem for the rack to drift to the n/s and thereby cause the car to bias towards the left- and indication that the driver has been hitting the sleeping policemen rather hard!

4. Look for oil leaks at the sump, between the engine and gearbox (usually a rear oil seal issue). If its there, also check for:

a) Noisy tappets. (the cam/followers go around 90K miles);

b) Rough idle (No 1 and No 6 usually have problems - either leaky valves or broken rings).

c) Signs that the G11 reservoir has blown its load and sprayed the engine bay. If so, you get a chalky deposit over the engine bay, looks like whitish dust but it sticks together.

5. Check the gear change, it should be positive and no grinding/confusion. If not it could be an adjustment thing or it could be 2nd gear on the box needing repair.

6. Look for rust on the lower slam bar (it provides the footing for the radiator) - its a common problem. Check that it hasnt got out of control.

7. Check all of the switches on the dash - make sure they work.

8. Check the oil colour. Then take a lint free cloth and wipe the top of the tappets and compare the colour to that in the sump. If they are the same, then the owner will be telling you the truth about the engine. If they arent, then ask him what problems he's been having with the engine. Ask about overheating and rough idle.

9. Run the engine until warm. Get a bottle of plant misting spray, just filled with water and point it at the coil pack (n/s of the engine, its where the six spark leads come from) and spray lberally from about 2 feet away. Wait for 10 mins and then blip the throttle. If it shakes about or rough idles, you have a bad coil pack.

 

Most VR6s are decent. However they dont like being pushed at the limit for too long. Ratting engine, overflowing water bottle, and coil pack problems are an indication of heat stress. If the signs are there, then dont buy it unless the engine is rock steady. If it shakes about or lumps a little - walk away until the owner has fixed it.

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You forgot the Sunroof! Check that works or doesnt work for that matter.

 

 

Yep, dead right. Listen to it. Does it sound dry on the rails, does it click? Are there scratch lines where it has jammed up because somebody was silly with the interior cover? Any of these, aim for spending £60-100 on spares and a day removing it, cleaning it, putting white grease back into it, cleaning yourself, cleaning the headliner, losing bolts, realigning it, pulling it out because you forgot to mark where everything is and start again.....and then kick the cat. I have seen decent citizens lose it over the sunroof getting stuck. Its worth photographing and posting it to their bosses when you fancy getting your own back for some silly issue..... 8)

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