Advice on what to do with a screwed (low miles) VR6 engine..

[Mave 0]

If you're in any doubt Jim then you shouldn't buy the car, I guess you already know that 'it'll only cost £xxx' always goes out the window and it'll be more. You said you're in a bit of debt so no point making it worse, you can wait and save, surely? : - D

 

Plus what caused the engine to be borked in the first place?

[davidwort 0]

Another option would be to pick up an OBD2 passat 2.8 and swap the whole thing over, that would be the cheapest route, but then you'd be looking at a highish mileage engine I guess.

It's a difficult problem with the VR6 Corrado, the 2.9 is like hens teeth to find S/H and the rebuilding cost when you factor in everything you'd really want to change if the lump is coming out could rapidly get out of hand, even excluding labour

It really depends if you want to keep it (2.9 12V) original (edit: you do!), I personally would love a 24v 2.8 in a Corrado, so quiet and the cylinder head the VR6 should have had from the start, not to mention variable inlet manifold.

Tricky one, but a lot depends on just how cheap the car is and the condition of the rest of it, if the body is perfect then it's a rare find and you'll not be sinking hundreds into panel work, which TBH can end up being the most costly area to fix properly.

With fuel prices and the economy as they are I wouldn't be surprised if the price of VR6 Corrados drops even more, contentious on the forum I know!, but it's worth thinking about as there may be less competition to buy VR's in the coming year or so.

[was8v 0]

TBH AFAIK there are only 2 economically viable options:

 

1) Drop in a 2.8

2) 24v conversion

 

Easiest and cheapest is to just drop a golf/sharan/passat 2.8 in - lots around from auto sharans that have had easy lives.

Or if you want to spend some money, a 24v represents much better VFM than a rebuilt 12v.

 

Unless the car really is immaculate, concours condition then theres little point in paying extra for a rebuilt 2.9. You might get lucky and find a 2.9 in great recently rebuilt condition for a good price keeping your eye on ebay and forums.

 

If you have the contacts for a cheap rebuild then go for it, but at £2k for a vege when you compare prices of 24v then why would you?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Jim

 

You know that certain beaten up old Storm that a certain garage are wanting to sell at the moment? Why not make him an offer, grab what you can from it to restore the Green one and sell the rest on?

 

 

IMO, Ithink you a trying to set yourself up for a big bill you may not even need. As the others have said, just get the thing and worry about it later :wink:

We can sort any issues easily and cheaply.

 

Seeing as it's a low mileage car that's probably only done a 10 mile stretch on it's longest journey, it may only need a strip down, rehone and rering. The worst case is a new engine obviously, because based on the evidence it's had a new head gasket suggests to me that it was allowed to overheat, and when that happens to the extent of blowing the gasket, you can kiss goodbye to bores 1 and 6 8 times in 10.

 

If you want to rebuild the lump mate, get Vince to bore the block for you (about £120) and I have access to a massive parts warehouse in the US, with trade prices :wink:

 

Not sure if they have 82.5mm Mahles over there though, but I can find out.

[ziderapple 0]

Find yourself a borked 2.8, get it bored out to 2.9, then you only need new rings. I went 24v instead of this route, I decided rebuilding a 2.9 bottom end is...... I wont finish that sentence, but you could pick up a 2.8 bottom end for next to nothing then build that up using the 2.9 pistons to the exact OE tolerances. No messing around with oversized pistons :gag: You'd be looking at around £200 for the re-bore, up to you what you do with the head and obviously depends on condition but with only 50k on it it shouldnt really need any work. Then you just need the usuals, chains, gaskets etc and there's obviously people on here with the right skills willing to help. You could get it sorted for around a grand. :)

[dr_mat 0]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/New-2-8-VR6-Engin ... 0238021854

[Walesy 0]

:wave:

[Jim 2]

The more I look into this, the more financially out of my depth i'm realising I am. I have no savings, and i'm really not in a position to embark on this yet.

 

I'm gonna have to chuck in the towel on this idea sadly. There will be a VR for me at some point down the line.

 

Thanks for the ideas on this one though folks.

[Walesy 0]

:( - It seems like you've gone through the exact same thought process that I did with this car. It seems like such a shame to break a 58k mile VR6, but everyone you speak to about the symptoms starts sucking air in through their teeth and tutting, which is kind of off-putting. It's certainly viable, but only if you intent on throwing a couple of grand at it, and are in a position to do so - the outcome would be a nice low mileage VR6 that should give thousands of miles of reasonably reliable motoring.

[Jim 2]

Absolutely mate. Like me its a heart ruling head decision. My girlfriend was supportive of the idea in the end but she was more concerned that I just didn't end up getting into financial difficulty. New blocks for £400, rebores etc are all well and good but you need to come into this sort of thing with some actual money in the bank.. just something I don't have. And if I go into this project now, something I probably won't have for some time.

 

I think, looking at this rationally, I should get my finances in order and plan to revisit a project VR6 next year. I should be 100% debt free by then... and ready to run up more debts ;)

[Walesy 0]

Yeah, sounds sensible :( , like I say it's exactly the same loop I went around - it's a good buy for someone, just not me at this moment in time (the colour also came into it tbh, it's not my favourite :lol:)

 

I reckon 'Moneybags' should pay for the work and then sell the car on for whatever it owes him, he'd get it back, either that or sell it to someone that can do the work themselves or has the money to pay for it to be done - either way it's gotta be worth saving.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

I'm going to sue you for that Jim. There are some very good US lawyers getting good payouts for wasted keystrokes these days :D

 

Seriously though Jim, I've followed your posts and indecisivness for years now and it's suddenly occured to me what your problem is.

 

Relish.

 

You just don't eat enough relish mate.

 

You've got to relish the thought of extra relish in your life, surely?

 

I recommend this one.....

 

[Walesy 0]

Harsh but fair tbh

[Jim 2]

lol! You're right Kev - i'm painfully indecisive. It has come about from generally believing that whatever I do, will ultimately be the wrong thing. Sort of like George Costanza in Seinfeld, if you ever used to watch that.

 

If I take the car on, i'll end up in debt for years to come and it'll never work out. If I leave it, i'll regret it forever and someone else will buy it and say 'Oh yeah, I just had to turn a screw and it fixed it' - I don't have the comfort zone of a few thousand in the bank to get me up and running. I've had enough with loans / debt, etc - so i'm passing it by till i'm in a position to buy a project outright. That way it owes me nothing.

 

You've got to relish the thought of extra relish in your life, surely?

 

I've got to relish the thought of 6 cylinders in my life. I'll get there.. eventually..

[vornwend 0]

Jim - Feel for ya but sometimes its better to wait and you'll appreciate it even more when you get it. Absence makes the heart grow fonder and all that. Seems there is always a regular supply of good VRs coming up fo sale and its fairly certain the right one will come up at the right time when your finances are straight. Then you can enjoy it without the burden of a debt hanging over you.

 

When I was a kid I was always told to save for things I wanted, apart from the mortgage its advice I've followed all my life. Getting this message through to my boys ain't easy but at the moment I have complete control of their savings accounts so the example is there for them.

 

From here it feels like the right decision has been made.

 

Vaughan

[yeti 0]

sorry to step in like a vulture, sounds like you've properly considdered this and the decision sounds logical :( but what is to happen with the cheap low vileage VR now?? if it is available can you pm me with contact details as i'd like to know more?

[Jim 2]

I'll see whether he wants to offer it out in general for what I was going to buy it at.. but he might break it in the end. Not sure at this point. Will let you know.

[Walesy 0]

if it is available can you pm me with contact details as i'd like to know more?

 

As and when the car is up for sale, i'm sure an advert will appear in the classifieds, like with every other item for sale on here :wink:

[Jim 2]

Indeed :)

 

Will lock this up for now - my mind is made up!

[VR6 0]

Ello,

 

Sorry, I'm just about to dash out but I'll respond fully when I get chance.

 

Car will be broken unless someone wants to buy it complete pretty damn quick.

 

Strangely enough had a note through my door tonight asking if either of the VR's are for sale!