buying polo

[Danny B 0]

Hi guys,

 

Looking to buy a cheap (very cheap circa £700 :grin: ) VW Polo as a run about and was wondering if anyone had any tips before buying ?

 

or better still does anyone have one they are looking to part with :lol:

 

Only looking at the small engine versions 1.0 or possibly 1.4.

 

thanks

 

Danny

[Jim Bowen 1]

my mate just bought a really tidy 1.0 polo, think its on an n-reg and cost just under £600 with 57,000miles on it. Was loads around for sale when we looked, and the prices really vary, he nearly bought the same car but in a 5dr and it was advertised for £1800 :lol:

[big ben 10]

yeah there is some real bargains on mk4 polos, i had a 1.4 open air one years ago, was a good little car highly recommended!!

[yacobwood 0]

Make sure you keep the throttle body nice an clean. mMine kept cloggin up and stalling. Mine also leaked quite bad. Carpets were soaked. Apart from that it was a cracking little car. Cheap to run and so easy to drive

[Danny B 0]

do I need to be looking at anything in particular ?? apart from obvious obviously !!

 

thanks for replys guys, keep them coming.........

[Danny B 0]

any other advise before I go and see one tonight ?

[big ben 10]

jut check the usual things mate, carpets if they are wet, usual engine signs and rust etc... they are pretty good little cars tbh, make sure all the electrics work because they tend to go, like central locking etc... but apart from that the gearbox and engine should be nice and solid

[Danny B 0]

jut check the usual things mate, carpets if they are wet, usual engine signs and rust etc... they are pretty good little cars tbh, make sure all the electrics work because they tend to go, like central locking etc... but apart from that the gearbox and engine should be nice and solid

 

wet carpets now why does that ring a bell :brickwall: ......thanks mate

[big ben 10]

usual vw's :lol: they are normally fine

[LisaK 0]

The pedal box is a common thing to go on the Mk4s.

[Danny B 0]

The pedal box is a common thing to go on the Mk4s.

 

thanks just done a quick google search and sounds quite simple to diagnose.

[Joe_60 0]

Gearbox selector shaft seal is common for leaking.

[Owen VR6 0]

I bought one for my girlfriend last year for £500, 1992 one lady owner from new, full history with 52,000 miles!

 

Looking to sell soon as she needs a bigger car for work, i would be offering it to you but have just noticed you're in london! Doh!

 

Pretty sure you're not going to travel to kendal to see a £400 car!

[Danny B 0]

Gearbox selector shaft seal is common for leaking.

 

thanks mate

[Danny B 0]

I bought one for my girlfriend last year for £500, 1992 one lady owner from new, full history with 52,000 miles!

 

Looking to sell soon as she needs a bigger car for work, i would be offering it to you but have just noticed you're in london! Doh!

 

Pretty sure you're not going to travel to kendal to see a £400 car!

 

damm, I was hoping someone here might have one but maybe a little closer to home :( ......just put kendal in google maps and had to zoom out three times to get london in shoot :lol: .......thanks anyway fella :salute:

[Owen VR6 0]

No problem, you know where it is if you get the urge to travel! :D

[craigowl 0]

We have had five Polos in the family over the period 1981 - 2003.

I had three from new in 1981, 1983, 1987. Kids had two old second hand ones with little trouble.

 

Wet carpets can sometimes be merely due to the girly :help: owner not clearing leaves from the gutter drains under the bonnet, just below the windscreen.

Another cause may be plastic membrane coming adrift from inner door as glue dries out. Both easy to repair/fix.

 

Fan may not work on all speeds - cheap and easy fix.

 

Brake discs wear/warp quite a bit - not enough to put one off though.

 

Unexiting cars but rock solid reliablility in my experience.

[yacobwood 0]

Gearbox selector shaft seal is common for leaking.

I herd this was because the shaft gets scratched and pulls oil out every time you change gear. In metros you can put a second seal in but in the MK4's there's no space. Dont no how much truth there is to that as my old mechanic who told me didnt put my wheel on properly and it fell off mid drive :eek:

[Danny B 0]

Gearbox selector shaft seal is common for leaking.

I herd this was because the shaft gets scratched and pulls oil out every time you change gear. In metros you can put a second seal in but in the MK4's there's no space. Dont no how much truth there is to that as my old mechanic who told me didnt put my wheel on properly and it fell off mid drive :eek:

 

.....right went to look at one last nite and everything seemed fine except the gear lever......it was like it was on a rubber band and sometimes struggled to engage gears......I'm not asking for a diagnosis but any opnions are welcome ??

[Danny B 0]

We have had five Polos in the family over the period 1981 - 2003.

I had three from new in 1981, 1983, 1987. Kids had two old second hand ones with little trouble.

 

Wet carpets can sometimes be merely due to the girly :help: owner not clearing leaves from the gutter drains under the bonnet, just below the windscreen.

Another cause may be plastic membrane coming adrift from inner door as glue dries out. Both easy to repair/fix.

 

Fan may not work on all speeds - cheap and easy fix.

 

Brake discs wear/warp quite a bit - not enough to put one off though.

 

Unexiting cars but rock solid reliablility in my experience.

 

.....ever had above ^^^ problem with any of your fleet mate ??

[craigowl 0]

We have had five Polos in the family over the period 1981 - 2003.

I had three from new in 1981, 1983, 1987. Kids had two old second hand ones with little trouble.

 

Wet carpets can sometimes be merely due to the girly :help: owner not clearing leaves from the gutter drains under the bonnet, just below the windscreen.

Another cause may be plastic membrane coming adrift from inner door as glue dries out. Both easy to repair/fix.

 

Fan may not work on all speeds - cheap and easy fix.

 

Brake discs wear/warp quite a bit - not enough to put one off though.

 

Unexiting cars but rock solid reliablility in my experience.

 

.....ever had above ^^^ problem with any of your fleet mate ??

 

No - can't relate to that at all.

When I got the first 5-speed in 1987, it took a while to get used to as it seemed to graunch when going 1st to 2nd.

Gear lever action was fine but not as switch like as new Toyota Yaris, or even the VR6.

 

Personally, I would avoid that one you looked at.

[Danny B 0]

We have had five Polos in the family over the period 1981 - 2003.

I had three from new in 1981, 1983, 1987. Kids had two old second hand ones with little trouble.

 

Wet carpets can sometimes be merely due to the girly :help: owner not clearing leaves from the gutter drains under the bonnet, just below the windscreen.

Another cause may be plastic membrane coming adrift from inner door as glue dries out. Both easy to repair/fix.

 

Fan may not work on all speeds - cheap and easy fix.

 

Brake discs wear/warp quite a bit - not enough to put one off though.

 

Unexiting cars but rock solid reliablility in my experience.

 

.....ever had above ^^^ problem with any of your fleet mate ??

 

No - can't relate to that at all.

When I got the first 5-speed in 1987, it took a while to get used to as it seemed to graunch when going 1st to 2nd.

Gear lever action was fine but not as switch like as new Toyota Yaris, or even the VR6.

 

Personally, I would avoid that one you looked at.

 

cool thanks for the input, I'm kinda thinking it cant be that serious......the clutch was fine and the gearbox wasnt making any strange noises or wiring.....I think it had something to do with linkages misaligned maybe :shrug:

 

gonna take a look at another tonight and see how that goes

[davidwort 0]

rust, rust and more rust, the spanish have no idea how to build cars.

the mk4 polos are prone to corrosion on the sills where the rear quarter is welded to the front of the car, makes them look like a cut&shut.

[Danny B 0]

rust, rust and more rust, the spanish have no idea how to build cars.

the mk4 polos are prone to corrosion on the sills where the rear quarter is welded to the front of the car, makes them look like a cut&shut.

 

thanks.....didnt no it was built in spain either

[VR6 South 0]

The pedal box is a common thing to go on the Mk4s.

 

thanks just done a quick google search and sounds quite simple to diagnose.

They were subject to recall, so you will be covered anyway.