Akinesis 0 Posted June 29, 2010 Hi all, My Corrado averages about 15mpg around town and 30mpg on the motorway. This obviously would even seem wrong to a dead chimp, but the plugs, leads, etc seem very tired and I figured that replacing these would most likely cure the issue. The engine's tick-over is a little up and down, but nothing (I thought) that a damn good service and set-up from a garage wouldn't cure. But I've just read about clocking Corrado's - I didn't think it was possible on a digital display so it never crossed my mind. Mine's done 78k and has had 5 owners. It has no service history before the previous owner, but he's included the last 3 MOT's and all the servicing he carried out (it was a lot, and to me this made it seem that he cared for the car). Is it possible (and I mean worst-case scenario) that I've bought a clocked 2.0 16v, and the engine problem could be bad compression through wear and tear (as in, it's more likely done 178k)??! :shock: The more I think about it the more I become suspicious! Are there any tell-tales to a clocked Corrado? The body-work and interior are pretty much mint, and the underside doesn't seem too bad (wishbones, subframe and rear beam has rusting, but nothing that looks serious). The engine bay itself needs a damn good clean, but I put this down to age more than miles-driven. I'm thinking of having a compression test done now. How much are these?? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim 2 Posted June 29, 2010 Compression test should only be an hour or so's labour I think? Doesn't take long at all. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Slimg60 0 Posted June 30, 2010 The normal give away signs of a clocked car are work seat bolster, steering wheel and gear knobs. As you've said the interior is mint I take it this isnt the case. It might be possible that the clocks have been swapped for lower mileage ones at some point for whatever reason, but without service/MOT histiory i think you'll be pretty hard pushed to prove either way. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Akinesis 0 Posted June 30, 2010 Well, I say mint, but there is slight wear on the bolster but nothing near as bad as I've seen. The material is bobbling a little, but no snagging. Saying that, my other car has done more mileage and there is no wear - but then I compared it to age, not mileage (Corrado is 16yrs and the other car is 5yrs). I suppose the bolster is something that would wear with mileage, not age :? Steering wheel and gear-knob are fine, though. Suppose I should look for evidence of a clock-change. Hmmm... :cry: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Supercharged 2 Posted June 30, 2010 Yeah - Engine condition, fuel and oil consumption are not a good marker of mileage.. espedcially on cars this age In my experience a well looked after 16V engine gets better and faster between 80-120k and should use hardly any oil whatsoever... they might start to at 150k+ and need a head rebuild. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Akinesis 0 Posted June 30, 2010 Hmmm - that sounds like good news for me :grin: So I guess it's safe to say , from what you said, Supercharged, that either my engine just needs a good service and set-up or it's completely worn-out! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Abdul 0 Posted June 30, 2010 Yeah - Engine condition, fuel and oil consumption are not a good marker of mileage.. espedcially on cars this age In my experience a well looked after 16V engine gets better and faster between 80-120k and should use hardly any oil whatsoever... they might start to at 150k+ and need a head rebuild. I agree, never owned a higher or lower mileage valver but mine with 128k on the clock with a solid history and good maintenance is a bit of a flyer imo for what it is... Mk3 Vr's are the best to toy with, they're either slower than i thought they'd be or my valvers got more than the 140 odd brake it should have lol. The owners always think mines a vr, then i tell em its a 2.0 valver and their faces drop, love it! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Akinesis 0 Posted June 30, 2010 Yeah - Engine condition, fuel and oil consumption are not a good marker of mileage.. espedcially on cars this age In my experience a well looked after 16V engine gets better and faster between 80-120k and should use hardly any oil whatsoever... they might start to at 150k+ and need a head rebuild. I agree, never owned a higher or lower mileage valver but mine with 128k on the clock with a solid history and good maintenance is a bit of a flyer imo for what it is... Mk3 Vr's are the best to toy with, they're either slower than i thought they'd be or my valvers got more than the 140 odd brake it should have lol. The owners always think mines a vr, then i tell em its a 2.0 valver and their faces drop, love it! Yeah, it pulls really well :grin: But I don't like to drive it hard at the moment until I have given the lump a good going over. Just ordered a decat (I've got to fit a new exhaust anyway, so thought I'd do that little cheeky mod!) and I'm trying to get hold of KR cams/head to drop them in. Then I'll look at drilling the airbox 'cos it looks really restrictive - but then I want to make sure that the 9A prefers more air first, or if it prefers smaller-diameter induction? Then, finally, a Magnex exhaust system (they rock!) and maybe a ported head :grin: Anyway, I digress from the topic. If then car has been clocked, then so-be-it, but I'd prefer to know instead of being lied to - even if it is a 200k miler. Engines are cheap enough that I can just pick up another one! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
V-Dubstar 0 Posted June 30, 2010 but he's included the last 3 MOT's Dude u know u can check all previous MOT's (and mileage) that have been computerised online? http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/OwningAVehicle/Mot/DG_10020539 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Akinesis 0 Posted June 30, 2010 Ha! Thanks for that! Had a look and the tests go back to 2005 with 48k on the clock! Their in a funny order, but the only tests done recently are 2005,2008, 2009 and 2010. There's only 3000 miles between '05 and '08, so not sure what happened there? One of the failures though was an ABS warning light - I need to make sure that the filament hasn't been removed to 'cure' the fault. Apart from that it's all wear-and tear stuff like exhaust, brakes and bushes :clap: I take it they don't go back further than 2005 with recorded MOT's? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
V-Dubstar 0 Posted July 1, 2010 No I think mine only goes back 5 or 6 MOT's! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wullie 1 Posted July 1, 2010 MOT records only started to be computerised in 2005 so there are no records available on the database before that. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Akinesis 0 Posted July 1, 2010 Cool, well that's good news then! At least I know that I haven't been fooled by the previous owner! Where does it tell you how long each person owned the car for?? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
V-Dubstar 0 Posted July 1, 2010 Doesn't it have it on V5? I dunno mate, tbh!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Akinesis 0 Posted July 1, 2010 No, it just lists how many owners. But I saw someone on here who was able to find out how long each owner had the car far Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
