Few questions regarding 1st buy

[guildmage 11]

Hi, I have a few quick questions regarding buying a Corrado for the first time.

My plan was to get one in few months (spring 2012) however been monitoring Classifieds here, PistonHead's and also AutoTrader and have to say it's rather a difficult job. As there is not many too choose from.

 

My budget is up to let's say up to £2500, and I am after a 2.0 or 1.8 16v. What I have noticed is that there is plenty of VR6, but the valvers ... well not so many.

 

I wanted to spend bit more on the car and get something I can use as a daily car without looking at repairs too often. I do realize this is now 20yrs old car and the repairs are inevitable but I am happy with that for as long as it just doesn't happen way too often ^^ (yeah I heard about Corrado curse).

 

I do have limited car knowledge but I am willing to learn and do necessary research, what I am trying to say.. I am ok to give some of my free time to make the Corrado work for me. Anyways let me get to the point:

 

1. Is budget £2500 not too high for the 2.0L valver ? I know it sounds daft, but I would expect a good condition Corrado with not a very high mileage to be worth over £2000+, unless such car, people just don't want to sell,

2. Is there any better/worse time of a year to look for Corrado? I know we are now heading into a winter period, so maybe that's it?

3. As I am from Leeds, I am looking for a car somewhere in fairly close distance to look for ... but there are just virtually none. Most of them are like +120miles away from Leeds. I guess I have to be patient and wait or rather drive 100miles to check the cars so far away from Leeds?

 

I suppose I keep looking and hope that the Corrado will find me somehow, just wanted to hear others experience when searching for theirs Corrado.

[Toohottotrot 10]

Ebay is a good place, there have been many valvers on there recently. Save the search and you will get them emailed most days. Lots of reasonable ones for around the £2k mark.

[Jim 1]

Welcome aboard!

 

£2,500 should get you a very good, straight 2.0 16v. There are some around but you just have to remember the Corrado wasn't made in great numbers, and there are certainly less 16v's around than there are VR's - so you're going to have to be patient and keep trawling the classifieds!

 

In terms of when to look - well I guess heading into christmas is a good time because it's traditionally the time when people have the least spare cash so chances are, if you have the money waiting, you can go and make a good deal with someone! But more cars seem to come out of the woodwork when the weather gets better.. people get itchy feet and think they want to move onto something else..

 

In terms of finding the right one.. you'll just have to wait for a proper enthusiast owned car to come up. Get us much as you can in terms of pictures, information, history and then decide whether to make the trip over. A lot of folks on the forum are quite happy to look cars over for you and give an unbiased appraisal.. I'm based in Warwickshire and would be happy to do that. And I've owned a few 2.0 16v's so know what I'm looking for :)

 

Hope that helps.

[guildmage 11]

Hmm to be honest did not check ebay yet. Thought it would be better to get one through forums as better looked after, etc ideally from someone who loved the car, not just owned it :) will check ebay out.

[Portent 0]

When I was looking my preference was to check on here, then Pistonheads, then Autotrader. I didn't really check eBay much. My thinking behind that was that I really wanted a car from the forum as you can check the history of the car a little more and also if the owner is on here then they are more likely to be passionate about the car. Next was Pistonheads because again it's a motoring forum and so tends to have people keen about their cars. Then Autotrader of course which attracts people who know less about the car but everyone knows about it.

 

Personally I avoided ebay as my thinking was that it's a place of last resort for a seller (I'm probably wrong on that, but that's the way I felt). So I assumed cars would be in poorer condition.

 

There are a few other places to keep an eye out too; car and classic, etc.

 

£2500 should get you a ver good car. Personally I'd start looking now and be prepared to walk away from anything you're not happy with. The reason for starting the search soon is that you get to look at cars quickly and get a feel for what is good and what is bad. Almost all cars will need something doing to them so you're unlikely to find a perfect one. But you'll start to understand what should be avoided and how good cars compare to the bad.

[Grim1 1]

Going on experience I'd definitely buy from someone on the forum as in 9 out of 10 occasions, it will be an enthusiast that has loved there car.

 

I bought my last one from an ad on auto trader, and that died recently. For the last MOT, I had to spend £700 on work to the front suspension, work that needed doing for its previous mot, but hadn't.

 

My first, I bought via eBay. Good car and the only things wrong with it were the fading red paint and the ABS didn't work.......which I only found out when I needed it most.

 

My current, which is the best I've had, I bought from one of the guys on here that had upgraded to a VR6, lovely car, well looked after and sold to me by a really sound bloke.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Sent from my HTC Desire S using Tapatalk

[guildmage 11]

Right then, patience is a virtue :)

Like I said I am doing research and few cars do pop out here or there but mainly quite far away from West Yorkshire area. Meanwhile I'll keep reading and will keep a keen eye on the classifieds, etc ... Most likely would need some help looking at the final purchase. I saw section of the forum where one can request help while buying, so will give it a go too (once find something interesting) .. and who knows maybe someone will have some spare time.

 

Checked ebay too, but I'm too scared of ebay. As few of you mentioned already... its just safer to go with forum buy. Fingers crossed, I know there is one car there that is trying to find me... I just have to be patient :)

[bristolbaron 10]

I dont think the forum is necessarily a 'better' buying ground than any of the alternatives with the new format.

One of the best Rado's I know is owned by someone not registered on here or any other forum, he spends most of his spare time working on it and doesn't have time or interest in talking about it.

 

However on the old one, you'd get a car up for sale you may know nothing about, however other esteemed members will have seen or know and can vouch for. That info is solid gold.

 

Keep an eye on build threads where owners are hinting towards selling. That'll get the better cars. Or keep an eye out everywhere and get used to trawling through some rotters. You will almost certainly have to travel though, so friends in all corners of the country will be a great help!

[Critical_Mass 10]

This is where i got mine - http://www.dubberssportsvws.co.uk/

 

Only in Hudderfield. Got mine about 4 years ago, he doesnt appear to have any Corrados in at the mo, but maybe worth keeping an eye on his stock or give him a bell.

[Jim 1]

This looks good.. right model, right price range.. looks cherished!

[guildmage 11]

This looks good.. right model, right price range.. looks cherished!

... missing link, or I am missing something?

[Jim 1]

Sorry :)

 

http://the-corrado.net/classifieds.php?do=viewitem&itemid=920

[guildmage 11]

hmm indeed, this one looks really nice, to be honest exactly what I am looking for, but (as there is always but) it's ~230miles from where I live.

So am I happy to travel that far just to check out the car? Need to think this through.

[joby 0]

im sure someone on here would check it out for you

[Portent 0]

To find the right car you will need to be prepared to travel.

 

---------- Post added at 03:17 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:57 PM ----------

 

That one in the classifieds that Jim linked to does look good though. Not sure if the leather is original and heated though (the doorcards look like they may have been retrimmed, and I can't make out heating controls on the dash - could be wrong though). So check that before travel if it's important to you.

[guildmage 11]

Hey, I have talked to the guy on the phone and he mentioned two main issues:

 

1st - being the sunroof which doesn't slide but still tilts,

2nd - the ABS light is constantly ON, but the ABS system apparently works (so the issue is just the light) bad sensor maybe?,

 

Hmm, I will not be able to travel this weekend to check the car.

If there is anyone in close proximity of "Merthyr Tydfil" that is happy to check the car for me I would be really greatefull (and will cover costs - or whatever).

Like I said, I can go and check out the car, but soonest is next weekend... so will see if car is going to be available till then.

[Portent 0]

The sunroof issue is a common problem and is likely one of two things; broken mechanism (repair kit may still be available from the dealers but I think will need the roof trim removing to do) or the motor which is simple to fit but you will need to find a used one as I think they may be obsolete (worth checking with your local dealer).ABS could be a sensor (cheap) or pump or controller (not cheap). Keep in mind that ABS is an MOT failure.

[guildmage 11]

Thanks for a reminder about the ABS. Obviously I would look at it in first place to get it sorted. What would be cost involved in the worst case scenario repair?

Also forgot too mention that seller said that the heater is working but it's stuck on front windscreen setting (is that making sense?). I'm not sure if that means it cannot be changed to other parts of the car? or only heating the windscreen works... I'm bit confused by this... that's why you need to see the car, not just talk over the phone.

[Portent 0]

Well if it's the pump then they are expensive to fix if using new parts (Obviously much cheaper with used parts):

 

http://the-corrado.net/showthread.php?58255-ABS-Pump-Please-help-me-I-m-clueless!

 

It's usually a sensor though (£40 for the part??). But I'd always ask myself the question why someone is selling it with an obvious fault if it was simply a sensor.

 

The heater direction will be one of several things; the heater controls often break (now obsolete - £40 to £80 on the second hand market) or it could be faulty bowden cables (obsolete - not sure on cost on second hand market). The flaps in each of the heater vents are controlled by bowden cables that are pulled when the direction dial is moved on the heater controls. It's a mechanical movement unlike a lot of modern cars. So if they aren't moving then something has snapped or stretched. Common fault though.

 

So let's look at it this way...

 

* Faulty sunroof

* Faulty ABS

* Faulty heater direction controls

* (possibly) retrimmed non-heated leather (also grey which isn't most peoples first choice)

 

All of these are fixable at a price and are common Corrado issues. The car is up for medium to higher end money for a valver.

Edited September 17, 2011 by Portent

[guildmage 11]

Thanks for replies, much appreciated.

I bought that car in the end (yay :), so now looking to get some of these issues resolved. Obviously, I am going to look into the ABS things first.

I am searching at the moment on the forums, but can you recommend West Yorkshire based garage/VW repairs place that has experience with Corrados.

thanks

[Critical_Mass 10]

Where in Yorkshire are you?

 

If you're not too far away from leeds/castleford then i know a damn good one round there.

[guildmage 11]

Where in Yorkshire are you?

If you're not too far away from leeds/castleford then i know a damn good one round there.

 

Well I live in centre of Leeds, can you PM me details?

[VW_OwneR_85 1]

if i could buy mine again, i wouldnt of got it from piston heads, dont get me wrong im sure theres loads of nice cars on there but most of the people advertiseing on PH are younger people that tend to play with the cars!, i would deffinatly search ebay for a completly standard model or auto trader..

[Critical_Mass 10]

Well I live in centre of Leeds, can you PM me details?

 

Yes i'll send you them this eve.