AA car inspection - Is it worth it?

[Colley 0]

Hello

 

I'm a new boy here with a Golf GTI but i'm now looking to get a Corrado VR6. The thing is i have seen one and i'm thinking about an AA car inspection as i dont want to be lumbered with a 6k wreck! Has any body else bothered with one of these or similar sort of thing and if so are they worth the money?Your help would be appreciated!!

[dinkus 10]

You had a read of the buying guide? http://the-corrado.net/.archive/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5124

 

Should flag up most things for you.

[Colley 0]

Yes i have, i was thinking of going to view the car intially with this information and then have the inspection after if i'm still interested. I was wondering if any one had has this done and is of any use really.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

I've never bothered personally. I know most VWs of that era well enough to spot a bad one.

 

It's 10 years old now and the AA inspection allegeley checks 100 things? You might get a long list of minor issues.

 

It's up to you at the end of the day. All the info you need is here but if you want extra peace of mind, go for the check over aswell. Saves you the effort of crawling on the floor but he might overlook some Corrado foibles and you'd be none the wiser.

[Scott 0]

The inspection is a waste of time - they pick up so many 'nit picks' as they dont take into consideration the fact its a ten year old car...

 

Take the buyers guide with you - tick them off as you check it - if the condition is good and its ok with the checks you have done then buy it.

 

I did mine like that and was a great car for the 2 1/2 yrs I had it and the new owner is loving it 8)

[Xdel68X 0]

You should have a look here http://the-corrado.net/.archive/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11067 and see if any of the guys are able to give it a once over for you.

[stel g60 0]

the aa absolutely rinse cars when doing one of those inspections. they come out with things like "this car has had a tired life" and a three page report because of a couple stone chips and worn tyres. durrrr, its ten years old!

[MikeVR6 0]

Wouldn't bother, unless you want a long list of niggly faults to try and bargain the price down with.

 

How much is an AA Inspection anyway?

 

As everyone else has said, use the buying guide and take your time.

Try and buy a car from the Forum if possible, there have been some real good'uns on here recently.

Autotrader seems to be full of 16v "Storms" at the moment. :D

 

Happy Hunting!

[dinkus 10]

Wouldn't bother, unless you want a long list of niggly faults to try and bargain the price down with.

 

How much is an AA Inspection anyway?

 

As everyone else has said, use the buying guide and take your time.

Try and buy a car from the Forum if possible, there have been some real good'uns on here recently.

Autotrader seems to be full of 16v "Storms" at the moment. :D

 

Happy Hunting!

 

IIRC it's about £50.

 

And yeah, go for ones that are for sale on here, then it shows that the seller has at least some idea about the car :)

[anubis 0]

When I was offered them last year they were in excess of £140 :shock: :shock:

 

Apart from the buying guide, it's best to spend that money on something useful, like an HPI check, think they're about £30?

[dinkus 10]

When I was offered them last year they were in excess of £140 :shock: :shock:

 

Apart from the buying guide, it's best to spend that money on something useful, like an HPI check, think they're about £30?

 

£140 :shock: :shock: blimey, don't bother then mate!

 

And an HPI check is seriously recommended.

[edd 0]

depends on your mechanical ability/experience

 

One of the major things i worry about when im looking for another corrado (as i am at present, got a good VR6 in the midlands P.M. me) is crash damage. Yeah i know the signs but im no real mechanic and i would certainly like it in writing should i find out something is more serious later on. If your looking at spending 5-6 k on a vr6 then it may be worth it. Looked at a green VR6 in the midlands the other day very nice car but 6k. mentioned an AA check and was flat out told i wasn't having one for the very reasons mentioned before. To be fair the chap said it was fine for me to bring a specialised VW mechanic along (but not all of us are lucky enough to have a friend like that) but just not RAC or AA as they will rip the car apart not taking into consideration that its ten years old. But when looking through the long list of receipts for the car etc a previous AA report mentioned it had signs of front and rear accident damage plus spray work on both sides.

 

Looked mint to me.!!

 

As i said a very nice car - but i havn't bought it and a major sway was that AA report. I don't want a crashed corrado

 

Can't get the f**ker out my head tho :lol:

 

All timin chains done too

 

Go have a look with the checklist first if you notice anything then it might be enough to put you off straight away so you don't waste ur cash. But Iif you can't find anything and are really serious about buying then consider it, it will alway be there as a selling point for the next lucky owner!

 

Gd Luck

 

IMHO :)

[dazzyvr6 0]

save money and just take it for an mot,that should sort things out for you

[yalan 0]

never buy a car without a HPI check.

 

right, now thats said, I'm now of the opinion AA checks are a complete waste of time if you have even a basic knowledge of cars.

 

Checks start at about £120 (or they did last time I checked) and this is for a Basic checkover.

 

When I had one done a couple of years ago, the idiot went on about eneven tyre wear which could have been brought about by hidden chassis damage :shock: . Also stated that the underside was too dirty for them to inspect!

 

Summary suggested that I oughtto take the car to an Audi main dealer for a full geometry check before purchase. :(

 

BUNCH OF IDIOTS ! 3 tyres were almost new and one was pretty badly worn (with a suspiciously clean alloy). Look in the boot and what did I find? Yes, a 4th matching almost new tyre with a nail in it. Owner had obviously just put the spare on & not yet fixed the puncture. And the AA wanted me to spend hunderds at a stealer for a geometry check!!!

 

Be wary of the feedback you get from these guys! & be aware that they will write all sorts of stuff to cover their own backs!

 

HTH

[Kevin Bacon 5]

AA and RAC inspections are best suited to people that know *nothing* about cars in general, or their chosen marque.

 

And there are sh1t loads of people that don't even know where the dipstick is, let alone how an engine works, and that is their primary customer base. And to be honest, understandably so when a car is your second biggest purchase after your house.

 

Obviously no one on the Corrado forum falls into that catergory but the key to a successful purchase is, as with *any* purchase, is research.

 

I browsed this forum before buying my Corrado and it was amazing how you instantly find yourself checking the common things without realising it.

 

Never under-estimate the power of a good forum :lol:

[vr6storm 0]

i'm sure most VW specialists will inspect a potential purchase for you for a reasonable price circa £50-ish.........and they will at least know what to look out for and what is just nit-picking........so do that and throw in a HPI check and for not much over half the cost of a AA inspection.......voila a nice knowledgable report on the car :wink:

[biggrim 0]

I did both before getting my G60 because I knew absolutely hee-haw about the Raddo's potential pittfalls. I got the £180 one that included an HPI check. HPI check came back clear, inspection flagged up juddering steering whilst braking (warped disc), spare wheel needs securing, handbrake lever shroud loose,interior floor soiled, drivers footrest not properly secured, no cat, rear wiper not fitted, spanner missing from toolkit, nothing really major but the car was in Walsall and I'm not. And not entirely clued up tbh so worth the money for me initially but most likely wouldn't get one again.

[Gman 0]

I have heard bad things about AA inspection.

This guy was selling his evo 7 the buyer has an AA inspection done on the car and came back saying it was fine. guy bought the car and discovered that it had be crashed and it was a jap import.

I would say that it is a waste of cash.

 

The buyers guide on here is very good.

 

Good luck with getting a C. It is the best fun you can have with your pants on :)

 

G

[Louie Lungbubble 0]

I'm with everyone else on the inspection thing.

My better half had one done on a 3 year old focus. All he had to say about it (to justify his existance) was that the petrol filler pipe had about a micron thick layer of rust on the outside!

 

Hmmmmmmmmm, Well let me try to knock half a grand off for that, eh?

 

Download the "What to look for" guide, from here. And visit the Corrado Pre viewing section.

I wish I'd known about this place beore I started shopping around.

I touched lucky. Others haven't!

:wink:

 

Gman.....

Your sig graphic scares me.

 

Do you have some issues with someone, mate?

 

(God, I hope that's not my IP )

[Gman 0]

Louie Lungbubble,

 

No issues :D just think it is cool.

BTW it is your IP.

 

G