Buying a G40

[dreadly]

I have just been offered a G40 for sale.

One owner from new, 70K - Mk3 G40
FVWSH - Fulll MOT + Tax - Owner wants £1500

She is an oldish lady.

Is this worth it???

Please reply quickly, thanks in advance

[SpikeyG40]

sounds quite a cheap price for one which is low millage, fvwsh etc.

find out if the charger has been rebuilt and take it for a test drive! listen carefully to the charger for an unusual noisey to note if the charger need a rebuild or not!

to me, it sounds suspiciously cheap!

[dreadly]

The car is cheap, I suppose...
But I approached her, she is an old woman who I saw parking it at a market one day a few weeks ago, I gave her my car and said if you ever want rid, call me.
Today I get a call, but she wants what I consider top doller...
The bodywork is pretty much mint, the engine sounded superb at idle and pootle...
Can't say she takes it easy though and she has never rebuilt the supercharger.

I know what to look for on a Mk3, but not the G40, what is different to the standard car?
What do you class as funny noises from the G ? Do you mean like turbo whistle, do they have wastgates?

I have never owned a G charger - I have had a couple of standard turbo's though.

Andy

[ste mk1lx]

I don't know much about G40s but from the pictures I've seen check the chassis legs with great care they appear prone to cracking at the bulkhead (maybe another member can confirm this to be a problem on all G's)

[hayesey]

you're joking aren't you? that's dirt cheap. you could sell that for double that price!

I doubt very much it'll have had the charger serviced as it's not part of the VWSH. Just listen out for any rattles or clunks from the charger. undo a boost pipe & look for signs of excessive oil inside. A coating of oil is normal but if it's dripping out then the charger oil seals are probably worn. A charger service will set you back around £350-£400 IIRC.

But £1500 for a G40 with 77k on the clock with a full VW-SH is a fantastic price!

[dub envy]

I got this for £1500.


Written off.

[SpikeyG40]

bought mine for £1800



less miles but not in a great condition!

[dreadly]

OK, If it's a bargain, maybe I should buy it, just to sell on and make a small profit and make sure it gets into the hands of a polo lover?

After all, from what I can tell, only 500 of these where made, and this one is a peach.

Andy

[dreadly]

Shame there's nobody here lives near poole to come and have a butchers at it with me.

I'm really worried about buying a dud...

Andy

[SpikeyG40]

i would like to say that i don't think it would be a dud as its been with an old lady since new!

ask if its been in n e accidents and get it HPI checked to confirm! ask if the cambelt has been changed and its worth checking! the charger should need to be serviced very soon if it hasn't been done already, its about due!

only 500 uk spec ones! only about 360ish of them still exist!

trust me, if u drive it, u won't want to sell it on!

[dreadly]

Are they really that good?

I thought the polo's main handling problem was the use of track control arms, instead of proper wishbone type suspension?

How quick are these, I have never driven one?

[SpikeyG40]

well i went from a 1ltre to a g40 and i was amazed at the difference! they are very quick for a 1.3!

standard they can beat golf gti's and i reckon mine could have a go at my bro's seat leon sport (20v turbo) at the mo mine is off the road for vital work!

they are also so easy to tune! doesn't take much to up the horses no end!

ask dub_envy how his lightly breathed on one goes!

[GroovyCarrot]

Just my two pence worth, if it's going to cost the same as dub envy paid for a written off car to strip for it's engine, even if it's been thrashed it's whole life and never had a service it's still going to be worth buying if only to strip for parts.. the engines are very rare and very sought after, and even if you need to rebuild the whole thing you'll still be making a profit on it in the long run.

Never driven a G40 myself, but judging from the accounts of people who have they are quite an experience. I'm sure the handling isn't a match for some cars as standard, but stick a decent suspension kit on there and it'll be pretty much perfect. My mk2 doesn't exactly handle perfectly, but it's actually fantastic fun to drive because it feels like a go kart - couple that with an engine producing well over double the power and you've got a serious grin factor

[dreadly]

You have convinced me, just have to convince the wife!!!

Are they good for distance driving, can they handle a 40 mile a day commute?

BTW - I have rebuilt 2*1.3 engines and 1*1043 and 1* 1098 engines.
I rebuilt and gas flowed a 1098 formel-E long stroke engine, with shaved cut valves, ported and gas flowed etc... - ~75Bhp on the rolling road.

I loved the 1098 engine, much more 'revvie' than the 1300, and good for 120mph, seriously, it would rev to 7800Rpm before valve spring bounce.

Regarding handling, Polo Mk2 was voted best handling small car by 'top gear' at the time I believe.

Andy

[polo_GT]

I wouldn't even think twice about buying a G of an old lady for 1500, why would it have damage to the chasis legs can't imagine some old women giving it hell everywhere. A G like this is priceless because you are almost gauranteed that it hasn't been ramped. Would make a good base for a project. Even if the charger needs a rebuild still worth it. And if its black theres even more reason to buy it