buying advice

minis84 · Post by **minis84** » Mon Oct 25, 2004 9:07 pm

Hello!

I am new here, and if possible would really like some advice from you knowledgable lot. I am looking to buy a 1992 mkIII Polo, standard squareback, not a coupe. It is a 1 litre (not sure of exact cc), and has done around 80000 miles. I'm going to use it as a winter car so I can take my Mini off the road for the winter so it doesn't get eaten by the salt, grit and water on the roads.

What sort of things should I be looking out for when I buy a Polo? Are there any mechanical items in particular that go faulty? Any common rust spots or mud traps that can be found? Any niggles with this sort of car that I should watch out for? Obviously I will check all suspension, engine, gearbox, brakes, subframes and the shell as much as possible, but are there any tell tale symptom's of faults or underlying faults? (for example rattle at tickover which stops when the clutch is depressed on a Mini is usually engine-box' transfer gears, which when they fail usually knacker the box').

I know that what I've asked is kind of like asking how long is a piece of string but I'm completely new to Polo's so any advice you could give me would be very much appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Tom

Karl_CLCoupe · Post by **Karl_CLCoupe** » Mon Oct 25, 2004 9:42 pm

Have you had a quick look at the buying guide at the top of this forum?

Buyers Guide

There are one or two other problems such as the filler neck on the fuel tank (where it joins the tank) corroding and causing leaks. If you can, find out whether its had a new tank fitted, or you may have to budget for one. Other little problems are the blue temperature sensor on the engine. If this goes, it can cause all kinds of strange little running problems, however they are easily fixed with a new one.

HTH.

Karl.

Tahrey1043 · Post by **Tahrey1043** » Mon Oct 25, 2004 11:28 pm

apart from that, a 1 litre mk3 hatchy at 80k should be totally hardcore

mines at 78k and has been regularly receiving thrashings that would make other cars simply hide in the corner and weep but its still strong..

be careful of... um... i forgot what i was going to add now!

seats wearing thin, missed service intervals*, dodgy lambda probe, loose exhaust manifold/busted gasket, dippy tyres, oil leak from gearbox, *severe* oil leak at camshaft end (=headgasket, but a constant very minor trickle seems normal), crap ignition leads, loose driveshafts and other things that might cause wobble, rusty rear brake cylinders/lines/cables, knackered breather pipe, perished rain seals on doors/boot, locking fuel cap not working right any more, burnt out bulbs, dirt getting in the indicator switches, crazy dark haired girls reversing their orions full pelt into it...

yknow all the usual

* inc oil, plugs, air/oil filters, leads, battery, brake fluid, coolant... screen wash... and cam belt of course, at 80k!

minis84 · Post by **minis84** » Mon Oct 25, 2004 11:45 pm

yeah i saw the buyers guide about 5 seconds after i wrote my post! thanks for the advice, i'm going to look at it in the morning, so at least I can go armed with a little bit of knowledge!

DanW · Post by **DanW** » Tue Oct 26, 2004 8:43 am

good luck hope you get a nice one

pettsy · Post by **pettsy** » Tue Oct 26, 2004 7:59 pm

see, people out there need a good buying guide!

so get replying to the topic at the top with any problems you've had, and i'll make it into one big guide!