Hi all,

I recently went to view a Mk1 Octavia VRS which was being sold by a trader. When I turned up, the dealer told me to follow him and he will take me to his garage. We then pulled over in a back street where the were about 6 garage units. I then asked him where his garage was and he told me there was no forecourt as such just a little garage where he looks over his cars. He did however have trade plates so he must of been legitimate, but it all seemed a bit unusual to me.

I took the car for a test drive anyway and it drove really well. However, when I drove back to the garage, I noticed that the emissions light had come on. I pointed this out to the trader and he said it's nothig to worry about and that he would sort it.

It's an 02 VRS, silver, FSH with 120,000 miles on the clock and he is asking £2495 for it.

Taking everything I've mentioned in to consideration, would you purchase it?

Welcome to briskoda, I would get a HPI check on the car mate, to make sure it has not been stolen.

Hope this helps.

He said that it was Hpi clear and that he would print out the confirmation when I purchase and collect the car...

Welcome

My main concern is with the emissions warning light coming on during the test drive. Could this be a major issue?

Hiya.

I would contact the local council and make very sure this guy is properly registered as a car trader, because this doesn't sound right.

Without a fault code we're not going to get, hard to say what the warning light actually means.

That's a lot of mileage too - it's probably due a 2nd cambelt and waterpump change.

Hello and Welcome to briskoda

Simple answer - nope! Always trust your instincts.

Taking everything I've mentioned in to consideration, would you purchase it?

The fact you're asking this at all means you've pretty answered your own question!

IMHO, there's always another car and if you feel uncertain you should pass on it.

i agree if your not getting the right feeling 4 the car let it pass you by. same happned to me although the circumstances were different and im glad i passed on the 1st car cause my new vrs is a dream:thumbup:

plus that dealer is dodgy no two ways about it and he milage is abit much id say its bee tampered with:mad:

Firstly, welcome along. :wavey:

Secondly, DON'T TAKE THE HPI PRINTOUT OFF THE "DEALER"! If you are still considering the car (and personally I wouldn't) then pay the £30 and get it HPI'd yourself.

And don't take the fact that he has trade plates as a given that he is legit - if he is then why the hell is he showing you cars in a back street? Trade plates are easily nicked, and do you have any way to check that they were originally allocated to that individual?

Buyers market at the moment mate, walk away. £3000 is a lot to throw away if it's a ringer.

Walk away mate, in the current climate there are better to be had for not much more money.

120k is orbital miles in my mind especially the way VRS's get driven.

Oh... And welcome to Briskoda

Walk away mate, in the current climate there are better to be had for not much more money.

120k is orbital miles in my mind especially the way VRS's get driven.

Oh... And welcome to Briskoda

have to agree with the above poster but not with the bit about how they get driven mine stays off boost most of the time and never driven hard. or over the speed limit

walk away mate must be due a water pump and cambelt again soon

Thanks for all the welcomes and the advice guys!

You've pretty much made my mind up.

BTW - At what service interval is the Cam belt replaced? Is it 60k? Also, does the water pump need changing along with the belt?

60k miles for the cambelt. The water pump doesn't have to be done at the same time, but it's such a hassle getting to it that if they don't do it when the cambelt is off, you will pay a fortune for labour to do it seperately so might as well have both done at the same time.

I've just sold my car and I'm going to view 3 VRS' this Sunday. Any advice? What do I look for? I know that the Cam belt needs replacing every 60k and ideally the water pump too, but that's about as much as I know...

I've just sold my car and I'm going to view 3 VRS' this Sunday. Any advice? What do I look for? I know that the Cam belt needs replacing every 60k and ideally the water pump too, but that's about as much as I know...

Mine is for sale in the for sale section Corrida Red 03