Hi.

Before i get the speech, i have searched and gone back pages but cant find anything. Although im sure i saw something a while back...

Im looking at a 54 plate VRS on friday with 74k on the clock.

Been told to look:

- Bottom of the turbo

- Cooler

- Window and door seals

- Injectors

- Pipes to and from cooler

- Oil and coolent.

Is there anything else i shoul be looking for?

Also what am i looking for on the turbo etc?

Any help is great.

Or links to other threads but i couldnt find any :wonder:

Thanks.

Craig.,

Not sure about specific things for this car but get the car warmed up and give it a blast. then, when coming to a halt, check for a horrid smell and a plume of smoke... Thats a good sign of a ****- ed turbo!

Other then that, go with your gut... If you are not sure, leave it. There are enough of them around to get a good 'un.

Not sure about specific things for this car but get the car warmed up and give it a blast. then, when coming to a halt, check for a horrid smell and a plume of smoke... Thats a good sign of a ****- ed turbo!

Other then that, go with your gut... If you are not sure, leave it. There are enough of them around to get a good 'un.

Problem is... am specificly after a yellow one!

Picky i know. But ohwell.

Seems its the only one for sale atm!

At 74,000 miles you should expect fair wear and tear but in general a good serviceable vehicle.

I am not talking of an abused car here, that goes really without me saying.

Main point, ensure Cambelt has been replaced, with the usual practice of a new water-pump also (because of the same work almost involved) .

Cambelt replaced at cars age 4/5 years old, 50/60,000 miles, members will debate this point.

Niggling points. (adding to the ones you know)

Frosty/cold weather washer pipe connections pop-apart, (just push-em back together), in tail-gate & engine bay.

Rattles behind dash-board (just annoying).

Rear rubber bushes (fitted on alloy wish-bone) both sides on front suspension, usually need replacing 4/5 years. (members do use upgraded bushes from 'SEAT' fitted to 'IBIZA')

You can do all servicing yourself, including re-setting 'INSP' & 'OIL' warning lights.

Need a 6 sided socket for oil filter housing cap. 32mm some have a larger type.

Need a 12 splined male socket for gear-box filler/drain plug.

Need a brake rewind tool to push rear brake calipers back into housing.

12months or 10,000miles fixed servicing.

Service history good, loads of receipts with NO history even better. (I can hear distant voices shouting at me already). LOL

Ask about some sort of warranty period, longer the better eh?

For £5000 should get you 2004-2006 year. SE model silly money but do have those little extras (which YOU pay for.)

Good luck with your venture.

Edited 29 October, 201015 yr by giandougl

You won't be able to check the condition of the turbo but you will hear if something is amiss, if sounds overly noisy, emits lots of blue or white smoke reject it or factor in the the cost of a new one, about £900 for a dealer job. If you can hear the turbo spooling up with a gentle woosh, whistle etc. (they all sound different) or some black smoke coming out of the exhaust when booting it then that will be ok, at idle or very gentle driving there should be no smoke.

I/C hoses will either leak at the joints or collapse if there are leaks, you would hear a sound like a broken exhaust manifold and lots of black smoke all the time.

Coolant should be pink.

Rear door leaks are the most common and are easy to fix yourself but the chances are that they have already been fixed by a main dealer, you need to feel under the rear carpet for the signs of damp or smell it.

Oil, yes they should have been filled with the correct PD oil but it's impossible to tell if this has been done unless the the servicing has been done by a main dealer of any VAG brand or a specialist in VAG cars like the ones mentioned on this forum.

The injectors are rarely mentioned as faulty, I think your confusing that problem with the petrol injected cars which VAG had bad batches of injectors in the 1.8Turbo engine, as fitted to Audi TT and Golfs about 6 years ago.

Other than that check it out as any other car. Good luck on a Yellow one mate.