Hey guys. newbie here a little help maybe ?

[josh6886]

Hello guys and girls. A little about myself

Names josh. Currently serving in armed forces ( as we speak I'm in Belize ) also currently own a yank 5.7 litre ls1 v8 pontiac trans am. Based in Windsor and from Leicestershire. 

Why would I find myself here. Well..... I'm turning 30 next year and things are changing. Wanting t settle with the Mrs kids,house etc very soon so my car habits have to change to shift the debt and stop the expensive car routine. My sensible car of choice in a couple of years is a vrs diesel, however if I'm to shift my big v8 next year I need a cheap run around so I can start saving the monies for the future .

Now I'm a massive car nut, owned 2 focus St's modified, a Nissan skyline r33 gtr and my current v8. I can't just settle for a run around that is plain and completely gutless. I'll hate life. I was planning on going the saxo vts route or 106 gti rute as I had a vts as run around when issues started with the skyline but the more I look into it and size/comfort etc the mk 1 vrs 1.8t looks like my choice of runaround. I like a car with a bit of umph and something I could fettle with/ make better. Any car I have its treated well.

My question is what should I look out for with a vrs mk1. My budget is low ie 1.5k mark and I know I'm not really going to get a minter but to be fair as long as mechanics are solid that's all the matters

I'm a big fan of forums and getting knowledge from them about my cars and would appreciate any help from yourselves 

Apologies to admin if this is in the wrong section ( in Belize and Internet is not the best) 

Cheers guys

[munster]

Welcome mate, I can't answer your questions but the others will be able to.

 

I'm replying to ask about Belize! I served there in 1992-3 based at Airport Camp. Rauls rose garden was just down the road (may have visited a few times ) is it still there?

I think we had 3 or 4 camps, including the outposts. What's it like now?

Munster

[YellowCar]

Apart from regular servicing, regular oil changes etc and the usual, if the sump has ever been dropped and pick up pipe replaced would be a bonus. It's the kind of thing that should be done as mileage gets on.

As far as common issues go:

Check all locking, windows and switches

Rear wiper motor

Brake calipers (old ones get sticky)

Running issues may include misfire or strange boost delivery (could be reasons for sale!)

Check downpipe flexi for bulges

Try and check pipework as best you can and listen for any leaks

Usual whines and knocks from drive train, bearings and shocks - kinds of things with any car of this age

Keep an eye on temp gauge on test drive

If it runs smooth on the power pull, goes straight and is nice and quiet and electrics and locking works you should be all good. I think there is a buyers guide in this forum somewhere....

[Joe1906]

Did skoda do a mk1 diesel VRS?

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[Jimbling]

Perhaps he meant a Fabia vrs ?

[YellowCar]

Think he said 'vrs 1.8t looks like my choice of runaround', I think the vrs diesel is to come in the future (I presume mk2 onwards) that's how I read it anyway.

[Joe1906]

He also said diesel Vrs but wasn't referring to mk1 when he mentioned it. My bad :-)

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[YellowCar]

It was a little confusing...I may be wrong myself yet

[bigdave251]

Good choice fella

I would say check all the windows operate properly and check for central locking issues the imobiliser light door open light on the dash for each door ect they are the main issues I've had and seems others have had too apart from that mines been all good

there is a buying guide pinned near the top that's worth a read before looking at a car I didn't but seem to have avoided all the issues mentioned in it ☺

[mac11irl]

Damp floors..ask if the door cards have ever been pulled off or speakers worked on. If so the membranes were cut and if not replaced very well water gets in passed them..

Door locks and windows are problem areas now, so give a proper checking.

[josh6886]

Cheers guys. Yes I mentioned having a diesel in the future but for the mean time I'd like a mk1 vrs 1.8t. Sorry for the confusion. How long do turbos last any mechanics I need to be aware of ? I ask as most are past 100k mark so banging on territory of the mechanics

[josh6886]

Apologies I didn't see the mechanics part. As Internet is pants.

I'm only in Belize for a month or 2 for a battalion exercise. We are based next to airport in price barracks. There is a bar at the end of the road to either go out of sticks, or right to Belize City. But apparently it's closed at the moment. The owner died recently I think

[karlbar2k]

due to the age with most of these 1.8T's (VRS and 4x4) one of the major problems is the perishing of the multitude of pipes associated wit the Boost and Vac.  There are lots of posts about the Y  Pipe which is the biggest and usually first one to go, time and nocious gases cause them all to go soft and brittle leading to splits which mess with the fuel/air ratio which impact economy and performance.  when you start geetting splits in the smaller vac lines they can cause idle issues and they also leak boost.

 

a big thing that gets overlooked is that these cars can be subject to water ingress in a bi way from the smallest of leaks.

 

even though the VRS has a sporty image there are lots of improvements that can be made to the steering and suspension, lots of bits off higher end models with the same floor pan can be used as well as aftermarket bits.  So you can source parts from the likes of Golf Mk4 (gti,gttdi,r32) Leon Cupra R especially for the front suspension and steering bits and big fat brembos (but they come at a cost) The 4x4 has very similar front end but back end is independent

 

there are lots of free mods that can make small but useful improvements as well as lots of cheap little things like aero wipers, screen treatments etc that make them a nicer drive

 

Door locks are a PITA but can be fixed

 

If you have to do a window regulator buy a genuine one as the kits can be a nightmare.

 

VRS and 4x4 the seats are pants.  but again lots of alternatives available from Golf/Bora/S3/A3/Leon

 

4x4 styling is more sedated than the VRS so didn't appeal to everyone and they tended to have an easier life than the VRS (until they got bought and modified by Briskodians )

 

1.8T in whatever vehicle be it golf, bora, Octavia or even a Lupo :P they are one of the best engines ever on LPG  with no worries about soft valves, so you can have a modified car running between 200-250 without turbo 250-??? with turbo and supporting bits like rods etc but half the running costs.

 

Oh and the stereos are SH!T

[josh6886]

Thanks Karl I appreciate the massive input you have put in.

I think the seats don't look to bad to be fair lol. I've seen a lot of people mentioning the locking mechanisms are a trait for these cars. Guess I need to look for it . To be fair I always fettle with cars. Basic bolt on bits exhaust/cooler/induction/ remap. But to be fair need to go in one that's got all this as I'm supposed to be saving haha. What I will end up doing is lowering the car as it looks like a tank ( sure Eibach will have a kit) and with my old St the adjustable anti roll bars made SUCH a difference ill be doing that as well as some bushes. I prefer the mk2 in looks but to be fair the mk 1 for price, just sounds so tempting for a motorway cruiser. I was unsure as I had a vts which was great, but felt like it was over revving at motorway speeds. What does the octy sit at rev wise at say 80mph ?. Most of my driving is going to be motorway or very short journeys to my Mrs house from barracks.

I guess I need to go in someone's first whoever is close to either Leicester or london ;)

[karlbar2k]

mine sits at 3000 rpm at an indicated 80 (71-72 on gps) but it has a 6spd S3 gearbox and with LPG and all the mods on a round trip to London on tuesday I got 80mpgE for a 360 mile round trip with an hour of traffic each way on the London end

[josh6886]

Lol I can't sink that much money into a run around lol. I'm saving so if I eventually leave the army I have something to work with. If I get a big car again I'm going big yank v8 again. Can't get enough of them

[Ray Luxury-Yacht]

Cheers guys. Yes I mentioned having a diesel in the future but for the mean time I'd like a mk1 vrs 1.8t. Sorry for the confusion. How long do turbos last any mechanics I need to be aware of ? I ask as most are past 100k mark so banging on territory of the mechanics

 

To help with your turbo longevity question - it depends upon the previous owners in my experience. It's not something that you can necessarily legilslate for - the best you can do is get a feel for the seller, specially if they've owned the car for a long time.

 

By that I mean, I always buy the seller, as well as their car, if that makes sense? Are they / their house / the inside of their car a slovenly mess, or are they clean and tidy looking, living within a well-kept environment? I know it's a bit of a generalisation - but people who live in a clean tidy way, with no evidence of broken or mis-treated houses and furniture USUALLY look after their cars in a certain way too, no? In 25 - odd years of buying lots of cars and motorbikes privately, this has been proven to me time and time again...

 

Anyway I digress a bit. The point I was getting to is that if the seller and the car's history look nice, and especially if the owner has a modicum of mechanical understanding and sympathy, then there's a good chance that you'll get decent longevity from the turbo unit on the vehicle. A careful owner will ensure regular oil changes, with decent quality oil, and may even warm the engine and turbo up carefully when they start the car, and then let it cool by allowing the engine to idle for a while before shutting down. These things make a significant difference to the life of the turbo.

 

I could give you a few examples, but I'll stick with the example of my Mk. 1 Vrs. I was lucky to find a one-owner from new car, about 5 years ago. The seller illustrated that most of the 80k miles were done up and down the M4 motorway commuting each day. First good point. He then showed me history of oil changes every 6k miles using Castrol Magnatec oil, with a new genuine filter each time. He also discussed his start-up and shut down procedure that I described above. I had no reason to not believe him really.

 

Since I bought it, I have also observed the same start-up / shut down procedure, quite religiously. I also do regular oil and filter changes with a new filter each time - but I use Mobil 1 Oil, and I let it go to 10k miles each time. Mainly because Mobil 1 oil is good enough to go to 10k these days - and to a lesser extent, means that it is easy to remember the service intervals, haha!

 

My car has also had a Revo remap, PiperX panel filter, and Forge D/V from day one. It gets driven hard when it's warm. Now, with 160k miles showing, on the original 160k mile and 15-year old original engine and turbo, I can say that she's never pulled as strongly as she does these days, and the motor and turbo are in rude health. Starts and runs like a sewing machine - no smoke, no bad behaviour. In the 10k miles between oil changes, I have to top up under one litre of oil in all that time, to keep the level at the top of the dipstick. That's pretty frugal oil consumption for a 160k mile engine, isn't it? Especially compared to some VAG engines, lol!

 

And keep this last point quiet, because the armchair mechanics will have a heart attack - but it's never had a replacement oil strainer, heheh! I just think that with regular oil changes with quality oil, and a decent attitude - that strainer won't get blocked...

 

Anyway, hope this helps matey.

[josh6886]

Cheers appreciate the heads up. I tend to drop oil 6k miles in my v8 and that's as agricultural as it gets. I know the turbo cooling and heating up. I've owned a twin turbo skyline and it just got driven softly till up to temperature and also cooled in same manner when shut down. Just hope there's some for sale when I'm back in good nick as some on ebay at the moment which sounds decent for the money, and I'm away lol