150 replies to this topic

[Andrew aka Stuwy]

We have an adam as a main car and a VX as the toy.

 

Welcome!

[karlb123]

 

I might be looking at my green machine next Saturday so lets see what happens! I will either be happy or not going as its a lemon and Ghands wise scouting trip will save a lengthy journey! 

 

Carefull.... Green Machine is Copyrighted and Trade Marked

 

Think you've definitely come to the right place. I started my motoring days with an original Mini too. Although I miss the mini, I love the VX.

 

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

 

Yeah I might just run with Osten for ostentatious haha.

 

Yeh my mini taught me everything about how cars work and how to work on them etc

 

Fingers x'd!

[karlb123]

We have an adam as a main car and a VX as the toy.

 

Welcome!

 

Thanks! Nice cars aren't they!? Just not a good toy!

[karlb123]

Just my luck. Ghand as been and here is what we've established-

 

Clearly the car has been there a while as it wasn't out on the main forecourt and was tucked away in a dingy workshop/storage area with a few other cars in the way in front which we'd of expected not to of been the case.

 

Overpriced by £1k at least. 

 

Engine sounds ok with no rattling.

 

Bonnet catch opening wouldn't work so couldn't get to see if the radiator was an alloy one. Bit of a disapointer and should be fixed considering its up for sale but I understand this does happen with VXs

 

Paint could do with a respray, theres dust marks from the spray done incorrectly all over the car.

Some bubbling around boot- awaiting pictures.

 

The alloys appear to be standard NA ones either sprayed/powdercoated but do appear in good condition.

 

 

What is left unknown-

How gearbox/clutch are when driving

Condition of engine mounts

How it drives/handles.

 

So yeah not amazing.... and I should walk away but questions I have for the forum.

 

1) How often do cars which look pretty much like this colour/style come up for sale?

 

2) Bubbles in paint/body and smoothing them....what is the process...ive done a fair bit of touch up of body work on my old mini with filler etc. I just wondered what the process is with VX paint/GRP especially given item 3 potential plan

 

3) If the spray job is tatty, what about a closer look at the car- how it drives and handles, low ball offer and have a vinyl wrap in same colour as a stop gap (budget wont stretch to respray) yes it will damage paint underneath which is poorly done but least any stone chips wont show majorly if the colour is underneath.

 

4) I am awaiting some prices for a vinyl wrap but what have people paid before as a rough guide.

 

THANKS TO Ghand for taking the time out to take a look! 

 

Left in that limbo position wondering how I can make a dream come true!

[chez]

Hard to say what to do mate, if they accept a lower offer which leaves you cash to put anything right that needs doing straight away as some jobs can be done as and when? What did Ghand say? Worth the risk?

[YorkieAndrew]

New price of £7k? Mileage aint bad. If it has full service history and drives well. Stick 2k on for full respray/bodywork & your left with a nice motor with a fresh exterior for 8 & half - 9k! Going rate!?

[mbes2]

Its only £6900, make an offer

[karlb123]

Hard to say what to do mate, if they accept a lower offer which leaves you cash to put anything right that needs doing straight away as some jobs can be done as and when? What did Ghand say? Worth the risk?

 

Had to say if worth risk as he didn't get to test drive it but he said engine sounded good. So mechanically could be good just fugly on body.

 

He said he would wait but we come to conclusion its all rather subjective ie not everyone wants this coloured car and would like standard spec/trim and not modded. 

 

My current thoughts are get the price down, sort out bubbles near boot myself bit of sanding and smoothing (Ghand those pics haven't arrived yet- apple icloud letting us down! :-D ) and get a vinyl wrap to similar colour. I can't afford to give it a full decent respray yet and would seem a waste.

 

He mentioned a door had dropped to around an inch (might of been less can't recall for sure)- are door drops easy to fix/ok for a  happy diy mechanic like myself to fix?

[karlb123]

New price of £7k? Mileage aint bad. If it has full service history and drives well. Stick 2k on for full respray/bodywork & your left with a nice motor with a fresh exterior for 8 & half - 9k! Going rate!?

 

Mileage is good, 4000 odd a year roughly, service history has a gap after 35,000 miles to the 50,000 so thats a risk... Drives well still yet to be driven if I go for a trip. I haven't got a 8.5-9k budget unfortunately... so I wouldn't want to be paying 7k for it and Ghand wouldnt either, he thought it was worth at least £1k less possibly more.

[karlb123]

Its only £6900, make an offer

 

Yeh I may take a trip up there once I know rough cost of a wrap.

 

How stuff like bubbles can be repaired and smoothed by a diy guy like myself 

 

And like the door drop how do you fix/tackle that issue.

 

I've never tried doing low ball offering or barging before... I need a wheeler dealer really!

[rob999]

Bubbling can only really be sorted by sanding back and having it baked again, and then there's no promises that it won't return even then.

Some cars are affected more than others, it normally shows itself around the boot, on the pillars and lower doors.

 

The biggest thing is you need to drive it, then you'll know about the suspension, any impending EML's etc as they show themselves after a short run

[karlb123]

Bubbling can only really be sorted by sanding back and having it baked again, and then there's no promises that it won't return even then.

Some cars are affected more than others, it normally shows itself around the boot, on the pillars and lower doors.

 

The biggest thing is you need to drive it, then you'll know about the suspension, any impending EML's etc as they show themselves after a short run

 

Yeah I just read a thread and have learn to expect bubbles. I had an imperfect mini so shouldnt bug me. I just need so see the spray quality which Ghand said looks like its been done around dust.

 

When test driving obviously never driven a good example, what am I looking for in terms of suspension, handling, acceleration and braking?  And what the hell is EML?

[chez]

Engine management light, there is a plug in the passenger footwell that you plug a reader into that tells you what's wrong if the light is on

[ghand]

Engine management light, that was clear on the car so unless they have re set one should be ok. Bit disappointing and not good for a sale to have the car stuck in a dark workshop when you've rang up to say your coming for a look and also it was dirty and dusty? The re spray is rough to say the least, done while in a bad sand storm presumably, also plenty of chips and bubbles. Bonnet release hanging down, play in drivers door hinge, scuffs inside but seat bolster better than mine just slight wear, lights looked ok, screen looked ok both ten times better than mine, rear lights had plenty water, engine seems ok. Couldn't see it very well needs to be cleaned and taken outside in the light. Basically it needs a full re spray and some TLC So if the price is right and you want the hassle ok I would hang on for a better one. You got the pics yet ?

[myles]

I haven't seen the car, obviously, but I reckon you should hang on. There will be a better one round the corner, hopefully from here.

[karlb123]

Yeh better ones will come around but in green/black? :-)

 

Out of interest does anyone know when was the last black and green one last seen for sale on ebay/autotrader or on here?

[karlb123]

Engine management light, that was clear on the car so unless they have re set one should be ok. Bit disappointing and not good for a sale to have the car stuck in a dark workshop when you've rang up to say your coming for a look and also it was dirty and dusty? The re spray is rough to say the least, done while in a bad sand storm presumably, also plenty of chips and bubbles. Bonnet release hanging down, play in drivers door hinge, scuffs inside but seat bolster better than mine just slight wear, lights looked ok, screen looked ok both ten times better than mine, rear lights had plenty water, engine seems ok. Couldn't see it very well needs to be cleaned and taken outside in the light. Basically it needs a full re spray and some TLC So if the price is right and you want the hassle ok I would hang on for a better one. You got the pics yet ?

Indeed poor form not to have it out ready.

 

Hassle I don't mind, I want a car I can work on and play/drive with it is just the price that needs to be sorted for it to make it worth my hassle.

 

The spray job aside, have any of you ever fixed chips and how so- assuming some sort of epoxy filler?

[Harry Hornet]

From Gordon's observations, and what you can see on the photo's.....I still think this is a bodge job..there are too many things that dont seem right...what is the build number or old MOT's saying who owned it...did thy put it up on a lift so you could see all underneath etc..or werethe alsatians un chained.....

 

...patience my dear Karl, patience..offer £5k..go to £5.25 if you really want one now.....but walk away and dont look back

 

..at £6900, just wait or pay a little more and get a better one.....Paulines at £8900 is a great buy and will come with owner knowledge.....borrow that bit extra and have peace of mind

 

HH

[karlb123]

From Gordon's observations, and what you can see on the photo's.....I still think this is a bodge job..there are too many things that dont seem right...what is the build number or old MOT's saying who owned it...did thy put it up on a lift so you could see all underneath etc..or werethe alsatians un chained.....

 

...patience my dear Karl, patience..offer £5k..go to £5.25 if you really want one now.....but walk away and dont look back

 

..at £6900, just wait or pay a little more and get a better one.....Paulines at £8900 is a great buy and will come with owner knowledge.....borrow that bit extra and have peace of mind

 

HH

 

I wasn't there today only Gordon was, it will be down to my due diligence to look at paper work. Build number as in VIN?

 

I don't want a blue one *No offence Pauline* and unfortunately she wants it sold fast and I wouldn't have 8900 until at least August now due to a few commitments ongoing and I am now all borrowed out as the main bulk of money came from left over student debt re-consolidation.

 

I forgot my cousin works for a spray shop which mainly does contract work for Bentley, Rolls and Jag.... having a chat with him a full car in his booth at work would be a no go but panels yes...

 

I didn't realise how much you could remove of the body work, front and rear clams are a large proportion of the body area and would be something that would actually be possible feasible for him to take into work to spray once they had been prepped. 

 

Does anyone have any pictures of the panels/areas left on VX220 once both clams are left? Trying to gauge what parts can be actually removed from a car...

[karlb123]

So tonight's developments...

 

I have two spray guys who are friends of cousin who work on the Bentley, Rolls and Jag bumper spraying. £100 each for a day

I have my cousin to teach and help me fill and and sand/key the body work, so I can have this prepped ready.

I have a spray and bake booth I can hire for £190 for the day 9-5pm and then £40 p/h for additional - to get all parts done and baked

A car trailer for free

I provide the base colour paint, cousin can get me the clearcoat/laquer and any primer required.

 

 

So next thoughts maybe a trip up north with cousin in tow, maybe meet Ghand and then see about getting the price of the car a bit lower and a test drive and thorough look outside out of dark shed.....