My *potentially* New Car! (Advice Please!) Mk1 Driver..

Hi all! Few months ago I joined the forum and some may remember me mentioning a mates Mk1 Golf I was looking to buy off him. Well I've finally found the time to go check it out, and I have so far liked what I have seen. In fact I think it is a great find, but was wondering what you guys all thought. I've got some pics etc and all your opinions on the car would be really appreciated.

What I pretty much want to know is: how much work could be involved in getting it through an MOT (from what you can see) and consequently how much I should be looking to pay for it (as I have no idea what to offer).

Going on bodywork it seems in really good nick for it's age, specs of rust under the paint here and there and some fading but nothing major (bonnet seems the worst). All the sills seem awesome, can't find any major rot anywhere.. whereabouts are the worst areas I will need to re-check? The interior is absolutely mint condition! The engine ain't looking too pretty though and the car hasn't been run in ages but it should be able to run. Haven't tried getting it running yet but shouldn't be a problem with a new battery etc. Not sure of mileage yet as haven't seen any paperwork and battery is flat so can't see odometer, but I'm pretty sure it's a low miler as it was my mates nan's (first owner!) before his and she hardly drove it.

The brakes are all probably pretty damp and will need re-doing but other than that and getting the car started and running, can anyone see anything major that it may fail an MOT on, and give me an idea of how much it would cost? And consequently how much I should look to pay for the car?

I've fallen in love with it now, so it's not a question of whether or not I get it.. just when! Enough talk ayways, here are the pics!























Thanks for looking, all tips and advice really appreciated!

Chris  8)

got be worth jacking the car up and have a good look underneth

as for the MOT couldn't say what need doing

I will buy that drivers seat off you if it helps! ..and give you mine which is the same just with a small rip!    or i could probably swap all your seats for all gti seats? I want that pattern and have been looking for ages! Cheers  

Get it running, give the engine a full service, change the points and condenser, CLEAN IT, check the lights, sort any exhaust blows, square the brakes away and bung it in for an MOT. What's the worst that can happen?  If it fails emissions, lean the carb a bit, try again, and don't forget to richen again.
It doesn't look too bad from a rust point of view, but the only real way to find out is to get it on a ramp, and have a good poke around. You might as well let the MOT guy do it!

Oh yeah,

The odometer is on the speedo.  It's the thing with all the numbers on it :mrgreen:

It might be worth taking it to a local Council MOT test station; they don't make profit as they dont do repairs, so it might be a cheap run-up to the main MOT.

Helpful link : http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-mot

Hi

Looks from the photos quite a good car. Are you doing a full restoration or are you just going to clean it up? It is my mk1 driver that is in september issue of golf+ mag that car was a full restoration, quite an easy car to work on except some parts are difficult to get.

Hi guys, thanks for the responses!

Based on what you have all seen and assuming the engine will be running ok after new fluids, filters and some time tuning it.. how much is it worth? what is the most you would pay for it?

My mate didn't want to say a price till his Dad got back, so I just want to know what I should realisticly offer for it and how much to try and haggle! Like I said, I reaally want it.. and I don't want to try and rip them off but I don't wanna over pay and then not have enough for getting it through an MOT! Just need a rough ball-park figure in my head really!

Oh and.. 03j-sellick - i will have a think about the seats! they aren't really my cup of tea so would be better going to someone who will appreciate them. Send me some pics? I will have to have a think and sort out all the other important stuff first so I'll keep you posted!

Hi Ianaa, do you have a build thread for your show car? I would love to go full-on resto on it but being a student next year I can't see it happening! I will hopefully just keep it running, maybe lower and get some BBS RAs on or something, nothing fancy.

Out of interest, how hard would it be to get hold of a replacement engine for it? 1.1 or 1.3 weren't they?

Drivers aren't worth as much as GTi's, but they are going up because of the lack of decent GTi's. I spent months looking for a GTi for less than 2 grand, and they were all bags of poo. I went to look at a Driver, out of interest more than anything, and it was so good I bought it. For considerably less than 2 grand. :wink:
For a non runner with no T&T, i'd be looking at around 5,6,7, hundred, but its up to you and your mate.
As for a new engine, Drivers are 1.3's, and there would be no guarantee that a "new" one would be any better than the original. Some newer Polo engines can be put in with the injection, but you are best off checking on club Polo

Hi

You will find me on sunday at vw action at santa pod (depending on the weather fair weather car only). I have a web address but no web site yet one day i will get round to it. Pop along and see me in the best standard watercooled section i have photos of the restoration. Sand metallic Driver A94 UOM

Wow, looks original and complete. I'd try and get it running, service it and give it a once over, brakes etc. Then take it for MOT and see if it fails on anything. Fix that up and a good steam clean and polish it will come up almost like new.

From a first glance it looks pretty good, the paint will tidy up a good bit with t-cut or if your brave 3000 grit wet and dry then buff.

I'd whip those gti arches off and check around the arches, especially at the bottoms where water collects.
have a nosey under the carpets too.

Parts getting a little more available for the small blocks all the time.
I'd have considered leaving mine that way if certain bits had been available even 18 months ago.
still got a few brand new bits still in boxes if you get stuck.

Do a brake upgrade when you can, its pretty cheap with the right bits. you wont regret it

good luck bud!

cheers again for all the responses guys..

i went to go have a look at it again with my mates dad there this time.

he said that the reason he stopped using the car was that in 2005 it started firing on 3 cylinders.. reckoning on it being some kind of electrical problem he replaced the plugs and HT leads but it was still firing on 3.

He said it might be the ignition coil, as it is still the original coil but he never got round to changing it and has not run the car since. the cause of the fault was never confirmed by a garage or mechanic as no-one ever looked at it.

We haven't yet tried to get it running.. I've got a battery which I could use, but I'm wondering whether it could be a more serious problem than needing a new coil to get it firing on all 4 again? What is the potentially worst case scenario?

He also said that if he got it running & T&T'd then he would've wanted ?500 for it but cos it's a non-runner he's looking for around ?300 for it.. does that seem fair to you lot? It's got 85k on the clock aswell btw

Thanks in advance again! Chris

?300 could end being a right bargain, but check this running problem out first. Could be a cheap fix, could cost quite a bit. But if you get it for 300 then you've got money to sort it out left over.

If you don't have it, I will!!!

The running problem doesn't sound like the coil to me. If 3 cylinders are firing, the coil is providing HT to the dizzy at least. A new dizzy cap, and rotor arm would be my choice if the leads and plugs really have been changed. Also check the plug gap. He might have closed it up by accident when he fitted it.

At three hundred quid I'd probably take it on. As twofourdonkey says if its firing on three the coils fine. Its probably the dizzy or plug.
I reckon it'l be a cheaper fix than letting the owner do it.

Then again you might get cured of chasing the fault and stick a 16v in instead…..Happened to me!  

Jeez, stop faffin about and get it bought before he changes his mind

Early-1800 said

Jeez, stop faffin about and get it bought before he changes his mind

hehehe i know i feel like that aswell.. i've still got to wait a while before i can sort out a trailer to move it and a place to keep it.. once that's all sorted ima be on it like a hawk.

right well if it's just the dizzy then thats no worries so i think it's a deal.

will get some pics up soon when it's been bought, cleaned up and running!

finally, just out of interest where do you all get your engine bits from for servicing stuff.. GSF?

Thanks all, Chris

do a compression check, if all 4 cylinders come up the same pressure then the probs almost certainly electrical.

If ones miles different from the others then start worrying about bigger ? bills, but will be still worth it looking at condition of rest of car.

Parts GSF, Eurocarparts, internet or VW main stealer