Newbie in the market to buy - advice needed please

Next step is my mechanic friend giving it a viewing a week on Sunday
Pending a green light from him, I'm gonna make a sensible offer (cash)

Exciting

Was gonna have a back up - what do you guys make of this?
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F264013107956

Not sure it’s a new roof
In the first pic you can see the rails and even one of the tension straps that goes to the header in the centre.
That’s a very worn padding.



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I’ve seen these pads removed completely before now.


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The 86 is showing sold…. It had some work done to it as the body kit is not standard as VW did not fit that kit to cabriolets till 1988, I think it's also got Mk2 Scirocco GTX seats in it…

If you are looking at the Sportline have a good look at the fuel filler neck, remove filler cap and shine a torch down it to check to rust, cabriolet filler necks are different from tin top cars and new filler necks for cabriolets are £70 ish for a steel one or £120 ish for a stainless steel one…
You can fit a tin top filler neck but it needs a section cut out and the end welded back on as it's at a different angle and the length is different for the larger 55l fuel tank.

Rust/dirt/water etc in the fuel injection system can cause all sorts of problems and usually ends up in costing a bit in cleaning/replacing parts.

Plus an 86 car would of been small bumpers model.


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chortle said

Not sure it’s a new roof
In the first pic you can see the rails and even one of the tension straps that goes to the header in the centre.
That’s a very worn padding.



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Are the tabs which hold the hood cover hooks in the wrong place? Mine are further in than that….

Plus an 86 car would of been small bumpers model.


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mark1gls said

chortle said

Not sure it’s a new roof
In the first pic you can see the rails and even one of the tension straps that goes to the header in the centre.
That’s a very worn padding.



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Are the tabs which hold the hood cover hooks in the wrong place? Mine are further in than that….

Yes
They look to be in the wrong place.
Pad looks knackered


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Hi all
so here is the latest GTI convertible I went to see this week:
C304WLC
- Bit older than i want. lap belts only which i'd need to convert
- it had serious welding work during the refurb. Front corners, spare wheel, back quarters, rear window, front windscreen, undersealed, and respray was, in my opinion, very good
- seals werent great and A pilar a bit of a mess
- rear back seat cable missing
- no spare wheel
- barstardardised back parcel shef
- outer roof lining was good but inner lining and middle lining were poor
- steering was in desperate need of tracking and alignment
- filler neck - shame but not fixed entirely
- engine bay was very clean, ran lush and cool, nice pick up
- wheels - AWFUL but the perelli alloys had been refurbished and came with the car, less tyres
- the coilover suspension as too low for my liking but easy adjustment
- exhaust - way too loud and big - again, easy enough fix
- interior - very orginal and in good share

mileage was 145k

Overall i really liked it and with the suspension adjusted, exhaust replaced, seat belts and correct wheels on it - i beleive it was a nice example and a lot of time and money spent on this car and for £5.5k was OK value i thought

missing badges were all in a box ready to be put on

just seen this - but its miles away!?!?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mk1-Golf-Convertible-Rivage-Original-untouched-condition/202502641510?hash=item2f26191766:g:I5IAAOSw1qtbRx6V

Crowey26 said

Hi all
so here is the latest GTI convertible I went to see this week:
C304WLC
- Bit older than i want. lap belts only which i'd need to convert
- it had serious welding work during the refurb. Front corners, spare wheel, back quarters, rear window, front windscreen, undersealed, and respray was, in my opinion, very good
- seals werent great and A pilar a bit of a mess
- rear back seat cable missing
- no spare wheel
- barstardardised back parcel shef
- outer roof lining was good but inner lining and middle lining were poor
- steering was in desperate need of tracking and alignment
- filler neck - shame but not fixed entirely
- engine bay was very clean, ran lush and cool, nice pick up
- wheels - AWFUL but the perelli alloys had been refurbished and came with the car, less tyres
- the coilover suspension as too low for my liking but easy adjustment
- exhaust - way too loud and big - again, easy enough fix
- interior - very orginal and in good share

mileage was 145k

Overall i really liked it and with the suspension adjusted, exhaust replaced, seat belts and correct wheels on it - i beleive it was a nice example and a lot of time and money spent on this car and for £5.5k was OK value i thought

missing badges were all in a box ready to be put on

Why would you go to all the trouble of all that work to put a hood over that mess?

As I keep drilling into people you can’t replace the headliner or interliner padding without taking the hood off.
So after all the effort of covering that nastiness up you’ve then got to spend a load more on sorting it out.
So to redo the lot in the hope you can get the top off ok without damaging it then you still got labour for the fitter to take off, replace all the gear underneath and then fit the old roof or a new one if the old gets damaged during removal.
So best add another grand plus to the price.
Plus did you check the rear window frame?

Again you got to check them it’s a £250-300 item alone.



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The Rivage looks nice in the pics.
However he says roof works as if should and the cars original and unmolested so if the roof is as old as the car it’s gonna need changing.
Hard to tell how the roof is from the pics.




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That's alot of money for the Rivage as it's a little untidy and needs dents/scratches fixing, bit's of trim missing or broken, new LCD…..
Agree with chortle on the roof… they don't last forever so think of them as consumable parts.  

Jesus wept what a load of shabby overpriced rubbish there is out there (not directed at any one car/seller in particular). Get a light restoration/project for about £1500-2000, learn a bit about the car then once whatever needed work is done (do it well), enjoy it for years and keep up with the regular maintenance!

Sorry for the rant.

If you’re doing a full restoration or advertising one then do it properly.
I’d be concerned about the job if the level is that they didn’t do the roof properly. What else may not of been done perhaps just covered.

Problem is people are buying these cars at stupid money hoping to rate em up and make a profit only to realise they’ve over paid and doing a thorough job isn’t cheap.
So they pop a bit of paint on the car and some fancy dan wheels.
Hoping to fool someone into paying even more.
Until they do their research properly and realise that being able to keep water out your car, or the headliner from flopping down on you as you drive isn’t good.

Stop overpaying and so far you’ve not posted up a car that’s remotely worth the money you think is ok.
If you can get the Sportline or the Rivage cheaper then you’re in with a chance of staying level pegging with the market.
A car is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.



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thank you again for your comments. i apprecaite your insights.

I can assure you i am after a decent, daily / weekend runner to enjoy. its not my intention spin around for a quick buck myself.
I dont intend, ever to sell this car, but keep it clean and running well and further improvements / maintenance as I go, and in time, pass it onto my children.

I sourced a local mechanic that is passionate about these cars and has owned many himself. He is doing a pre-purchase check on the Sportline for me. So long as it checks out, I am going to make an offer. If there is anything significantly amiss, I am fine with walking away and going again.

Any links you can share, to cars you beleive IS good value, then please do so.

I’m not suggesting you’re going to buy and flip. I’m pointing out that the cars you’ve linked to are not that great value for money.
If you intend to keep the car and make it proper then the C Reg one is going to need £1,500 spending on the roof if the rear window frame is goosed (which causes leaks into the boot).
The hood has  to come off and be stripped back to a bare frame then re done.
At £5k plus what you need to spend to make it proper you’re at £6.5k
That’s not value for money.


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Here we go again:
K431JVW
121k
£5.5 asking price

Latest Cabby looked at today.

Impressions:
- clearly much loved with FSH
- straight genuine and little or not rust whatsoever
- engine ran lovley, ran cool, good pick up, clutch and gearbox were good
- little blowy exhaust, would like to upgrade to a stainless steel
- odometer not working! wsa shocked at first but having looked at the history i was clear its a recent fault
- clock LED was knackered - bled and needs replacing
- lap belts in the back - need converting to 3 points
- interior was nigh on immaculate, genuine
- wheels looked in very good condition
-sat on orginal springs
- front fogs showing condensation inside
- cambelt needed changing

Things I would consider doing pending roof is good:
- exhaust
- carb upgrade
- cam belt change & full service
- seat belt adaption in back
- odometer

Gotta say, this was the most enjoyable drive.

hope to check out fromet17's I hope this weekend:

Crowey26 said

Here we go again:
K431JVW
121k
£5.5 asking price

Latest Cabby looked at today.

Impressions:
- clearly much loved with FSH
- straight genuine and little or not rust whatsoever
- engine ran lovley, ran cool, good pick up, clutch and gearbox were good
- little blowy exhaust, would like to upgrade to a stainless steel
- odometer not working! wsa shocked at first but having looked at the history i was clear its a recent fault
- clock LED was knackered - bled and needs replacing
- lap belts in the back - need converting to 3 points
- interior was nigh on immaculate, genuine
- wheels looked in very good condition
-sat on orginal springs
- front fogs showing condensation inside
- cambelt needed changing

Things I would consider doing pending roof is good:
- exhaust
- carb upgrade
- cam belt change & full service
- seat belt adaption in back
- odometer

Gotta say, this was the most enjoyable drive.

Looks tidy car but isn’t a GTI.
Roof looks not bad from the pics but again you need to check rear window frame and headliner isn’t ripped.
One thing I noticed the pull in straps from the roof are held in place with cable ties instead of being riveted as factory.


There are some wear marks to the hood but depending on how old the roof is you’re going to get them eventually on any roof.

Still think £5.5 is too much for a Clipper and I’d expect the top section to of been redone.


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