Back, with no MK1 :(

Kapur, thought you were looking for a 5-door? Given the probably non-existent difference in insurance perhaps you'd be happier with a 1.3 too?

Anyway, as mentioned, if you can wait and get the money, you'd be far better off trying to find one with an MOT - esp. if recently done would ensure most items are sound.

Hey,

I'm being kind of silly here, but why is insurance high on a 5 door than on a 3 door?

My quotes are as follows:-

1.3 3 door - ?1100 (approx)
1.3 5 door - ?1350 (approx)

 :?

:dontknow:
That's nuts, ask them why?

I suppose a 5 door is more expensive to repair for a side collision, but for the value of car you are buying any side shunt is going to be a write off anyway.

Cheers
Rajan

Just wanted to ask for peoples opinions on this car:-

Talk Audio - Information


It's done about 93k, it's got no service history, and ummm… thats it really.

5 door 1.3, and the asking price is ?290.

Just want to know if it's really worth that, and will it be easy to be fixed. Especially that rear right wheel arch???

Also, how much are clutch kits/cables for the 1.3? The car has a slipping clutch problem at the moment,

So overall, i need to know how much it'll be worth the way it is, and how much it'll be worth with the clutch perfect and the arch and front wing in ok condition?

I agree that this car is in great condition for it's age, but theirs always a few things wrong with cars, and with this it would be the sunroof surface rust (not so bad), front wing, and the rear right wheel arch.

The inside is pristine.

If the car has a long MOT and has no further problems, I would value it between ?175 and ?225 depending on tax left on it.

With a short MOT or no MOT it is worth nothing, bearing in mind the costs for potentially scrapping it.

With the clutch plate, wing and rear arch done it is worth around ?350 - ?375

If doing the work yourself it will cost around ?225, if you pay someone else around ?800.

Actually looks like the kind of car for you, if you can do a bit at a time and do it yourself. Check the structure is sound particularly around those inner rear arches.

Bear in mind any Mk1 is a lot of money to keep though and sometimes those excellent condition, low mileage Mk1s for around ?700 are a better bet for a non-mechanic.

Cheers
Rajan

kapur said

Just wanted to ask for peoples opinions on this car:-

Talk Audio - Information


It's done about 93k, it's got no service history, and ummm… thats it really.

5 door 1.3, and the asking price is ?290.

Just want to know if it's really worth that, and will it be easy to be fixed. Especially that rear right wheel arch???

Also, how much are clutch kits/cables for the 1.3? The car has a slipping clutch problem at the moment,

So overall, i need to know how much it'll be worth the way it is, and how much it'll be worth with the clutch perfect and the arch and front wing in ok condition?

I agree that this car is in great condition for it's age, but theirs always a few things wrong with cars, and with this it would be the sunroof surface rust (not so bad), front wing, and the rear right wheel arch.

The inside is pristine.

Most important for you is: how far is it from your house, and does the clutch still work enough to drive it home?

Note that the clutch on Mk1s is not self-adjusting, so it is possible (but not that likely) that it is fine, but has not been adjusted recently to allow for ongoing wear.

The rust is the big thing - the wing and arch look like the result of minor damage, not repaired at all, so should be easy enough to fix (new wing, and some welding on the arch)

However, you should also examine the inner wings (between the front suspension towers and the row of bolts along the top of the wings) and the the rear chassis legs (square box-sections that run from the rear bumper brackets over the rear axle, to the back of the sills) very carefully.

The rust on the sunroof panel is ok, because you can easily replace it with a non-rusty one - rust in the roof itself, around the sunroof is more common, and more difficult (almost impossible) to sort out. PS: A Golf CL with a factory-fitted sunroof is rare enough, and very nice to have (but doesn't make the car any more valuable).

The clutch will be over ?200 to buy and get fitted by a garage, but the car will not be worth ?490 when it is done, so you should use this as a bargaining tool when negotiating the price and, as Rajan mentioned above, the road-tax and length of the MOT have a big influence on the value of cars at this end of the market….

Looks like a good starting point, find out if your local college do a restoration course as most do and you may be able to take this in and use there gear to repair it, wing is a minor issue and the rear arch can be sorted easily, (currently replacing both rear inner arch lips and arches for someone for ?100) arch repair panel is about ?30, new clutch kit would set you back about ?50 and its a straight forward job that you can do yourself, woulnt pay a garage to do it anyway!, i can see a few new parts under the bonnet so it does look as though it has at least been serviced

Hehe, this one sounds perfect. Shame about the engine being a 1.3 since it's a tad more expensive, but hey, sometimes can't get everything.

I think i'll settle for this after i've had a good proper look at it.

Forgot to mention, but the owner has also fitted a webber carb, whatever that is. Is that any good?

Weber carbs are a common replacement for a worn-out original Solex-Pierburg model.

On the plus side, it will be new and not worn, but on the downside, it will use a bit more fuel (about 5% extra), but will be a bit more responsive

Also, in my experience, a Weber will not start as easily on freezing mornings either, but a new Weber is still better than a worn Solex…

Ah ok. So do you reckon this is worth ?300?

I mean, it's ?350 if he's going to drive it down to where i am (Birmingham), or he's asking for ?300 if i pick it up from west london.

He uses this forum too, but i don't know if i can get the price down.

I know he's probably spent a bit already, but he's not going to get all that back.

So how do i get the price down to the right price for this vehicle?

Err, find out if it has tax and MOT first. It could be rotten as a pair underneath!

Just remember, he wrote this in a previous PM

"Its taxed until the end of march but no MOT."

I just saw it's value plummet to a round figure!

Maybe he would put it through an MOT for you, then you know where you stand before wasting each other's time?

Cheers
Rajan

I'm sure a vehicle like that (rear right arch) can't get through it's MOT.
He'll be reluctant to put it through it's MOT, and even if he does, i'll have to pay more.

I'd like to think that i can get it through it's MOT.

The arch shouldn't fail the MOT on structural grounds - I don't think that it's close enough to a load-bearing part of the body (sill or chassis rail in this case).

It might fail on being a bit sharp at the edge, but ironically, you could fit the currently-missing plastic wheel-arch cover to solve that problem.

IMO I would not pay the asking price for a car with no MOT and viewed only on pictures.

The outer arch is not an MOT failure point unless it is in the proximity of a structural part like the axle or suspension mount.

It is the things you can't see from pictures that may cause an MOT failure which you want to worry about.

If the seller does not want to put it though an MOT then ask yourself - why?

No harm in asking!

Cheers
Rajan

Ok, i wasn't aware that a car can pass with an arch or rust on the body like that.

I'll ask him when i next see him then. How much are MOT's usually anyway?

Thanks for all your ideas, i'll report back what i get.

P.S. - I guess this is the biggest "new folks!" thread ever! hehe!  ops:

The MOT results are critical to the value.

It's unlikely that the car will pass first time (bound to be something…), but the point is whether the cost of fixing it is relatively small (eg: torn gaiter on steering rack/blown bulbs/poor headlight aim), or is something which affects the viability of the car (welding on chassis rail, inner wings, etc)

If the seller wants to get rid of the car for any money at all, he needs to have an MOT report, even if it technically is a fail.

The fail points will determine the realistic value of the car, be it over ?175  for a pass, or zero, for welding of multiple areas on the body.

But with no knowledge of the details, no deal is possible…

Will definately ask him then.

How does an MOT work? Do you pay for the MOT prior to it? Or do they do the MOT, and only IF it passes, you have to pay for the MOT?

How much does it cost for the MOT to be done on MK1's, in particular, the 1.3 5 door i'm looking at?

Mot tests cost arround ?35 depending where you go, a place charging ?25 for an mot are more likely to fail it, they are offering cheap mots to get people in to have work done, you pay for the mot whether it passes or fails, the garage normaly give you a week to sort it and bring it back for a free retest, mine gives 14 days, perhaps if its only minor issues it fails on you could sort them there and get the mot