Buying a polo...

DubLass · Post by **DubLass** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 5:37 pm

Just been to look at a polo coupe s, it was quite a good little car, but they was a bit of rust at the front and i noticed there was a wider gap at the top right where the bonnet meets the wing...what could this mean? Should i steer clear or does it matter for Â£150?

GroovyCarrot · Post by **GroovyCarrot** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 10:22 pm

Well, you could read something into it like the car had a front end smash at some point, it wasn't repaired properly and the wing rusted and the bonnet wasn't refitted correctly.. but then it's just as likely that the rust is the result of it being a fairly old car and the bonnet was removed at some point and just needs a bit of adjustment. If you're worried, run a check on it to see if it's been written off before you buy it, but to be honest I don't think you can really go wrong with a coupe s with a little rust for Â£150, it sounds a pretty decent offer to me

I thought I did well getting my polo C for Â£295, that had a bit of rust and a dodgily resprayed panel, but all seems well so far..

Tahrey1043 · Post by **Tahrey1043** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 6:40 am

give it another look over, pop the bonnet and look for frame and subframe damage / rust / obvious bentness?

not a bad price on a Coupe S that, fairly well specced example of the mk2 breed, and even with a little bit of a bend - if the rust is merely cosmetic and you get it seen to properly* then it should stand a good few more years of motoring before popping its clogs.

* this meaning "sort it yourself with some sandpaper, hammerite kurust, easy-peel masking tape and a couple cans of zinc primer & close-enough match paint from halfords"

DubLass · Post by **DubLass** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 10:28 am

Cool, might have another nip over today and have a proper look and a test drive. Anyone know about paying deposits?

Tahrey1043 · Post by **Tahrey1043** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 2:32 pm

both sign a copy each of a receipt? along the lines of....

I the undersigned, *name here*, have paid this day *date* the sum of Â£25 to *their name* of *short address* as deposit on a *colour* *year* VW Polo Coupe S, registration *registration*.

Signed, *signature*
Witnessed by *(their?) witnesses signature*

I the undersigned, *their name*, have received this day *date* the sum of Â£25 from *your name* of *your short address* as deposit on a *colour* *year* VW Polo Coupe S, registration *registration*.

Signed, *their signature*
Witnessed by *(your?) witnesses signature*

Can't remember exactly how i did it but i think it was something along those lines (but Â£50 as it was more pricey a car), and similar when paying the full amount to buy it. Sort of a legal formality form letter.

Kinda disregarded the thing when the V5 finally came thru...

SteB · Post by **SteB** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 6:55 pm

Ey up Lass! best thing is to go and get someone who nows their stuff to go look at it ! i'm suggesting Matt !

GroovyCarrot · Post by **GroovyCarrot** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 11:02 pm

Blimey. Bit more formal than the reciept I got for my car..

Polo C*** JOB
Â£295
(Signature)

Anyway, yes, really do go for it providing there's no obvious structural damage... that's a superb price for a coupe S in relatively good condition..

Tahrey1043 · Post by **Tahrey1043** » Sat Aug 07, 2004 4:15 am

just hope the "too good to be true" is because they're ignorant rather than shifty!!

DubLass · Post by **DubLass** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 3:27 pm

Well i could've got it but my parents wouldnt let me

I have to get a BORING reliable car to drive to uni in......i dont think i can bear it.
And i have to spend more on a 'reliable' car just to suit them...the cheek! At least if you're gonna dictate what car i should get you should give me the extra cash!

madmatt · Post by **madmatt** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 3:51 pm

dublass just buy what u want not what the olds say
and pay the extra that u gonna pay on a reliable car on rac coverage (Â£45) and all the rest save it for mods

bstardchild · Post by **bstardchild** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 4:00 pm

DubLass wrote:Well i could've got it but my parents wouldnt let me I have to get a BORING reliable car to drive to uni in......i dont think i can bear it.
And i have to spend more on a 'reliable' car just to suit them...the cheek! At least if you're gonna dictate what car i should get you should give me the extra cash!

I think you need to prime them with some facts

Few things in life are as reliable as

VW

Running costs are dependant on complexity ie simple carb and no engine management = cheap running costs so older can be cheaper

Depreciation on older cars already happened

ie once any car gets to Â£500 or less unless it's condition is radically (bent up like a banana) altered it stays at that value...... Basically the cars of that age are worth as much in bits!!!

What do they want you to get - A Nissan Micra? - good grief if you hit anything in one of them they wouldn't cut you out of it just parcel the whole lot up an bury you in it - I have never been a scared as I was once in a B reg micra driven enthusiastically by a friend - horrid little piece of rice eating dog dirt - awfull it was. It had a short life too thank god!!! What price do they put on your safety/life - At least VW's are tough little cars - even the polo's might be small but they are built tough

JM2pW

DubLass · Post by **DubLass** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 6:20 pm

Well i just cant see myself driving a p reg fiesta encore or whatever the hell it is for THREE YEARS. It just doesnt match my personality. Boring cars = boring personality. You cant even mod them because they end up looking boy racer-ish. And im not allowed to have two cars either. I thought it'd be alright if i had a boring car to commute and a retro Veedub as hobby..but nooooooo.

Tahrey1043 · Post by **Tahrey1043** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 7:31 pm

fiesta? reliable?
ptthhhhhhhh

mate's GF recently bought a fairly solid-seeming 94? (L-reg..?) festa from her parents, Â£1000, 60000 miles, youd think itd be in good enough nick, not hammered or anything...

Guess what? i helped him on a lets-maintain-our-cars day

while up in bangor in the may heatwave, in between dives... brake fluid changed, let's do the oil on Lal's runabout, its running a bit funny so it probably needs a oil & air filter change. Take the cap off, nasty white stuff all over the place! Bloody head gasket had only gone... coolant in the oil, and oil in the coolant to boot. At 60k after an easy life! Nice little repair bill that one!

(ok ok being a little unfair there, picking out one example, but really now... the chance of that happening on a ford is just soooo much higher than on an old polo or golf)

The only thing with VWs (or mine at least) is that the bodywork is sound and the engine rarely "fails to proceed", but they seem to eat consumable parts - air/oil filters, cables, all that gubbins - at a fantastic rate

Just as i've got a problem with a possibly blown temp sensor (easily replacable, Â£8) to think about, i've also got a specter of a shock possibly on it's way out (Â£40 and i could swear it was done not too long ago), brake pads squeaking (another Â£40, less than 18 months), tyres wearing out... (Â£50, ditto)

You gotta weigh the different points up and decide what the most important is really. EG Ford may break down a little, may not be as fun, less of a good image, but hey - the parts are cheap compared to VAG, any monkey knows how to fix them "properly" (=lower labour bill), and the AA may as well earn their wage.

madmatt · Post by **madmatt** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 9:54 pm

bstardchild wrote:
DubLass wrote:Well i could've got it but my parents wouldnt let me I have to get a BORING reliable car to drive to uni in......i dont think i can bear it.
And i have to spend more on a 'reliable' car just to suit them...the cheek! At least if you're gonna dictate what car i should get you should give me the extra cash!
I think you need to prime them with some facts

Few things in life are as reliable as VW

Running costs are dependant on complexity ie simple carb and no engine management = cheap running costs so older can be cheaper

Depreciation on older cars already happened ie once any car gets to Â£500 or less unless it's condition is radically (bent up like a banana) altered it stays at that value...... Basically the cars of that age are worth as much in bits!!!

What do they want you to get - A Nissan Micra? - good grief if you hit anything in one of them they wouldn't cut you out of it just parcel the whole lot up an bury you in it - I have never been a scared as I was once in a B reg micra driven enthusiastically by a friend - horrid little piece of rice eating dog dirt - awfull it was. It had a short life too thank god!!! What price do they put on your safety/life - At least VW's are tough little cars - even the polo's might be small but they are built tough

JM2pW

i agree with this chap dublass just buy the mk 2 polo coupe my mk polo coupe is now 20 yrs old and its was still like new when i bought it ok i had a respray but that just makes it look better ok i put a engine in it with only 31000 miles on it but the original engine would have carried on goning

DubLass · Post by **DubLass** » Wed Aug 11, 2004 11:26 am

basicallt they want to get me as much as i can for my money. I mean i could easily find a good ford escort with all the mod cons for under Â£1000 but i dont want an escort!
If you were a biker and your passion was superbikes you wouldnt just buy a big tourer thing just because it had more mod cons for the money...thats what i think. Anyway im looking a a decent polo or mk3 golf.