Non bikey, just want some opinions.

Bloody hell that's a hell of a story brings home the importance of riding defensively... although I guess there's nothing you can do about people who just pull across the road without looking, makes you feel sick to think about it. Good to see his helmet was the same model as mine (and Tony's I think) and looks mashed but his head was fine, so job well done Shoei

 

It's all about the gear, when I got to casualty after my crash / explosion they couldn't get my Wolf jacket off. Had to call a particularly burly ambulance tech to cut it and broke 3 pairs of tough cuts in the process.

I really liked that jacket too!

 

Crikey that sounds pretty full on. What was the story there then? Hope you don't mind my asking

 

Back to the car... Skortchio: you said, "Would you buy a car that you knew the problems on in advance for a discount rather than pay maybe upwards of double for one that appeared okay but in reality could be in the exact same shape?

Same reason people buy shiny cars not mucky ones, we project the assumption that if someone sprays water on their car they pay attention to the hidden parts too."

I tend towards Carnage's point of view, I'm afraid, having bought a few 2nd hand cars myself (and walked away from a lot - I mean, a lot). I look for cars which may be scruffy, but where there is evidence that mechanically, things have been attended to. For example, I bought my Subaru knowing the A/C hasn't worked for a long while. Nor does the CD player in the boot. But I don't care about them - it's the engine (cam belt etc) and gearbox and other running gear which will empty your wallet faster than anything else. I am assuming the car is straight - numbers match, no odd welds on one side not mirrored on t'other/ no crabbing when it drives away from you. The auto box version is an advantage since revs will have been kept down but cars which have low mileage may have trouble with seals going due to lack of use; valve stems over-heating due build up of carbon because they just haven't got up to temperature properly, and so rust in the most surprising places.

Is there any paperwork which might evidence work done / history? If no paperwork, you are left with guesswork only. Like MegaWatt, I'm not impressed that the previous owner did not take his car to a general garage. You are entitled to assume they know their onions when it comes to fitting tyres and brakes, but what mechanical training does a lad get there? Can they spell 'fuel injection'? Filter? 'Nah, it's fine, mate. I blew out the dust and refitted it'. Even a bad general garage ought to have some basic car servicing skills!

Get a quote from a Dealer to change the belt and deduct from the offer price. Is there a recent MoT? (I know, I know... but it's a guide at least).

 

Hey Rich, way ahead of you

Got quoted for discs & pads, tyres and cambelt change.
Tyres are £150
Discs&pads £150
Cambelt kit is £70, fitting is about £200 although Hyundai quoted £530 for the belt kit & fitting plus a combined 5&8 year service - all fluids & filters plus the usual check and adjusts.

Checked everything else, car is straight just been treated like 90% of drivers treat their cars ie. if it hasn't fallen off or stops you driving then it isn't important.
I saw the chap again tonight, offered him a price reflected on the work required. He wasn't overjoyed but I said the offer was there should he reconsider.

The service book has stamps in it up until 40k, kwikfit did the 50k last weekend but of course it was kwikfit so it only entailed an oil change and cursory look at the rest.

Much like you, I only care about the major things, I can fix damn near anything else anyway.

The question is one of philosophy, as you say people buy a shiny car because clearly the owner cares about it.
This owner isn't as attentive as me but not many people are and he's only had the car a year. No telling how caring the previous owners were and that's the point here, in this example someone has done the donkey work in finding the faults for me. Without paperwork to prove otherwise it's fair to say maybe 50K models won't have the new belts fitted and checking the discs is a tricky job at the best of times let alone for me.

 

Awkward this as nobody knows what around the corner, just try to minimise any nasty surprises. As said, look for useful evidence of good/bad & allow for unknown expenditure as cars are mostly sold on for good reason. I made a list one night when bored, of all 50 odd cars/bikes I'd bought & have only been 'had' once by a garage, who had to take it back under warranty which cost someone plenty, I hope.
I only ever bought cheaper stuff privately, all of which were 'stock', then changed all fluids, plugs, filters, had tracking checked etc but strangely enjoyed looking for faults in order to make it reliable. Good thing I found with private sales is you get a, ahem, feel for the seller & I can't stand the steroetypical smarmy type salesman. Doesn't really help you I know, but you did ask for opinions. My brother-in-law seems to have the opposite luck & for no obvious reason has been bitterly & expensively stung on most of his motors. Good luck & follow you nose.

 

Thanks Les.
I do want opinions, it's interesting to see the different perspectives.
I'm never sold on cosmetics and the non essentials and of course everyone knows my adject lack of trust in... well, everyone. So make a point of servicing and scrutinising my purchases.

In this case I think it's a case of: If the average price is £600 more, with unknown specifics on the servicing (knowing there's important things need doing) then is this example + 600 better than the other examples, which may or may not still require said work.

If only I knew what was around the corner...

That said, if anyone knows of a scrap rover 75 with a K 1.8T engine and loom I can pinch

 

Oh it was nothing really, I was just riding along and my fuel line split at the connector dousing me in fuel and then ignited, immolating my lower half (thankfully not my old chap) but the surprise of suddenly being aflame distracted me and I crashed... a bit.

 

Glad to hear the old chap survived, we have to look after our dads.

 

Les, I'm pleased that you know how to punctuate as "we have to look after our dad's" would have been a bit weird when talking about man-parts.

 

Bloody heeeeeell

From the state of the bike it's a good thing you weren't with it when it stopped. I've seen comments on here from you (can't remember what they were) from which I understand you'll be back on two wheels again at some point, so look forward to seeing you on a rideout eventually

 

I was with the bike up until the last 30m or so, never let go of your bike

Been up and back riding, about 4k miles last year, but some medical hiccups this year have meant I've not been able to get out. Bike is now up for sale and I'll be getting something else to frankenstein up in 2013 probably. Or I might just get a track bike and chase Tom about.

 

Chase? I don't think so!!

 

Hey, I could try

On the car front, saw the chap last night. Gave him the quoted prices for the work, made an offer. He said he didn't want to take less that asking price minus £100. I laughed and said goodbye.

Also took Ogy to an auto specialist, gearbox is dying a rather accelerated death. £1100 will get me it rebuilt with uprated internals, add in about £500 to refresh the engine at the same time and I'm galloping towards £2k. At that price an engine conversion starts looking much more tempting.

 

Put a V8 in it?

 

yes...jumping straight forward to an R1 engine to drop in...

 

£2,000 isn't economically viable as a repair cost. You'd be better off gambling by buying another box with unknown issues than proceeding with such a known cost of repair. After all - the new 'un may have little or nothing wrong. Then save your pennies to do the Ogy conversion over time. Lots of head scratching and research over the winter, methinks.

 

Bike engines are too revvy for practical driving. V8's are too heavy.

The old rover K series came in a variety of sizes, the most interesting of which being the 1.8 turbo from the 75. Starts at about 150bhp but the stock internals will handle circa 200 without trouble, an added bonus being it's about 20kg lighter than the A series.

The K12 and 13 micra engines are lighter still but only punch in at about 100bhp (with a good intake / exhaust), physically smaller making for a slightly easier conversion.

Honda D series come in auto, good options are around 130bhp stock. But with a mini me (vtec head) conversion and intake / exhaust will see a happy 165 ish.
Of course that's N/A to Rovers F/I meaning more compact and more headroom for tuning too.

Either way it's likely a task I won't be able to complete alone, probably having to pay for the grunt work to be done actual fitting etc. which isn't really an option until I have the bike out the way.

For now, I need something to get me around and ideally be marginally interesting in the meantime.

 

Exactamundo mes amie, a Rover subframe 'kit' is about £700 add in the parts I need from the car from a scrapper at similar cost and I'm still under the A series repair cost leaving some for the labour charges.
And I never could say no to a X4 power upgrade

 

If you need some help for a day or two, gimme a bell when you are ready Dave.?