Buying a used VS
Hi,
I recently went through the same thing. My last car was virtually mission critical electronics free and I had no idea about what to look for under the bonnet or body of a VS. I found the following extremely useful:
1) Checking the Redbook price and average mileage for that model.
2) Whether Private or Dealer, get an independent mechanic to perform a complete check of the vehicle prior to making a decision. Have the mechanic give you a full written list of identifiable problems - some will be roadworthy issues, others will not. If the vendor does not want to let a mechanic look at the car then they are probably hiding something. The dealer I bought from wouldn't let the car into another mechanics shop (liability issues) but was happy to let my mechanic do a full inspection on site. He had a workshop with a hoist attached so this was no worries. I have a customer history with my mechanic and he understood my needs. He sent one of his boys (former RACQ inspector) home early to swing past the yard and check it all out.
Hand this list to the potential supplier of the vehicle. If he/ she is a dealer they will have to address all the roadworthy issues (tyres, seals, bearings, rings, rust, pulleys etc.) and any of the non roadworthy ones you can squeeze out of them (faulty aircon switches, rattles and so on). If it a private sale then this is your negotiating point. Your mechanic should be able to tell how much it will cost to fix it all.
If the yard or individual is supplying the vehicle in a "roadworthy" condition make sure it is. It is worth paying a hundred or two in the long run. Our mechanic turned our first choice down after we handed the dealer (a different one) the list of required roadworthy fixes. The dealer said he would fix all the things. He even drove it himself to my mechanics for a "post fix" second look. He had hadly fixed a thing, including the leaking gasket dripping oil onto the handbrake - rendering the handbrake useless, or the leaking main seal that my mechanic spotted instantly. (have to pull the gearbox to replace) $$$ Needless to say, we walked away happily.
3) Don't buy any warranty from the yard. They almost always will have some crazy way out of nearly everything you would expect from a warranty and when something does go wrong (like say a gearbox) they will say something like that it has 150 000 on it, and the warranty is only for failure due to poor manufacturing/ parts quality and not normal wear and tear.
4) What you've already done - find all the forums and search'n'lurk.
5) Don't expect everything to be ideal. Make a list of the things that you can change yourself or get easily fixed. For example, rust is not often easily or cheaply fixed but some dents can be. Worn seats can be retrimmed or covered, but replacing them if the springs are gone could cost more than you are willing to pay.
6) Don't pay for someone elses crappy mods. If you want Pods, Monster Tachos or Exhaust Tip then get them yourself. It can be more fun doing it yourself anyway.
Hope this helps - I see three other posts since I started writing, almost covering everything I have said...
Good Luck.
Struma
