Complete VL Noob, need advice before buyin :D

[Finn]

Sup everyone,

thought this site would be the best place to ask about this car im thinking to buy as u all know wot ur talkin about.

So im lookin to buy this VL Commodore Executive Wagon (pretty sure its 87-88).
Its in pretty good nick so i decided id bung it in to the mechanics to check her out before i bought it. Ive heard, supposably shes a bit clunky when chucked into overdrive and the owner tells me he reckons somethings is wrong with the driveline but its not to crucial (he doesnt really know wot he was talkin about eithier). He was askin 2 grand, but im sure i could bump him down if the mechanic report shows sum things that need to be fixed. It also has a year rego left on it. Im willing to spend to fix it up a fair bit, has got rims and shit already. Let me know wot u think i should do, should i forget it and find another? or is it worth fixing? odo is broken too

Help would be sick, lookin forward to hanging around here, can show u my progess with it.

[Cane_It]

in all honesty, I reckon you'd find more and more problems with it and would spend a pack just to get it up to scratch. I know nothing about the nissan 6 except that you'll wreck the alloy cyl head by not running a good quality coolant. check very carefully around the bottom of the front window for rust. if the body and the suspension are in good nick you might be onto a winner.

[Finn]

THanks for your reply, i get the mechanical report back tommorow so ill check and see if anything like that shows up. The body is in good nick, by the looks of it no rust. sure theres a few lil dings, the paint job is fine, i think a bit of the trim is cracked tho. Havnt checked the windows though, ill look into that before buying it.

Anymore quick advice? unfortuantly i got no time to think of buying this or not and i need more help than just my own mind here :P

[vl rb30]

I Have A Vl 4 Sale In The Post Have A Look

[bangers]

check the usual spots for rust, around windscreens, under boot carpet, along sills, inside wheel arches, behind tail lights, etc etc run a fridge magnet over the panels to see if there is bog behind the paintwork, the magnet will fall off if there is bog. in regards to the clunk, the workshop manual suggests to check the oil level (naturally), otherwise it could be oil presure prob, oil pump prob, torque convertor, one-way clutch or planetary gear. i'd edge toward the torque convertor cos only one in ten people actually change the oil in it. If everything else is good and the only prob is the clunk i'd say go for it. if worst comes to worse change the box.

[Finn]

Got the report back: ill write out wots wrong with it
*Auto transmission shutters in torque covertor (knew that)
*rocker cover gasket leaking
*front tyres are worn (id get newies anyway)
*power steering high psi hose leaking
*suspention bushes worn on LWR
*lhf wheel bearing sloppy
*front suspension caster bushes worn
*exhaust manifold leaking, possible broken studs
*engne drive belts worn
*PCV breather hose broken
*panhard suspention bushes worn

theres a few other little things

anyone else reckon hes thrashed it :S

[bangers]

he's been doing the famous right hand burnouts. some of those probs are standard wear and tear too. you'd be able to do nearly all those repairs yourself. i'd say no more than another $500 for all the parts and someone to tap the broken studs. torque convertor could just be full of burnt oil.

[Stewart1000]

wear and tear really.
get the PCV hose from the wreckers.
how much $$$ is it for

[Finn]

he wants 2 grand, but i could prob work him down. Are u serious about the 500 bucks... they mechanic dude told us it would need about 3500 put into it to get a RWC...i dunno wot to do.

[bangers]

sorry. i forgot about the tyres. the tyres won't be more than about $115 each, rocker cover gasket no more than about $10. All your bushes should be $100 - $200 if you buy complete nolathane kits. Belts @ $30. Wheel bearing could just need to be repacked. The breather hose will only be a few bucks, even if you get a longer one and cut it to size. And the torque convertor could just need an oil change. You wouldn't have to pay anyone for labour except maybe the exhaust studs if you don't have the tools. oh and the power steering hose you'd probably get a new one made up at a hydraulic hose place for a reasonable price, just take the old one in to match it up. The only reason it'd be 3500 is cos he has the labour cost on there, even then he's dear.

[Finn]

wow, u make it seem not so bad...but ive never dun work on a car in my life, im only 17...is it easy to do, i could get sum of my mates to help me i spose...do u honestly think i should buy it and just replace shit?
Ill have to have a serious think about it...but for me to be even able to drive it (its gonna be my first car), im gonna hve to get the road worthy and sum of the power windows are broken and stuff...which is all needed...it certainly is a risk coz i dont have the money to screw around with it...

[Cane_It]

if the power windows are stuffed (particularly the rear ones) walk away, they can be a nightmare... its a buyers market, be patient a good one worth spendin $$ will pop up.

[CALAIS 6]

I paid 2k for mine 3 months ago and i only had to replace the exhaust cos it it got tottay ****ed goin into my garage but everything else was fine never had to replace a thing.Had done 190k and there wasnt a mark in the interior everything worked.So if u wait long enough u will get a good

[Finn]

yeah ive decided to wait...ill find one eventually...it just shits me how he gets to drive it when its totally unroadworthy :P, but anyway, i can wait, ill find a good wagon eventually. thanks for all your help, if anyone sees a good cheap VL wagon in melbourne, PM me, cheers

[Stewart1000]

www.tradingpost.com.au mate
youll find heaps