what to look out for when buyin a vn?

[V-ahhh]

hey guys im currently lookin at buying a vn it has reasonable k's on the clock and im just wondering what i should look out for, ive never owned any other model besides the old vks so im not really sure what im looking for.

cheers, nic

[calais_cruzin]

Rust in the rear windows n boot sill. If it aint got rust there is has been very well looked after.

But they all leak n if i dont its only been recently fixed.

Diff arm rubbers, they wear quick if dropped or country road.

Sum more will come to mind soon but thats a biggy. U dont ever think to look fro rust in the boot sill

[[JUDGE]]

take it to a mechanic first i recomend, itll be the best 100 or so bucs yove ever spent, get em to check it over, especially the gear box and stuff like that.

[88GreenVN]

Worn timming chain tensioner & coolant problems.

[V-ahhh]

thanks guys, it seams to be in pretty good nick. doesnt blow any smoke. right now the only thing that seams to be puttin me of is the color its cream but could grow on me. will let u kno how i go.

cheers, nic

[Morton]

Other things to check out:

Run your fingernail around the gap between all the door seals, and give them a fair tug making sure none of them have been recently glued back on to look good.

Check the nuts inside the boot, that hold the tail-lights in. If they're a bit rusty, it's a sure sign of a boot leak through the tail-light.

Check ALL the rubbers and bushes for cracking with old age.

Check the condition of the roof lining. Give it a good firm push with the palm of your hand, and see if it's coming loose or sagging in the middle at all.

Check every single air vent for open/close scrolling. So many of them are ****ed these days, and although they can be fixed, it's another thing to point out when bargaining the price down.

Peel back some of the floor carpet around the driver/passenger footwells, and the boot - have a look for wire cuttings and other bits that tend to be left behind when installing a sound system. Indicates the car's probably been ****ed around with a little.

Really check out the fit and alignment of the bonnet, how firm it feels when you open it, and how firmly it opens when you pull the lever. You don't want to be left with a dicky bonnet. Also note of any of the hinges, especially the bonnet ones, have ever been greased up, or if they're rough and dry.

Check the tyres closely for uneven wear - this could indicate a suspension problem.

Check cooling hoses for tigntening. If the clamps around the edges look like they're strangling the cooling hoses, then chances are you're going to have a leak at some point. So many people seem to think hoses want to wear a corset.

Turn on the headlights, check the tail-lights. Are they all on? Same colour? Same brightness? Now wedge something on the brake pedal. How many tail-lights lit up? Just make sure they're not a disco show like most VN/P tail lights.

Really get under there, if you have the time on a test-drive, and give the sump and steering rack a quick degrease with a can of degreaser and a powerful spray-bottle of water. Dry it off. Take her for a short spirited drive, and get back under there to see if there are any leaks. Every VN or VP I have looked at in car-yards or for private sale, has had pearls of oil built up at the bottom of the sump and rack just waiting to drip off. Hardly any of them are dry these days. Just note, if you've given it a thorough degrease, and there is no oil running or wanting to drip after a 10min drive, it's roadworthy. If it forms a small run, then it's not roadworthy.

That's all I can think of for now... but you can never go wrong driving three or four different examples. You may find a freak with a little bit more power Some of them are like that.

[andyli]

hi, my experience is: boot leak.( use a lot of towels after rain). rubber of sway bar, power sterring leak and bush needed. water pump, high presure hose leak, suspension, fuel pump, injectors, harmonic balancer, leak of coolant, it will be wise to pick one with services history. prepare to spend money regularly although it is reliable overall.

[pandaman]

Panhard rod bushes, swaybar link bushes. They're the one's that like to go. The others die as well, but not as quickly. Everyone else seems to have covered things quite nicely. Just remember, it's an old car. If it doesn't have problems now, rest assured it will have plenty soon enough.

[5LUTV6]

i would say rubberspray, VN's rip a decent skid and its sometimes hard to remove all of the evidence...