VS Senator - Seen way better days!

[Jaymz]

Was going through with a purchase of a VS Senator recently. Advertised on TradeMe (NZ's Ebay) with just some clear coat bubbled off and hood lining sagged.

Thought, sweet, there isnt too much wrong with it. Owner wanted $6000 for it too.

Put it through a MTA pre purchase check (as it was located 6 hours drive away) and I was shocked with the results that came back (bear in mind it just passed its WOF):

Key fob button rubber missing
RF, LF and LR seatbelts slow to retract
Hoodlining sagging
Steering wheel volume control button missing
W/screen washers not working (hose disconnected)
No service sticker
Noise in driveline - Guy reckoned it was the diff bearings
Stonechip in windscreen below wiper arm drivers side
Rh tail light bulb not working
A/C not cold
Climate control not directing air - Stuck on blowing up winscreen
Electric aerial mast bent
Steering lock not working
Spring for gear shifter release not working - can move shifter up and down at any stage
Battery failed test (low)
Radiator overflow bottle empty
Coolant concentration poor
Signs of coolant leaking from rh side tank on radiator
Drivebelts starting to crack
Engine leaking oil - possibly both rocker cover gaskets
LF tyre incorrect size - 225 instead of 235 - Instant WOF failure over here
RR tyre worn
Rearmost exhaust mount rubber broken - WOF failure again
RF wheel bearing noisey and excessive play - WOF Failure again
LF shock starting to weep oil - Instant WOF failure
RR bumper corner not located properly
Clearcoat peeling on rr quarter and bootlid
Play in both front strut tops - WOF Failure again
Dents/scratches/stonechips in all panels

Not sure what dodgy person gave it a WOF, but they missed a load of things!

Priced up the work, going to cost me NZ$4500 plus labour to fix. Will see if I can get it for $1000!

[justbad4you]

$4500 to fix mate 3/4 of the things listed are minor issues,,,,should be able to do ll that for under 2k plus .who quoated $4500? Go to some 1 else thats way over the top for what neeeds doing.

[Deano3350]

Yeah that is all easily fixable for for around 2K or less (Excluding dents n scratches). Can almost do that in a weekend. Just need a good wreckers nearby for most the parts which will be cheap as chips

[Adds_05]

as said above,i wouldnt say alot of them are major, only a couple of things but the rest would be an easy fix

[justbad4you]

Yep.....its all tidy up stuff, that any good owner would of kept the upkeep on...when all done just up keep the car and it should be ok for years to come.....and yes a good wrecker close by will help.....gets some mates and do it over a weekend.......dont pay a mechanic to do little jobs as the labor cost will kill you......get some mates and some beeers and see were it all ends up( dont let em git to pisssed b4 the jobs are done) and all should be good

[Jaymz]

Oh don't get me wrong, most of the stuff is easy fixes for me to do. But I want to get the owner down on their price.

Things like the noisy diff worry me though, it could just be bearings, but it could need a whole new/rebuilt diff also which isnt cheap.
Empty coolant bottle is a sure sign that the maintainece on the car has not been keep up on. I wonder when the last oil change was done??

The front shocks alone to replace will be $350 for a pair of them. Sounds like the tops of the struts are buggered too so that means new ones.
If the front shocks are stuffed, then rear ones will need to be replaced too.

The front wheel with excessive play could just be bearings, but could be much worse once I pull it apart, could be a worn ball joint.

Oh an if you hadn't guessed, I am in NZ which means parts probably wont be as cheap as over there.

Will see if I can get it for $2K and go from there.

[justbad4you]

yes noted on the cost diff.and also im talking as some 1 who does 95% of my own labour and to make it even sweeter i get trade on all my parts so may be i was a little out without knowing your position/////...

Oh don't get me wrong, most of the stuff is easy fixes for me to do. But I want to get the owner down on their price.

Things like the noisy diff worry me though, it could just be bearings, but it could need a whole new/rebuilt diff also which isnt cheap.
Empty coolant bottle is a sure sign that the maintainece on the car has not been keep up on. I wonder when the last oil change was done??

The front shocks alone to replace will be $350 for a pair of them. Sounds like the tops of the struts are buggered too so that means new ones.
If the front shocks are stuffed, then rear ones will need to be replaced too.

The front wheel with excessive play could just be bearings, but could be much worse once I pull it apart, could be a worn ball joint.

Oh an if you hadn't guessed, I am in NZ which means parts probably wont be as cheap as over there.

Will see if I can get it for $2K and go from there.

having said that best of wishes and good luck mate i hope all that sounds bad on the car is minor......best wishes

[hako]

Like you say, the car has seen better days. My opinion only, but I wouldn't touch a car like that with a 40 foot bargepole. It will take many months to fix all the problems and you will probably give up halfway and just drive it as it is. Next WOF you will be faced with the same problem as well. Car ownership should be pleasureable otherwise you will never be happy with your purchase. I have a brother in NZ and he gets me to source parts new for his Patrol in Qld as they cost a fortune at NZ wreckers where they can hold you over a barrel.
Your money, but think carefully. Good Luck.

[Jaymz]

No worries, probably could have made myself clearer in my first post

We will see what happens. Just waiting on the seller to come back to me with the new price. If I get it I will be fixing all that is wrong with it and re-selling it. I should make my money back plus more if I do it right. That way I can put more money towards a 5.7litre LS1 engine to go into my VS commodore (my other one)

I think the thing that shocked me most, was the fact that the seller didnt mention any of the above things were wrong, and when I queried about the items I got the response "Oh, I have never used that" I mean who wouldn't use the AC???

[justbad4you]

when thay say i havnt ued that??? it normally covers them when it dont work its an old ploy lol i know nothing lol

No worries, probably could have made myself clearer in my first post

We will see what happens. Just waiting on the seller to come back to me with the new price. If I get it I will be fixing all that is wrong with it and re-selling it. I should make my money back plus more if I do it right. That way I can put more money towards a 5.7litre LS1 engine to go into my VS commodore (my other one)

I think the thing that shocked me most, was the fact that the seller didnt mention any of the above things were wrong, and when I queried about the items I got the response "Oh, I have never used that" I mean who wouldn't use the AC???

[T-rex]

I mean who wouldn't use the AC???

I don't and that was before I realized it didn't work haha, and in my opinion that sounds about right for a 6k senator, if your planning on selling a car you'll either go all out to fix stuff to get more or you won't bother cause your selling it, and most of the stuff sounds pretty easy to fix. So if you are reselling it *should* be easy money back.

[GTP 85]

Sounds like mostly normal wear and tear items to me... They are few years old now and not all owners are as stringent on services and up keep as we all are here. There are people who have no idea and only get services done when something busts.

But im sure... even though we complain about neglected stuff on our purchased cars, we still enjoy tinkering and making something good of what was average when we got it... right?

Maybe a good idea to show them the list of faults and re negotiate a price?

[ChoCo94]

aww well bad luck aye at least you didnt buy it and go oh this isnt wat i thought i was getting

[justbad4you]

go on the hunt for somthin better,,,,,buyer market....plent cars out there if you take your time...best wishes and good luck