Car buying advice

[Sancho]

I have decided I need a run-around, in addition to my fleet of classic cars....This afternoon, I went to look at an Audi 80 that's for sale locally (it's this one BDT, put google down). The guy who's selling it doesn't know much about it as it belonged to his dad, who died recently (I have seen the death certificate, charmer that I am). I had a decent look around and a quick drive and all seems well. It's got a full history (last on in early March) and the cambelt was done on time. MOT for 11 months, tax about to run out.

Seems pretty decent for 700 quid, but I noticed a few issues:

1. It smelt eggy on start up. I know this is probably the cat, but does it mean it needs replacing? Didn't notice it driving but if came back as we parked.

2. The battery was pretty sluggish, but I guess dead men don't turn their cars over very often.

3. There was a lot of gunk around the rocker cover and a small pool of oil just next to it. I'm guessing it's an old gasket leaking a bit.

4. The coolant was low. As I said, the guy knows nothing about it so didn't know how much topping up it generally needed. There were no big leaks and the temperature seemed OK.

5. There was tiny speck of mayo on the oil filler cap. I guess it was condensation. No evidence of HG problems anywhere.

So, any comments/observations? What does the panel think?

Thanks

[John h]

sounds a good buy for a run around, remeber it has been stood for a bit, can you take it for a longer run ?

[darkdezigns]

well my 2ps worth,if u look at worst case,new battery,prob new rocker gasket,water leak sumwhere?and mayo??,i wouldnt touch it with a barge pole,but thats just me,if u think its ok then fine,but at 143k,its bound to need money spent,plus they arent exactly economical,if lived where u did i'd be looking more at a punto or similar

[gwh200]

LOL,tbh its been recovered by us 17000000 times wty..

sorry im practising my bdt persona....apparently, he is matts idol

Sounds alright for a knacker sanch, batter him down to £500 quid though

[darkdezigns]

LOL,tbh its been recovered by us 17000000 times wty..

sorry im practising my bdt persona....apparently, he is matts idol

Sounds alright for a knacker sanch, batter him down to £500 quid though

i know everything about everything(practising my gra persona)

[gwh200]

i know everything about everything(practising my gra persona)

but not quite ever pulling it off .....

[Sancho]

hmmmm. Jut called him and said I wouldn't buy it because of the egg smell (the mayo literally a speck and he said it's been on a lot of long journeys). He then said he'd talked to his mum who said it's happened before and it's stagnant water in the windscreen washer. He's going to try and get rid of it and call me back if he can sort it. Apparently, it's got no cat....

[gwh200]

hmmmm. Jut called him and said I wouldn't buy it because of the egg smell (the mayo literally a speck and he said it's been on a lot of long journeys). He then said he'd talked to his mum who said it's happened before and it's stagnant water in the windscreen washer. He's going to try and get rid of it and call me back if he can sort it. Apparently, it's got no cat....

keep looking guvnor, plenty of cheapies out there...if you have several hundred quid for a banger, you will most certainly end up with a half decent motor(possibly with paint and everything).........perhaps the smell is a corpse in the boot

[Sancho]

keep looking guvnor, plenty of cheapies out there...if you have several hundred quid for a banger, you will most certainly end up with a half decent motor(possibly with paint and everything).........perhaps the smell is a corpse in the boot

Incidentally, I meant short journeys. The trouble is trying to find a decent auto for a grand, with histoty, in London. I'm getting bored of it already...

[greecysurf]

Hi Sancho, theres better out there for the money, i bought a 1997 r Escort Ghia, 12 months mot, 65k miles 350 quid, look around a bit more and you will find better cheaper, if there is gasket gunk round the rocker cover then its had work done cheap, plus if you look hard enough you could get lower miles newer for the same money, its a buyers market at the moment.

[Sancho]

and why do people write things like 'full service history to 2004'. That just means it's been neglected for the last 5 years...

[darkdezigns]

why auto?u not got manual license?

[Sancho]

why auto?u not got manual license?

Of course I've got a manual license . I also live in London and have a dodgy left knee. Much as I like it going hot and red after twenty minutes of traffic, it scares kids. I much prefer a manual on country roads, but I don't live in the country.

[darkdezigns]

Of course I've got a manual license . I also live in London and have a dodgy left knee. Much as I like it going hot and red after twenty minutes of traffic, it scares kids. I much prefer a manual on country roads, but I don't live in the country.

buy a cheap banger,then get yr 2k trade in and get a smart car?

[Doc B]

I got rid of a '92 J plate Audi 80 in order to get my Surf. It was a fantastic car. Had it for 3 years and never let me down. The rocker gasket is a 2-piece affair and if you dont fit it right id just don't work. I know, I found out the hard way. However, it is an easy fix. And the engines in these old barges are bullet proof, if a little thirsty...