Buy or not to buy?

[IrvingS]

Hi folks, I need your opinion.

I have an opportunity to buy a 01 plate 1.4 8v Classic with 50k on the clock and FSH (well stamps in the log book!)

I drove the car and apart from dual mass flywheel issue I noticed on another post, I thought it was ok. Not the fastest, but still decent and plenty room in the cabin, I'm 6ft 5!

Is it worth buying? I can get this car for £1k and it would do a 45 mile round trip Mon to Fri. I have read some very mixed reviews and a mechanic pal said it would be a gamble to buy it, but that could apply to any car that age!

Should I get a few years out of this car with just minimal DIY from the Haynes manual? Or should I go for something else?

Thanks

[wilsonian]

It would prob last you a few years but I wouldn't be suprised if you have to replace items like worn console bushes/wishbones etc - esp on a car of that age.

[Avalon]

Hi folks, I need your opinion.

I have an opportunity to buy a 01 plate 1.4 8v Classic with 50k on the clock and FSH (well stamps in the log book!)

I drove the car and apart from dual mass flywheel issue I noticed on another post, I thought it was ok. Not the fastest, but still decent and plenty room in the cabin, I'm 6ft 5!

Is it worth buying? I can get this car for £1k and it would do a 45 mile round trip Mon to Fri. I have read some very mixed reviews and a mechanic pal said it would be a gamble to buy it, but that could apply to any car that age!

Should I get a few years out of this car with just minimal DIY from the Haynes manual? Or should I go for something else?

Thanks

DMF is only fitted to the PD engines (TDI), the issues mentioned above are the same for any fabia, rear door seals, console bushes, drop links, ARB/ARB bushes, angle sensor, coolant expansion tank sensor etc. The mpi specific concerns are few and far between, thermostat's fail and cost £42 for a genuine stat and housing, it's pretty obvious as the needle doesn't hit 90c within 1-2 miles. The mpi had a replacement HG fitted to early cars as a service item, it's identified by a T being visible on the front corner of the block nearest the battery, it later had a higher torque setting published as a service bulletin.

Its a simple reliable engine, its got 50+ years of proven reliability. My car returns 41-42mpg all day long (approx 15p/mile at current fuel prices) but I do long runs each day, insurance is slightly cheaper, road tax is slightly higher, the timing chain has a 120k interval unlike other engines in the range, 10k service intervals and it's simple DIY stuff that costs very little, £15 buys oil/filter or £35 and a garage will do it for you, tyres are also generally cheap as mpi's normally came with 14" steels, Michelin energy savers fitted are £60 a corner, Rainsport 2's £45 and they last well due to the low weight (alloy engine) and low power (68bhp), brakes also last for ages.