ok, so i went to see the valver last nite.......

[Paddy_g46]

ok so basically the car seems in good condition, the body work isnt 100% but it has no rust just a few paint marks, so i test drove the car and these were the problems i could find:

1) car pulled slightly to the left if you let go of wheel/and when braking and letting go off wheel.

2) passenger side window doesnt budge at all, the bloke said it was the motor, also the drivers side 1 goes down fine on 1 touch but wont go up on 1 touch, just moves up a little bit very slow then stops and keeps doing that till it goes back up.

3) the cambelt has only done 20k miles but was last done it 2001?? (i think it should be done)

4) the oil pressure would rise fairly quick wen u pull away and go up to 30mph is that good? then when you pull over it would drop down again to lower pressure.

5)and lastly the 1 that bothered me the most was the oil cap check! i took the oil cap off and there was what i think is generally described as mayo on it, there was VERY LITTLE and it was wet to touch, i know that this can mean headgasket but what else can it mean? and if it is headgasket would it be expensive to have changed seen as the car hasnt overheated yet(head shouldnt need skimming?)

i was generally happy with the condition of the car and as said the only thing that worries me is the oil cap. any advice would be great ppl i know you lot have helped me out loads in the past! cheers!

 

[Christopher]

if you get it for the right price, then the gasket wouldn't be a horrific job to do.

you could pick up 2 new window regulators from a specialist.

 

[AmirClio]

mmmmmm,
Sounds like a few minor things to be honest.

Passenger window could be the switch? Driver sounds like the switch to as it goes one way but not the other. Could be the regulator.

The 'mayo' under the cap is not nesecarily the head gasket as in the cold weather you can get a bit of condensation build up in the engine. Had it the other day with mine just took her out for a blast and its fine!

Cambelt you may as well do for peace of mind more than anything else.

Amir

 

[Christopher]

yeah, i would do the belt. asap if you buy.

should be every 5 years

 

[slider]

think i would leave it alone , plenty more out there

 

[dannyboy]

patrick, electric in a valver cam be like opening a can of worms.

i mentioned on the other thread, that mine was up for sale again, and i know you was after a 449 blue one

its just had the head gasket, and cam belt done, less than 200miles before i sold it, and fully working electrics. resprayed front end, and boot again less than 200miles before i sold, it.

bit mroe expensive than the one you looked at, but you will struggle to find a problem with it

linky

http://www.williamsclio.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=18300

 

[Paddy_g46]

mmmmmm,
Sounds like a few minor things to be honest.

Passenger window could be the switch? Driver sounds like the switch to as it goes one way but not the other. Could be the regulator.

The 'mayo' under the cap is not nesecarily the head gasket as in the cold weather you can get a bit of condensation build up in the engine. Had it the other day with mine just took her out for a blast and its fine!

Cambelt you may as well do for peace of mind more than anything else.

Amir

the car does very little milage as he told me, i checked the last 2 mots certs and it has done 3k in 3 years, so could leaving it sitting around in cold weather have caused this? how can i check the headgasket?

 

[Matbrown]

Compression test/block test.



Mat.

 

[Paddy_g46]

Compression test/block test.



Mat.

how can i do that mat? is it a job for a garage or can i do it at the roadside? what tools do it need? cheers

 

[AmirClio]

Just take it to a garage dude, doent take long

 

[Paddy_g46]

i cant take the dudes car 2 a garage! isnt there a compression tester i can buy in halfrauds?

 

[MOZZalba]

going by the low mileage over the last 3yrs I would say it probably just does short runs, this would account for the slight mayo in the filler cap! has the header tank got any mayo in it? and does the water look fairly clean i'e no oily deposits or discolouration/bubbles in it when running? if it's clean I would reckon on just condensation causing the mayo on the filler cap but a compression test is the only 100% way to tell.

 

[Paddy_g46]

can i buy a compression test kit?

 

[Paddy_g46]

going by the low mileage over the last 3yrs I would say it probably just does short runs, this would account for the slight mayo in the filler cap! has the header tank got any mayo in it? and does the water look fairly clean i'e no oily deposits or discolouration/bubbles in it when running? if it's clean I would reckon on just condensation causing the mayo on the filler cap but a compression test is the only 100% way to tell.

the filler bottle look greenish, i never looked inside the header tank but i will do when i go back again, and as you said it has only done 1k mile a year for the last 3 years. when there is mayo on the cap is it generally quite a lot? because on the cap last nite it was a very little amount definately not enough mayo to make a sandwhich lol,

i have just got back from halfrauds and purchased a compression tester, i am hoping the guy wont mind me carrying out the test on his car, i do actually know what i am doing so i will not f**k his car up but he doesnt know that, hopefully he will be ok with it!

 

[Paddy_g46]

bump


OH I ALSO JUST REMEMBERED THAT THE PAS PUMP WAS NOISY ESPECIALLY ON FULL LOCK! whats wrong with it?

 

[Paddy_g46]

iv just been informed that a compression test may not even be any gud, if there is a leak between oil and water as the test only tests around the cylinders?

 

[Paddy_g46]

bump

 

[Fred@BTM]

it could just be condensation if the car has been sat for ages/just done short trips

 

[Jim_RT]

If the PAS pump is noisy it might need replacing or just the fluid topped up / changed.

 

[donsrno1]

PAS pumps are often noisy on them, oil pressure as you mentioned sounds correct. Cambelt should definately be done asap - good bargaining tool . It also sounds as though the headgasket will be ok as you often get mayo if the car only does short journeys. Don't see why you couldn't take the car to a garage to have it checked tbh as long as you arrange it with the owner and cover the costs???

For pulling to the left it could be anything of various things, I had that on my 16v at one point but it turned out to be just the tyre pressures. If it's had accident damage then I would be a bit worried about it, but if not then it'll probably be fairly straight forward.

 

[cat171]

If it pulls to the left, then get the tracking sorted on it as it could just be that. As for the windows, then it'll prob need a new motor on one side & a switch on the other, no biggie.

With regard to the oil filler cap 'mayo' did you take the car out for a blast ?? If so was the mayo still there whn you got back ??

Have you made an offer on it ??
As tbh i'd be looking to get the camebelt done, as even though it's not done that many miles, the belt will perish over time, so i'd get it done.

 

[Paddy_g46]

PAS pumps are often noisy on them, oil pressure as you mentioned sounds correct. Cambelt should definately be done asap - good bargaining tool . It also sounds as though the headgasket will be ok as you often get mayo if the car only does short journeys. Don't see why you couldn't take the car to a garage to have it checked tbh as long as you arrange it with the owner and cover the costs???

For pulling to the left it could be anything of various things, I had that on my 16v at one point but it turned out to be just the tyre pressures. If it's had accident damage then I would be a bit worried about it, but if not then it'll probably be fairly straight forward.

How much am i looking at a camblet change? some ppl have said £200 others £600!!!!


I think you are right about the mayo, and i spoke to some1 on williamsclio who said his car had exact same thing when he left it for 4 months only starting it occasionally but wen he gave it a good drive it sorted it.


what sort of things could it be? what should i look for?

 

[Paddy_g46]

If it pulls to the left, then get the tracking sorted on it as it could just be that. As for the windows, then it'll prob need a new motor on one side & a switch on the other, no biggie.

With regard to the oil filler cap 'mayo' did you take the car out for a blast ?? If so was the mayo still there whn you got back ??

Have you made an offer on it ??
As tbh i'd be looking to get the camebelt done, as even though it's not done that many miles, the belt will perish over time, so i'd get it done.

oil cap:
i noticed the mayo after i went for a 5 minute drive, it was a very little amount and was very wet/runny tbh if there was water getting in i would expect the cap to be covered in mayo? not just a tiny patch?

cambelt:
would id be safe to drive it for a few days or would you not risk it?
also i would need 2 drive it home on the motorway?

 

[Jim_RT]

cambelt:
would id be safe to drive it for a few days or would you not risk it?
also i would need 2 drive it home on the motorway?

I'd drive it home and get it booked in for the cambelt kit asap.

 

[klmillard]

personally, i would walk away from this one, seems to have a few to many niggly things imo if i was buying. There is surly plenty others out there

 

[Jim_RT]

personally, i would walk away from this one, seems to have a few to many niggly things imo if i was buying. There is surly plenty others out there

It doesn't sound that bad too me.

Needs a camkit (which I would fit to any car I bought regardless if they say it's been done). So that's a given imo.

Slow windows (v.common problem). Regulators cost around £68 iirc.

Noisy PS Pump. (common problem). Probably just needs fluid changed.

Pulling to the left. May be a worn tyre, or the tracking.

Mayo. Probably just because it's been standing and done short journeys.

 

[cat171]

Patrick, did you make the dude an offer ? Or tell him you'd think about it.
the cambelt will be around £250.00 to do (maybe even more these days) The kit from renault is £80.00 or so alone though, always get the kit as it's not worth doing half a job.

 

[Paddy_g46]

Patrick, did you make the dude an offer ? Or tell him you'd think about it.
the cambelt will be around £250.00 to do (maybe even more these days) The kit from renault is £80.00 or so alone though, always get the kit as it's not worth doing half a job.

i told him i was interested and id defo come back next w/end (saturday coming) then i said are you willing to move on the price and he said im open to offers, they were the parting words. i think he knows that there is work to be done i told him everything i found wrong with it, so he knows that i know its not mint.


btw what is a window regulator? motor?

 

[cat171]

Yeah a regulator is a motor.
If it's fine apart from the niggly bits you listed it may be worth considering (get it hpi'd before you buy it, if you do go to buy it) I personally wouldn't pay more than £1500 for it tbh, maybe even try for £1300.

 

[Paddy_g46]

yeh tbh i was gonna put £1300 as a first offer but im not sure if he will accept that

 

[cat171]

Get it hpi'd & all that, when you get it don't drive it around - get it booked into a garage straight away for the cambelt as you can never be too careful. I'd try for £1300, if not then offer more.

 

[tommyboy]

stay away unless you like burning money

 

[cat171]

From what he's posted up it doesn't sound like there are too many problems with it. Most of the stuff is just niggley bits, once its had the belt done etc it ought to be fine.

 

[Paddy_g46]

From what he's posted up it doesn't sound like there are too many problems with it. Most of the stuff is just niggley bits, once its had the belt done etc it ought to be fine.

theoretically lol

 

[Paddy_g46]

just had the owner of the valver ring me and tell me he has had an offer of £1500 from some1 who hasnt seen it and said they will pay this tuesday without viewing, he said he was giving me first chance as i came along to view and when i asked him if he would let me match the blokes offer he said no he wanted somethign nearer £1600! so iv decided there is 2 much work to pay £1600, i was thinking £1400 tbh. so my dream has just gone down the pan! :dapprove: oh well im sure something else will come along! mayb something better! but as we head towards the summer months prices will start 2 creap up i reckon! and the search for a valver begins all over again!

 

[cat171]

^
the geezers just trying to rattle you into paying more for it than its worth, no way would any one offer money for it, without even seeing it !! Wait till the 'supposed other person' does, I bet they change their mind on their offer.

If it was me i'd leave it & hold out for another one. I spent months looking for a mint one & that was over three years ago now !

 

[Paddy_g46]

^
the geezers just trying to rattle you into paying more for it than its worth, no way would any one offer money for it, without even seeing it !! Wait till the 'supposed other person' does, I bet they change their mind on their offer.

If it was me i'd leave it & hold out for another one. I spent months looking for a mint one & that was over three years ago now !

yeh he also said in the convo i had with him that he has been looking at other valvers on the net and that they are much higher priced, i told him i would gte back to him by 2morow evening on it. should i say to him , im not willing to pay that kind of price as i have worked out that there is a good few hundreds pounds of work to put it all good again? inc cambelt and regulators for window plus a small patch of paint that needs redoing.

 

[cat171]

At the end of the day mate it's up to you if you make him an offer on it, don't let him push you into buying it.
If you want it go for it, just don't buy it & if something does go wrong regret shelling out for it.
If the dude seems too pushy i'd leave it, as he'll sound desperate to get rid.
Work out what you think it's worth & if you actually want it & go from there.

Good luck.