Lukas Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 Hi! I´ve got a technical question for you. I could get a car that´s very cheap which has 21.000km on the clock. But it´s already 20 years old. It´s been driven by a very old couple, almost every day. But just 600 metres to the shop, 1 1/2 kilometres to collect mushrooms (don´t know if magic ones or not) in the woods and the longest journey was to visit theirdaughter in the next village. The long way of 6 kilometres away. Now I am not sure if it´s a good idea to buy this car. Because I like to drive my cars. Not only to the next grocery-store, but sometimes for hours. Will this car implode or fall into pieces if I start to drive it properlyafter 20 years in the same village? Will all the gaskets and bushes disintegrate into dust after one hour ofaustrian Autobahn? Or sholud it be fine with a new timing-belt and new fluids? I know it is almost impossible to do remote diagnostics without seeing a car, but what would you think? Thanks for your opinions. Lukas Btw: It´s a shiters dream car I guess. Based on a very old german car, that is based on an american platform,built by a company whos name does not exist anymore. Make an educated guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernaut Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 Btw: It´s a shiters dream car I guess. Based on a very old german car, that is based on an american platform, built by a company whos name does not exist anymore. Make an educated guess. Based on that, are parts easy enough to get for it? If so, GO FOR IT, WCPGW, etc. etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lukas Posted March 10, 2017 Author Share Posted March 10, 2017 Based on that, are parts easy enough to get for it? If so, GO FOR IT, WCPGW, etc. etc. Mechanical parts are quite easy to get as the car shares many parts with another car-manufacturer. Bodyparts, lights and interieur -> Impossible! chaseracer 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
320touring Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 My Seat Toledo had mid 40k miles on it when I got it last year. Some work replacing discs/pads and servicing before using made it a really useable car straight away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anonymous user Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 Well it's the mechanical bits that you're going to need. I have done this a couple of times, you can be proactive and change loads of things before putting it into use, hoses, fluids and grease/oil the hell out of everything that you can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sierraman Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 Could be but I'll say a lot of low mileage older cars I've had anything to do with start giving shit when they are suddenly subjected to regular use. Leaking shockers,dried up bearings, engine constantly run on choke... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lacquer Peel Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 WHAT IS IT!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barefoot Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 WHAT IS IT!! I am only prepared to offer model specific advice. BorniteIdentity and Dave_Q 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lukas Posted March 10, 2017 Author Share Posted March 10, 2017 It´s a shiters dream car I guess. Based on a very old german car, that is based on an american platform,built by a company whos name does not exist anymore. Shiters dream car: Must be something that´s almost extinct, unloved, without any fan-base or "scene". Based on a very old german car: Newer cars that are based on old german cars. Might be korean then...? Based on an american platform: hm, an old german car, based on an american platform? Must be General Motors-related then. Built by a company whos name does not exist anymore: Hmmm, considering all the facts above, it must be an... Ahhh, of course, a Daewoo Espero! Based on the Opel Ascona C, based on the GM J-plattform. Now bring it on, that model specific advice... RayMK, Cleon-Fonte, Sigmund Fraud and 9 others 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barefoot Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 Now bring it on, that model specific advice... It'll be fucked. richardthestag, RayMK, privatewire and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lukas Posted March 10, 2017 Author Share Posted March 10, 2017 Could be but I'll say a lot of low mileage older cars I've had anything to do with start giving shit when they are suddenly subjected to regular use. Leaking shockers,dried up bearings, engine constantly run on choke... That´s what I thought would happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John F Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 The engine will never have reached proper operating temperature in its life, doing journeys as short as that. On the plus side, 21,000 kilometres is not a lot, so the wear hopefully won't be too horrendous. Worth a punt, if cheap. And a Daewoo Espero should be cheap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faker Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 I wouldn't worry at all. Change the belts, check hoses (brake lines), and the usual mot items. Car should be like new! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaseracer Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 Mechanical parts are quite easy to get as the car shares many parts with another car-manufacturer. Bodyparts, lights and interieur -> Impossible! No problem. Use it, but don't bend it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lukas Posted March 10, 2017 Author Share Posted March 10, 2017 It´s cheap because the left front shock absorber is leaking and, here comes the real problem, the steering column is loose. Someone tried to adjust the steering wheel and something inside the adjusting mechanism broke. So the car is not driveable,because the steering column is loose. Parts are not available from Daewoo, no breaker has an Espero in his yard, so repairing that could become a bit of a long-time-project. Maybe a GM/Opel-parts fits, but no one knows because no one knows the Espero. Other faults: The drivers side electric window switch is "fixed" with a plaster, the passenger seat looks like the old lady might have a problem with incontinence and the usual scratches from parking in the garage. I´ll have to phone him if I take it or leave it by noon. And I really dont know if I should take it on or let it go to the crusher. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaseracer Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 Given the Ascona C base, and the design hard-points implied by that, I suspect* the relevant GM column would fit (or could be made to fit). VERDICT: get it bought. * Insert disclaimer here... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Honda Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 GETITBOUGHT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forddeliveryboy Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 Expect all the shocks to leak sooner than later, and other seal-related bother. Some indication of fresh engine oil every year might mean the engine can be used normally without big problems. It's more of risk than a 200,000km car which has regularly been driven beyond the warmup cycle and serviced correctly so pay correspondingly less. Trouble is, people place an artificially high value on low mileage chod, even if there's a little lost of to dos. I usually place an artificially low value on them when the miles have gone up in increments of less than 5. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 . barefoot, Jerzy Woking, Twiggy and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Furious Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 The answer to 'should I buy' is invariably 'yes' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5speedracer Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 This had better be super cheap, ie loose change. Sent from my XT890 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollywobbler Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 If it's cheap, and it should be if the alternative is scrap, then it's a no-brainer. Do it! I'm sure parts issues can be overcome, but probably not before lunchtime. RayMK and loserone 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sierraman Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 Could be ok but I'd spend time going over stuff. Certainly don't pay a premium though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bfg Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 .I'd say it all comes down whether you really like the car. ? In my view a 20 year old car is modern. And in my view many things can be fixed (and cleaned !) rather than replaced with new.. but then I'm an old giffer ! so if you like the car. and it's going for a price that's not far off scrap value and you have time to play with toys then go for it. There is always someone out there who knows about even the rarest of cars (..perhaps they used to be a mechanic for the car). Part of the fun of Autoshite is finding them and learning Take the steering mechanism apart and fix it. likewise switches. Cam-belt and other essential-to-safe-progress rubber parts will need to be changed because essential rubber parts typically last for 10 - 15 years max. But even then things like hoses can be inspected & then watched. Bearings can be re-greased (mind you these might be the sealed type) as and when you get the opportunity. And almost certainly the person who had the car before had it maintained professionally. So check when things were done.. and perhaps even speak to the garage mechanic that did the work for the insider story ? Hope that helps Bfg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junkman Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 My 28k miles ex-Rover that was taken out of hibernation since before 1983 just did a 1,000 mile trip around Scotlandwithout anything untoward except for a leaking fuel pipe fitting that I installed. Vince70 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asimo Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 The steering column adjuster would probably be repairable by welding in the preferred position. Buy it. You can always scrap it yourself / make it into a garden planter if it is without hope. Vince70 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiltox Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 Could be but I'll say a lot of low mileage older cars I've had anything to do with start giving shit when they are suddenly subjected to regular use. Leaking shockers,dried up bearings, engine constantly run on choke...This. Low mileage old cars cause me nothing but trouble whereas high milers have been far better dome 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nisfan Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 Yep same here, low milers have had more problems than mega milers in my experience dome 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lukas Posted March 10, 2017 Author Share Posted March 10, 2017 I don´t buy it. It costs 460€ and even for austrian circumstances, that´s too much for this car. I don´t really like it that much (nobody does, I fear ) to spend more on that car I dont need. Thanks for your advice! It´s boring, but it´s the better decision I guess. Bfg 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bangerfan101 Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 I'm picking up a v reg fiesta with a genuine 27k on it in the morning. Watch this space as my weekly commute in it will be 300+ mile Jerzy Woking 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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