It’s been to the moon, will it come back? No it’s fucked a month after purchase, great buy.

[dollywobbler]

I certainly wasn't saying you're an idiot for buying blind. Unless by doing that I'm calling myself an idiot, as I've done it enough times. It is always a risk though. I'm not going to get into discussing honesty, as it's pointless guessing when I don't have access to all the facts, but there is a truth that any sub-grand motor is just waiting to bite you on the arse. Horrible when it happens, but I hope you get it all sorted.

[Shirley Knott]

Same sentiments here, buying blind doesn't make you an idiot at all.

 

I've bought many cars blind often with consequences similar to those you've experienced, as mentioned it comes with the territory when buying cars for relatively small money. Sad but true, sub £1000 cars often have faults, both minor and major.

 

Onwards and upwards man, glad to hear you're getting it mended.

[garbaldy]

If thats the case then I must be a world class idiot as I've bought cars blind dozens of times,

Sometimes you win sometimes you loose I guess I'm a bit of a gambler really,

 

Like you I take it on the chin and never blame the previous owners just kick myself in the tadpole factory for being a dill.

 

The car looks nice and will be a cracker once fixed and this escapade will soon fade from the mind with only this thread as a reminder.

[lexi]

When did Volvo bring their own diesel in, and is it better than the VAG unit?

[bub2006]

This is the only place I'd dare buy blind. This proton for example I was told in no uncertain terms it's a shit car with shit paint. I didn't even look it over. Paid the money,chatted shit and drove 70 mile back then pushed into service. I don't expect miracles but here I expect honesty. If it's shit say so,if you have issues say so. Someone will still buy it!

[Richard]

When did Volvo bring their own diesel in, and is it better than the VAG unit?

A year or two into the run of the model after this one, and opinions vary.

 

Personally I think this is one of the best diesel engines around. It has most of the performance and economy you get from common rail without the impending doom.

 

This problem has arisen because somebody didn't change the water pump when they should have, it's not a weakness or design fault.

[rainagain]

If the belt was done 2 years ago you'd imagine they'd have done the pump at the same time surely? 2 years seems a bit young for a pump to leak/die but you never know I suppose...

 

I changed the timing belt and pump on my OH’s Stilo with a Eurocarparts pump and it failed after just two years. Strangely it wasn’t leaking despite there being enough play for the belt to smack off the timing covers.

[Shirley Knott]

I changed the timing belt and pump on my OH’s Stilo with a Eurocarparts pump and it failed after just two years. Strangely it wasn’t leaking despite there being enough play for the belt to smack off the timing covers.

 

Doesn't sound good, but like I said you never know

 

*Hyper pedant mode engaged* : Eurocarparts don't make waterpumps, they sell other people's brands of varying quality and price. As an example the 'Circoli' branded pump they sell has a slightly bad rep with some folks....

[rainagain]

Doesn't sound good, but like I said you never know

 

*Hyper pedant mode engaged* : Eurocarparts don't make waterpumps, they sell other people's brands of varying quality and price. As an example the 'Circoli' branded pump they sell has a slightly bad rep with some folks....

Lol just checked through the power of searching through my old emails and it was a Circoli pump!

[forddeliveryboy]

When did Volvo bring their own diesel in, and is it better than the VAG unit?

 

For the MY2002, iirc. Is it better? Depends. Lots say the Volvo engine is the best diesel ever likely to be made, it's certainly strong and long-lasting but in banger status can be relatively expensive to keep running, borked injectors and leaky crank shaft seals aren't unknown. In its favour the cambelt is an easier and quicker job. It's best in 163hp version with no DPF, pre-2006.

 

We have both in the family, the Volvo unit is quieter at idle and more powerful, returns similar economy (so prob more fuel-hungry given it's a manual and the Audi lump stirrs an autobox) and feels thoroughly modern. The Audi feels more bomb proof to me, probably because of a relative lack of interference from computers, possibly because I associate quiet modern diesels with more failures.

 

The noise and chatter from the older engine soon vanishes as it's put to work, it remains smooth, eager and refined at higher revs. I prefer it, and not just for its reliable-as-clockwork feel. But fuel pumps are becoming a bit thin on the ground should you need one and they're a bit smokey on supermarket diesel, a relatively smelly exhaust too, but clean for a 70s engine design running an 80s fuelling system.

[dome]

Glad this is getting sorted!

 

A wee word of caution thought-i've used autodoc a few times and while cheap there delivery times were pretty poor. Don't go booking a garage appointment just yet.

[Tamworthbay]

Glad this is getting sorted!

A wee word of caution thought-i've used autodoc a few times and while cheap there delivery times were pretty poor. Don't go booking a garage appointment just yet.

Yeah, the guy local to me put me into them and warned that was the case. It’s ok for local stuff so a week isn’t a major issue, nice to not have to walk 40 minutes each way to work every day!

[garethj]

It’s always good to put these things into perspective - a bloke at work payed £6k for an Insignia with a trifling 80,000 on the clock. A couple of months later there’s an intermittent starting problem. After a load of diagnostics and the usual changing of fuel pump relay and ECUs it turns out the cams weren’t timed properly when the belts were changed and it’s lunched the pulleys plus other assorted damage.

 

£2000 bill on a £6000 car.

 

He was unlucky, didn’t pick it up on the inspection (and I’m not sure any inspection would pull the cam belt covers off) and a host of other comments. But shit sometimes happens, all we can do is try and stack things in our favour and then we’ll mostly win more than we lose.

 

Don’t blame yourself for it

[forddeliveryboy]

When I read the advert I thought it ought to be spares/repairs with a cooling system leak and steering rack leak (temporarily fixed, but now leaking) with a price to match. But I've bought hundreds of cars and have learnt to read straight past any clever phrasing. And also treat a new MoT with some scepticism, even when there are no advisories.

 

I certainly didn't consider it a bargain, as one of the Moderators has said it was. Lacquer Peel's original question of monies off was angled correctly, the car remained unsold for months and wasn't entered onto ebay. There have been similar cars offered on ebay/gumtree throughout summer for £5-700, with fewer miles and without any stated engine or steering problems.

 

Seeing the luggage blind advertised on a Volvo forum days after the sale doesnt exactly look good, either. Is the vendor still around to be able to either say he wasn't the one adding K-seal or similar, or acknowledge he was viewing his beloved car through rose-tinted specs, as we all tend to do at times especially when there's such potential?

[Tamworthbay]

Right, a plan has been made. If the parts arrive Friday or before then this Saturday is D day, if not then it will be next Saturday. Jez is very clued up about the whys and how’s on this engine (which is good as my expertise on cambelt stops at the pinto), only minor technicalities are a lack of the proper locking tool for the bottom end and the possible need for a elastictrickery thing to time in the diesel pump after, but Jez is confident neither of these is a major issue. Bloody hope the bits turn up before the weekend as would love to get this sorted ASAP. Onwards and upwards!

[Jim Bell]

.

[rainagain]

It could be worse I once bought my OH a megane coupe for two and half bags, two weeks into ownership it spun a main bearing. Had to buy a replacement engine which tuned out to be shit once fitted, but I wasn’t going to remove it and send it back. When I took the old engine apart it was obvious the seller had just slapped in one new set of shells on just one throw to get shot of it. I did try and get my money back but in the end he paid £200 towards a replacement engine and denied changing the shells. I’m not at all still bitter about it.

[dollywobbler]

 Is the vendor still around to be able to either say he wasn't the one adding K-seal or similar, or acknowledge he was viewing his beloved car through rose-tinted specs, as we all tend to do at times especially when there's such potential?

 

I know the vendor. He told me the Special K wasn't his doing. He is aware of this discussion.

[Dave_Q]

How about we all just stop poking, Tamworth has said he doesn't want to discuss it any further and DW tells us the seller is aware.

 

We do not need the AS trading standards mob, who frankly have nothing to do with the deal, to keep on digging.

 

Hope you get the car sorted and it proves to be reliable once done.

[wuvvum]

But shit sometimes happens, all we can do is not buy any modern Vauxhalls and then we’ll mostly win more than we lose.

FTFY.

[Tamworthbay]

If anyone wants to see the true spirit of this forum then this thread shows the very best of it, it started as celebration of a new car and quickly turned into the ‘emotional rollercoaster’ as someone put it. It was so stressful I can’t describe but the weight was lifted and helped by all the massively kind offers of help and even loan cars, some from people I know and have had the pleasure of helping in the past, but many others from people who I have never even met. I will say it again this place is fucking fantastic. Without wanting to turn into a DIYSOS ending I really can’t thank everyone who has offered help, big or small, enough. I am sure there will come a time when I can repay that help, either directly to the members or to others on here, do not be afraid to ask, I will help if I can.

 

One dodgy car does not make a bad forum, I have not contacted the seller and have not asked for anything back, had the seller wished to help out he would have done so, so it’s done as far as I’m concerned. The amount of stress this has caused me me is ridiculous and has made a really negative impact on my health so whilst there are legal options available it’s not in my healths interest to go down that route at the moment and I see no benefit in putting up a massive list of issues just for two parties to say ‘this happened’ ‘no it didn’t’, etc. It would only cause trouble and fallout and I really don’t want that to happen on my account. There is a way in can be sorted for an amount of money I can afford so hopefully this will be the continuation of a thread about running and fixing old cars as it was intended to be at the start.

 

I wouldn’t want to tell people what to do but would be grateful if we could get back to the subject of preserving an old Swedish barge, I will post up pics and info as I work on the car over the coming months and the ups and downs that owning any old car bring. Safe motoring everyone and don’t let this put you off old Volvos, they really are great bits of kit when they are working well.

 

Thanks again everyone.

[chaseracer]

...would be grateful if we could get back to the subject of preserving an old Swedish barge, I will post up pics and info as I work on the car over the coming months and the ups and downs that owning any old car bring. Safe motoring everyone and don’t let this put you off old Volvos, they really are great bits of kit when they are working well.

 

Thanks again everyone.

 

Looking forward to the new thread, Clive.