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Vauxhall Corsa Worth A Punt?


SambaS

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I'm in a position to be able to get this from my Step Mum, Dad did the cam chain 20,000 miles ago but it sounds like a tractor now. Its a Corsa 1.0 Energy Twin Port 2004 with about 3 months test on it. He says the front end clunks and the whole engine bed feels like its moving, so that would be anti roll bar bushes or bottom arms maybe?

 

I don't know if it's worth while putting a pair of bottom arms and engine and a fresh test on it. Got to be worth a grand done? History check came back A-OK, and it's pretty tidy inside and out really.

 

I think a Corsa B engine swap would be easier than doing the cam chain?

 

 

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These are desirable cars on the 2nd hand market, a clean one of that age will make £2k no worries.. You'll need to fix the rattle though. A swap to a Corsa-B engine isn't really an option, the Corsa-C uses canbus wiring iirc- you'll end up with a right bodged up shi**er if you can even get an old engine running in it.  The timing chain isn't too bad a job...

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I just wonder why the one my Dad put on it ended up worse after such few miles.

 

At a grand I stand to make about £500 minus the cost of parts, so MOT £30, pair of bottom arms £100ish, Cam chain kit £100ish.. so there's a bit in it if it goes well. I'd advertise it for £1500 I cant see it hanging about long at that price as you say popular little car, right colour 3drs cheap tax etc.

 

Just shame about the weak engines in them.

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I don't know about two grand but I would expect to see a return of £1500 on a good day for that. They (1.0) are quite agricultural but ace on fuel, good on insurance and very popular second hand.

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If the whole engine feels like it moving that sounds more like engine mounts than ARB bushes. The clunking sounds like it could be ARB or suspension bushes. I've no idea about engine swaps or chains on these.

I think you probably have enough on your plate with the Sambas and the pending Jimp arrival though.

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Did tor dad to the tensioner as well? These usually go first and make the chain slap about like a hoors minge.

 

When was the last oil change? The chains like fresh oil.

 

Any wear on the front tyres to indicate wear in some part of the suspension?

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By salty I mean too much! You could by a Polo of a similar age for that money, which would probably be a better car in the long run. That said, Corsas do seem to stand up the miles well, and when I say well I mean “don’t dieâ€Â. 

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Thanks guys, I think port of call one will be book it in for MOT and drive it to the station, (30 miles or so). See how it fairs and have the bushes checked out, what are they like to change? At least ascertain what the "loose engine bed feel"/ clunking is.

 

If it aces a fresh MOT then I will go for it. If it needs anything costly other than the bits I know of then I will just return it to my Dad's.

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95% certain that he got a full kit from eBay.. don't know about the oil change I will discuss that when I see him, someone suggested a bottle of "shut the fuck up" but having checked the product out on youtube it didn't make any difference to noise just oil pressure.

 

Did tor dad to the tensioner as well? These usually go first and make the chain slap about like a hoors minge.

When was the last oil change? The chains like fresh oil.

Any wear on the front tyres to indicate wear in some part of the suspension?

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By salty I mean too much! You could by a Polo of a similar age for that money, which would probably be a better car in the long run. That said, Corsas do seem to stand up the miles well, and when I say well I mean “don’t die”. 

 

A Polo of this age will cost more, and probably be rustier. A grand is cheap for this, get it sorted!

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I think you'll be alright as long as nothing major falls off on the MOT. It's a good colour, a decent spec and has the most mingebagy of petrol engines so you shouldn't have any bother shifting it.

Is the timing chain on these not a right pain in the arse?

 

Have you gone on autotrader/ebay to see what they're selling for locally?

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A 2004 car rusting? I know it happens, but newer stuff doesn’t rot like days of old.

In addition to the crap, we have a 2005 Polo. It’s kept outside and hasn’t got a spec of rust on it, and it’s been used on salted roads too. VW do seem to prepare their cars for the future better though, with their paint finishes (your first line of defence against tin worm) being top notch.

Although I have seen some old shape Corsas just starting to go on their tailgates and the bottom edges and sides of their doors. Two door jobbies seem to suffer more, oddly.

 

Maybe price wise I am talking bollocks though, but for not much more extra you could have a lot more reliable and better made car.

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I think you'll be alright as long as nothing major falls off on the MOT. It's a good colour, a decent spec and has the most mingebagy of petrol engines so you shouldn't have any bother shifting it.

Is the timing chain on these not a right pain in the arse?

 

Have you gone on autotrader/ebay to see what they're selling for locally?

Slap some AutoGymp on it and sell it to some 17 year old knobhead to drive to college.

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A 2004 car rusting? I know it happens, but newer stuff doesn’t rot like days of old.

In addition to the crap, we have a 2005 Polo. It’s kept outside and hasn’t got a spec of rust on it, and it’s been used on salted roads too. VW do seem to prepare their cars for the future better though, with their paint finishes (your first line of defence against tin worm) being top notch.

Although I have seen some old shape Corsas just starting to go on their tailgates and the bottom edges and sides of their doors. Two door jobbies seem to suffer more, oddly.

 

Maybe price wise I am talking bollocks though, but for not much more extra you could have a lot more reliable and better made car.

 

 

 

 

While I have no intention of starting a 'heated debate', I can honestly say the equivalent Polo is just as unreliable and poorly made.  Every week I have to do those stupid play-dough console bushes on the front, along with coil packs that seem to die after 10k and the 'cherry on the cake' - the wonderful 3cyl engines trashing their cylinder heads after the valve seats go oval.  The timing chains are also as pathetic as the Corsa ones.

These days I can only see the current VWs as overpriced and overrated.  The amount of my customers that think they're buying a quality, German made car is amazing :(

 

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