Lankytim Posted October 5, 2014 Posted October 5, 2014 I've spied a cheap one for £400, 1997 R plate, 175k on the clock. Should be veg friendly but are they shit? Good to drive? Big problems to look out for? This one has a month MOT and tax left, not enough to cash in so im buggered if im going to pay it twice. Fire away peeps.
EssDeeWon Posted October 5, 2014 Posted October 5, 2014 17 years old +Ford +175k miles +1 Month MOT = Nothing can possibly go wrong. beko1987, saucedoctor, Lankytim and 1 other 4
dollywobbler Posted October 5, 2014 Posted October 5, 2014 I once drove a Sharan dizzler with automatic gearbox. Was not a brisk thing. Anything with seats is usually tons of dollar though, so it's already doing well on the value count.
catsinthewelder Posted October 5, 2014 Posted October 5, 2014 Make sure that the abs is working, my old boss has one and an abs module was £800 from Ford or £500 for a refurbished one. Bear in mind that these things are barely disguised VAG products so pricey parts shouldn't really be a surprise.
bub2006 Posted October 5, 2014 Posted October 5, 2014 Brother in law has one for sale. 03 plate 1.9tdi ghia 115bhp. 5 speed auto with manual mode. He is asking 1400. I dont know how much they are worth but 400 quid is cheap but the low mot could be an issue.
Cavcraft Posted October 5, 2014 Posted October 5, 2014 Lots of them have big miles on and I think (stand to be corrected) they all have the VAG 'red i' 1.9TD lumps, according to some with varying power outputs. Usual faults: myriad dents, broken plastics, scribbled on seat back, mounds and mounds of truly disgusting looking mouldy sweets and occasionally what looks like faeces under the seats. Light rust to rear arches and door bottoms, ABS lights on. To drive they're actually ok, a bit 'detached' if you know what I mean, but comfortable enough with a nice driving position. The TDs are ace, that's why they do that mileage: they pull like there's no tomorrow and don't seem to want to stop going either, plus (if you believe the fuel computer) they're bloody great on fuel on a run, I think mine was doing 50mpg without even trying. The Sharan is probably the only VW I'd ever bother having to keep for a while and the engines are great, and I reckon a Galaxy or Alhembra(?) are probably the same.Ps: my old one had done 412,000 miles and still pulled like a train.
Timewaster Posted October 5, 2014 Posted October 5, 2014 I got one. Mine has only done 85k and doesn't miss a beat. Biggest issues for me are brittle trim and the overpowering smell of child sick.My brother had a Sharan derv auto that did 250k before the box let go at a round about. The resultant traffic jam was mentioned by Sally traffic!Don't be to bothered about the mileage. The short mot is more of a worry. EssDeeWon 1
Lacquer Peel Posted October 5, 2014 Posted October 5, 2014 I think they're basically a Passat B4 MPV, so pretty rugged.
forddeliveryboy Posted October 5, 2014 Posted October 5, 2014 Biggest problem is probably being driven a lot in cities and by people who don't bother to service them. Same engine as Audi 80s, Passats and early A4s - great lump, 110hp has sufficient go and is fairly bombproof. Not common rail, not Pumpe Duse. No injection nightmares.
skattrd Posted October 5, 2014 Posted October 5, 2014 So Ford used the VAG diesel lump in these? You learn something every day.
Matt Posted October 5, 2014 Posted October 5, 2014 The only way I could be convinced to have a Sharan/Galaxy/Alhambra is if it had the VR6 engine in it. Yes you read that right, they actually put VW's VR6 engine in them. Sigmund Fraud 1
Lacquer Peel Posted October 5, 2014 Posted October 5, 2014 MIND. BLOWN. mat_the_cat, Cavcraft and Mr_Bo11ox 3
406V6 Posted October 5, 2014 Posted October 5, 2014 Round my way these used to be the standard fare for the pre-booked taxi brigade. About 3 years ago a work colleague of mine was selling a Galaxy with similar mileage and buyers were fighting over it. Eventually it sold for well into 4 figures. The price sounds a bit low and I'd be trying to find out what's wrong with it. 10+ years ago another colleague had one with the 1.8 turbo petrol in it. He had a lead foot and it felt pretty fast. I've not driven one but for the passenger they are OK with plenty of space although a Scenic is more comfortable.
purplebargeken Posted October 5, 2014 Posted October 5, 2014 Bro in law had the 2.3 (IIRC), excellent bus. Think it might be chain driven but getting to the bugger might be problematic. Plenty around for spares. Taxi lot had a hard on them a few years ago before Zafira became the new best friend. Got to be worth a punt at that price!
Pillock Posted October 5, 2014 Posted October 5, 2014 So Ford used the VAG diesel lump in these? You learn something every day. VAG diesel, yes. Also VAG switchgear, suspension, trim, electrics.....Probably easier to list the Ford parts they used. They did a VR6 one, yeah, but due to licencing issues and VW being quite protective the Ford one is just called a V6. 174hp so still the same engine, the Mk2 used a Ford 24v unit instead. The diesels are OK on veg usually although not as happy as Peugeots, they sometimes take a bit of starting in the winter. Parts can be gotten from Ford, or from VW if you want to pay more moneys for the same thing.
Timewaster Posted October 5, 2014 Posted October 5, 2014 Ford parts? Badges mainly. The odd light unit here or there.
alf892 Posted October 5, 2014 Posted October 5, 2014 The diesel is good....I drove a vr6 and it was extremely disappointing. Nice noise...no go
Bren Posted October 5, 2014 Posted October 5, 2014 VR6 - timing chain at wrong end of engine. Not good for your bank balance.
dollywobbler Posted October 5, 2014 Posted October 5, 2014 I've just remembered. These were famous for their utterly shit wipers. Even Watchdog did a piece on them (and Xantia handbrakes). The driver's blade gets nowhere near the edge of the screen. The recall changed the mechanism, with the RHD driver's blade now on top. This always looked shit. When facelifted, they did a rather better job of designing the wipers in the first place.
Micrashed Posted October 5, 2014 Posted October 5, 2014 I've just remembered. These were famous for their utterly shit wipers. Even Watchdog did a piece on them (and Xantia handbrakes). The driver's blade gets nowhere near the edge of the screen. .C8 is exactly like that. Live with it - or have a short wife who drives all the time, my missis is 5' 4" and its never bothered her.
dollywobbler Posted October 5, 2014 Posted October 5, 2014 It wasn't height that was the issue. It was the fact that it made A pillar about a foot thicker due to unwiped areas.
Richard Posted October 5, 2014 Posted October 5, 2014 They made a right old fuss about the Clio and 206 wipers IIRC.
Pillock Posted October 5, 2014 Posted October 5, 2014 Maybe you need to modify the cammed wiper from some Mercs to produce a non-linear sweep , push the wiper blade further towards the pillar.Or just cable-tie on a 8" block of wood with the wiper blade screwed to it, so it moves 8" closer to the edge. Caution, this may reduce visibility slightly* at rest. Was this a point in time when Watchdog had absolutely sod all to whinge about? Every single customer helpline in the world was working properly, every shop had perfectly happy customers and nobody was being ripped off by extended warranties..... crap, best find something to make into a 30 minute TV show. "Galaxy Wipers: A potential deathtrap"
Lacquer Peel Posted October 5, 2014 Posted October 5, 2014 The autism is strong. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1995-Nissan-Serena-2-3D-LX-STARTS-DRIVES-MOT-TAX-SPARES-OR-REPAIRS-/221542287633
Lankytim Posted October 5, 2014 Author Posted October 5, 2014 Thanks for the info guys, they don't seem too bad. From what i;ve seen any cheap one is going to be monumentally shagged in one way or another. It may take some hunting to find a good un. The seller of this one says he thinks it won't take much to get an MOT, which inspires confidence. Turns out it takes 30 mins to remove a Multipla HP pump, so I may be sticking with the manky multi yet.
Timewaster Posted October 5, 2014 Posted October 5, 2014 Nissan Serena FTW.Yes. A people carrier SO shit they made it into a LDV van.
Lacquer Peel Posted October 5, 2014 Posted October 5, 2014 That was the Nissan Vanette, the Serena is totally different. It has rear side windows, a lifting hatch and more seats. Cavcraft 1
Lankytim Posted October 5, 2014 Author Posted October 5, 2014 Soz LP, but I have to draw the line at crappy Galaxies, Serenas just don't do it for me. Plus I don't want to get blown up by an Apache helicopter.
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