NigeT Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 Needing to get from Surrey to Edinburgh tomorrow (with a couple of large suitcases and an even larger soft-toy tiger), I got a rare free pass from Mrs T (not a fan of shite at the best of times) to find a heap to get me up there and avoid bus hell or rip-off bank-holiday train (cheapest fare over £140). Saw this beaut (2002-vintage 1.2 Corsa 16v "Comfort" with a mere 129,000 miles on the clock, btw not sure why pic loaded sideways) on Scumtree Wednesday evening after a glass or two of vino, and picked it up last night from the depths of Dorking. Was delighted to discover it has almost half a tank of petrol, is only moderately toxic inside, has a pile of service history (plenty of large bills going back 12 years), and the spec seems a notch above bog-standard, plus a spare wheel and thoroughly pointless dual-pedals on passenger side, all for the princely sum of £150 (and almost a year's MOT). Got it safely back to my parents 10 miles from there without any mishaps - coolant was low when I arrived but following a top-up seems to be ok and after cleaning up the foul engine bay can't see any serious leaks. Today got the electric mirrors working plus heater, regassed AC which amazingly isn't leaking though not blowing very cold, can now tilt drivers seat forward, plus central locking now working though after disassembling keyfob concluded that was properly fecked. I let dad have a hoon around in in this afternoon - he's not the best of drivers and after half a mile it lost first, second and reverse gears but was just a loose linkage, easy fix after I'ld navigated back to our drive in 3rd. However overall it seems to drives ok, stops ok, and no sinister noises coming from it yet. Lacquer peel was everywhere and offending me so have just cut off the edges with a poundland knife and finished off an old rattlecan of lacquer that caught my eye in the garage and it looks no more shite than it was before. Hitting the road tomorrow around 9am, hopefully will make it to Edinburgh by sundown on its own steam! The Moog, jumpingjehovahs, Split_Pin and 9 others 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shonky Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 Good luck, that's bloody brave. Must ask the obligatory question...any leaky footwells? :S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NigeT Posted August 23, 2018 Author Share Posted August 23, 2018 Thanks! Footwells seem to be dry and survived a brief shower in Epsom this morning, though real test will come with the inevitable downpour on the M74 just as I cross into Scotland. Will report back! oldcars 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tapir Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 good luck with the trip, we had one of these for a couple of years on a '53 1.2 petrol (turquoise) and mechanically no (real) problems, leaks though: passenger footwell - caused by fuse box cover seal (BCM cover) - cheap enough from VX - I noticed a couple of drips, than as I drove into the distance a torrent of water poured into the footwell!drivers footwell - brake servo seal - remove, seal refitrear footwells and boot - both rear light clusters - gaskets again from VX pennies was fine after that (aerial gasket can also cause problems) oil/coolant- I think it was the water pump gasket (?) leaked a little into the coolant it's a known problem - I didn't get round to fixing that one, heater display backlights - loose connection somewhere as it was a bit temperamentalCD player - the On/Off switch was dodgy, we just left it on and turned it down rather than off if required! Also the key - with ours it was the micro switch that needed replacing, I posted the module to a repairer for £12ish and he replaced them and put into a new holder. I could prob dig out the repair guy's details if needed. Tyres were expensive as an odd size can't remember exactly but was irritating. Over all a good little run around, tedious at 70 though and the seats were not the best. Still a million times better than the train and bus!enjoy, Shonky 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Split_Pin Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 Bargain! These little 1.0s and 1.2s are pretty tough (I killed mine in my Corsa B eventually though!). Replaced the engine over the winter with some help and all is good. Mutha_Pin also had a C 1.2 for 9 years and it's still going with its new owner. Plenty of Scotoshiters here to give you a hand if you need it whilst you are visiting! Chodspeed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavcraft Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 If the linkage is the same as the Combo van then about £15 or something from Europarts is a wise investment. You can cable tie it back in place, but it's not a long term solution, obvs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hooli Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 Are you driving it back or abandoning selling it there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isaac Hunt Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 I'm gonna buy me a one-way ticket, Nothins gonna hold me back....... Excellent idea, do let us know how you get on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
320touring Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 Well bought! If you do want to "one way hire" it, let me know:) Cavcraft 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NigeT Posted August 24, 2018 Author Share Posted August 24, 2018 Definitely not going to drive it back though out of courtesy will offer it to Mrs T who will politely tell me to bog-off. I've currently got my trusty W208 Merc CLK in Edinburgh (had it for years of trouble-free motoring and lots of euro-roadtrips, apart from a brief spell when I sold it only to buy it back a few months later on fleabay for a fraction of what I sold it for with the only things that ever needed doing being done at somebody else's expense). Now it's part of the family and I could never sell it. However we've bought ourselves a flat in central Edinburgh and the Merc's marooned in a far-flung suburb as I'm unwilling to pay evil Edinburgh council's even more evil £499 annual permit cost for barges over 3 litres (I've been away down under on honeymoon all summer so hope it's still got wheels and windows). Ergo the Corsashite could well end up as a shuttle-service to my main car, though I do have an urge to splash £300-£400 on a ropey old Alfa Romeo which I've never done before and this could be the perfect excuse. Are you driving it back or abandoning selling it there? eddyramrod, tapir, binhoker668 and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldcars Posted August 24, 2018 Share Posted August 24, 2018 Didn't know these leaked. They sound worse than a 75. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NigeT Posted August 25, 2018 Author Share Posted August 25, 2018 Update-time - left Surrey yesterday at 9am, the Corsashite loaded to the brim with the toy tiger, suitcases, and enough tools to rebuild its mighty powerplant by the roadside if necessary. It survived some heavy traffic on M25 before some more heavy traffic on the M40 and M42 with a quick stop at Oxford services to check on fluids - oil ok though it got a wee top-up, coolant fine, though noticed the aux belt looking a little worn though still intact enough. There I got approached by a group of shady-looking Eastern European fellows asking me if I was a mechanic (driving such a pile of Vauxshite I must have looked handy with the spanners) - whereupon I spend 15 minutes admiring their 55-plate Astra, which unlike mine, was totally fucked (they'ld lost 3rd and 4th but linkages etc were ok - my diagnosis that gearbox had internally grenaded itself). Having broken this news to them and suggested they google a nearby scrappie, I resumed the journey. After a worthy investment of six quid on the M6 toll, the satnav took me on a long roam around various random midlands villages and country roads that the chariot handled with great aplomb, before rejoining the M6 for not very long before diverting from the bedlam towards Manchester and Msixtysomething. Lots of traffic there and pissing rain though no water leaks into the car and the temp gauge stubbornly refusing to pass the mid-point, though heater now blowing cold. Popped the bonnet and all in order still. Once the M6 was rejoined it was a clear run to Edinburgh, passing 130,000 miles on the clock, topping up £20 of petrol in Carlisle and arriving in Edinburgh around 8.30pm in time for a delicious Argentinean-style steak-and-wine dinner to celebrate and help forget the back-pain (though imo seats not too bad on the Corsa, way better than my old man's Rover 620 or any Peugeot). Still got over a quarter of tank petrol left so suspect I may even have broken the 50mpg barrier. For last few miles chain-rattle was starting to resemble a bag-of-spanners but for a Corsa not too bad. And still no leaks. Now off to St Andrews for the weekend and the noble Corsa may be required to do its final good deed and resurrect the CLK. tapir, Scruffy Bodger, Tickman and 4 others 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beko1987 Posted August 25, 2018 Share Posted August 25, 2018 Very nice! I enjoyed tooling around in amys back in the day, the 1.2 lends itself to being wound right up and kept there! The linkage went on the meriva (same part), I fitted a metal uprated part, although Amy got very adept at pulling over when the old one popped off and popping it back on, impressing several men once apparently when it happened in town! Cavcraft 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leanycan Posted August 25, 2018 Share Posted August 25, 2018 Thanks! Footwells seem to be dry and survived a brief shower in Epsom this morning, though real test will come with the inevitable downpour on the M74 just as I cross into Scotland. Will report back!Good luck with the drive back. I second the rain shower on the M74 as you cross the border. Pretty much every time without fail there’s a big load of black clouds looking to remind you why never to enter into Scotland haha Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hooli Posted August 25, 2018 Share Posted August 25, 2018 Good luck with the drive back. I second the rain shower on the M74 as you cross the border. Pretty much every time without fail there’s a big load of black clouds looking to remind you why never to enter into Scotland haha Must be you, the weather normally improves whenever I enter Scotchlund that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NigeT Posted September 9, 2018 Author Share Posted September 9, 2018 Quick update on the Corsashite. Needless to say having resolved to waste as little time as possible on it, the temptation to tinker was irresistable. First port of call was the heater matrix which was again blowing cool - cue remove the two hoses going into the heater matrix and shove a garden hose into both ends - cue lots of water everywhere and plenty of brown murky gunk being displaced. After its heater equivalent of a colonic, it was blowing toasty hot again. Next port of call the auxiliary belt - on closer inspection was down to two-third widths and rather ragged, which probably explained it screeching on cold-scottish-startup louder than a hungry lion cub. Cue several hours on the street fitting a new one (first £8 one from ebay annoyingly way too small so quick trip to ECP and a hefty £18 spent on the correct one) - trickier than expected as engine mount had to come off, and plenty of raising and lowering engine to get bolts off from both the top and through inner wheel arch. Job done and a couple of road trips almost-to-the-highlands and it was time to find it a new home. Posted on scumtree and as of yesterday have £475 in my pocket, car sold to a respectable-seeming older gent who's belatedly teaching his wife to drive. Now time to delve back into the dark depths of the automotive internet and see what this rare shite-profit will now be invested in. GrumpiusMaximus, Floatylight, Scruffy Bodger and 6 others 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CortinaDave Posted September 9, 2018 Share Posted September 9, 2018 thats what you call a megawin! pretty decent this generation corsa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pandamonium Posted September 9, 2018 Share Posted September 9, 2018 Love the mentality of buying a disposable car and not being able to part with it. Wishing you best of luck keeping this alive l. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavcraft Posted September 9, 2018 Share Posted September 9, 2018 Ha, that's proper bangernomics at work. We played, sir. AMC Rebel 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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