Money-pit purchase (605) latest- GIMME YOUR VIEWS

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Right, this almost sounds too good to be true.

For those who haven't seen t'other thread, I've taken an interest in a Pug 605 seen on leboncoin...Seems like an ideal situation:

 

i) LPG conversion in '03 (should be recent enough to avoid the nasty early carb jobs) costing €2300.

ii) top-spec and all that

iii) loads of history and bits coming with it

iv) only problems being a speedo cable and a bit of a noise caused by "probablement un cardan" (what's that? google translates it as "toggle")

v) I can get crashic insurance for it

 

However, the best part is that it's next to Lille (I can get there by train from Sheffield with only one change- easier than going to Birmingham Airport!), very near the port, the seller speaks perfect English and seems quite helpful (although his e-mail sig is "Envoyé de mon iPhone", so he doesn't really seem to be a great shite-person). I'm going to check some details and will probably go there Tuesday night to view (and buy?) Weds.

 

What say you? Any particular things to check apart from the 423472374297 electrical gadgets?

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/197718876.htm?ca=12_s

[revolting peasant]

[Mr H Sceptre]

Right, this almost sounds too good to be true.

For those who haven't seen t'other thread, I've taken an interest in a Pug 605 seen on leboncoin...Seems like an ideal situation:

 

i) LPG conversion in '03 (should be recent enough to avoid the nasty early carb jobs) costing €2300.

ii) top-spec and all that

iii) loads of history and bits coming with it

iv) only problems being a speedo cable and a bit of a noise caused by "probablement un cardan" (what's that? google translates it as "toggle")

v) I can get crashic insurance for it

 

However, the best part is that it's next to Lille (I can get there by train from Sheffield with only one change- easier than going to Birmingham Airport!), very near the port, the seller speaks perfect English and seems quite helpful (although his e-mail sig is "Envoyé de mon iPhone", so he doesn't really seem to be a great shite-person). I'm going to check some details and will probably go there Tuesday night to view (and buy?) Weds.

 

What say you? Any particular things to check apart from the 423472374297 electrical gadgets?

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/197718876.htm?ca=12_s

 

 

According to Freetranslation.com, un cardan is a universal joint.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

According to Freetranslation.com, un cardan is a universal joint.

 

Is that the same as a CV joint, or am I getting things mixed up?

[ashmicro]

Yep, I reckon that means CV joint.

[CreepingJesus]

Yep, my grandad still speaks of cardan (carden?) joints/shafts. Not sure if it was a trade name, or generic term, but it's pretty archaic (at least over here) and I'd agree it would be taken to mean the CV.

Good luck with that; I've been following the various Francophile threads, and I'm also developing a bit of an itch. Might take some old Opel action to scratch it...

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

although his e-mail sig is "Envoyé de mon iPhone", so he doesn't really seem to be a great shite-person

 

Don't be so sure - there's probably an 'Automerde' site in a parellel universe.

 

"Mons. Bollox" - Je viens de voir un Land Crab 1974 sur l'anglais Ebay. J'ai une érection massive.

 

"Le Révérend jeans bleu" - aller acheter le bougre, mais prenez votre guide lunettes!

 

 

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Yep, my grandad still speaks of cardan (carden?) joints/shafts.

 

I thought for a minute you said 'Corden'. That's a shaft alright, a fat annoying one of the trouser variety.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

hahaha guide lunettes.

 

Isn't Blenheim Gang the french autoshite equivalent?

[CreepingJesus]

J'avais achete une Renault fabrique completement de le wob et papier-mache. Merde, zut alors etc

[Cavcraft]

Yep, my grandad still speaks of cardan (carden?) joints/shafts.

 

I thought for a minute you said 'Corden'. That's a shaft alright, a fat annoying one of the trouser variety.

 

 

One thing I'd ask Luxo is if the seller has the LPG certificate for the car and just check with your insurers before comitting to buy it that they'll accept it as I assume it was done in France.

Might seem a fairly minor thing but insuers can take a bit of a dislike to LPG conversions and it might save you having an insurance refusal or having to get a certified LPG system check when you get it back.

*Also when you get the British V5 for it I'd imagine you'd need to make sure it said on it that it ran on LPG for LEZBO congestion charge exemptedness and parking etc.

 

If the money is right and the car is o.k though it'd be a nice old tool to knock round in I reckon.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Are LPG cars still banned from the Eurofunnel?

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

One thing I'd ask Luxo is if the seller has the LPG certificate for the car and just check with your insurers before comitting to buy it that they'll accept it as I assume it was done in France.

 

The advert says that he does have all the paperwork. Since the standards are EU-wide, the insurers had better accept it, but I'll get it checked and certified by a local autogas garage anyway.

 

 

Are LPG cars still banned from the Eurofunnel?

 

I think so...However it's expensive anyway, so I'd choose the ferry (preferably Shitfrance so that it goes with the car! ) any day.

[CreepingJesus]

Yep, my grandad still speaks of cardan (carden?) joints/shafts.

 

I thought for a minute you said 'Corden'. That's a shaft alright, a fat annoying one of the trouser variety.

 

And not the kind you'd like to find under your car. Well, maybe, but only if you commute in a Challenger MBT.

[ashmicro]

I much prefer the ferry myself. It all adds to the occasion, I find. Having said that, I always end up parked behind som fool who is the last person to reach the car deck!

[Mr_Bo11ox]

'Cardan' is indeed driveshaft.

 

Yo Luxo, no-one can ever question your shite credentials ever again, including me, if you go to the bother of buying a calor-gas-powered 605 in France and importing it into the UK, that is mutha grade shite so fair play to ya. Dont forget to take a load of snaps of the adventure!!!

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

I will make sure to take the camera and keep you lot updated.

TBH, it doesn't really sound that exotic or adventurous compared to some of the things I've read here!

[hairnet]

easier than goin scotland

 

allez maintenant

[gtd2000]

Have I missed something here?

 

Last time you were fettling a Honda and now going for a Peugeot?

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Have I missed something here?

 

Last time you were fettling a Honda and now going for a Peugeot?

 

The Accord is a very capable car, but I've never been into Hondas, and it's not really comfortable enough for me. I've only bought it as a stop-gap and a way to keep my 2-year-old NCD alive.

 

Now is the time to get some proper Luxoshite.

[gtd2000]

Hopefully for you, the Peugeot isn't too unreliable and you won't just be stationary whilst admiring your new Luxoshite

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Hopefully for you, the Peugeot isn't too unreliable and you won't just be stationary whilst admiring your new Luxoshite

 

I'm keeping my fingers crossed...The basic bits are quite simple and proven (unstressed engine carried over from the days of the 504, ZF slushbox that's gone into all sorts of cars), so that leaves us with just the electrics as a source of trouble and/or amusement. When I say "just", I'm aware that the wiring alone would probably be long enough for everyone on the planet to commit suicide with, but still...

 

[maybe I should keep the Honda as a back-up just in case? ]

[gtd2000]

I have to admit, my eye does not oft look past South East Asia for my car purchasing experiences.

 

I've fancied a Hyundai XG30 for a spot of East Asian Luxobarge experience in recent years but tales of potential problems have put me off so far - that and being on the other side of the Atlantic of course

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

SE Asia? So you only drive Protons, or what?

 

In my experience, the only "potential problem" with a Hyundai is the fact that you will get bored with never having to do anything to it. After an encounter with a speedbump, me old Sonata ran for 3 months without any oil in the gearbox (by the time I noticed it, the damage had been done ), and could still be driven to the local shite auctions when it finally lost 3rd gear and I got fed up with it.

 

Once you do get bored with it, you get the other problem, that you can't really sell it on because "they haven't got the right badge, innit".

[dieselnutjob]

I haven't had too many issues with my 607 really, despite it being an early model. Well I've had a few but nothing that I couldn't fix so far. I think the 605 is mechanically similar with the 607 and also the XM.

 

What I can tell you:-

 

Front bottom ball joints got loose and failed MOT at about 80,000. They are screwed into the bottom of the hub and removal defeated the best mechanic that I know. Problem not unique to 605/607. Solution is to remove hub carrier and take it to a blacksmith. These things will not come out without serious heat. Do not let an ordinary mechanic touch them unless you want to spend £££s.

 

Is it the 4HP20 transmission? Some of them have dipsticks and some not (mostly later ones). They are supposed to be "sealed for life". In practise people who change the oil have a much longer "life" than those who don't. Use only Esso LT71141 oil in them. Do not use oils that claim to be compatible but aren't the real thing. Ask the previous owner if he ever changed/topped up the trans oil and what he used. If he used the wrong oil then you need to drain/refill with Esso LT asap.

 

I think the V6s can have engine mount issues but you didn't say what engine.

 

The subframes are looking surprisingly rusty and thin metal on my 607 for a ten year old car. I need to hammerite them or something.

 

There's plenty more I could say about the 607 but it doesn't apply to 605s. Probably XM info your best bet.

 

I would love to have a 605 just to complete the collection but I can't justify it.

[dieselnutjob]

Everything you ever wanted to know about ZF 4HP20 transmission

 

605 discussion forum in French loads of tech info on here.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Cheers for the advice. I'm pretty sure it'll be the 4HP18 as, according to Liepedia, the new-fangled 20 stuff didn't appear till 1995, and this is a mega-early 1990 example I'm looking at.

I note that the same variant of that box was also fitted to all of the 9000/Gruppo Fiat models. Does it mean that when it pops its clogs, I can swap it over for something from a dead Saab/164?

 

The seller seems to have been looking after the car properly (he says he has got ALL the history of it), but he is even less technical than I am- isn't even sure whether the LPG system is an injection one!

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Ticket's been booked, but I'm actually going by plane as for some reason hotels in Lille were around 200 Euros! I'll fly to Brussels, take a train from the airport to Mons where I'll overnight and it's on to Lille in the morning.

 

The privilege of flying 80 minutes on a hateful little prop-plane has cost me 95 quid (surprise-surprise, they didn't recognise my Electron card and I had to spend an extra fiver to pay with Amex), and I'll have to forgo luxuries such as luggage and water because "it's low cost, innit". It would have been cheaper to fly BA via Heathrow, but I'm not keen on that hell-hole...

 

I suppose you could say it all adds to the adventure...

[warren t claim]

I hope you weren't planning on getting the Eurostar back. LPG cars are banned from using it. Does the UK use the same LPG connector as the rest of Europe?

[Pete-M]

Does the UK use the same LPG connector as the rest of Europe?

 

No. But adaptors are available.