Thoughts?? Road trip anyone?

[rich67vw]

Always a lively topic!!!
Its like one of the pretty buses yesterdaY with passenger car tires on it. Shiny and pretty doesn't always mean mechanically solid.

[kvbug (karen)]

I thought that was an odd combination myself, but who am I to question it..

[matt]

Hey Karren,

Beautiful car ( Great, now Katie will be on me moreso   [gunfiring\to restore my convert!)

See if it has the original motor, more to the point of it being fuel injected or not. I beleive Jack says when they (FI) run right, their great, but .....   and I have heard to diagnose or get replacement parts can be a bear and very expensive - in that order..

Make sure in the test drive you get it up to near highway speed to check for any of the super-shimmies that can happen with super beetles - would indicate front end bushing work.  Roof is damaged, at the least means a tear, so make sure you are able to keep it somewhere out of the rain - if you buy it.  With a tear, you will have to replace the top, add that into the cost or at least the time to do it....( it's not too hard - just time). Compare the cars cost with the tear against other like cars on thesamba so as to use a bit as a bargining price - his ad states "or best offer"

  Check for rust rot on the inside of the car, just beneath the rear window frame, and in the luggage area right below to make sure if/any water that leaked through the window seal did not rot these areas.

Check underneath the rear fenders, where they meet up to the frontward part of the body. Bugs also like to rust there.



If Jack comes with you, you will be more than well set, if he cant make it, these are just reminders.....


Good luck!

Matt

[matt]

- and without any research, I beleive that is still a good price for a true triplewhite!

Matt

[kvbug (karen)]

Matt,

   Thanks so much for all of that great advice!!  I left a message for the seller today, and have a list of questions ready for when he calls me back.

    From what I've seen online so far,  that did seem like a good price for a triple white. True triple white is another issue...  I would have to check the VIN against the paint codes if I could find a site with that information.

    A plus would be that I wouldn't have to pay for shipping, and I'd be able to see it in person prior to purchasing.

    Finding a willing victim to go with me is another story... lol   whistleegi

   

[kvbug (karen)]

Well, I got a lot of information on the car from the seller, but don't know if it's too much to post here!  Also not sure what would be a deal breaker and what wouldn't, so maybe some of you could give me your 2@cent    on what I was told.

 Ok here goes:

    -  They bought car from Pontiac Dealer in Cherry Hill in 2003.  ( Burns?) Replaced struts, clutch , shocks, rims ( more on that below.)
    -  Was wifes car, who drove to work only in nice weather. They averaged about 1,000 miles a year on it.
    -  Unsure where car came from or if it was garaged its whole life, but was in very good condition  and they "had to have it".
    -  Engine is stock.  Drips a little oil, but never enough to cause them to add in between oil changes. Mentioned maybe needing valve cover gaskets changed ( ? he's
           not  a mechanic, but owned a bug  for 17 yrs before he bought this one.... Doesn't burn oil.  Will send pics of engine.
     -  Lately he noticed it sometimes needs to pump gas pedal to start, instead of just starting right up.
    -  Speedometer/odometer stopped working last fall.
     -Emergency brake is sticking in rear, or rear brakes... may need brake pads he thinks.  Something sticking in rear brakes.

     
     -  Rims:  not stock tire size, but slightly wider which he bought 2 yrs ago from someone. (still has stock rims at house).  Now when you brake the steering wheel
                 vibrates because the rims aren't straight, he's been told.  They're taking the drums out of round.  Maybe replacing with stock rims would fix, he thinks...


     -  Floor pans are solid with some surface rust ( states he'll send more pics)
     -  Heater channels are "perfect" he stated.
     -***  When it rains, it leaks  ( he thinks maybe windshield seal, they seem dried out..there is some rust there but the frame is good) and drips into the drivers area
                 so there is some surface rust on the floor, mostly on the drivers side & a little on the passenger side.  States he pounded on the floors yesterday and they
                 are solid. ***
    -    In the battery area,  a hole was drilled by former owner so the water will drain out.   No rust there though.


    -   Thinks it may have been in a previous front end accident, because something in the trunk area seems "off" in one corner  but he's seen it on other pics of bugs
            too, so may be normal.  However,  there seem to be two indentations in the dashboard bottom where someones knees went into it?
    -   Drivers side door seems like there is an extra layer of paint.. like paint is too thick.  It's peeling a little bit.   Paint is original color though.
    -   Door panels inside seem a little warped, and cut where someone put speakers in the doors. A plastic piece in back by boot area is broken.
    -   Surface rust on front fender.  Small dings on body here and there. Some small chips here and there.
   

    - Convertible top needs replacing as it has a huge hole in the bottom back of it, but frame is good.  States wife took car to work, and truck with lift hit back of car.
             Damaged body just beneath back window where the top meets the body, which was repaired by body shop. Frame area repaired. Top not replaced, so it needs
             top, liner, padding.


     So that's what he told me, and toward the end of the conversation he started saying maybe they wouldn't sell it... but didn't want anyone to lowball him ( ie: $1000 under asking price would be out of question to him.)... BUT if someone came close then he'd sell it because he really didn't have the garage space. 

     Walk away or still consider it? 

     SORRY THIS WAS SO LONG!!!!!!
     

 

[lovebus (jack)]

All normal  stuff when buying a VW but some of it could be costly to fix ie-front end. If he thinks it was hit, it probably was. It sounds like he is downplaying whats wrong with it, you don't own VW's as long as he has and sound like you don't know what your talking about.

I think that what you would have to put into it Franks car would be a better choice. Plus you could get more help from the members with an early engine rather then a FI engine.

George said he would go with you, I didn't ask him what he would charge.

[50split(paul)]

walk away from it 2@cent

[kvbug (karen)]

My instincts told me no too...  because he kept coming up with , "oh and I forgot to tell you this...." .     At the end of the conversation, I was thinking I'd have to dump 5K into the car when I could have purchased a really nice one already done for that kind of money.   <sigh>

Thanks so much for all your help.

Jack, you're right about Frank's car.

50split..... I sent you a PM because I wasn't sure which one you liked ( I sent you too many car pics! lol) .  Was it the white with navy top from Florida?

You're all just awesome!   >.woot>      09group:

[kvbug (karen)]

Ironically, I just got a PM on Samba from the seller saying that he has someone coming to look at the car tonight who sounds really interested , so that's   why he didn't take pictures last night and send them to me.....            <sure>  lol

[lovebus (jack)]

I was thinking I'd have to dump 5K into the car when I could have purchased a really nice one already done for that kind of money.   <sigh>

You hit the nail on the head.

There are a lot of nice cars out there, just don't rush it one will come along but always be prepared to put more money into it.

[VWPANZER1]

 So, it had so much water in it that the former owner had to drill a hole to let it out. I'd run not walk.

[kvbug (karen)]

 #@rofl3   yes, that scared me too!

[rich67vw]

Whatever you do, wear the SJVWC tee-shirt in any prospective visit - They will know you are serious!

BTW, your shirts were given to Glen yesterday for distribution