Advice Please Re Looking At 205

[pbeardmore 0]

Hi, first post here so hi eveyone.

On Saturday I am due to look at a car that has been parked up in a garage for around 14 months. It was fine up to then with a service history and MOT with 50,000 on the clock.. It has not turned a wheel or engine run since then. So what will this situation have done to the engine and other systems?. Friend claims engine will have seized but I dont think so. Could be a real bargain or a nightmare,

grateful for any advice for what to look for or should I not touch it?

[allye 530 3 Cars]

If its a genuine 50,000 miler then its worth a few bob, if it was running fine prior to being dry stored it will not be siezed at all! Budget for a set of tyres, brakes, major service and possibly suspension.

 

PS, Hi and welcome to the forum!

Edited October 10, 2012 by allye

[pbeardmore 0]

Thanks for the reply, I have purchased one of those battery packs so hopefully the seller will let me connect it up to test the electrics and try to turn her over. They have said that there are some scratches on the body work but people have diiferent idea of what a scratch is.

[chipstick 382 1 Cars]

Go and look at it and see what the story is. Nobody is holding a gun to your head.

 

The 50,000 mile part is a nice touch, but don't buy it on this merit. Take a torch and have a good look around it. Treat it the same way you would looking at a house - carpets and walls can be changed, but look at the overall condition.

 

Everything has a price, an ability restriction and a justification. What are you expecting to see?

 

Always buy on condition. The odd broken odd and sod isn't an issue if it undoes. If it's visially 'rotten' underneath with a lashing of grease and perished bushes and boots - note it and question your intentions. Are you likely to replace these components if they appear half decent anyway for piece of mind and a project?

 

Concentrate on the more expensive consumables.

 

14 months in storage is one thing, but 18+ years in the hands of entusiasts is another. You just don't know what life a car has had without a good poke around.

[dcc 855]

your friend is likely to be right.

 

In this situation, I'd be asking myself WHY was it parked up for so long?

 

the tyres are liekly to have perished, and also the cambelt.

 

if its cheap enough to buy and replace the engine, then turn it over by hand for a few turns and try start it...why not?

[pbeardmore 0]

thanks for the feedback, I know the "back story" of the car so thats not really the issue, its more what happens to a 205 when it is sat doing nothing. A good point about the cam belt. Are they more likely to perish because they are sitting doing nothing rather than wizing round a furious pace? I agree with the tires,

[Simes 248 2 Cars]

I looked at one with 85,000miles. It had not moved for 18 months, although it had been stored in an underground garage complex.

Brought along an extra battery and started it, drove it about 100metres.

Checked the B pillars and chassis legs and they confirmed for me what I needed to know.

 

Came back a week later, bought it and drove it the 15 miles home to the MOT station.

 

However, I was using it as a basis to reshell my written off one. I swapped almost every mechanical part off it....even brake lines.

Edited October 10, 2012 by Simes

[Darrens205GTI 10]

Hi,

 

I agree with Chipstick, take a good look round it. Take some old clothes, a torch, a magnet and some rag and hand cleaner and get under there and have a good look. I bought mine of the famous auction site, drunk on a Saturday night and didn't know until the following day when I got an email... I still don't regret it but don't advise it either, cleared the hangover quick though!!!!!

 

It had been in a garage for 3 yrs and had not moved.

 

I found the Clutch was a pig to get unstuck but it released as was one of the brake calipers at the front. The only other thing that was a pain was the lower metal water pipe had given up the ghost. Apart from that I stuck a battery on it took the coil HT lead off and turned it over a for 20 seconds to get the oil to the top of the engine, connected up and it fired after 3 turns. I was still able to drive it round the yard and then up onto the trailer.

 

Body work on mine was fine but I didn't spot the rotten rear bumper bracket that is welded to the bottom of the rear panel behind the corner of the bumper. So make sure you remove the years of crud from there and have a look. It is repairable there are some brackets being fabricated at the moment if you need them by one of the lads on here. Rest of the body is usually fairly good but I will let one of the lads here advise they have far more experience than me.

 

I would change the cam belt, oil and filter and give it a full engine service.

 

I checked all the brake pipes I could see, mine were fine and all the rubber didn't seem to be cracking, if they are I would change them. I done a brake fluid and pads change (Just for peace of mind) my brakes were marginal even with a bleed and pad change so done the full fluid swap, much better. you may find yours are OK but personally I wouldn't chance it.

 

Good luck I hope its what you are after but don't be concerned about walking away there are plenty around and there's always a nice one being sold by someone on here.

 

Cheers,

Darren

[Slo 283 1 Cars]

In my 205 time ive come across starter/gearbox/clutch arm bolts worked loose, broken/missing wires, perished hoses and including the metal one thats attached to the offside front wing, sticking brake calipers, these are all easy to sort out or replace but can be very messy and time consuming and a lot of the time lead to other findings of failed parts or breaking parts as you get to them. Thankfully i have a cti and its galvanized so no rot whatsoever but ive seen a lot of bad tin tops with horendous rot damage around the sills behind the fuel tank boot floor front floor pans front inner wings etc. Cambelt and water pump is priority to change for me everytime no matter what the previous owner said, especially if its been stood a long time so change it asafp