Some advice on a van purchase PLEASE

[irishkeet]

Hi
Im looking at buying this van on VZI, link below

http://www.volkszone.com/VZi/showthread.php?t=219963

Spoke to the seller who said the engine has a bit of oil and that the oil light may have been due to the wrong oil in the engine, my question is would anyone touch this and so if it needed the rear brakes & a new oil pumb what price range would this be in

Sorry to be vague but its mt first purchase and any help would be great, also wondering if a second hand 2L engine would be best and so what sort of price these are

Thanks

Keith

[Ian Hulley]

Rear Brake Shoes ~£25/set
Shoe Retaining Kit ~£10
Rear Brake Cylinder ~£10 each
Flexy Brake Hoses £5 each
Kunifer Brake Pipes £40 - £50 Front to Back

Having a nice T25 Devon Camper ... Priceless !


Seriously though,I'd be a bit concerned about the oil light issue and would want the current owner to change the oil and have the light out (properly) before cash changes hands.

The Air-Cold peeps will give you chapter and verse on these. Not uncommon for a 1600 to have been replaced with a 2000 though I would imagine.

Ian.

[Drew]

Looks lovely, I paid more than that for a Devon a few months ago and the interior is nowhere near as nice as that.

[missusjen]

the oil light may have been due to the wrong oil in the engine

This is highly likely, also, if it sat for a while it might fancy a couple of oil changes to get it right. If you change the oil a couple of times in the first couple of weeks then there's a good chance that it'd be okay afterwards - they are very picky at times.......unless of course it really does have an underlying problem......and if it's losing oil at a rate of knots, then there's your problem.....

It's possible to keep all the oil where it belongs in an Aircooled engine, but it's a labour of love, or wallet..........I'd want to know how quickly it's losing it - if it's just push rod seals it's no problem, if it's oil cooler it's an engine out job, and if it's everywhere then it's probably fatal.

Replacement 2l engines vary - 2nd hand you could pick one up between 250-500 (less or more depending on history, and trust me it's worth paying extra for confirmed good history), a recon is about 850/950 quid, and a vege was about 1200 last time I looked.........

[HarryMann]

Seriously though,I'd be a bit concerned about the oil light issue and would want the current owner to change the oil and have the light out (properly) before cash changes hands.

That's good advice - take it!

and if not get an allowance for any uncertainty.

NIce piccies aren't they. nice van but check its not just a quick paint job covering all sorts of problens, doesn't look it it but...

And of course you'll need to get the suspension raised back to where it should be

[TD]

Buy on the body- and make allowance for a recon anyway at this age.
but get a good 'un,. VEGE/VAG. so up to £1500 fitted?

[purplechugster]

'Scuse my ignorance, Ive never quite got up to speed on this (much like my van in fact)...

Whats the difference between reconditioned, VEGE and VAG?

[Blingpanzer]

About 80k miles' service, really...

VAG = Volkswagen Audi Group, i.e. a genuine new or reconditioned engine from your VW dealer. Not as expensive as it sounds.

VEGE = a well-respected independent reconditioner; more expensive than most but you get what you pay for and there's a no-quibble 12-month guarantee.

Reconditioned: could range from "cleaned and painted externally" to "completely new internals"; you never know. Perhaps better to go to VEGE or VAG, or go on recommendation.

Tip: Have it professionally fitted; then the reconditioner cannot claim that any problems with the engine are due to your installation.

And buy a watercooled van if you want warm feet at this time of year

[kevtherev]

And buy a watercooled van if you want warm feet at this time of year

even better advice..... take it!