Just looked at a 1.8T and have some Q's

[threadders]

Going on from this thread
http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=36026.0

Car was in good nik, T reg 1.8T, 5 door, dark blue, 94k, full service history.

There is a issue with the gearbox. It sometime jumps out of second gear and a bit dodgy getting into reverse. The sellers mate work at a garage and think its something to do with a piston ? He is gonna get it fixed this weekend before I buy it.

Got him down to £3k + what ever it costs to fix the gearbox.

is this good ?

J

[BenjiC]

Dunno if it's good value but I've just started to get a similar problem with my gearbox - it's "sticky" putting it in and out of reverse. Can anyone tell us what the prob is and how/ how much to fix it?

[topher]

could just be the linkage needs adjusting, not a terribly difficult job. if you use the search i think i posted a link to a how-to guide some time ago.

and ahhh the famous "my mate who works in a garage said..." i fail to see how the pistons have any effect on the gearbox. get a receipt for the work carried out before you hand over any money.

[HandsyBoy]

I would get an indipendant inspection first. Worst case senario is that the some of the gears in the box are worn out, ie new box. Unless you have a mechanic or someone who is clued up on golfs to have a look, you wont know. I never trust the, 'my mates a mechanic`, gab. Does seem a good price tho, depending on the box.

Viva la dan 

[VWmaindealer]

If I was selling this car privately and had a mate who worked in a garage, i'd have got it fixed before having to explain the problem to potential buyers!

[threadders]

and ahhh the famous "my mate who works in a garage said..." i fail to see how the pistons have any effect on the gearbox. get a receipt for the work carried out before you hand over any money.

It was the pistons in the gearbox, where ever they are

[Scott_1.8T]

Does seem cheap, but it's done a few miles so it's fair. 

What did it drive like?  And what feeling did you get about the car and the guy selling it in general.  That's usually a big sign.  I once bought a car that looked spot on but I had a bit of a funny feeling about.... told myself it was nothing and bought it anyway.  Had nothing but trouble with it ever since (It was an MR2 though!!).

If this is the first one you've seen, go and try another one just for comparisson.  The first 1.8T I looked at seemed to drive nice, but when I drove the next one it felt quite a bit more responsive.

[threadders]

The car seemed good, and it was the first I have looked at. Only issue I have was with the gearbox (which will be fixed before I buy it).. If I buy it

The guy selling did seem very honest and didnt seem to be hiding anything.

I'm going to have a look again over the weekend and I think my old man wll come and have a look. Problem with him he is set in his old fashioned way regarding high miles.

[Ivor Mk4 Turbo]

Need to look at a few more my friend. You'll start to get a 'feel' for good/bad/average ones.

[threadders]

Well I bought the car.

Gear box problem has been sorted and was due to some sort of seal on the linkage was dry so a bit og grease sorted it out.

The car is wonderfull, very smooth, vary fast and the only fault I can find is one of the front headlights is out but a quick drive to Halfords will fix that.

I also got the car HPI'd before I bought it through a company on Ebays website.
Car was clear andpart of the service is they give you a correct valuation for that exact car. They said £5659 on everage miles. Mines has done 93k which is only 9k more than my car because it is now 7yrs old.

I got it for much less that, infact more than £1k less.

Makes me wonder if I should use it for a while and sell it on. Similar ones inc ones with more miles tend to go for more that £4k. And my car has FSH with not a mark on it.