Well it's now only a matter of a few days away from me hopfully picking up my 16v BB GTi. I have put together a Checklist based on info from various sources, and I think I have covered all the bases, but I wanted to pick the forum's brains just in case I have missed anything.
I have seen recent high resolution pictures, but due to the car being a couple of hundred miles away, I've simply not had time to go and see it in the flesh. This will therefore be an inspection and purchase day in one!
Can I just say a
BIG thank-you to everybody who has answered my questions and random musings/ramblings, it's been really appreciated. Hopefully it will all go smoothly on Sunday and I will have my BB tucked up in the garage come tea-time.
It's a private sale and I have done a full HPi and all is clear - so here is the inspection checklist of things to do on the day, your thoughts will be appreciated:
CHECKLIST
1) Check bottom of rear window bootlid for rust under rubber inside car. Rust Around the Rear Boot Catch: The crud problem causes the tailgate to rust around the lock and under the trim so look out for this
2) Seized Rear Wiper: The Mk2s aerodynamics suck dirt onto the back of the car and this affects the rear wiper mechanism causing it to seize.
3) Pop out both of the rear windows and check behind rubbers for the clips (rust).
4) There should be a white bar coded sticker on the inside lip of the boot and half way up the door shut on the B pillar.
5) Look under the bonnet and examine the two main chassis rails and engine bay crossmembers. Look for dents and crinkles which would indicate accident damage.
6) Look under the carpet in the boot and footwells (if possible) and check for creases.
7) Look out for damp carpets and water stains on the door cards. Most Mk2s will suffer this. The fix is cheap but the water could already have damaged the carpets and seats.
8 ) Check the origins of the light lights because a patent part bumper on the front but not the back, combined for example with non-Hella headlamps, might indicate that the car has had a 'front-ender'. Check the light lenses for cracks as these result in MOT failures, as often can a cracked number plate (again both bargaining points).
9) If the car has "insurance approved" security then make sure the owner has the installation certificate. If not then budget £100 for getting a Cat 2 immobiliser fitted.
10) Look at the mileage, and check that this ties in with the most recent MOT.
11) Look at the leading edge of the bonnet and wings, as these should be covered in stone chips.
12) Look for rust around the bottom of the doors, around the lips of all the wheel-arches [but especially the rears], and behind any trim.
13) Check that the spare wheel, jack and brace are in the boot and in good condition, and if not then beat the price down as these are standard equipment.
14) Look at the wear patterns across the width of each tyre. Excessive wear on either side of the tyre implies that the tracking or camber is out. Wear on both outside edges implies that the tyres have been under-inflated, and wear across the centre of the tyre indicates over-inflation.
15) Check to see when the car was last serviced.
16) Find out when the cam-belt was last changed, for VAG engines the service interval is 40k.
17) Fuel Pump Hanging off Car: The fuel pump mounts often break leaving the pump hanging off the car by nothing more than the fuel lines (Driver's side, just in front of the rear wheel), which is potentially lethal... Get is fixed as a priority (GTIs only)
18) Check under the car for fluid leaks from the gearbox and engine. Weeping sump gaskets are common and cheap to change so do not be put off by this as long as it is a 'weep' and not a torrent. Check all the copper brake lines under the car for corrosion (often an MOT failure), and examine the condition of the underseal.
19) Check the condition of the front brake flexihoses (you will need to apply some steering lock for this) looking for bulges or cracks. If these are present then the hoses need replacing. Check the CV boots for cracks and look at the inside of the wheel. If it is covered with grease then a CV boot has split/come adrift and lost its grease. If this grease is old then the CV is likely to be damaged, as it has probably now run dry (£40 + labour).
20) Check the condition of the discs and pads and make sure the disc back-plates are in place.
21) Check each damper in turn. If they are "damp" (pardon the pun) then they are leaking and need changing. You need to push down on the relevant corner of the car to compress the suspension and then release the pressure. The car should rise beyond the starting point and the drop back to where it started. If it continues to bounce up and down or just moves slowly back to where it started then the damper is shot.
22) Look under the bonnet and check the vitals such as the oil, water, and brake fluid levels.
23) Open the airbox, look at the air filter and if possible remove a spark plug.
24) Examine any visible belts for scoring and wear, and check any gaskets for signs of leaks.
25) Look under the oil filler cap and check to see that the oil is the correct colour and contains no "mayonnaise" which indicates a water ingression possibly as a result of a dodgy head gasket.
26) The engine should idle at 1100rpm and drop down to a smooth c900rpm as it warms up,
27) ELECTRICS Now is a good time to test all the electrics such as lights, leccy windows and so on!
28) MFA: As with the MK1, this often malfunctions and is expensive to repair, so check it works before agreeing a price.
29) HEATER MATRIX - Failed Speeds 1&2 on Heater: The thermal fuse on the heater resistor pack often fails causing the loss of speeds 1&2. Heater Matrix Failure: If the heaters blast out damp air then the heater matrix has burst. All Mk2s were recalled to have a pressure relief valve fitted to prevent this occurring. Check to see if the recall has been carried out. One of the hot water pipes that go through the bulkhead should have been cut and the valve added. If not then take the car to VAG and get it done (No expense)
30) Listen for exhaust type noises coming from anywhere other than the tailpipe - this implies that the exhaust is blowing. Confirm this by placing your hand over where the noise appears to be coming from and you will feel a blast of hot gas.
31) Take the car for a drive and make sure that it pulls in a straight line and stops in a straight line. If not then something is adrift
32) Check for blue smoke from the exhaust on full throttle as this can indicate worn valve guides. A good way to check for worn valve guides is to get the engine up to temperature, then on the test-drive drive the car as gently as you possibly can for a few miles [in the highest gear possible] then drop it several gears and floor it. If you see plumes of smoke which then disappear after a few seconds then you be confident that you've got some tolerances adrift somewhere along the line, this will probably be valve guides in a Golf, but it could of course be piston rings or bore wear so think the worst in terms of further negotiations
33) Manoeuvre the car on full lock and listen for clicking/clonking noises which usually indicate worn CV joints.
34) Check the handbrake comes on and locks the back wheels properly and comes off again to allow free movement.
35) Seized Rear Brakes: These were one of VW's less appreciated jokes. The rear discs do so little that the calipers seize up with little encouragement. Replacements are about £65+ a side and if the car is a post 88 car you can fit the Mk3 items which are less prone to seizing.
36) Dodgy 2nd Gear Syncro: The second gear syncro ring fails at about 100k on the Mk2 causing the gears to crunch when going from 1st to 2nd.
