ok im seriously looking into getting a s1 now, im 23 and for as long as i can remember ive allways loved the s1 and when i was younger i allways said to myself one day i will own one. well now the time has come.

what i want guys are all the bad points about these cars what i should look for when buying one etc etc basicly all the things that could turn my dream car into a nightmare buy

then i wanna hear all the good points of owning one

there no way im gonna be able to afford a minter as im gonna have around 3k to spend on one, but i dont mind that as i quite like the idea of getting one thats abit run down and in need of some tlc that over time i can return to its former glory but the thing is im not very clued up at all when it comes to cars and i realy dont wanna bite of more then i can chew.

basicly i wanna go into this with my eyes wide open and know any pit falls i may come across, so any info at all will be appricated

thanks in advance
matt

 

check inner arches for rust, dash boards tend to crack if left out in sun, luckily for me i have no cracks in mine, check dashboard lights, the diagnostic lights should al work, if not, ask why, my brake one does not work because there not standard brakes, check for rust under the bodykit, especially the arches. only a few there really, there are more,
good points are that every 1 looks when you drive past cause they are never seen any more, a 60 year old bloke was even staring at mine on a car park the other day, there are a lot more good points, just aint got time to post em

 

do most people who own one use them as there daily drive? cuz as you said you dont see alot of them round anymore, infact when i went to the south west motor show this year i was hoping there was gonna be a few about i could have a real good look at and i only spoted 1!

 

Rust.......lol
u will find a good un for 3K, bide ure time and look look look!! it's worth spending the extra at the start cos u will spend it later, fact!!

 

To be honest, 3k isn't gonna find you much of a get in and drive machine. Will need work somewhere on it. But then again, u may find a bargain at 3-3.5k which really is in good nick. Not many out there though.
As for rust they go everywhere, and the Bodykit hides it all. Back arches go, giveaway is bodykit crinkled over the arch. Outer and inner sills rot and spreads to near by floorpans.

Both rear valance joins rot, check the seams aint smoothed over with filler, and the lip rusts cos of lack of paint.

Get under the boot floor check around rear spring mounts, they can go, also check the back chassis rails, runs along boot floor, check for fresh underseal covering the rust up.

Moving forward, open sunroof, and check condition of pan, rust will be around drain holes, the covered seam running right the way round, and back in behind the runners, lot of rust can be in here.

Check around windows and rubbers for rust creeping out from under the rubbers, means the seam under there has had it. Now under the bonnet> battery tray, always goes on most, where the water sits around the tray, look for any plates welded in or bad repairs.

Also look on the back edge of the wing seams, (underside) rust can start here and spread to the inner wings, check all condition of the inner and outer wings can be rotten.

Now check Cross member, usually destroy'd with rust and front valance on all the joins and behind headlights.

Thats a brief of what to look out for, otherwise id be here all night, sure theres more.

 

fucking hell mine must be mint well bodywise
I picked mine up for Ł1500 with all mot's bar one, done 94 or 96K, no engine mot or tax, new paint all over apart from underside.....Ł150 for boggo std perfect working engine, few little things for mot prob spent what it's worth on it tho, hopefully if i ever sell it wont lose much if anything on it!

that ugly boy isnt me btw

 

i dont use mine every day, try to only use it on dry days to look after it, probably only do about 100 mile a week if that in it, i have a toyota pickup that i also use to get to work n use at night some times

 

it took me 3 months to find a good n, went to look at about 6 before buying
mine, one had no vin plate on slam panel (still in auto trader), one had engine cutting out all the time. just keep your eyes peeled, look in the RSOC magazine

 

what do i look for engine wise are there any common problems i should look out for?

 

i use mine every day, the only downside i found coming from the vx220 was incredibly heavy steering! but soon got used to that (done nearly 4000miles in about a month!)

got the piss taken out of me at work by the corsa/saxo/clio crowd, until i kicked their arses on a company outing to the front!

warehouse manager has a seat leon cupra R 225bhp, he took the piss as well, until i kicked his arse on the same outing! he was not amused...

 

the cam shafts are supposed to go at around 60k, mine lasted till 83k,
plus i have another new problem, oil leaking from a
n unknown area

 

possibly for sale
https://passionford.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=84431

 

LOL! Must have been most amuzing . Why was they taking the piss?

I will agree the steering can be quite heavy with it not being assisted especially on 215 tyres but you soon get used to it...

 

they took the piss because it was so old. in fact it's older than a quarter of my staff!
but that's because i run a sweatshop using underage kids on 50p an hour (well it felt like it today, the cheeky bastards)

 

grrr this is doing my head in i cant stop thinking about getting one lol

 

get looking

 

i am

 

Bad points: RUST

Good points: Rare, awarsome 80`s stying!!

 

Old cars have charcter. Plus they are lighter.

Obviously not as well built but we are talking a car nearly 20 years old now!