Dogbert wrote: Wed Aug 18, 2021 9:26 pm
So either a late TDI 200 or early TDI300 - We currently have a 1992 TDi 200
If you do buy one , congratulations , you have just paid the Uni fees for the children of the owner of your local landy garage.
People always say chassis or bulkhead , and yeah that's important , but you need to consider a lot , lot more , what you are looking to buy is 30 years old
So what could go wrong , its just a ball hair away from a tractor - right , well that's true , its noisy , I mean really noisy , headache inducing noisy , and no matter what sound proofing , its still fucking noisy
The engines are actually pretty bulletproof , - if you change the oil every 6000m , and everyone does that
Front axles , rear axles could be shot , Transfer box , gearbox , diffs high pressure fuel valves - iIve replaced all of those
although the rear axle we got was off a Disco with disc brakes , but at least she stops pretty well
Steering box and dampers , fuel tanks, I could go on ( and on , and on )
It's a bit like painting the Forth road Bridge - you think nothing else will fail - until it does
Saying that we all love her , and shes a member of the family so will never get rid
Just prepare for the constant - and I do mean constant bills and large bills
Learn to weld
Learn that getting parts is not as easy as you think , often better to get what you have rebuilt ( like a high pressure fuel pump )
Get a decent pedal box ( and tracker ) because at some stage some bastard will try to steal it
One of the best things was to add a head unit with a rear view camera - which was dead easy , until you find out a previous owner had been buggering about with the wiring loom
Other than that go for it - for all the times you swear at it , you will still love it ( I'm mad - my other car is an Alfa !)
My next weekend is to repair the rotten door sills ( welding again ) assuming my tinnitus isn't too bad - did I mention they are fucking noisy
If you have any questions, other than the phone number of a good psychiatrist - just let me know