The importer doesn't grade it tbf, that's done by the auction house. Could argue they should have spotted those issues if they were selling it themselves, rather than simply acting as an importing agent.
Comp test cars before buying? What is an immaculate car?
- Thread starter The Running Man
- Start date
The importer doesn't grade it tbf, that's done by the auction house. Could argue they should have spotted those issues if they were selling it themselves, rather than simply acting as an importing agent.
I dont know if it was auctuon graded or whether newera graded it themselves by hand but thats what they claim on their original selling advert grade 4.5
Yup they must have applied the 1 meter 10 second grading school of thumb. 'Looks rite init mate'
Its easy to be deceived. Mr mr2 in Sheffield has a black rev 5 for sale for sale, they want 12 grand and describe it as the cleanest in the country.
Some digging though and it turns out they imported it, realised the front chassis was bent and have cut it out and welded a new piece...
In my view thats a bent car. And while rhey say it looks straight, give me 30 mins with it and I'll find the alignment issues.
Some digging though and it turns out they imported it, realised the front chassis was bent and have cut it out and welded a new piece...
In my view thats a bent car. And while rhey say it looks straight, give me 30 mins with it and I'll find the alignment issues.
Soldato
Wow that's a cheap f355! It was my favourite car when I was younger. Let me give him a call and jist make sure all panel gaps are fine.
Soldato
Not bad buy I always question cars that have had a full respray and why has it had a new front windscreen?
Its not common to have a new windscreen or fuel pump in my mind anyway
See im very fussy!
I’m also fussy, so when I bought my old m3, the windscreen was original and pitted, so I got it changed on insurance, it’s perfect now!
Also front bumper/bonnet resprays for stone chips is very common, you just need to look at the structures behind to see if it’s had accident damage etc..
im also considering a full respray as there are lots of issues (to me) that aren’t perfect and whilst everyone else thinks it’s clean, it bugs me...
the best people to buy from are people who disproportionately maintain there cars inside and out, many are found on specialist forums..
Caporegime
This is why I think it is better to just buy a car with a decent shell and do it yourself. Classic cars are just getting crazy with their price points.
If you could find a Rev 3 MR2 Turbo for the 3k range but a little tatty and rebuild it yourself would have a very nice forged car for 10k.
If you could find a Rev 3 MR2 Turbo for the 3k range but a little tatty and rebuild it yourself would have a very nice forged car for 10k.
Oof try and find even a tatty rev 3 for 3k thats a good runner is near impossible.
Most specialist places now want £3.5k for the engine+gear box part of a turbo conversion plus £1.5k fitting and extras.
For an average ish rev 3 youre looking at 5-6k unless it needs sills, bodywork etc
Gen4/Gen5 swap is an attractive option if your end goal is ~300bhp at the wheels on a stock looking engine. The engines themselves are pretty cheap for a low k's one but ideally you still need a transmission / flywheel / driveshafts / hubs from an MR2 turbo as all Gen4's were auto transmission. You can get it working with an NA transmission (use 3SGE flywheel on the 3SGTE) but the transmission is much weaker, driveshafts weaker, ratios not as optimal. Other side is a car like that will never be worth as much as a genuine factory turbo.
Starting off with a bare shell has the advantage that you can see any issues and rectify, and you can be 100% sure its not hiding anything. Gets expensive very quickly if you're outsourcing all the work though.
Starting off with a bare shell has the advantage that you can see any issues and rectify, and you can be 100% sure its not hiding anything. Gets expensive very quickly if you're outsourcing all the work though.