How hard is it to fix a speedo?

[Zip]

Thanks for your replys so far.

It might be 2500 pounds but for some reason cars over here arnt cheap.
I blame the sea and the government
I am prepared to do some things to it my self. I just dont like the whole idea of pulling a dash apart and conecting a cable. It sounds too fidley for my liking.
Petrol is also cheaper down here then the uk, Its $1.40-50 for optimax i think atm.
And insurance is cheaper down here.

Can someone please help me write out what i need to know and what questions i need answerd that i can send to the owner of the car.

Thanks in advance

If i do end up getting it, the steering wheel is the first thing to go

 

[DannyDan]

Is this going to be your first car?

 

[Zip]

Toyota did not SC that car.

A quick google of the engine brought up this.

The 4A-GZE is a supercharged version of the 4A-GE engine initially developed to provide added punch to the MR2 AW11 models. It was produced to the request of many critics sighting the MR2 to be underpowered at the time of mid-80’s power wars of the 1600cc class production engines. One year after the MR2 Supercharged introduction, the engine was used also in the AE92 Levin/Trueno siblings as a front drive power plant. Both of these first edition 4A-GZE produced 145ps JIS at torque curve of 21kg/cm, running at 8.0:1 compression rate. Indeed, it was the most powerful engine in the Japanese 1600 class.

It looks like they did super charge it after all.
The car is an import btw

 

[kaiowas]

If i do end up getting it, the steering wheel is the first thing to go

Steering wheel requires tools. You can get rid of the mats, dice and fan thing on the dash quicker, then start on the wheel.

I'm also trying to work out whether those seats are nasty looking aftermarket ones or just covers which will come out easy enough.

Can't really give you too much guidance on the cost either other than that 2.5k for a decent condition SC would be a good price over here, but then all of ours have had to be grey imported from Japan so their pretty cheap/sought after. If the SC was sold domestically in your part of the world then it'd result in lower prices.

I wouldn't worry about the speedo too much although if you can confirm that it's the cable that needs replacing it's be handy (It could potentially be the clocks themselves or the drive off the gearbox so it's worth checking.)

Over here the condition of the bodywork is everything with a mk1. There are plenty of cars being broken for parts so mechanical stuff can be sorted out pretty cheaply if you're prepared to do the work yourself but many cars are rusting away. Obviously you have better weather than us so most of this doesn't really apply. Usual places to look at are:

Rear arches - very common. Any sign of visible rust no matter no slight it looks will mean that you'll soon be facing a choice between tatty arches or a hefty bill to sort them out.

Base of 'A' pillar behind the doors - leaves often get caught behind here block the drainage holes before slowly rotting their way out.

Sills - Those plastic skirts can hide some real nastyness. If the owner is willing pop them off (it's just a bunch of 10mm bolts) and have a look behind them.

Front bumper bar - The metal bar behind the front bumper onto which the towing eye is attaches often corrodes unseen. The first you usually know about it when you go to tow the car and the eye comes off (note - mk1s should really be towed by the eyes right underneath the car on the ends of the chassis rails rather than the one protruding trough the bumper)

Front wings - Not quite so prone to rust as the rear ones and cheaper to fix as a new one will just bolt on rather than needed to be welded. But they do go eventually.

Front splitter - not so much of a problem on later cars like this one as it's flexible plastic so just gets scratched/scraped easily. Earlier cars had 2 part metal splitter that ofter rusts through.

 

[Hawk Tuah]

Speedo cable was a doddle on my old Rover. It was in 2 bits which connected in the middle. Just unclip the 2 bits, push it down into each section of cable, then clip back together.

As my old cable had snapped down the bottom, I had to undo the cable from the engine. Still was a dead easy job that only took a few minutes.

 

[mauron]

Hey zip mate, where abouts in Oz are you? Great headline in the Times last week about you PM called him the "educated ocker" Is he?

 

[4T5]

Well it means that the car could have done X,000+ miles more than the odo is displaying, which could be bad if the car is advertised with lowish miles and it's infact done a lot more.

Someones awake here then.
Don't ever buy a car with a dodgey speedo mileometer. Are you mad.
People rip the cable out to hold the mileage where it is. God knows how long it has been broken and don't think that it will be from when the last MOT was done.
Totally dodgey.
Also when people say it is an easy fix tell them to fix it then.
If it really was an easy job they would have done it prior to sale.

 

[mauron]

Bugger, forgot to say go to a dealer and ask how much, also if it has FSH how long ago and how many clicks had it done then. Should be able to get a good idea how long it's been broken & how many Ks it's done since then.

 

[4T5]

By the way all, FSH doesn't mean crap unless the car is of FSH quality.
Books can be stamped up for pennys. Trust me when i say you need someone who knows about trade/motors to tell a genuine FSH car.
I could price you (Not an Offer an e.g.)up the new steering wheel and new rubbers for the pedals and a new gear knob. Then get your book stamped up and valet the motor to mint condition. A bit of smelly and new mats and to most it's an Alan Minter.
Trust knowone and just find another car.

 

[Enfield]

Before you go replacing the cable (if you do indeed decide to buy the car), just stick your hand up behind the dash up by the clocks and make sure the multiplug is firmly connected.

 

[Zip]

Hey zip mate, where abouts in Oz are you? Great headline in the Times last week about you PM called him the "educated ocker" Is he?

Im in South Australia.
I must have missed that headline. He doesnt seem to be a bad Prime Minister and he cant be too bad because hes in hios 3rd or 4th term

Since im in South Australia and the car is in Sydney i will have to ask a lot of questions to the car owner over email. And i will only go over there once im satisfied with my answers ive been getting.
Now all i need to know is what to send him first. Can someone please write out something i should send him and post it on here so i can send it to him.
Thanks

And thanks Kaiowas for telling me what to look for if i go see it