Advice on Price Point to Dive In On

[Digby]

You should be able to find something lovely on that budget.You can often get lucky if you search regularly enough and find some real Mk1 gems for a grand to 1500.

Or, you can have my Turbo mk1 for 2.5

[lilwashu]

I bought a rust free late import 1.6 Mk2 with hardtop for £1500 last year so they do exist and are higher spec than UK cars. I think the Mk2 is a better car than the Mk1 in every way. I haven't driven a 2.5 and there don't seem to be many imported so you are less likely to find a good one of those in my experience.

If you see one with visible rust on the sills or the chassis rails then walk away from it and find one that doesn't have any, it's that simple really.

[Flip Martian]

Digby said:

You should be able to find something lovely on that budget.You can often get lucky if you search regularly enough and find some real Mk1 gems for a grand to 1500.

Or, you can have my Turbo mk1 for 2.5

Too kind.

[Flip Martian]

lilwashu said:

I bought a rust free late import 1.6 Mk2 with hardtop for £1500 last year so they do exist and are higher spec than UK cars. I think the Mk2 is a better car than the Mk1 in every way. I haven't driven a 2.5 and there don't seem to be many imported so you are less likely to find a good one of those in my experience.

If you see one with visible rust on the sills or the chassis rails then walk away from it and find one that doesn't have any, it's that simple really.

From all the horror stories people give the impression they will all definitely rust at some point so it's find one that's rust free now and make sure it's rust proofed regularly ASAP... I did see a 1.8 sport 2.5 for just under £2800 yesterday...didn't get as far as chassis rails as someone had bagged it that morning. But sills were perfect. As was the rest of the bodywork that I saw. No guarantee the chassis rail was the same of course...