Discussion
Hi all. I am contemplating buying an S3 I've had a look at one with the aid of your very helpful buyers guide. I am not looking for 'perfect' but a couple of things perhaps you may be able to help me with.
The near side passenger footwell does have some wet carpet there is a grommet in the floor I asume to drain water. Is this a common fault, as you mention it in the guide. Where may the leak be situated? The near side door had dropped a tad is this an easy fix? Thanks for your help I am sure I will be back. I will keep you posted how the purchase pans out.
The near side passenger footwell does have some wet carpet there is a grommet in the floor I asume to drain water. Is this a common fault, as you mention it in the guide. Where may the leak be situated? The near side door had dropped a tad is this an easy fix? Thanks for your help I am sure I will be back. I will keep you posted how the purchase pans out.
Hi Andrew, welcome to the forum. Its a friendly bunch on here and there are some really knowlegable guys as well.
I have an S3c and have not regretted buying it for one minute. If you are willing to whirl the spanners a bit with the help available on here the S makes a brilliant buy.
With regard to the car you are looking at, the water ingress could be coming in almost anywhere. To start with if the car has been outside rather than garaged I would start by looking at the condition of the seals on the two part roof panels. They form a good seal when they are in good nick but let in tons of water if not. Also check the windows are fully up and are locating against the roof rubber (sounds obvious but if they are not tight a quick drive in the rain will see loads of water getting in).
The doors dropping is a very common problem and if you do a search on this site you should see lots of guides how to deal with it. I had this on my drivers door and it was fiddly and very time consuming to get right but not difficult. It basically involves removing the door trim and reaching in to the door cavity to the pivot points. These consist of a couple of securing bolts and a pivot in a sort of bush. The bolts come loose and hey presto your door is flapping all over the place. Worst case is if the pivot point has seized and worn into the glassfibre. This is a more difficult fix but some on here have done it and will no doubt add more if required.
Good luck with the purchase (you will not regret it IMHO)
I have an S3c and have not regretted buying it for one minute. If you are willing to whirl the spanners a bit with the help available on here the S makes a brilliant buy.
With regard to the car you are looking at, the water ingress could be coming in almost anywhere. To start with if the car has been outside rather than garaged I would start by looking at the condition of the seals on the two part roof panels. They form a good seal when they are in good nick but let in tons of water if not. Also check the windows are fully up and are locating against the roof rubber (sounds obvious but if they are not tight a quick drive in the rain will see loads of water getting in).
The doors dropping is a very common problem and if you do a search on this site you should see lots of guides how to deal with it. I had this on my drivers door and it was fiddly and very time consuming to get right but not difficult. It basically involves removing the door trim and reaching in to the door cavity to the pivot points. These consist of a couple of securing bolts and a pivot in a sort of bush. The bolts come loose and hey presto your door is flapping all over the place. Worst case is if the pivot point has seized and worn into the glassfibre. This is a more difficult fix but some on here have done it and will no doubt add more if required.
Good luck with the purchase (you will not regret it IMHO)
Hi & welcome.
I recently acquired an S3C which doesn't suffer from damp carpets but does have a bit of a leak through the passenger door seal. Worth given the seals a good check but plenty of other potential leak paths!
The exhaust note alone compensates for recently having switched to a diesel as the daily driver :-)
Cheers,
Gary
I recently acquired an S3C which doesn't suffer from damp carpets but does have a bit of a leak through the passenger door seal. Worth given the seals a good check but plenty of other potential leak paths!
The exhaust note alone compensates for recently having switched to a diesel as the daily driver :-)
Cheers,
Gary
Water ingress isn't that unusual - I had a bit but when I refurbed the car I took everything off the bulkhead / engine compartment and put some blue hylomar in and around the boltholes everywhere then put the bolts etc back in.
It seems to have done the trick, I got caught in a seriously bad storm a couple of weeks ago and not a drop came in.
It seems to have done the trick, I got caught in a seriously bad storm a couple of weeks ago and not a drop came in.
I would be more concerned about where the water has got rather than how it got in
The fuses and relays and ecu are all stuffed into the space above the footwell so if they have
Been wet regularly you could have some problems.
Take a good look
When you get one you will not regret it
Good luck
K
The fuses and relays and ecu are all stuffed into the space above the footwell so if they have
Been wet regularly you could have some problems.
Take a good look
When you get one you will not regret it
Good luck
K
These might help
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... Braking System for TVR S Series Cars Updated
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... FROM SAAB TO FORD SERVO /MASTER CYLINDER (summary)
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... Braking System for TVR S Series Cars Updated
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... FROM SAAB TO FORD SERVO /MASTER CYLINDER (summary)
wizzer said:
Thanks for that. I now find my 'prospect' has 2 leaking wheel cylinders and a leaking master cylinder. Are these basic Ford parts. If so is Burton a recommended supplier, I used them a lot when I had a boat powered with a V6 Essex.
Got my shoes and wheel cylinders from a local motor factor, Rear Wheel Cylinders Quinton Hazel BWC3255 equiv DWC100 - £18 the pair and Rear Brake Shoes TRW GS6207 - £25. I think they ford sierra diesel.Edited by wizzer on Thursday 23 September 16:51
Rob
Your water may also be getting in via a poorly waterproofed rear roof section. If this hasn't been treated recently the water can seep through here and by gravity just end up in the passenger footwell. Renovo or Thompsons waterproofer seem to be preferred products for this. Renovo also make a re-colourer if the hood sections are looking tired. I have used both Renovo products to good effect.
There is a drain plug under the footwell carpet. This may also be a point of entry if the car has been driven in the wet and the plug is missing or loose.
HTH
There is a drain plug under the footwell carpet. This may also be a point of entry if the car has been driven in the wet and the plug is missing or loose.
HTH
AutoAndy said:
Damp, you don't know what damp is after northern France this am. However everyone seems to have the same problem and the talk generlly ends with comments about large ammonts of sealant. I hope that this helps....
And yesterday pales into insignificance compared to the Alps today!!!! Damp - NO - f**kin p*** wet through.Doesn't help that you have to keep the windows open just to see where you're going - oh yeah, don't forget fog/cloud and lorries with NO LIGHTS!!!!!
Well I've gone and done it! I didn't buy the car I was looking at but after seeing XKRGiles message I drove the 80miles to Chard had a good look at his ex S2, gave it a good run for an hour, having taken the Finance minister with me I got the nod of approval from her and brought the car, and very nice she is to (the car I mean, the minister is OK as well).
If any one out there is looking for a 1991 S3 50K on the clock but need a bit of tlc mail me and I will put you on to it. Sorry forgot to say the car is near Lymington Hants.
If any one out there is looking for a 1991 S3 50K on the clock but need a bit of tlc mail me and I will put you on to it. Sorry forgot to say the car is near Lymington Hants.
Edited by wizzer on Monday 27th September 20:35
Great news and congratulations. I sold mine a year ago and miss it very much indeed. My old car is featured in the Euro trip pics which makes it even worse. I reckon you've got a great buy there.
I very nearly considered Giles' old car - the only reasons I didn't buy it are pretty lightweight:
i) It's red (and I swore I wouldn't buy another red roadster, and
ii) It's an S2 and I want an S3 this time out.
Bearing all that in mind, and the fact I'm fairly local to Lymington, I'd be interested to know more about your first prospect. Feel free to PM me more details of the car.
Welcome to the forum and have fun with the car.
I very nearly considered Giles' old car - the only reasons I didn't buy it are pretty lightweight:
i) It's red (and I swore I wouldn't buy another red roadster, and
ii) It's an S2 and I want an S3 this time out.
Bearing all that in mind, and the fact I'm fairly local to Lymington, I'd be interested to know more about your first prospect. Feel free to PM me more details of the car.
Welcome to the forum and have fun with the car.
Can you beleive I owned the car for 10 years and i'm still gutted I had to sell it. I wish I could of kept it if I had the space & the money to run yet another machine.
Anyway, you'll love it
I forgot to mention, she is also completely dry, no leaks anywhere. you could put it thru a jetwash and she wouldnt let any in.
sob sob sob, this is me quietly crying in the corner
Anyway, you'll love it
I forgot to mention, she is also completely dry, no leaks anywhere. you could put it thru a jetwash and she wouldnt let any in.
sob sob sob, this is me quietly crying in the corner
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