Anyone bought a spares or repair vehicle and fixed it?

[Muncher]

Does anyone have experience of buying a car on eBay that is sold as spares or repair?

My trusty 1995 Golf is faltering a bit and may need replacement soon. I got it for free 6 years ago as a temporary car to leave at the train station, it was a non runner but I patched it up with not too much effort and it has done a fine job ever since.

I've been perusing eBay and there are an awful lot of MOT failures at seemingly reasonable rates.

I've only considering taking this on as I'm reasonably handy with a spanner, have a good selection of tools and also have a few contacts within the trade to fall back on. One chap who I know well runs a big breaker's yard so could get me spare engines and parts for not a lot.

Ideally I'd want something in good condition, which has recently passed an MOT but has had an engine let do. I'm sure I could do a straight engine swap in a weekend on my driveway, having pulled the VX engine out a couple of times.

Am I mad to even consider it?

[mike88]

I'm considering doing the exact same thing soon as a side-line. Finding decent, local cars is the hard part I've found.

Plenty of MOT failures and spares/repairs, but some are rotten and others require a huge amount of money/work to make them half decent.

[rottie102]

Why not??

Most of the times it's the price of the labor required that makes it uneconomical to repair. If you can do it yourself, get some mates to get you parts at trade prices and you're in for a very cheap motoring.

[MondeoMan1981]

Some of the Rovers with hgf look particularly suitable for this sort of thing if you are handy with a spanner.

Failing that buy something that has failed on something reasonably simple i.e. brakes and there are bargains to be had / money to be made

[Astra Dan]

Two of my 'best buys' were spares or repairs Vectras.

First one failed MOT on emmisions, seized brakes and a tyre.
New plugs (was misfiring), exercise of rear caliper and fitted the spare. £10 in parts.
Fitted cam belt kit as a precaution, £80.
Sold it for £800.

Second was a 2.0 Estate auto. Wouldn't start one day, local dealer said ECU corrupt, £800 to fix.
10 mins with a multimeter located a blown fuse. Ran like a dream. Fitted some Calibra turbo alloys as the tyres were much better for £50. Cam belt kit for piece of mind, £80.
Sold it for £1,000.

Both cars were absolutely fine to drive, the estate especially.
As long as it's not body work, I say do it.

[Acheron]

I had great fun doing my sri vectra. But it became a chore after a few months and i needed the room so it went at a reasonable loss.

The hardest part i find, is getting it to you, if it isnt local.

[mike88]

Depends what needs doing, and how much the car costs initially.

How much did you pay for them Dan?