100,000 mile Puma. Good idea?
Discussion
I need a cheap car for 12 months and have found a 100,000 mile Puma for £500. It's had a new clutch, front brakes, cambelt change, rear dampers and most importantly the rear arches repaired.
Having never done bangernomics before is there anything I should be worried about? How does a Puma stand up after 100,000 miles, will it bust into flames 5 mins after purchase or go round corners like a bus? I had a new one when they first came out and am worried an old one won't live up to the memories of how good it was.
Thoughts on postcard please?
Having never done bangernomics before is there anything I should be worried about? How does a Puma stand up after 100,000 miles, will it bust into flames 5 mins after purchase or go round corners like a bus? I had a new one when they first came out and am worried an old one won't live up to the memories of how good it was.
Thoughts on postcard please?
IanMorewood said:
Suspension bushes would be the only other real worry but when you say arches done does that mean botched up or fixed?
Rear bushes have been done, but not the front. I've not seen it yet, but I hope not botched - they were done over 6 months ago, so hopefully if a bad jobs been done things will have started to show though already.If all the above have been done with no bodges then I'd say jump on it.
One of the best fun cars around for under a grand- I'm on my second, both of which were just over 100k when I bought them... As stated already for that money, even if you used it till the test ran out you'll be ok.
Mines needed front bushings for the MOT last month- ended up just replacing the wishbones with bushings etc included as they were cheap.
One of the best fun cars around for under a grand- I'm on my second, both of which were just over 100k when I bought them... As stated already for that money, even if you used it till the test ran out you'll be ok.
Mines needed front bushings for the MOT last month- ended up just replacing the wishbones with bushings etc included as they were cheap.
JQ said:
IanMorewood said:
Suspension bushes would be the only other real worry but when you say arches done does that mean botched up or fixed?
Rear bushes have been done, but not the front. I've not seen it yet, but I hope not botched - they were done over 6 months ago, so hopefully if a bad jobs been done things will have started to show though already.Also check the inside edges of the front tyres, despite having the tracking and balancing done twice, mine took a set of fronts through to the steel banding in less than 5k miles. Unsure what the issue was as once changed the new tyres lasted 15k and wore evenly.
Smashing little cars though, if its in good nick be prepared to fall for the little go-kart and hold on to it longer than planned.
Well that's it, job jobbed, I'm now the owner of a 100,000 mile Puma.
It's a bit shabby round the edges, no stereo, remote locking ain't working, the arch repairs probably have 18 months left in them, but the mechanicals feel sound and it's got 4 new tyres. There's a folder full of receipts with about £1k spent in the last 18 months. I'd forgotten how good these cars feel and for £500 what's the worst that could happen.
It's a bit shabby round the edges, no stereo, remote locking ain't working, the arch repairs probably have 18 months left in them, but the mechanicals feel sound and it's got 4 new tyres. There's a folder full of receipts with about £1k spent in the last 18 months. I'd forgotten how good these cars feel and for £500 what's the worst that could happen.
Dr Doofenshmirtz said:
JQ said:
what's the worst that could happen.
You get slightly wetter getting from the car to your front door until you fix the remote locking...and you look like a girl driving a Puma.JQ said:
Well that's it, job jobbed, I'm now the owner of a 100,000 mile Puma.
It's a bit shabby round the edges, no stereo, remote locking ain't working, the arch repairs probably have 18 months left in them, but the mechanicals feel sound and it's got 4 new tyres. There's a folder full of receipts with about £1k spent in the last 18 months. I'd forgotten how good these cars feel and for £500 what's the worst that could happen.
A new stereo should be quite cheap to source if you go for a standard ford unit. Remote locking could be just a dead battery or in need of re-programming, once again cheap to sort out if that is the issue.It's a bit shabby round the edges, no stereo, remote locking ain't working, the arch repairs probably have 18 months left in them, but the mechanicals feel sound and it's got 4 new tyres. There's a folder full of receipts with about £1k spent in the last 18 months. I'd forgotten how good these cars feel and for £500 what's the worst that could happen.
Keep an eye on the oil level, other than that should be no issues. Once the arches go bin the car but you can prolong the life of the arches with regular washing under the arches. The arch liners are basically carpet so trap salt and other road grime which rots the arches in no time.
GenePoolReject13 said:
A new stereo should be quite cheap to source if you go for a standard ford unit. Remote locking could be just a dead battery or in need of re-programming, once again cheap to sort out if that is the issue.
Keep an eye on the oil level, other than that should be no issues. Once the arches go bin the car but you can prolong the life of the arches with regular washing under the arches. The arch liners are basically carpet so trap salt and other road grime which rots the arches in no time.
Already swapped the battery out and it's not that. How much is it likely to cost to re-program the remote? If it's cheap I might be tempted, but putting the key in the lock is not a massive hardship.Keep an eye on the oil level, other than that should be no issues. Once the arches go bin the car but you can prolong the life of the arches with regular washing under the arches. The arch liners are basically carpet so trap salt and other road grime which rots the arches in no time.
The cars going to sit on the drive for a few weeks until I sell the current car, so I'll check all the fluids and probably just change the oil anyway.
Also looks like the HCV is buggered - the vents constantly blow hot, £30 for the part and an easy swap should not cause too many issues.
For £500 you can't go wrong. I scrapped mine at 128k, and it was knackered! I've got my CD6000 sat in the garage with code if you want it for postage. However get a proper head unit in there if you can, the ford one gets grumpy about which type of cdrw you use!
Watch out for slow moving windows. The seals dry up and the window doesn't flow. Vaseline every so often. If the back of the window starts to overtake the front when closing it then it doesnt seal and you get wet if I its raining...
Watch out for slow moving windows. The seals dry up and the window doesn't flow. Vaseline every so often. If the back of the window starts to overtake the front when closing it then it doesnt seal and you get wet if I its raining...
I've just scrapped one with 140,000 on the clock. I bought it for £150 a year ago, but a recent altercation with a huge Pigeon resulted in a big crack across the windscreen, which put it beyond economical repair for the MOT due in a month or so.
Engine was absolutely fine, I regularly ran from near Liverpool to Santa Pod and places like Plymouth with no problem, never used any oil. Just little things went wrong over the 12 months - various bits of interior trim seemed to go brittle and break off, the electric mirrors stopped working, remote central locking packed up (new battery and re-coding it into the system cured it for a couple of months - it's dead easy, just google it), things like that. What also killed mine was ever increasing rot underneath, a water leak from the bulkhead somewhere that resulted in a decent sized hole in the passenger side floorpan, and tyres that were well past their best and needing replacing before they became illegal.
Still, it was good fun for the 10,000 miles I put on it. I got £120 scrap for it, not bad really.
Engine was absolutely fine, I regularly ran from near Liverpool to Santa Pod and places like Plymouth with no problem, never used any oil. Just little things went wrong over the 12 months - various bits of interior trim seemed to go brittle and break off, the electric mirrors stopped working, remote central locking packed up (new battery and re-coding it into the system cured it for a couple of months - it's dead easy, just google it), things like that. What also killed mine was ever increasing rot underneath, a water leak from the bulkhead somewhere that resulted in a decent sized hole in the passenger side floorpan, and tyres that were well past their best and needing replacing before they became illegal.
Still, it was good fun for the 10,000 miles I put on it. I got £120 scrap for it, not bad really.
JQ said:
Already swapped the battery out and it's not that. How much is it likely to cost to re-program the remote? If it's cheap I might be tempted, but putting the key in the lock is not a massive hardship.
Also looks like the HCV is buggered - the vents constantly blow hot, £30 for the part and an easy swap should not cause too many issues.
Re-programming the key is easy as piss. Mine failed when the metal that makes the connection with the battery bent and so it was no longer making a connection, I just opened the key, bent it back and then reprogrammed it in the drive.Also looks like the HCV is buggered - the vents constantly blow hot, £30 for the part and an easy swap should not cause too many issues.
The internet said:
3 Button Key
Turn the ignition switch from position I to position II at least four times in six seconds.
Turn the ignition switch to position I.
The central security module is now in the learning mode.
Press and hold one of the buttons on the remote key until a chime sounds. This indicates a new key code has successfully received.
After each successful programming, another 10 second learning mode is automatically entered, up to a maximum of four times.
To program additional keys, repeat step 5.
The system will leave the learning mode after the ignition switch is turned to position III, or if no new key is programmed during the 10 seconds, or if four remote keys have been programmed.
However, when I done it it was slightly different. I turned the key SIX times within six seconds and then the fog light button light on the console came on. Turn the ignition switch from position I to position II at least four times in six seconds.
Turn the ignition switch to position I.
The central security module is now in the learning mode.
Press and hold one of the buttons on the remote key until a chime sounds. This indicates a new key code has successfully received.
After each successful programming, another 10 second learning mode is automatically entered, up to a maximum of four times.
To program additional keys, repeat step 5.
The system will leave the learning mode after the ignition switch is turned to position III, or if no new key is programmed during the 10 seconds, or if four remote keys have been programmed.
With the key only inserted in the ignition, but not turned, I then pressed a button on the key and the fog light button flashed. I then waited ten seconds for it to turn off, and the key worked fine, not had a problem since.
The HCV is easy enough to do but have some spare clips and be prepared to get covered in coolant. If your really lucky it will be nice and gunky
When you start to unclip the hoses the plastic WILL end up snapping inside the hoses from the old unit (spraying you with coolant) so most people buy new hoses when they do the job. However, being Mr Budget, I crimped the hoses so the plastic could not go down the hose into the coolant system and because it is so brittle, used a screwdriver to then break it apart, and remove it from the hose. Once your sure its all been removed you can then connect it all back up and get rid of any air bubbles etc as you would normally.
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