What to look for - 1.6 Saxo VTR

[CB125T]

Might be looking at an X reg Saxo VTR soon, any ideas what problems I should look for?? Car is £600, 97k miles, it's got tax and MOT until summer next year. Reckon it's a bit of a low price?

Thanks

[jasongtr]

spend the extra and get the vts - much better

[Baryonyx]

Sounds about right. mate of mine bought one for that much last year, all it needed was discs and pads. There is little to go wrong on these cars, really. Very old fashioned design, and all the better for it. Check the rear beam isn't rotten. That is the biggest killer of these cars. It's a cheap-ish fix, but you'd be better off buying a car with the rear beam in good order.

Otherwise, check for rust, check the history to make sure it hasn't been written off, check for accident damage - that's about it!

[Northernchimp]

Look out for a 106 GTI

[Baryonyx]

And yes, I'd personally spend a bit more on a 106 GTi, a VTS or a 106 Rallye if you can stretch to it.

[jasongtr]

agreed, i had a VTS about 13 years ago when it was a little over a year old, went with it as it was cheaper than the 106gti, don't be fooled by the book speed 0-60 as the saxo shows its quicker but only due to it having a longer 2nd gear and hitting 60 without going into 3rd.

[Meltham Terrier]

It will have been thrashed within an inch of it's life.

Check all the usual.
Shocks
Steering
Clutch wear
Service records
Tyre wear
Rust in wheel arches, sills and boot floor

Should be cheap to fix though.

Also check paint work for colour match, panel gap and over spray, this car is likely to have seen the odd bush or too and not just the trimmed type either.

To make it go faster take the tonne of speakers out of the boot.

[Baryonyx]

Meltham Terrier said:

It will have been thrashed within an inch of it's life.

The good thing about TU engines though, if you keep thrashing it as it is accustomed to, it will go on forever!

[P I Staker]

Look for the front inner wings being corroded under the ECU tray on the drivers side and the fuse box on the passenger side. Look under the boot carpet and in the rear wheel arches for rust.

Stand back and try and see if either of the rear wheels have camber, any camber indicates knackered trailing arm bearings. Feel for play in the gear linkage also listen for clicking CVs and a whiny gearbox. They're bad for sticky idle control valves....

That's all I can think of just now.

ETA: Parts for these cars are generally very cheap, they are also very simple to work on so bare that in mind if there's any small problems with the car.

Edited by P I Staker on Sunday 3rd November 20:21

[P I Staker]

jasongtr said:

agreed, i had a VTS about 13 years ago when it was a little over a year old, went with it as it was cheaper than the 106gti, don't be fooled by the book speed 0-60 as the saxo shows its quicker but only due to it having a longer 2nd gear and hitting 60 without going into 3rd.

GTI and VTS gearboxes have the same ratios.

[itcaptainslow]

Oil leaks from the head gasket on the timing side of the engine. Easy to spot.

[Baryonyx]

P I Staker said:

GTI and VTS gearboxes have the same ratios.

Did they not have different 0-60 times? I'm sure the VTS had a longer second, and that Peugeot purposely stymied the 106 GTi in tests (doing the stats with a passenger and half a tank of fuel). Of course, all of these cars feel stronger and faster than their book figures suggest, something massaged by their impeccable handling.

[budfox]

Look for one that has already has a sunstrip with "Darren" written on it. People will assume that regardless, and you'll get a warm feeling knowing that you've confirmed their suspicion.

[jasongtr]

whilst i cannot be bothered to look the info up to prove you wrong, the vas was 7.7 to 60 iirc, the 106 gti was over 8 secs

they are not the same

[P I Staker]

Baryonyx said:

P I Staker said:

GTI and VTS gearboxes have the same ratios.

Did they not have different 0-60 times? I'm sure the VTS had a longer second, and that Peugeot purposely stymied the 106 GTi in tests (doing the stats with a passenger and half a tank of fuel). Of course, all of these cars feel stronger and faster than their book figures suggest, something massaged by their impeccable handling.

I just looked it up and you're right, the GTI shows as nearly a second slower to 60 then the VTS.

It's not in the gear ratios though.

[jasongtr]

ok so i can be bothered

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2013...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2013...

[jasongtr]

def the 2nd gear is longer allowing it to get to 60 in second on the vts, i looked into it when i bought a nearly new one

Edited by jasongtr on Sunday 3rd November 20:30

[P I Staker]

jasongtr said:

def the 2nd gear is longer allowing it to get to 60 in second on the vts, i looked into it when i bought a nearly new one

Edited by jasongtr on Sunday 3rd November 20:30

I have a file with all the gear ratios in it for these cars, because I'm just that sort of guy.

GTi/VTS
1st - 3.471
2nd - 1.95
3rd - 1.36
4th - 1.05
5th - .85
FD - 3.938

[jasongtr]

care to explain if its not the gearbox and the engines are identical how one is a fair bit quicker then?

[s m]

jasongtr said:

care to explain if its not the gearbox and the engines are identical how one is a fair bit quicker then?

Where are you getting the timings from? Were they done with the same fuel load, driver and passenger, same tester, same track surface, same track conditions, same temperature, same tyres?