Bungz first Dub - £250 Polo
Discussion
Been off here for a while, think my last thread was for my old Mk1 Octavia disaster.
I say disaster it still has a MOT and it still gets used but yeah if this gives me anywhere near as much hassle its going for scrap!
Anyway.
So I was flicking through FB market place while at work and had a gander at a very cheap Polo, usually I can discount a listing in a few seconds but this one looked fairly sound.
Recent MOT failure and was being sold for scrap value. Power steering fault and a coil spring. That was it.
Messaged the bloke and I think he was inundated with local takeaway drivers asking him for best price so he was happy to hold it for me till I got out of work.
Popped down and it seemed solid enough, very clean for its 21 years. So I took it.
Quick call to my dear old mum who lived a few miles down the road that I would be parking this on her drive and off I went.
Its a 1.9 SDI Polo Twist, has central locking, electric windows and air con ( which is in working order! ) and a cassette deck. Lovely.
What wasn't so lovely was the power steering worked when it wanted which made junctions a bit spicey but we got her home.

Think the MOT station had given the Gent I bought it off the impression it was a shagged rack. But it didn't really feel like that, just felt a bit heavy and under assisted at times rather than typically notchy or rough.
There also wasn't much online about failed racks or pumps on this era of VW.
No header tank or pump on the AUX belt, so did some digging as to where it all might be as I could see it was a hydraulic rack.
Can you spy it?

Seems Ze Germans thought putting it under the battery tray was the best spot.

And it was bone dry.
.
Luckily I was armed with a 5.99 bottle of Amazon fluid I bought on the off chance it was just a top up, slugged all that in and then put all battery box and associated plastics back.
Steering all sorted!
I will look out for leaks but there hasn't been any puddles so far.
Currently its on stands awaiting new front springs, had hoped I would get away with just a set of springs but top mounts were pooched and the strut is stiff on extension but pretty easy to compress.
Did contemplate putting a pair of 29.99 Starline ECP specials on it but I had messing with spring compressors so took the do it once attitude and got a pair of Sachs ones.

Not bad eh?
Well there is a little bit of a catch.
There is a super suspicious bit of sill behind the front drivers wheel that the MOT tester obviously didn't want to acknowledge.



Ahh!
I have a mig welder so will get a pattern sill and cut all that end off I think and make good it it despite the fact I reckon I could chance it by putting the arch cover back down! Its largely under a load of stone chip so shouldn't be too hard to make a half decent job out of it. The wing will prob need replacing but that's not important right now.
Will update as I go along!
I say disaster it still has a MOT and it still gets used but yeah if this gives me anywhere near as much hassle its going for scrap!
Anyway.
So I was flicking through FB market place while at work and had a gander at a very cheap Polo, usually I can discount a listing in a few seconds but this one looked fairly sound.
Recent MOT failure and was being sold for scrap value. Power steering fault and a coil spring. That was it.
Messaged the bloke and I think he was inundated with local takeaway drivers asking him for best price so he was happy to hold it for me till I got out of work.
Popped down and it seemed solid enough, very clean for its 21 years. So I took it.
Quick call to my dear old mum who lived a few miles down the road that I would be parking this on her drive and off I went.
Its a 1.9 SDI Polo Twist, has central locking, electric windows and air con ( which is in working order! ) and a cassette deck. Lovely.
What wasn't so lovely was the power steering worked when it wanted which made junctions a bit spicey but we got her home.
Think the MOT station had given the Gent I bought it off the impression it was a shagged rack. But it didn't really feel like that, just felt a bit heavy and under assisted at times rather than typically notchy or rough.
There also wasn't much online about failed racks or pumps on this era of VW.
No header tank or pump on the AUX belt, so did some digging as to where it all might be as I could see it was a hydraulic rack.
Can you spy it?
Seems Ze Germans thought putting it under the battery tray was the best spot.
And it was bone dry.
.
Luckily I was armed with a 5.99 bottle of Amazon fluid I bought on the off chance it was just a top up, slugged all that in and then put all battery box and associated plastics back.
Steering all sorted!

Currently its on stands awaiting new front springs, had hoped I would get away with just a set of springs but top mounts were pooched and the strut is stiff on extension but pretty easy to compress.
Did contemplate putting a pair of 29.99 Starline ECP specials on it but I had messing with spring compressors so took the do it once attitude and got a pair of Sachs ones.
Not bad eh?
Well there is a little bit of a catch.
There is a super suspicious bit of sill behind the front drivers wheel that the MOT tester obviously didn't want to acknowledge.
Ahh!
I have a mig welder so will get a pattern sill and cut all that end off I think and make good it it despite the fact I reckon I could chance it by putting the arch cover back down! Its largely under a load of stone chip so shouldn't be too hard to make a half decent job out of it. The wing will prob need replacing but that's not important right now.
Will update as I go along!
Righty
I finished up the front end refresh, new struts springs top mounts arms drop links and rear arm bushes. Oh and track rod ends and cv boots! Should drive like new when its had an alignment.



Lovely, now lets patch the bit of rot in the end of the sill....
Oh ffs



Righty better get fabbing some solid metal in with my none existent metal work and welding skills!
Had a few goes but ended up quite happy with the inner sill repair, nobody will ever see it but it needs to be solid again.



Zapped the new pattern part sill on, which is galv so should hopefully last a few years. Definitely can be done with a cheap flux welder but i would get a gas set up if i tackled it again it was a bit messy. But hey ho learning curv.






Not too bad! Few things I would do differently but its come out ok, hopefully last a while before I need do mess with it again.
Need an evening to put all the arch liners and trims back then its MOT time!
I finished up the front end refresh, new struts springs top mounts arms drop links and rear arm bushes. Oh and track rod ends and cv boots! Should drive like new when its had an alignment.
Lovely, now lets patch the bit of rot in the end of the sill....
Oh ffs
Righty better get fabbing some solid metal in with my none existent metal work and welding skills!
Had a few goes but ended up quite happy with the inner sill repair, nobody will ever see it but it needs to be solid again.
Zapped the new pattern part sill on, which is galv so should hopefully last a few years. Definitely can be done with a cheap flux welder but i would get a gas set up if i tackled it again it was a bit messy. But hey ho learning curv.
Not too bad! Few things I would do differently but its come out ok, hopefully last a while before I need do mess with it again.
Need an evening to put all the arch liners and trims back then its MOT time!
bungz said:
What wasn't so lovely was the power steering worked when it wanted which made junctions a bit spicey but we got her home.
Think the MOT station had given the Gent I bought it off the impression it was a shagged rack. But it didn't really feel like that, just felt a bit heavy and under assisted at times rather than typically notchy or rough.
There also wasn't much online about failed racks or pumps on this era of VW.
No header tank or pump on the AUX belt, so did some digging as to where it all might be as I could see it was a hydraulic rack.
Can you spy it?
I had a SEAT Ibiza of a similar age. It had hydraulic power steering driven by an electric motor and the reservoir was hidden like yours as it was apparently sealed for life (or at least not a maintenance item). During the warranty the steering got intermittently heavy, so the dealer topped up the hydraulic fluid. Outside the warranty it re-occurred and a specialist swapped out what they said was a leaking rack.Think the MOT station had given the Gent I bought it off the impression it was a shagged rack. But it didn't really feel like that, just felt a bit heavy and under assisted at times rather than typically notchy or rough.
There also wasn't much online about failed racks or pumps on this era of VW.
No header tank or pump on the AUX belt, so did some digging as to where it all might be as I could see it was a hydraulic rack.
Can you spy it?
trevalvole said:
I had a SEAT Ibiza of a similar age. It had hydraulic power steering driven by an electric motor and the reservoir was hidden like yours as it was apparently sealed for life (or at least not a maintenance item). During the warranty the steering got intermittently heavy, so the dealer topped up the hydraulic fluid. Outside the warranty it re-occurred and a specialist swapped out what they said was a leaking rack.
Had a good look around the rack and there is no evidence of a leak but the fluid has definitely gone somewhere.I feel there is some residue around the lid of the rest so hopefully it's just that. I think that's the idea that they never get messed with but in my experience with other older cars it's a good idea to flush it out as it's usually black.
Again no leaks as yet so will keep fingers crossed.
So after getting it to the stage where I thought I could chance a MOT I chucked it in...

No advisories will do me

Now I fully intend to turn this into my go to steed for work and social duties, I had a trip to the Cotswolds to do and I thought I would double check the cam belt interval..
It was done only 30K ago but in 2015..I thought that might be on the ten year limit and we would be ok for the next few months. A quick look around on the web seemed to think the interval was half that at4 or 5 years.
Best do it then..

Worlds cheapest cam locking tool off eBay which didn't even remotely fit, had to file it down about a mill or so, luckily I had a bit of wet and dry on a bit of glass from another job took a while but its perfect now.

Pump is locked via a 6mm drill bit. There is a handy window on the bell housing for the crank timing.
So as I havent done one of these before thought I would photo the tensioner position.

its completely off its mark, the raised marker should line up with the gap, there was zero tension on it at all! When I undid the bolt the tensioner didnt move, usually they spring back. Was all tight and the spring wasnt broken so must have been like that for the last ten years!

New belt on and that's how I think it should all look! New genuine waterpump on too.
I have a copy of vagcom on a old laptop and slackened the pump sprocket off and after a few goes got that timed up nicely.


All good!
Most recent job was to wetvac the manky seats...


Hmmm arse !


Came up well.
Have done a few long runs, last tank returned this...

Am aiming for 70!
More jobs to do but thats it for now
No advisories will do me


Now I fully intend to turn this into my go to steed for work and social duties, I had a trip to the Cotswolds to do and I thought I would double check the cam belt interval..
It was done only 30K ago but in 2015..I thought that might be on the ten year limit and we would be ok for the next few months. A quick look around on the web seemed to think the interval was half that at4 or 5 years.
Best do it then..
Worlds cheapest cam locking tool off eBay which didn't even remotely fit, had to file it down about a mill or so, luckily I had a bit of wet and dry on a bit of glass from another job took a while but its perfect now.
Pump is locked via a 6mm drill bit. There is a handy window on the bell housing for the crank timing.
So as I havent done one of these before thought I would photo the tensioner position.

New belt on and that's how I think it should all look! New genuine waterpump on too.
I have a copy of vagcom on a old laptop and slackened the pump sprocket off and after a few goes got that timed up nicely.
All good!
Most recent job was to wetvac the manky seats...

Hmmm arse !
Came up well.
Have done a few long runs, last tank returned this...
Am aiming for 70!
More jobs to do but thats it for now

Looks good! I bought one of these brand new in late 2003 to thrash up and down the M40 4 days a week. Didn’t put a foot wrong; service light didn’t come on until 24,000 miles at which point circumstances changed and I traded it in. Habitually got mid-50s mpg, and those were the days when you could sustain 90-odd mph through the Oxfordshire and Warwickshire stretch!
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