Another ebay adventure, come along for the ride!
Discussion
I've been on ebay again and ended up winning a car after submitting a 'best offer' which I justified as it was a sufficiently low offer there was no way it would be accepted - but after a couple of messages back and forth with the seller to satisfy him I was serious and would actually turn up to collect the car, it was accepted.
The car was listed as a non runner, so naturally I have booked a one way train ticket to go and collect it, armed with a few essentials like a jump pack and my breakdown membership card I am hoping to drive it home but who knows?!
The 4.5hr train journey starts at 7am on Saturday, the seller kindly offered to collect me from the station. I'll do my best to update the thread 'en route' and in real time with mybreakdowns adventures.
I gather the done thing on these type of threads is to keep the tension up by not revealing the make and model of the car until I'm standing in front of it, but feel free to have a few guesses. If you need any clues then we'll start with the price - it's £1,000
The car was listed as a non runner, so naturally I have booked a one way train ticket to go and collect it, armed with a few essentials like a jump pack and my breakdown membership card I am hoping to drive it home but who knows?!
The 4.5hr train journey starts at 7am on Saturday, the seller kindly offered to collect me from the station. I'll do my best to update the thread 'en route' and in real time with my
I gather the done thing on these type of threads is to keep the tension up by not revealing the make and model of the car until I'm standing in front of it, but feel free to have a few guesses. If you need any clues then we'll start with the price - it's £1,000
Driver101 - not an mx5, but has the same number of seats!
It's German.
deadtom said:
you have to give us something to work with and keep us interested though...
displacement?
number of cylinders?
driven wheels?
nationality?
I do however admire your cavalier attitude when faced with 'non runner'
If I gave you all that then theres only 1 car that fits!displacement?
number of cylinders?
driven wheels?
nationality?
I do however admire your cavalier attitude when faced with 'non runner'
It's German.
Well I must have made the clues a bit too easy as a few of you have guessed correctly, and Clio007 went 10 steps further and found the actual car, top sleuthing indeed!
At least there is still some tension around whether or not the car makes it home!
I'm not looking forward to the 7am train, especially as I'm feeling a bit under the weather today and I get travel sick on trains at the best of times so it could prove to be an eventful trip!
Just got it insured on my classic policy for a grand total of £45 for the year which includes £25 admin fee!
At least there is still some tension around whether or not the car makes it home!
I'm not looking forward to the 7am train, especially as I'm feeling a bit under the weather today and I get travel sick on trains at the best of times so it could prove to be an eventful trip!
Just got it insured on my classic policy for a grand total of £45 for the year which includes £25 admin fee!
Well the adventure has begun. I almost postponed it as I was ill yesterday eve but a good night sleep made a world of difference!
Got the train at 7am, i've got a couple of changes but should get there by midday
Thanks toastyhamster for your very kind offer! I might have to take you up on that, I'll be in touch!
Got the train at 7am, i've got a couple of changes but should get there by midday
Thanks toastyhamster for your very kind offer! I might have to take you up on that, I'll be in touch!
Can't seem to get pictures to work 
Anyway - train was on time, seller collected me from the station.
Having spoken to the chap by email I knew the only reason it was listed as a non runner is because the battery was flat! So I brought a jump pack with me and managed to get it running. Went indoors to do the paperwork and stupidly left the jump pack connected up so it drained all its juice and I couldn't restart it!!
Cue a call to the AA who got it going, at which point the seller handed me back £80 and said to buy a new battery for it! Top bloke!
Currently on the way back home and it drives lovely, it's a fair bit quicker then I thought it would be too.
The car came with a whole heap of history including a £2.2k bill from July this year where all the suspension and brakes were renewed!
Got a cracking buy.
Ob and theres a tiny bit of oil smoke on startup but it clears very quickly - definitely the AOS.
Anyway - train was on time, seller collected me from the station.
Having spoken to the chap by email I knew the only reason it was listed as a non runner is because the battery was flat! So I brought a jump pack with me and managed to get it running. Went indoors to do the paperwork and stupidly left the jump pack connected up so it drained all its juice and I couldn't restart it!!
Cue a call to the AA who got it going, at which point the seller handed me back £80 and said to buy a new battery for it! Top bloke!
Currently on the way back home and it drives lovely, it's a fair bit quicker then I thought it would be too.
The car came with a whole heap of history including a £2.2k bill from July this year where all the suspension and brakes were renewed!
Got a cracking buy.
Ob and theres a tiny bit of oil smoke on startup but it clears very quickly - definitely the AOS.
A long overdue update, apologies!
I've been a bit under the weather, obviously the excitement of buying such a cracking car
I don't mean to be smug, but the more I look the better this car gets, I'm half expecting to find a gold bar if I look under the seats!
I went through the history paperwork that I got with the car and since May 2019 the car has had £5843.51 spent on it, yep you read that right - yet I paid just £920 for it, the mind boggles!
In May 2019 it had a new Alarm Control Unit, New Key fob with blade, all programmed to the car and the existing key programmed to new ACU, done at a Porsche specialist in Dorset - £1224.18
In July 2019, at a Porsche Specialist in Birstall it had, Major Service with plugs - new N/S roof drip pan - rear discs, pads, sensors and dampening discs and handbrake shoes - rear ARB bushes and droplinks - Both PreCAT lambdas - brake light switch - front to rear brake pipes - coil packs and plug tubes - window adjustment - £2319.21
Also in July 2019 at the same place - Front shocks, springs, top mounts, bump stops and stem washers - Rear shocks, top mounts and tuning forks - 4 wheel alignment - £1910.77
In August 2019 at the same place - Replace O/S window regulator and door membrane - £389.35
Some general observations from the drive home and a short journey today...
I really like the car, Boxsters have never been on my radar and I've never really been interested in them but having driven one has really changed my opinion - I'm certainly not going to go out and buy a Porsche branded cap and shirt to wear whilst driving though
As mentioned earlier, it's a fair bit quicker then I'd thought it would be being a 2.5, particularly above about 4k rpm.
All the gears seem really tall, except 5th which seems quite short in comparison!
Other people really do hate Boxsters on the road - the number of people who would refuse to move out of L2 when L1 was empty on dual carriage ways was astonishing, one guy was even waving his arms around in anger!
Good points about the car:
1, It drives really nicely (with 1 or two minor exceptions), like a brand new car really, owing to all the recent suspension work no doubt.
2, Interior is in really good condition, the car came with replacements for any broken parts (new doorcard as 1 doorbin is broken, new visor as 1 is broken, new stereo knobs as they are sticky/worn). Also came with a proper outdoor car cover and a spare remote key.
3, Brakes feel really nice, almost like having the control of no servo assistance but with the lightness of servo assistance.
4, It's really good on fuel!
Bad points:
1, Something isn't right with the gearshift/stick - it's doesn't like to move side to side.
2, Engine doesn't like to idle when cold - it tries to idle too low (below 500rpm) and stalls - holding the revs at 1200rpm for 20 seconds or so will then see it idle ok with a bit of hunting.
3, Something squeaks on startup - sounds like a belt
4, There is a rattle from the front which sounds like an ARB droplink, but I'm not sure it is as it's only present when the car is warm after a long journey - possibly steering arm or track rod end? (Note ARB droplinks are absent from the suspension work above - so probably worth me doing them).
To answer some of the previous posters (I can't do the multiquote thingy)...
The seller did mention that my offer was the lowest one he had on ebay, but I was also the only one to email him in normal english, detailing when I could collect and that I am a serious buyer etc - he said that is what swung it for him as the other offers either had no messages with them or were the usual 'wats ur best price mate'.
He clearly listed it so as to receive no possible comeback as the advert was far more negative then the real picture. I've not been over the bodywork properly yet (as it's not stopped raining) but I certainly can't see 'dents and scratches on every panel'. There is a badly painted bit on the N/S front wing and the paint has faded in some parts, but it looks straight on initial viewing. Similarly the smoke on startup is a very small amount, as in it clears within seconds and doesn't reappear whilst driving - I have already bought a new AOS so will replace it anyway as it does need doing but it's certainly not a show stopper! After the long drive home the battery has held up overnight and it started up fine this morning, so I'll see if it lasts over the coming weeks but looks promising.
Apologies for the lack of photos, firstly as you can tell from the 1 picture I did post (badly) - I've smashed my phone camera lens so the pictures are appalling, secondly I couldn't get the image upload function to work and it's a right faff having to upload the photos to an image hosting website and them embed them here. I will get some decent pics on the camera this week and get them uploaded
I did buy the car planning to get it running, fix it up, use it for a few weeks and then sell it on for a few quid profit, but as the car is so nice to drive I may have to alter those plans and hang on to it a bit longer!
I've been a bit under the weather, obviously the excitement of buying such a cracking car
I don't mean to be smug, but the more I look the better this car gets, I'm half expecting to find a gold bar if I look under the seats!
I went through the history paperwork that I got with the car and since May 2019 the car has had £5843.51 spent on it, yep you read that right - yet I paid just £920 for it, the mind boggles!
In May 2019 it had a new Alarm Control Unit, New Key fob with blade, all programmed to the car and the existing key programmed to new ACU, done at a Porsche specialist in Dorset - £1224.18
In July 2019, at a Porsche Specialist in Birstall it had, Major Service with plugs - new N/S roof drip pan - rear discs, pads, sensors and dampening discs and handbrake shoes - rear ARB bushes and droplinks - Both PreCAT lambdas - brake light switch - front to rear brake pipes - coil packs and plug tubes - window adjustment - £2319.21
Also in July 2019 at the same place - Front shocks, springs, top mounts, bump stops and stem washers - Rear shocks, top mounts and tuning forks - 4 wheel alignment - £1910.77
In August 2019 at the same place - Replace O/S window regulator and door membrane - £389.35
Some general observations from the drive home and a short journey today...
I really like the car, Boxsters have never been on my radar and I've never really been interested in them but having driven one has really changed my opinion - I'm certainly not going to go out and buy a Porsche branded cap and shirt to wear whilst driving though
As mentioned earlier, it's a fair bit quicker then I'd thought it would be being a 2.5, particularly above about 4k rpm.
All the gears seem really tall, except 5th which seems quite short in comparison!
Other people really do hate Boxsters on the road - the number of people who would refuse to move out of L2 when L1 was empty on dual carriage ways was astonishing, one guy was even waving his arms around in anger!
Good points about the car:
1, It drives really nicely (with 1 or two minor exceptions), like a brand new car really, owing to all the recent suspension work no doubt.
2, Interior is in really good condition, the car came with replacements for any broken parts (new doorcard as 1 doorbin is broken, new visor as 1 is broken, new stereo knobs as they are sticky/worn). Also came with a proper outdoor car cover and a spare remote key.
3, Brakes feel really nice, almost like having the control of no servo assistance but with the lightness of servo assistance.
4, It's really good on fuel!
Bad points:
1, Something isn't right with the gearshift/stick - it's doesn't like to move side to side.
2, Engine doesn't like to idle when cold - it tries to idle too low (below 500rpm) and stalls - holding the revs at 1200rpm for 20 seconds or so will then see it idle ok with a bit of hunting.
3, Something squeaks on startup - sounds like a belt
4, There is a rattle from the front which sounds like an ARB droplink, but I'm not sure it is as it's only present when the car is warm after a long journey - possibly steering arm or track rod end? (Note ARB droplinks are absent from the suspension work above - so probably worth me doing them).
To answer some of the previous posters (I can't do the multiquote thingy)...
The seller did mention that my offer was the lowest one he had on ebay, but I was also the only one to email him in normal english, detailing when I could collect and that I am a serious buyer etc - he said that is what swung it for him as the other offers either had no messages with them or were the usual 'wats ur best price mate'.
He clearly listed it so as to receive no possible comeback as the advert was far more negative then the real picture. I've not been over the bodywork properly yet (as it's not stopped raining) but I certainly can't see 'dents and scratches on every panel'. There is a badly painted bit on the N/S front wing and the paint has faded in some parts, but it looks straight on initial viewing. Similarly the smoke on startup is a very small amount, as in it clears within seconds and doesn't reappear whilst driving - I have already bought a new AOS so will replace it anyway as it does need doing but it's certainly not a show stopper! After the long drive home the battery has held up overnight and it started up fine this morning, so I'll see if it lasts over the coming weeks but looks promising.
Apologies for the lack of photos, firstly as you can tell from the 1 picture I did post (badly) - I've smashed my phone camera lens so the pictures are appalling, secondly I couldn't get the image upload function to work and it's a right faff having to upload the photos to an image hosting website and them embed them here. I will get some decent pics on the camera this week and get them uploaded
I did buy the car planning to get it running, fix it up, use it for a few weeks and then sell it on for a few quid profit, but as the car is so nice to drive I may have to alter those plans and hang on to it a bit longer!
A small update, but no pictures I'm afraid!
I've done a few jobs on the car this weekend, I changes the Air Oil seperator which was a really easy job and only took an hour, no more smoke from the exhaust
I also removed the front bumper and cleaned out the radiator ducts of leaves and mud. Removed the front bumper trims and painted them black with plastic paint, just waiting for them to properly dry before refitting the bumper.
I also did a 200 mile drive over the Brecons and back to see a friend, the car was great and had a very enjoyable drive.
I'll sort some pictures asap to keep you all interested
I've done a few jobs on the car this weekend, I changes the Air Oil seperator which was a really easy job and only took an hour, no more smoke from the exhaust
I also removed the front bumper and cleaned out the radiator ducts of leaves and mud. Removed the front bumper trims and painted them black with plastic paint, just waiting for them to properly dry before refitting the bumper.
I also did a 200 mile drive over the Brecons and back to see a friend, the car was great and had a very enjoyable drive.
I'll sort some pictures asap to keep you all interested
An update to end the thread...
I sold the boxster!
I had fun using it but unfortunately wasn't able to use it much as after 20 minutes of driving I'd end up with a bad back, little seat adjustment options being 6'6". Each time I got a bad back my enthusiasm for the car waned a little more so I wasn't all that sad to see it go.
I'm still amazed at what a nice and sorted car the boxster is, having never been on my radar previously I'm very pleased to have experienced it especially with such a positive outcome.
I sold it to a chap from France who collected it a couple of weeks ago.
I sold the spare steering wheel that came with it for £350 and the car for £2700 so am very pleased and has left me with a nice budget to get the bathroom refitted!
I sold the boxster!
I had fun using it but unfortunately wasn't able to use it much as after 20 minutes of driving I'd end up with a bad back, little seat adjustment options being 6'6". Each time I got a bad back my enthusiasm for the car waned a little more so I wasn't all that sad to see it go.
I'm still amazed at what a nice and sorted car the boxster is, having never been on my radar previously I'm very pleased to have experienced it especially with such a positive outcome.
I sold it to a chap from France who collected it a couple of weeks ago.
I sold the spare steering wheel that came with it for £350 and the car for £2700 so am very pleased and has left me with a nice budget to get the bathroom refitted!
Bashiar0 said:
Question about the AOS, you said it took you an hour to do? Is it really that easy as I'm thinking of tackling mine at some point.
Yes it really was that simple. If you are ever down south near Bristol then you are more then welcome to call in to my workshop and I'll show you how it's done Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff