2nd Gear

[massari]

Hello, I just purchased a 2002 Transit from an auction, it cost £2100 in total, I was hussled as I thought it was one on the list book, but apparently they advertise ones not in the list book! It has 177,000 on the clock and the gear box won't go into second gear (it stalls) and there is no service with it. I didn't move the van from the auction house and told them to put it back in to the next sale, I suspect ill loose up to £1000, hopefully only 700, as my fees to the auctioneers was 600. The actual bid was £1550. Do you think its worth me keeping and fixing and using for a year and then selling on? Or do you think ill just have more and more problems?

I was thinking I could fix the gear box but don't know how much it would cost, does anyone have a general idea, and also what do you thinks best I do? As I know nothing of vans!

Thank you

Massari

[AndyG]

Wow That's a lot of fees to pay and now loose
I'd shop around for another box (fitted) If the rest of the van is nice/what you wanted

So does it move in other gears or just 1st gear

[massari]

Yes it moves in the other gears, not sure if I checked them all, but I belive so, I drove it fine, just going from 1st to 3rd ignoring second, don't remember if I went all the way up the gear box, used reverse as well. Also it needed jump starting - I suspect it had gone through a few auctions there! I can explain the whole story but will take you a while to read!

I'm a mobile valeter, however I've been working from my car, and decided it was time to get a van, as I havn't had much repeat custom(less then 5%) and really struggling to make even minimum wage, i'm hoping having a van will make me look more professional.

I decided to buy from a Manhiem auction, so I thought I'd get familiar with the auction process at Manheim and get a general feel and understanding for how the process works, I had been looking and looking and looking, I found what was in my price range and after 5/6 visits (to the Manhiem Mansfield and Leeds Commercial Vans auctions) I decided to go and bid on a van. I was planning on getting one with FSH and under 100K on the clock as I know they went for £2,000 for an 02 Transit (before fees). I arrived a little late to the auction, and I was rushing through the list of vans, the transits on the listings for the days auctions all had lowish mileage (110K or less), as the vans were going through they all had a lot number and a sheet on the front, to let you know the basics (what service History, 3 day warranty or not, mileage warranted or not etc).

One van came along, and it had no information on it, the sheet was missing, I didn't hear the auctioneer say anything about the basic details, and while I was looking at it in those few seconds, bidding started, im not sure if it was just one person bidding, but in the heat of the moment I bid! Before I knew it I had won the van. I instantly realised I'd been hustled, but in the spur of the moment foolishly bid. Soon after I bid, I found out it had 177,000 on the clock, I thought this is really bad, but I don't think theres anything I can do, so just take the van, so I got it jump started and soon as I wanted to drive off stalled as it squealed and grinded as I tried to get it into second gear.

I left the vehicle there and complained to the manager that there was no infomation on the vehicle and that it should have had the slip on it like all the others with the basics, as I would never have bid if I knew the mileage was so high, and I assumed it would be in the list for vans for sale on that auction day so wont have blooming 177K on the clock. He simply said, our vehicles are sold as seen. So I accepted.

The Specification sheet is as follows:

Ford Transit 280 FWD 2.0TDi
2002 Number Plate
177,513 Mileage not warranted
White
with V5 - no service history

Sales Price: £1550.00
VAT: £271.25
Manhiem Charge: £249.28
Total Paid £2077.75

How do I make good of this mess

[blockerpaver87]

auctions aint cheap it seems you have just rushed look on autotrader these vans are getting alot cheaper id just take it and sell for what you can letting people know whats wrong with it and get what you can then just buy another1 with what money you have

[massari]

Ok thanks, yes I did rush into it! So you think best thing is not to repair, simply let people know the problems, Im not cut out for auctions need to by private next time!

[massari]

Spoke to a mechanic today and he said, he may have a gear box for it, as he had one out of a V plate (Year 2000) 2.5 litre Transit (not sure if he said it was petrol, where as mines diesel), he said hes not 100% but if the van has the same gear box, he will be able to replace it and the clutch for £350, if not its going to cost £600, he said that even with the mileage it might be worth the first option of £350 and then using if for a year, then selling it on. Ill be putting signage on the van too at an extra cost of £100. so total cost will be £450 above current purchase price.

What do you think about that? AndyG? I thought if its only £350 then its a chance to make a good deal of a bad investment. The van is in ok condition, sure its dirty got a few scuffs and areas touched up, but on the whole looks ok.

[ake]

Gearbox from a MK5 wont fit a FWD MK6 You might want to get a better mechanic

[AndyG]

So it may need a battery (or it's been sitting around so long with this fault)

I think it's still a goer as it's really only the box

It's yours now Check the rest of it out ( use it as it is to "get going")

Bought at auction and it's now up to you to fix it and use it

You would have paid a lot more, had you bought it from a dealer, so don't regret it

Would be interesting to find out exactly why 2nd gear is either engaging with another gear, or if the known bolt that comes loose on the selector was replaced without finding the original one and caused 2nd gear to lock up
Not sure if the cables being out of sync could cause this, but somehow doubt it

[Ollie]

You own it and it works so it could be worse, whilst you may have bebn hustled I'd phone arpound some braekers theres got to be good box out there cheap and any clutch place will swap it for you.

My local gearbox place does a complete rebuild for around £800 fitted if its lunched the case and all. so the fact it drives at all could be a good sign, in which case it could well cost a lot less, even if you don't particularly want to keep it its prob a better deal to get it independantly checked and quoted before throwing it away


ollie

[massari]

Ok thats good advice from all of you.

I think Ill take it out from auction (ill have to wait until Tuesday morning), and then if I can, drive it straight to my mechanics (the mechanic I spoke to today, happened to be a mechanic I don't normally use, but seeing as I noticed he was working on a Sunday, I thought it's worth speaking to him). Ill keep you updated on it, if I manage to get it to home, and what the mechanics say. Right now I feel like I want to own it for at least the next year.

Thank you all for your comments and advice.

[massari]

Also Ollie, thats a really nice van you have! Would love a classic, but im sure in my hands, would mean more problems then benefits

[sc_BK]

It might just be the gear cables?

[massari]

Ok, whatever you guys think it may be, ill print off this page and show it to the mechanic, thanks for all the help

[massari]

Hey guys, took the van to two mechanics, first one wasn't trained in these models (as he has retired), but said it needs a new alternator, but was unsure on the gear box, he did manage to get it into second gear simply by shifting quickly into the gear, but this worked only 70% of the time, but felt smooth when it did.


second mechanic said it was the "turret, seletors and cables" that needed changing around the gear box and that the cables were damaged from using the vehicle while the issue was there, and that he suspected the alternator was fine, it was the battery that was gone. He said even if you fix this these there is a chance the gear box is damaged, his price was £700+ (plus gear box if neccsary).

Can anyone spread any light on what these specific parts are? I was thinking of going on Ebay and getting them to install used gear, rather then new? If not its back to auction, and ill buy a van privately with less then 100K on the clock.

Thank you

[AndyG]

he did manage to get it into second gear simply by shifting quickly into the gear

I thought you said it stalls in 2nd

Or are you selecting 4th unintentionally