Hi All,
Complete newbie here! No experience with cars or ever done anything to a car myself.. but really want to learn.
I've been looking for a budget campervan for a few weeks and really begrudge paying 8k for a totally knackered 20-yr old VW with 230k miles on the clock.
I've found a Mk5 Transit (think it's lwb), its a W reg 2.5L (76PS) banana engine and 160k miles on the clock. 11 months MOT but no service history or receipts. The guy selling is a part time dealer & took it in part-ex, the previous owner wanted something smaller.
MOT history check shows it passed last MOT with no advisories but it was off the road for a year before that, there were rust issues (not terrible considering it's age) shown in previous MOT's, which I'm assuming have been sorted during the "SORN" year. No sign of filler on the bodywork, door sills and steps look good. Time and money has been spent on the vehicle - I suspect it's been a project for somebody, it's had new panels all round, partial respray, reversing camera & camper conversion (still puzzled as to why no receipts though).
Checked underneath and the only rust I can see is inside the front wheel arches at the top towards the back - it is not extensive or severe and I think this could be sorted with new wheel arch liners.. Although I'm not sure if this is a load-bearing structural area?
Under the bonnet looks tidy enough although a little tatty, there appears to be a new plastic cover over the timing belt.
No signs of oil leaks underneath and she starts up first time. There is some black smoke initially when you turn the key and what looked perhaps like a slight a spattering of oil from the exhaust on the road.
Took her for a spin round the block and she drives like a tank. Accelerator felt like a brick. Gears hard to find. I am not used to driving a van though nevermind an old one. However there were no bangs, knocks or clatters. No creaks or knocks from the suspension. She was slow though, lacking power and juddered when I was changing gear, and there was a slight whine when I accelerated in 2nd gear - I genuinely don't know if that was my not being used to her or an indication of a problem.
Basically, I fell in love. I know that an 18 year old van with an unknown history isn't going to be perfect, but I don't want to end up with one that is either dangerous or unfixable due to rarity of parts etc. I'm prepared to invest a bit to get her running sweetly over the next 8/9 months before taking her out in summer 2019.
Whaddya reckon?
First thing if I bring her home is getting somebody to come over and give her a thorough inspection.
I'm based near Bolton, can you guys recommend anybody?
Much love,
Alicia.