I got sold a Lemon, can I make lemonade ?

Feel I should mention mines a 75 so, down on power to the 90 to start with and a single mass flywheel!

Anyway. Today I did some bits. First off, a fantastic refurbished wiper arm from @depronman arrived so it was on with that.

BFBD8A6E-2B80-438C-8555-4ECFEDDFB437.jpeg



Whilst I had the scuttle off, I set about repairing the washer tubes that cracked and fell to pieces when I was doing everything else. Luckily some tube I had in the shed fit (with a bit of hot water!) but not so luckily, one of the jets has snapped off at the neck. They’re heated ones as well :(.

For now I’ve attached a tube and tied it off, so I can at least still use the drivers side one.

Next job was a service. I feel for context (and some light humour), I should include a section of the advert for this car.

EAD05FA1-0BD4-4E9A-B6C9-73030C29F71B.jpeg


Well, let’s dive into this.

Cosmetically “good condition”

0F4DCB44-146A-47FB-B5DC-84528F54054D.jpeg


You can see why I bought a service kit, despite the fact it says in the ad it’s “just been serviced”. And, sure enough….

64F131FD-9788-42A3-A16A-DF534A7533C6.jpeg


Without a doubt the WORST filters I’ve ever pulled from a car. The last stamp the car had is from 2016, and I have no reason to believe it’s had any service since then.

I also did the pollen filter, which was equally grim and covered my carpet in foliage.

As a final bit of loving, I put some of the millers ecomax into the tank. I am extremely sceptical about such wonder potions, as well as the way people say the car feels “much better” after a service. However, took the car for a spin and it is noticeably smoother. Very happy.

Tomorrow I’m going to attempt a deep clean before I jet off for a couple of day.
 
Feel I should mention mines a 75 so, down on power to the 90 to start with and a single mass flywheel!

Anyway. Today I did some bits. First off, a fantastic refurbished wiper arm from @depronman arrived so it was on with that.

View attachment 93135


Whilst I had the scuttle off, I set about repairing the washer tubes that cracked and fell to pieces when I was doing everything else. Luckily some tube I had in the shed fit (with a bit of hot water!) but not so luckily, one of the jets has snapped off at the neck. They’re heated ones as well :(.

For now I’ve attached a tube and tied it off, so I can at least still use the drivers side one.

Next job was a service. I feel for context (and some light humour), I should include a section of the advert for this car.

View attachment 93136

Well, let’s dive into this.

Cosmetically “good condition”

View attachment 93137

You can see why I bought a service kit, despite the fact it says in the ad it’s “just been serviced”. And, sure enough….

View attachment 93138

Without a doubt the WORST filters I’ve ever pulled from a car. The last stamp the car had is from 2016, and I have no reason to believe it’s had any service since then.

I also did the pollen filter, which was equally grim and covered my carpet in foliage.

As a final bit of loving, I put some of the millers ecomax into the tank. I am extremely sceptical about such wonder potions, as well as the way people say the car feels “much better” after a service. However, took the car for a spin and it is noticeably smoother. Very happy.

Tomorrow I’m going to attempt a deep clean before I jet off for a couple of day.

Have you not got the flame shell cover for the wiper arm ?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Feel I should mention mines a 75 so, down on power to the 90 to start with and a single mass flywheel!

Anyway. Today I did some bits. First off, a fantastic refurbished wiper arm from @depronman arrived so it was on with that.

View attachment 93135


Whilst I had the scuttle off, I set about repairing the washer tubes that cracked and fell to pieces when I was doing everything else. Luckily some tube I had in the shed fit (with a bit of hot water!) but not so luckily, one of the jets has snapped off at the neck. They’re heated ones as well :(.

For now I’ve attached a tube and tied it off, so I can at least still use the drivers side one.

Next job was a service. I feel for context (and some light humour), I should include a section of the advert for this car.

View attachment 93136

Well, let’s dive into this.

Cosmetically “good condition”

View attachment 93137

You can see why I bought a service kit, despite the fact it says in the ad it’s “just been serviced”. And, sure enough….

View attachment 93138

Without a doubt the WORST filters I’ve ever pulled from a car. The last stamp the car had is from 2016, and I have no reason to believe it’s had any service since then.

I also did the pollen filter, which was equally grim and covered my carpet in foliage.

As a final bit of loving, I put some of the millers ecomax into the tank. I am extremely sceptical about such wonder potions, as well as the way people say the car feels “much better” after a service. However, took the car for a spin and it is noticeably smoother. Very happy.

Tomorrow I’m going to attempt a deep clean before I jet off for a couple of day.
Did this guy sell you the car?

F47C3B46-F1AE-4DCA-9EB2-4550837E1B6E.jpeg
 
I have had similar, mine was listed as having had a new clutch and in fairness clutch feels fine with light pedal.
However a few months into ownership i decided to replace the noisey starter due to that trademark annoying squeal and the fact i got a new one for £28. Expected the old one to fall off when unbolted, far from it! It was fused solid and had to use a large plank of wood and lump hammer, which upon removal i noticed it had split the starter casing!

Bought a passat years ago with writing on strut top stating timing belt had been done 100 miles ago, complete lie (in fairness i never lifted the bonnet before purchase so was never a selling point)

At least you could see from the outset your seller was a complete and utter fabricator of the truth.

My findings, forum cars are the best to buy!

Edit:
so in my case i highly doubt its ever had a clutch!
 
Last edited:
Great work!
Has it had a timing belt recently? I think 100k or 10 years is the real interval but everyone must decide for themselves!
Isn't the timing belt interval 90.000 km (after 2004 120.000) or 5 years?

View attachment 93136

Well, let’s dive into this.

Cosmetically “good condition”

View attachment 93137

You can see why I bought a service kit, despite the fact it says in the ad it’s “just been serviced”. And, sure enough….

View attachment 93138

Without a doubt the WORST filters I’ve ever pulled from a car. The last stamp the car had is from 2016, and I have no reason to believe it’s had any service since then.

I also did the pollen filter, which was equally grim and covered my carpet in foliage.

As a final bit of loving, I put some of the millers ecomax into the tank. I am extremely sceptical about such wonder potions, as well as the way people say the car feels “much better” after a service. However, took the car for a spin and it is noticeably smoother. Very happy.

Tomorrow I’m going to attempt a deep clean before I jet off for a couple of day.
Woow, what a lie. I thought this was present more here in the Eastern Europe, but I see that the ''developed'' Western Europe is still an inch ahead :)...
 
Isn't the timing belt interval 90.000 km (after 2004 120.000) or 5 years?


Woow, what a lie. I thought this was present more here in the Eastern Europe, but I see that the ''developed'' Western Europe is still an inch ahead :)...
I personally agree that timing belts should be done every 5 years due to the nature of the materials used. So I’ll be doing it next year just to be sure!
 
We have ''lenghtent'' the service interval on my mothers petrol Fabia to 7 years without any problem, but the car has done only 35.000 km.
Of course this was a ''calculated risk'' ;), so this does not mean that no timing belt will break in 7 years and low miles ;).
 
Yeah I usually do an inspection after 5 years. It’s not a hard and fast rule, depends on if you want to keep the car, the costs, whether you’d get that back when you sell etc.

As a rule of thumb, I’d rather drive a car with a high mile belt than an old one!
 
I don't want excuses, I just want names. Names of whoever designed the suspension mounting points on this car. Oh, and the cups on the rear beam I had to cut to fit the adjusters. This is honestly the most painful car to work on! But I won’t be broken.

So I managed to get some JOM’s cheap with an eBay discount.

Anyway, here we are:

823C5405-3087-445B-83AB-7BE1BAF8FB4A.jpeg


Rear is too low, I hate reverse rake! But my fronts are max low and rears max high so, only 2 options to sort that. I’ll have a think. Probably change springs or machine a new adjusted on the rear, or a spacer.

Also has a new used 9n hub to fix the bearing issue up front!

Some worrying things found during my fitting:

1. The brand new wishbone on one side was completely loose on the inboard bolt, which was causing my wandering on the road.
2. The new brakes fitted were, for a want of a better word, cowboyed together. (Threaded bolts, no grease on the pins).
3. The hub nut was COMPLETELY loose. I could spin it with my finger. Obviously they re-used an old nut and it’s worked free which In tern killed the old hub.

Anyway, all the above is now sorted and it drives so much nicer!

6F74A560-CA19-4001-A9F1-2954B1050124.jpeg
 
With the rears being too low on the coilovers, I understand what you’ve done with the spring cup. The alternative some use is a longer bolt but I’m not sure how secure this is.

As you say, perhaps some spacers on the rear would be the best solution.

As for number 3 😮 That was a worrying one.
 
With the rears being too low on the coilovers, I understand what you’ve done with the spring cup. The alternative some use is a longer bolt but I’m not sure how secure this is.

As you say, perhaps some spacers on the rear would be the best solution.

As for number 3 😮 That was a worrying one.
Yes it’s sub-optimal, but I’d rather the base of the adjuster sits flat on the bottom of the spring holder. Just nicer to have more surface area in contact.

I think a spacer underneath might work…
 
Great work Jason 👏 maybe a comparison of how the old suspension rides compared to the new jom? Great video on gearbox change thanks for those videos, and great acknowledge the forum on there, it is special. Still the icing on the cake will be the headlining refurb 😆
 
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