General Buying a Coupe...

[paulmacs]

Me and a Coupe loving friend, we both want one, have found a pristine year 2000 20v Turbo+ in black with leather and full service history, A+ condition, low miles which we are considering buying together.

Amazingly we have just found out that insurance for us both on this car is coming in at under a grand!!! Im 22, she is 24. Thats GOOD!

We both have cars, me a Stilo and she a VW Beetle (original) and want this to keep as its perfect and just use it for drives, weekends etc... as a show car if you will. I really just want it to finally arrange a race with Steve C

Im looking to know is there anything we should look out for when checking the car out etc... known problems...

Is the car as fast as made out??? 220BHP if im correct?

Im excited people!!!

 

[Steven]

I'll not be racing you if you buy that, especially as I've sold the Alfa and my quickest car is now the Brava.

A word of caution if I may. All may be fine and dandy between you and this girl at the the minute, but what happens when you decide come out of the closet? She won't want to know and the Coupe will go with her.

 

[paulmacs]

Dont be funny. Its a long standing friend of many years! MR C!!! Im coming out of no closet and not looking for another broken heart so i'll concentrate on the car for now...

Should I?? I hear some terrible reliability things...

 

[Steven]

I don't know a great deal about Coupes Paul. There are a few Coupe owners on here and if you go to www.niimc.com and post there you'll get more advice. You do realise that you'll have to join the club if you buy this?

 

[paulmacs]

Indeed...

I will consider it if you race me in your brava.

 

[simonj]

Should I?? I hear some terrible reliability things...

Yes you damned well should! Most of the reliability horror stories are either perpetuated by non-owners, people who've bought a shoddy cheap Coupé and paid for it in the long run or people who've modded the nuts off a weak car.

First thing is is it really a plus - many traders and even some owners don't know the difference between a plus and a late 6 speed car.

It should have the recaro seats, push button start, strut brace (?), red brembos, bodykit (not just colour coded sills) and some other things I can't recall now.

Read this and ask the seller about oil usage (around 1l per 1k is ok for a turbo), tyre wear, red key etc.

When starting from cold, if you hear a ticking/rattle like a diesel, its likely the manifold is cracked (it will seal up when warm) - budget £400 for a new one.

After the test drive, leave the car running for at least 5 mins - blue smoke means likely knackered turbo

Check the exhaust, the OE Coupé exhaust has the shiny metal trim at the end just spot welded on and this can corrode and drop off leaving the hot exhaust gases to start to melt the bumper.

If the car is around 60-70k ask about a cambelt change (make sure the other belts, tensioners and water pump was done too). Latest paranoia on the Coupé forum is the cam cover warping and the bottom corner rubbing on the aux belt - very rare but check just in case - you should be able to see down from the top of the cam cover.

Other than that - just the normal stuff when looking for a car - paintwork, accident damage etc.

Good luck

 

[dave]

Most of the reliability horror stories are either perpetuated by non-owners, people who've bought a shoddy cheap Coupé and paid for it in the long run or people who've modded the nuts off a weak car.

and H

theres a buyers guide on the posh forum www.fccuk.org

 

[Steven]

Paul, I'll race you in the Brava if you're in the fat barge Stilo.

 

[hmallett]

Im looking to know is there anything we should look out for when checking the car out etc... known problems...

Have a look here

Is the car as fast as made out??? 220BHP if im correct?

220bhp is the standard figure, yes. Is it as fast as made out? Depends who you listen to. It ain't no slouch though
H

 

[pinin__prestatyn]

Wow your coop's savage when it actually moves Hmallet

No they are feckin quick, in the dry. I have outrun a sapphire cosworth and countless new shaped Subaru WRX's. They're pretty quick to 60, but when that's passed (and it passes pretty quickly) the coop just reels them in

tuneable as well, I have only lightly tuned my coop and now have 260+ BHP.
Here's how much I spent:

Coupe - £3.5k
Custom exhaust - £100 (okay that was a bargain)
PRV - £22
k+N filter - £40
Drilled airbox - free
Boost gauge - £40
De-cat - £60
G-Tec chip - £25


So... an extra 40BHP for... £287 bargain!!!

 

[Steven]

Fook me. That's impressive!

 

[hmallett]

Wow your coop's savage when it actually moves Hmallet

That was before the chip, decat and exhaust. It felt a whole lot more torquey and free-revving with them.
H