General Marea with boot mounted swimming pool!!

[Nodfiat]

I have been looking for a 150/155 for a couple of months and went to see a 150 ELX saloon that had caught my eye.

The car has low mileage, most of its service history and is relatively keenly priced It drove nicely and all the panels seemed aligned but after a short test drive I noticed the underside of the bootlid was covered in condensation. Checking the boot trim, the liner and soundproofing were ringing wet, the spare wheel cover had white mould on the underside and the tools had gone rusty. The bootlid seal and the rear windscreen surround were fine and there were no other obvious spots where the water could get in.

The guy selling it started twittering on about maybe water got in during valeting but that amount of water and the rust and mould is wrong so I walked away.

Does that sound like previous accident damage to you?

 

[Venters]

It could be nothing more than a dodgey rear light seal.
You would proberly have had to had a hose and spare man in the boot with a torch to find out tho!

 

[greenstarvaz]

id like to see this:yum:

 

[mountainmachine]

Why not haggle, as if its only likely to be a seal or something and its a good model and good price with service hoistory and cam belt etc changed then whhy not, obviously go back an investigate it further, as you'll prob find a burst seal or something.... but dont tell him that!

 

[Nodfiat]

The idea that I might be able to haggle him down prompted me start the thread!!

There was an awful lot of water though. It was both sides of the spare wheel well and spread as far as the backseats.

It needed 4 new tyres and a new exhaust and the cambelt hadn't been changed either

 

[mountainmachine]

Then at least a £400 bill for cambelt unless you do it yourself

 

[mountainmachine]

But on that hand you can tell him to get a quote from FIAT to do it, £800ish, so tell him it costs that do it for £400.

 

[Nodfiat]

Apparently the cambelt isn't due for changing. Its based on mileage not age and its currently under 60, 000.

Could someone kindly tell me if there should be speaker holes in the metalwork under the parcel shelf on an ELX and what the paint finish is like in the boot of their Marea. The car was royal blue but the interior boot panels looked like they were just thinly blown over, not solid colour, the spare wheel well had no paint at all.

Many thanks.

 

[Hellcat]

It's based on mileage AND age. 5 years tops. Never try to get to 72,000 - it will end in tears. We have seen so many fail before 72,000 due to age as well as distance.

I'd say for every year beyond say 3 knock 12,000 off the 72 figure. A brand new belt might make 72,000 - a 5 year old belt is due to snap.

 

[Nodfiat]

Thanks Hellcat.

Any comment on the flooding(!!) and paint finish?

 

[Hellcat]

I have a weekend.. Maybe a Marea owner can comment on their wheel well paint thickness.

Get a torch and a mate with a hose. drop the rear seats and find that leak..

 

[BIG G]

I have a marea sx100 on a 2000 plate and the boot is dry as a bone, I dont know if this info is of any use but check the sealed joints in the floorpan especially under rear seat and in the boot area, the car could be taking surface water from underneath, its a long shot but from past experience it I know this can happen, have a good look under the rear end as it could have had a shunt at some time and this could be the cause of the water getting in the boot......good luck

 

[Nodfiat]

Thanks for all your replies. I think I will forget all about this one and start looking again....

 

[Venters]

Proberly for the best. There are some complete minters out there and still cheaper then the equivilent Vectra that has already done moon miles!

 

[Hellcat]

Proberly for the best. There are some complete minters out there and still cheaper then the equivilent Vectra that has already done moon miles!

And a Marea won't send you to sleep like a Vect..... *yawn*

 

[mountainmachine]

And a Marea won't send you to sleep like a Vect..... *yawn*

Ahh so true! :yuck:

 

[mountainmachine]

Be interesting shipping a bonnet from Brazil.

 

[Hellcat]

Be interesting shipping a bonnet from Brazil.

A very random thought...

 

[Venters]

A very random thought...

Or posted in the wrong thread.