Is it worth selling my old Bora ?

Quigs Snr

I am thinking of getting a new car and am wondering what to do with my old car. If I get the new car it will be a cash deal. I wouldn't bother trying to trade in something as old as my car.

The old car is a 99 VW Bora 1.4. Silver, bodywork and interior all good and tidy. It does NOT have electric windows but does have an electric sunroof, factory fitted (why would someone do that ?). NCT until August 2011, taxed until March, 92k on the clock. Timing belt was done at 51k then again after 62k (noticed a rattle and turned out there was a problem with a pulley).Service History from main dealer up until 49k, my bro is a mechanic in an Opel Dealership and has mostly taken care of it from around 65k onwards, I have all the previous NCT reports though to verify the mileage and what if anything was wrong with it over the years.

I am the second owner, I got it when it had 49k miles on it 5 years ago, its had no major trouble and has never left me stranded at the side of the road. What it does have wrong is the following...

- Small knocking noise at the front on rough roads. Its not the shocks, wishbones or bushes as they were all replaced at the start of the year. Most likely cause its a strut top bearing (cheap) or an engine mount according to the VW forums the strut tops make the same noise and are an easy fix. Doesn't affect the suspension anyway because it sailed through the NCT.

- The central locking is possessed. Common on these. Passenger door does not respond to the key, turning the key in the driver door opens the drivers door, sometimes the rest of the car too, sometimes not. Opening via the boot locks and unlocks everything. When driving or sometimes when parked it can sometimes lock itself. Repeatedly, especially in the rain. The good news is that it never unlocks itself so its not a security risk. I ran the Vag-com software on it and it showed a sensor problem with the locking somewhere in the passenger door.

- It uses oil. Maybe a litre every 1500 - 2000 miles. Apparently this is because the valve stem seals go. I spoke to VW but they consider anything better than 1litre per 1000 miles to be normal. There does not seem to be any detrimental affect as long as you keep it topped up.


Is this car actually worth anything ? I don't want to spend money putting it right and am debating whether to stick a bin tag on it or trying to sell it as it is. There doesn't appear to be much to compare it to on carzone apart from a small handful of dreamers.

Alanstrainor

No harm putting it up on Adverts for a few hundred, you've got nothing to lose.

bazz26

I think you would easily get anything up to a €1000 for that car depending on condition. I would definately advertise it on www.adverts.ie and see how you get on.

You'll get €1500 for it no probs with the NCT that long, the belt and pulley done and the suspension work. I'd ask €2200 on donedeal emphasising all the good points, I wouldn't mention the central locking, suspension knock or oil usage in the add but would inform any genuine person who rang about the issues, the central locking is a non issue, the oil is normal and the suspension knock is easily fixed, as you say it sailed through the NCT.

Quigs Snr

Thanks guys. I think I will do the suspension knock myself, if its the strut bearings and it can hardly be anything else at this stage. Apart from that all the major consumables have been done (handy having a mechanic brother), so it has good pads on the front, brand new ones on the back. The exhaust was done last year and it got new tyres at the start of the year too. When I think of it, a few minor glitches aside its not that bad. Certainly the body is more or less unmarked and it shines up well. The VW interior also wears well. I don't know why more manufacturers don't stick to a plain black interior. They age so much better.

As RoverJames reminds me, it did sail through that NCT with all of these issues. Although I was staring out praying that the car didn't lock the tester out of the car..

I am thinking of changing to a 05 or 06 Volvo S40. 2.0 Diesel maybe. Any good ? I used to have a 00 S40 T4. Never a spot of trouble with it. Insanely quick for a car that looked like it was built to carry a baby seat. Clarkson described it as a wardrobe with a jet engine attached. Fond memories of the brand from those days, glad I got rid of it before fuel prices started to rocket upwards.

bazz26

Quigs Snr wrote: »

Thanks guys. I think I will do the suspension knock myself, if its the strut bearings and it can hardly be anything else at this stage. Apart from that all the major consumables have been done (handy having a mechanic brother), so it has good pads on the front, brand new ones on the back. The exhaust was done last year and it got new tyres at the start of the year too. When I think of it, a few minor glitches aside its not that bad. Certainly the body is more or less unmarked and it shines up well. The VW interior also wears well. I don't know why more manufacturers don't stick to a plain black interior. They age so much better.

As RoverJames reminds me, it did sail through that NCT with all of these issues. Although I was staring out praying that the car didn't lock the tester out of the car..

I am thinking of changing to a 05 or 06 Volvo S40. 2.0 Diesel maybe. Any good ? I used to have a 00 S40 T4. Never a spot of trouble with it. Insanely quick for a car that looked like it was built to carry a baby seat. Clarkson described it as a wardrobe with a jet engine attached. Fond memories of the brand from those days, glad I got rid of it before fuel prices started to rocket upwards.

I have a 06 S40 diesel and it's a fine car. The diesels are Peugeot/Citroen HDi engines are generally very reliable. The S40 uses the Ford Focus chassis so it drives well, just make sure all the electrics work as the car is jam packed with all sorts of electrical gizmos. Make sure and go for the SE as it will have leather seats, cruise control, auto wipers and 6 disc cd player. Winter pack would also be a bonus which adds bi-xenon headlights and heated seats.

Downside with the S40 and Volvos in general is that parts and servicing are expensive especially at main dealers.

EastClare

I had a 00 Bora that used to do the same thing with the central locking. Used to drive me insane.

Spent (I kid you not) months in the mechanics trying to find the fault, never did. Sold it at auction for $3k about 4 years ago.