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Fast advice needed!

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  • 24-11-2011 3:31pm
    #1
    Mr Benevolent
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,456 ✭✭✭✭


    I'm going to view a '00 Puma 1.7 this afternoon. €1250, silver, good spec, but doesn't have a timing belt history. It has 110,000 miles on the clock but the owner (a nice lady, at least on the phone) can't tell me much about it. I'll be viewing in in a carpark near me. The timing belt interval on the 1.7 is 60k.

    Am I an idiot to even consider looking at it?


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    #2
    Gumbo
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 38,631 Mod ✭✭✭✭Gumbo


    Confab wrote: »
    I'm going to view a '00 Puma 1.7 this afternoon. €1250, silver, good spec, but doesn't have a timing belt history. It has 110,000 miles on the clock but the owner (a nice lady, at least on the phone) can't tell me much about it. I'll be viewing in in a carpark near me. The timing belt interval on the 1.7 is 60k.

    Am I an idiot to even consider looking at it?

    budget for the timing belt change straight away! get a discount becasue of the lack of history.

    or check the engine covers, the mechanic might of signed it with tip ex :D


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    #3
    CianRyan
    Registered Users Posts: 14,721 ✭✭✭✭CianRyan


    Nice lady owner that can't say much about her car with no timing belt history?
    I'd be surprised if the it's gotten a proper service in 20,000km
    There's got to be other Puma's put there.

    If you've arranged to have a look go on and see it but make sure to scrutinise.


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    #4
    Chimaera
    Registered Users Posts: 1,652 ✭✭✭Chimaera


    Viewing in a car park rings alarm bells tbh. I'd ask her for the registration cert and driving licence or passport to verify her identity before parting with any money.

    If you do decide to buy it, pay by cheque or bank transfer. If she balks at this, walk away.

    Regarding the timing belt, it'd be a bit of a worry: I'd have it done immediately. Even leaving the distance interval aside, based on age the belt is nearly due a second time anyway. Drive the car no more than strictly necessary until the belt is done - if you can tow it to the mechanic so much the better.


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    #5
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 23,339 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Confab wrote: »
    ..........
    Am I an idiot to even consider looking at it?

    No, if it's straight and checks out I don't see the problem to be honest. It's not a Bentley, it's an 11 year old car for small money, have a look, if it's fine it's fine.


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    #6
    L-M
    Registered Users Posts: 23,694 ✭✭✭✭L-M


    LIGHTNING wrote: »
    Thats complete overkill in my opinion you could drive the car for 10 years without the belt going on it.

    Overkill it well may be, but it happened me in my previous Golf, I wouldn't take the risk.


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    #7
    Mr Benevolent
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,456 ✭✭✭✭Mr Benevolent


    http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/2711096

    View2-8686508.jpeg

    Anyone have any overriding impressions?


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    #8
    Tazio
    Registered Users Posts: 698 ✭✭✭Tazio


    Best of luck with car hunt.. check for air-bag light sequence on start up.


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    #9
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 23,339 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Looks tasty, if it's in order a small few quid off the asking and get the belt done etc and it would be a great bus for small money. It's quite likely the bet has been done anyway, if Ann has owned it for 10 years and gotten it serviced every year or so I'd be reckoning she would have been advised to have it done.


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    #10
    Mr Benevolent
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,456 ✭✭✭✭Mr Benevolent


    RoverJames wrote: »
    Looks tasty, if it's in order a small few quid off the asking and get the belt done etc and it would be a great bus for small money. It's quite likely the bet has been done anyway, if Ann has owned it for 10 years and gotten it serviced every year or so I'd be reckoning she would have been advised to have it done.

    I doubt she's owned if from new if she hasn't a clue about the service history, but I agree that the belt was probably changed.


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    #11
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 23,339 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    I dunno where I got the idea she owned it so long from tbh :o
    Poor RJ :pac:


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    #12
    Absurdum
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,445 ✭✭✭Absurdum


    if you google the number, you'll find her CV, home address and work history :eek:


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    #13
    shangri la
    Registered Users Posts: 952 ✭✭✭shangri la


    No secrets on the interweb huh


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    #14
    EPM
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,822 ✭✭✭✭EPM


    Get a price from your usual mechanic and use this when bargaining. I'd change it for peace of mind. Nice looking car.


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    #15
    eringobragh
    Registered Users Posts: 3,668 ✭✭✭eringobragh


    Confab wrote: »
    http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/2711096

    View2-8686508.jpeg

    Anyone have any overriding impressions?

    Are you in my area Confab - coolock, artane?...I can give you the number or an honest mechanic that will do the belt for a decent price..done my MR2 and coolant flush and a few other bits for 200 labour (ex parts) and the 2 is a big job!


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    #16
    Mr Benevolent
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,456 ✭✭✭✭Mr Benevolent


    eringobragh wrote: »
    Are you in my area Confab - coolock, artane?...I can give you the number or an honest mechanic that will do the belt for a decent price..done my MR2 and coolant flush and a few other bits for 200 labour (ex parts) and the 2 is a big job!

    Yeah I live in Baldoyle, near enough. I went to see the car a few hours ago. Looked well but not in great shape.

    - Oil all over the front underside of the car.
    - Black 'gunge' on the engine parts under the oil cap
    - Airbag light didn't come on
    - 'Open door' warning light didn't go off
    - Electric mirrors didn't work
    - Driver's window made a rattling noise on the way back up
    - Rust on the rear arches
    - Paint flaking on the front bumper
    - Rust on the front chassis member by the suspension strut
    - Rattling noise on the far passenger side when driving
    - Fanbelt noise was constant
    - No idea when the tbelt was done
    - No service done by the current owner who'd had the car for a year

    Otherwise a very fun and quite fast car to drive, comfortable and much better than a Corsa. The owner didn't seem very surprised when I told her I didn't want to buy it.

    That;s my first time looking at a car with a view to buying and I forced myself be very critical. If it'd just been the timing belt I might've bought it, but I rang Atlas about the cost of of a 1.7 tbelt & pump and they haven't gotten back to me yet.


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    #17
    CianRyan
    Registered Users Posts: 14,721 ✭✭✭✭CianRyan


    Sounds like your general, "carefull woman owner" alright. :rolleyes:


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    #18
    Cuddlesworth
    Registered Users Posts: 13,981 ✭✭✭✭Cuddlesworth


    - Rust on the rear arches

    Also normal on pretty much every puma I saw.

    - Fanbelt noise was constant

    Seemed to be the norm on all the ones I looked at.

    - No idea when the tbelt was done

    Supposed to be 100k miles or ten years from a ford Engineer on Project Puma.

    - No service done by the current owner who'd had the car for a year

    Worrying, those 1.7 engines need to be looked after.


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    #19
    TJJP
    Registered Users Posts: 1,523 ✭✭✭TJJP


    http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=6447

    'Puma has the Zetec S engine for which HJ recommends cam belt renewal at 80k miles'

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2054901570


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    #20
    Mr Benevolent
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,456 ✭✭✭✭Mr Benevolent


    Cuddlesworth wrote: »
    - No idea when the tbelt was done

    Supposed to be 100k miles or ten years from a ford Engineer on Project Puma.
    .

    It's 60k miles for the 1.7


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    #21
    eringobragh
    Registered Users Posts: 3,668 ✭✭✭eringobragh


    Was the airbag bulb removed?


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    #22
    Mr Benevolent
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,456 ✭✭✭✭Mr Benevolent


    eringobragh wrote: »
    Was the airbag bulb removed?

    Hard to tell tbh. Wasn't going to take the risk considering how many other things needed to be sorted.


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    #23
    Cuddlesworth
    Registered Users Posts: 13,981 ✭✭✭✭Cuddlesworth


    Confab wrote: »
    It's 60k miles for the 1.7

    Its 100k or every ten years from Ford themselves. They designed the Zetec engine, they should know its tolerances.


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    #24
    Mr Benevolent
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,456 ✭✭✭✭Mr Benevolent


    Cuddlesworth wrote: »
    Its 100k or every ten years from Ford themselves. They designed the Zetec engine, they should know its tolerances.

    That's for the 1.4 and 1.6, the 1.7 is an exception at 80k (corrected from my above post). Anyway it's irrevelant, the belt was probably overdue.


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    #25
    Henry Ford III
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 17,654 Mod ✭✭✭✭Henry Ford III


    Loads of Pumas on sale, so you can be choosy.

    1.7 is the best engine. A/c is desirable. The important thing is they are great fun to drive, are very reasonable for parts, and a good one will serve you well.


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    #26
    bandit14
    Registered Users Posts: 45 ✭bandit14


    CianRyan wrote: »
    Nice lady owner that can't say much about her car with no timing belt history?
    I'd be surprised if the it's gotten a proper service in 20,000km
    There's got to be other Puma's put there.

    If you've arranged to have a look go on and see it but make sure to scrutinise.
    +1


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    #27
    Guy:Incognito
    Registered Users Posts: 38,247 ✭✭✭✭Guy:Incognito


    CianRyan wrote: »
    Sounds like your general, "carefull woman owner" alright. :rolleyes:

    Yeah, careful not to spend money on it.


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    #28
    ltdslipdiff
    Registered Users Posts: 759 ✭✭✭ltdslipdiff


    Had one of those 1.7 CVT Puma's myself for a little while,I have to admitt I was expecting more grunt !!! 125 odd bhp? It didn't feel like it. The one I had was same year and colour, but had different alloys. Are those not the standard 1.4 ones? Great machine to handle though that damn gearknob would freeze the hand off you on a cold morning !! Drums on the rear too? always felt it should have had disc's to handle the extra power. The brake pipes corrode badly on them, very popular NCT failure.


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    #29
    eringobragh
    Registered Users Posts: 3,668 ✭✭✭eringobragh


    Whats the insurance like on the Puma Confab? Same as the 146?


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    #30
    Mr Benevolent
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,456 ✭✭✭✭Mr Benevolent


    eringobragh wrote: »
    Whats the insurance like on the Puma Confab? Same as the 146?

    About an extra €20pm more than the 156. I'm going to see the 156 tomorrow.


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    #31
    Tazio
    Registered Users Posts: 698 ✭✭✭Tazio


    Hey confab... I think the reason the air bag light.didn't come on is because I bet the bags are not there... The pax air bag from the photos on the ad and bumpers look dodgy to me.. please don't flame.. its just my opinion... Or it could just be wear and tear and/or the picts...

    Disclaimer: I have not seen this car in the flesh therefore I could be totally wrong.


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