CPDST

Thanks for all the tips!

So as it happened my regular car (the EP91 Starlet) decided to have clutch problems.

And so then as it happened I didn't really want to invest in a new clutch for a car I didn't enjoy in the first place.

Whilst I would have replaced this with an RVR, it isn't really a car I can afford to run, in terms of fuel consumption - having had experience with an RVR before, I know this to be true.

So I went out and purchased a Toyota Caldina. :-D (1998 1.8E) Which cost less still than any RVR I could be looking at, and is better equipped and fits my needs better. So I just wanted something reliable, wagon shaped.

I'm sorry to disappoint! Maybe when I graduate from university and in theory have lots of cash, this will happen.

Once again thanks for all the tips.

Craig.

Well with the Navy-Blue RVR (The one on Autotrader), I didn't even get as far as checking inside the interior lights. It had been used and abused - interior was awful, and whilst that can be fixed with a little elbow grease, it was indicatve of a lack of maintenance - oil covering the entire engine bay, the heat shield missing from the exhaust manifold (?) - the shield that should normally be sitting above a twirl of four pipes? I apologize for my poor description. No cambelt ever replaced to the knowledge of the owners, certainly no stickers in the engine bay in all the usual places, and tappets made the ticky noise. Though no lifter noise. The engine really lacked power - even compared to my previous RVR - which wasn't in great condition - it felt gutless. Hills which in the previous RVR could be done in 3rd gear needed 2nd, and generally it was less peppy. And I don't think it was the clutch causing that, as the clutch bit down low. The gear selector felt very dodgy indeed, tons of slop, I never felt confident about selecting a gear, whilst my previous RVR gear selection was notchy, but quite crisp. The steering felt really sloppy, but only at the centre - and I remember specifically my previous RVR having the most direct steering of any car I drove up until that point, or have since. But anyway, you could turn the wheel a good 1/4 turn from top dead center (an 1/8th either side) with no effect whatsoever, even at speeds of 80KMH. This was out of touch with what I remember. The exterior easn't great either - no roof rust, but the roof had been resprayed at home with a can of spray paint by the looks of things, there were major dents on the silver (lower) part of the body, and there was moss (!!) growing on seals for the windows etc.

Sorry, rant over. Cross that one off the list.

Craig.

yeah im not an expert on this but im guessing that to get the right curves on a piece of metal would be quiet difficult? unless there is only a small amount you might be able to just replace small sections with new metal unless it warps, but if its rusting through the roof already then its probably a lot worse under the roof lining than what you can see

 

yeah with our gsr, you more than likely have to buy a new roof skin as nearly all of the lancers have roof rust. we can get a new roof skin off a proton wira or persona which saves us thousands of dollars instead of buying genuine mitsubishi. In saying that i read (a long time a go, so dont quote me on it) that it still costs over $2000 to get it done by a panelbeater, so id hate to see the price of getting it done on an rvr 

Ohh yikes! $2000! Wow, I didn't realize it could be that much.    Then with that in mind if I do go for the dealer one, or any other RVR with a hint of roof rust, I'll definitely bear that in mind when negotiating. I'll post up my experience with the Navy-Blue RVR tomorrow, when that happens. I'm hopeful then, as the owner claims there is no rust on the roof skin.

Craig

So It wouldn't just be a matter of cutting a piece of sheet metal to fit to re-skin the roof, it would have to be an OEM (Or OEM equivalent) part?

That would be difficult to find, considering RVR's aren't exactly common. At leats with a GSR the body is substaintially a Lancer, and they're fairly common - enough that you could maybe cut a good roof out of one and put it into a GSR? Not so with RVR's I think.

Craig.

Here's the photobucket album of all the pictures I took yesterday:

http://s1331.photobu...ibrary/1997 RVR