Folks,

It's been 7 years since I sold my 1999 T Reg Black LE.

The thing is I want another one!

I've seen this one on autotrader and I think is what Im after, the guy has had it in the family since 2003 he says, he bought if from his son 3 years ago.

It has a complete aftermarket sports exhaust including manifold, no CAT!. 285BHP aparantly!

The cam belt has been done but I dont think the turbo, radiator etc has been done. Tyres and brakes are good.

Its on autotrader for 3250, I believe that 2 people have been to see it but still it remains.


Any thoughts from the experts?

Click this link LE No598

Welcome back! looks a nice example. Keenly priced. Good to see the cambelt's been done. I'd print off the buyer's guide to take with you for the viewing.

Welcome back to the forum mate!

I dont know anything about the car but what is that on the side of it in the second photo??

Thanks for the replies, Its a good point about the second photo, I hope its a reflection! I've spoken with the guy on the phone, no mention of damage! I've asked for further photos. The car is being MOTed this weekend, Im going to arrange for an independant inspection.

looks like the reflection of a building

I hope its a reflection and not some dodgey air intake other than that looks nice... but photos can be decieving - go and have a look!

Let us know how you get on

Looks like a very odd reflection
..and wheres the LE bumper?

Very tidy looking nevertheless..

You'll definitely want to be checking out the turbo for smoke.

Having said that, from the 2 pictures and description it does look very smart.

285 seems a bit keen!

If there is no cat you definitely want to check the turbo, as no cat blows the seasl meaning new or rebuilt turbo!

Cars of this age are showing their age a little, so items like oil cooler, rads, suspension, etc may all be getting old if not yet changed.

So as said above take the buyers guide and have a good look, but overall the pics and brief description sound OK, but what is taht on the bonnet, it really looks like an air intake!!

He's keen to sell, This was on at offers around 4k a couple of weeks ago.

That' quite a drop in price in a month

If its now on at £3250, I'd expect to be able to get that for £3k maximum.

Following on from what JimO is saying, 285bhp is not possible from just a performance exhaust and no other mods, so it's either got more than that (very aggressive remap maybe?!) or it's not got the 285bhp he says it has.

Assuming there's also a chip in there I'd definitely check for the turbo being on its way out, but also clutch.

Looks like a nice car though and good luck!

If it has had an 'aggressive' remap, I'd be testing the clutch out thoroughly too!!

It looks like an inlet for cold air to the air filter and if it is there will be holes on the underside of the bonnet if your thinking of taking it off .

my plus was making 278bhp at flea's the first time i took it, before any mods - might be able to get to 285 with a g-tec, good exhaust and panel filter?

This thread is making me chuckle somewhat...

I really dont understand how people can say that coupe looks tidy from two low resolution photos not to mention its in black. Come on guys! we have all seen photos of coupes ini adverts and then gone and seen the cars... they are two different things.

I hope its a nice tidy car and has been looked after but you wont know until you go and inspect it.

I know this sounds a bit odd... but ive found the best way to inspect the body work of a car is to go there and wash the car who is going to say no to a free valet... its only when you start polishing or waxing it that you notice every single defect. This is a bit OTT though

Good luck with the viewing mate and let us know what you think of it

But that's not "just an exhaust" is it

You're right though you *may* be able to get there with those mods, and I suspect if that power is right then there would definitely be a chip of some kind in plus a generous dyno. As I said before though either way I'd definitely be checking the turbo and the clutch!

Chuckle away.

Nearly everyone has either made a comment as to what to look out for, or to take a look the buyers guide when he goes to look at it.

I agree the pictures aren't of very good quality, but who buys a car from just looking at a picture?

I've not read a post that has said 'Thats gorgeous, forget about the history/mechanics/condition, just buy it".

That really does look like an air intake judging by the line through the reflection. wont knwo until you see the thing in the flesh though.

Leighton reckons mine would do around 290 with my list of mods, but should maybe be over 300 when the de-cat goes on. I cant see that this will be doing a genuine 285 safely, but then I'm not a mechanic or Coupe tuning expert

Thats what i was thinking... never seen anyone do that to a coupe before! lol Ahh well we will find out for sure

looks ok!

that thing on the side of the bonnet NEEDS to go!!

other than that, it looks clean, what are the seats like?

good luck with the viewing!

I think its just a reflection on the bonnet!Got to be worth a look at that money,he says hes selling due to retirement,so does that mean he will have too much time on his hands to drive it?

Thanks for your responses.

I've printed off the buyers guide which is excellent, I'm just not sure about the tuning issues, My original LE only had a dump valve and supersprint exhaust fitted. And I was more than happy with the 220bhp at that time. Im not really one of these individuals who needs to try a squeeze more and more from the engine threw tuning etc...

And if that is a air intake on the bonnet then thats a bit of a worry! as you say I've never seen that before!

But equally I'm not keen to buy another coupe and be stung with 000's to get is road worthy etc...

When I first spoke with the pensioner he said it has 385BHP!!! so does he really no much about it, he said it was his sons before. But I would have thought its an unlikly car for a 60 year old to own.

Cheers
Mike.

Folks,

I've just phoned him, He's said the the Turbo and Clutch are fine. The head has been skimmed and inlet valves are bigger! (excuse my translation, not a mechanic!) Has not been chipped to his knowledge.

The thing on the bonnet is a scoop! which he fitted after a parking incident with another motorist. Not sure I like that.

Sounds a little suspect to me. If someone is ok bangin on a dodgy scoop on an LE what else have they bodged?

Be a good buy if it was very cheap, like less than £3k, barter saying the bodywork needs some work and that a genuine LE bumper would need to be sourced, saying that at the moment its non standard and has reduced the value of the car....

Davie

couldnt agree more.....anyone who sticks a crappy scoop on instead of fixing properly could have done anything to it

If you do buy it and get rid of the scoop, you'll be making the roads of the UK better

Probabley explains the non-LE bumper too, on the cheap repair..

I'm going to give this LE a miss, Thanks for your advise, I'll keep looking for an LE

Just dont think that this one justifys travelling the length of the country to be dissapointed.

Thanks again
Mike

Mike,

can you afford djmobi's? it's a nice car

I've posted a reply for him, thanks for pointing it out, Grey is my favorite colour

Hope he still has it

ah well


good luck with it, i know how particular he was in his meticulous search for a good car

Thinking about this, it occurred to me that the guy was genuine enough to declare the accident to the bonnet. He could have made up some excuse as to why the intake grill had been fitted.

I've also seen far worse done to Coupes than that intake.

I quite like the intake, most bonnet vents look far worse than that. I'm not saying I'll be putting one on my car though.

Each to their own, I was really hoping it was a reflection!!

The scoop 'modification' covers accident damage?

I guess it was too high to opt for the usual 'GB' sticker?

Thanks for using the word meticulous Proccy.......I can think of some other less polite words you could have used

Convenient it got accident damaged on the correct side and just in front of the airbox too eh?

Dude if you want an original LE with no expense needed on it (well, body aside) you need to buy mine!

Just chucked 3K on it, so needs nothing mechanically!

Oh, and it's only got 1 previous with 53K on the clock!

And it's black!