How many KM's is too many KM's??

[scotto]

Hi everyone,
I'm looking for a van of somesort to get me from brisbane to perth and I have found a '94 model transporter in my price range, however it has 329k on the odo. When do things start going wrong on these little beauties? Am I looking at more trouble than it is worth?

I will have RACQ go over the van of course, but it has just had a roadworthy done.

Any help would be great!

Thanks in advance.

[Golf Loon]

Higher ks mean cheaper purchase cost.

CFheck the clutch feels strong and the gearbox doesnt crunch.

Hopefully it has some service history and the timing belt has been done.

Listen for cvs clicking and movement in the suspension.

As long as the front end is tight and the clutch is strong, should have many more ks in it, they are great vans.

[phaeton]

Yep I agree with Matt, get the full service history if possible ;)

[scotto]

Thanks fellas, The asking price is $5k but I think I can get him down to under $4500. I'm pretty happy with the price. He has said that the CV's have been checked or done recently, can't remember which is a good thing. The only thing I'm nervous about is crossing the nullabor, but I figure if I have enough water, fuel and spare tyres I should be fine.
Thanks again.

Edit: Just out of curiosity, if the timing belt hasn't been done, what sort of money am I looking at? On my last car (V6 magna) it was around the $1600 mark, is this in the right ball park?

[Golf Loon]

What size engine is it? 2L or 2.5? Timing belt should be less than a Magna thats for sure.

[scotto]

It's the 2l.

[DVR68U]

hey mate ive got 378,000 on my van , ive had a few problems here and there like a wheel/sus falling off and a dodgy wiring loom. but you should be able to see these when looking. i had a lower balljoint pullout of its socket at 100 going around a bend. and from that experience i would have the van checked over at a suspenion place to check all the balljoints. the lower ones are really easy to change. tops are harder. but i would deffinetly have it checked before a long drive. it would stop your trip in its tracks. you might also be able to have the vans codes pulled to see if there are any faults before you head off. you can maybe get somebody to come out and pull the codes in front of the guy to add leverage incase its got faults.
they are great vans and your trip will be great fun.

[DVR68U]

also the timing belt should be cheap to replace its the same as all the golfs just with a few more things in the way. anybody that can change a timing belt on a mk1 golf could do it on the van. change the water pump and thermostat while your in there ;) and dont mix coolant types !!
cheers brenton

[scotto]

Thanks heaps Brenton, That is all really helpful. RACQ are going to go over the van for me tomorrow so I'll make sure they are through on the suspension (well as through as a mobile mechanic can be). If they give the van a good wrap, I'll be picking it up for sure, and I'll make sure to take it to a proper suspension guy before leaving.

Thanks everyone for you help.

[scotto]

Goddam mother..... The tossa sold the van on me. Grrr... Anyone else got a similar van for sale in this area??

I'll check the for sale thread.

[Oli]

Hi everyone,
I'm looking for a van of somesort to get me from brisbane to perth and I have found a '94 model transporter in my price range, however it has 329k on the odo.

Thanks in advance.

Hi mate dont worry to many kms for this price...

You will find better one...and with less kms
Cheers
Oli

[BobD]

Be careful if you start looking at T4 TDI. The timing belt has to be changed every 120,000km and it costs over $2000 and takes two days, according to my dealer. This was one of the reasons I sold mine at 105,000km. I also heard that the clutch goes at around 100k although mine seemed OK.

Mine also had to have the turbo replaced at 94,000km, just inside the 100,000km warranty, luckily. Others might not be so lucky and have to pay for it themselves. There may have been a fault with the 2004 turbos because the new turbo was a different part number.

You would easily save the extra service costs over a petrol in fuel savings because the fuel consumption is so good on the TDI. I got better than 8l/100km every tank, compared with around 12 for my T5 128kw auto.

[DVR68U]

hey guys i just returned from a weekend blast down into vic did 2000kms in 2 and a half days, on the trip up from geelong to albury i got an amazing 8.9l per hundred. this it from a 2lt petrol manual '93. 3 ppl and a motorbike in the car. the 2l petrols are very good on fuel. the other tank i got 9.1l per 100.
both outstanding figures. and the whole time i was at the speed limit.
cheers brenton