Viewing S3 guidance needed

[Fattrader]

Going to look at a 1990 S3. It has only done 16,000 miles! and looks imaculate and Red (beauty colour). People have talked about the rubber and seals perishing on the older cars. Can anyone give me some pointers on where to look for this wear and a part from checking out the chasis how can I check out the condition of the diff and gear box without getting my spanner out?

[Barkychoc]

I'll do it.

www.tvrsseries.com

Website by pies on here, very informative, a great effort pies if you're reading this.

Chris

[Fattrader]

Thanks brilliant site.

[S2 Giles]

Best way to test the mechanics is to drive it. Just make sure it had regular maintenance each year or so even tho it hadnt done much mileage. Just regular oil changes would do.

Remember the shocks & springs have still held it up for 15 years even tho the mileage is so low.

[markbigears]

Arran, Did you see the car over the weekend?

[Fattrader]

Real disapointment. The guy wants £8500 for it said he had it in airconditioned storage but would not let me see it in storage. When I questioned him about servicing and condition he became a bit short with my questioning so sounds like the car is likely to hide a load of problems, on the basis of the telephone conversation did not think it was worth even going to see it.

[MrLtic]

Hi Fattrader, come and have a look at mine if you want its a green S2. However you wont be dissapointed

[markbigears]

Maybe he has other cars in storage that he would rather not let you see the location? maybe understandable.
But as to servicing, either it has been serviced or it hasn't? I've found a few sellers like this in the past, like they
don't really seem interested in selling their cars, but it's always worth a look, you just never know and will always wonder if that right car got away.

[AquaRegia]

Still worth a look, you have to see several cars and will probably find the first one was the best. For the money the S3 is entering into V8 price. The main concerns are chassis, millage should not be a issue as long as it has a good service history showing frequent oil changes etc.
Many cars have had upgrades ideally to the exhaust with stainless systems and shocks and springs changed, these are more attractive. On my first S I made those upgrades, then sold her bought a V8s and did exactly the same...not cheap, so a car having this done is attractive. the car may have only 16,000 miles on but those springs and shocks have supported it for many years.
Good luck

[profstoff]

Fattrader said:

Real disapointment. The guy wants £8500 for it said he had it in airconditioned storage but would not let me see it in storage. When I questioned him about servicing and condition he became a bit short with my questioning so sounds like the car is likely to hide a load of problems, on the basis of the telephone conversation did not think it was worth even going to see it.

Don't blame you, if you want to sell a car you don't get stroppy with people enquiring on the phone. If he got short about standard questions like servicing he probably is hiding something. My guess is that the car has not been serviced - some people seem to think that a 6000 mile service interval is just that regardless of how long it takes to do the miles. I viewed an S4 when I bought mine and it hadn't had a service for four years, the owner claiming that it hadn't needed one because it had not reached 6000 miles since the previous one. Anyway £8500 is way overpriced for a V6 S regardless of condition or mileage.