4.2 in Classic LSE - What to look for after overheating?

I was expecting to collect a 4.2 LSE this evening.

The vendor now tells me that it overheated at the weekend, possibly a
blown pipe. Still overheating, and now thought to be a new thermostat.

I've read things about cracked blocks and blown head gaskets.

Assuming that the vehicle gets presented to me as 'fixed' and doesn;t
overheat on a subsequent test drive, what else should I look for to
ensure that I've not been sold a pup?!

(And how hard to I hit the vendor for lending 'my' car (deposit paid
etc) to his brother to drag a caravan about the country!)

Up until this point I thought I found both a good car and a good bloke
to buy from.

Regards

Mark

"mike whiskey" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I was expecting to collect a 4.2 LSE this evening.
>
> The vendor now tells me that it overheated at the weekend, possibly a
> blown pipe. Still overheating, and now thought to be a new thermostat.
>
> I've read things about cracked blocks and blown head gaskets.
>
> Assuming that the vehicle gets presented to me as 'fixed' and doesn;t
> overheat on a subsequent test drive, what else should I look for to
> ensure that I've not been sold a pup?!
>
> (And how hard to I hit the vendor for lending 'my' car (deposit paid
> etc) to his brother to drag a caravan about the country!)
>
> Up until this point I thought I found both a good car and a good bloke
> to buy from.
>
> Regards
>
> Mark
>

Ask the arse for the deposit back, and walk away!


Nigel

Bear wrote:

|| "mike whiskey" <[email protected]> wrote in message
||| (And how hard to I hit the vendor for lending 'my' car (deposit paid
||| etc) to his brother to drag a caravan about the country!)

|| Ask the arse for the deposit back, and walk away!

Exactly what I was going to say. Once you have paid a deposit, he is honour
bound to make minimum use of it until you pay in full and collect. He
shouldn't make any use of it that might reduce its value (eg long journeys),
still less lend it to someone else. If he's prepared to treat you like a
fool over this, rest assured he will be doing it over the things he's not
prepared to admit to.

--
Rich
==============================

I don't approve of signatures, so I don't have one.

> Exactly what I was going to say. Once you have paid a deposit, he is
honour
> bound to make minimum use of it until you pay in full and collect. He
> shouldn't make any use of it that might reduce its value (eg long
journeys),
> still less lend it to someone else. If he's prepared to treat you like a
> fool over this, rest assured he will be doing it over the things he's not
> prepared to admit to.
>
> --

Small claims court if he messes which is possible considering his cavalier
attitude so far

So far, you have all said what my first response was. However, apart
from this it really is a mint car, and (was) a good deal too.
Especially as he's just put 12 months MOT on it, which considering he
had to renew all the steel brake pipes can't have been cheap.

If I'm charitable, I could believe he was naieve rather than scheming,
in lending the vehicle out. Certainly he's made no attempt to hide
the problem, and as far as I can tell is an honest man. (risky to judge
in this day and age i know) He has said he'll return my deposit if he
can't fix it, and has offered to deliver, having messed up my plans to
collect.

So admittedly the best advice on what to look for is 'another car' but
if i choose not to do this, and he presents the car as fixed (and I'll
want to see the receipt for the work done) what should i look for in
relation to the overheating?

Mark

Hirsty's wrote:

> > Exactly what I was going to say. Once you have paid a deposit, he is
> honour
> > bound to make minimum use of it until you pay in full and collect. He
> > shouldn't make any use of it that might reduce its value (eg long
> journeys),
> > still less lend it to someone else. If he's prepared to treat you like a
> > fool over this, rest assured he will be doing it over the things he's not
> > prepared to admit to.
> >
> > --
>
> Small claims court if he messes which is possible considering his cavalier
> attitude so far

On or around 7 Aug 2006 12:14:03 -0700, "mike whiskey"
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>So far, you have all said what my first response was. However, apart
>from this it really is a mint car, and (was) a good deal too.
>Especially as he's just put 12 months MOT on it, which considering he
>had to renew all the steel brake pipes can't have been cheap.
>
>If I'm charitable, I could believe he was naieve rather than scheming,
>in lending the vehicle out. Certainly he's made no attempt to hide
>the problem, and as far as I can tell is an honest man. (risky to judge
>in this day and age i know) He has said he'll return my deposit if he
>can't fix it, and has offered to deliver, having messed up my plans to
>collect.
>
>So admittedly the best advice on what to look for is 'another car' but
>if i choose not to do this, and he presents the car as fixed (and I'll
>want to see the receipt for the work done) what should i look for in
>relation to the overheating?

There are issues with RRCs, cooling and aircon. For optimum cooling, you
can't have the aircon rad in it - but that stops the aircon working; there's
a reason why they have those additional electric fans. I don't know if the
problem is amenable to solution by extensive cleaning of both rads to
maximise airflow, or by replacing id they're damaged in such a way as to
restrict airflow.

I do know that my BiL eventually removed the aircon rad and decommissioned
the aircon to stop his 3.9 overheating when towing heavy loads.

If you don't tow heavy loads, of course (and in his case we're talking close
to maximum) then you have less of a problem.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
"The breezy call of incense-breathing Morn, The swallow twittering
from the strawbuilt shed, The cock's shrill clarion, or the echoing
horn, No more shall rouse them from their lowly bed."
Thomas Gray, Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard.

In message <[email protected]>
"mike whiskey" <[email protected]> wrote:

> I was expecting to collect a 4.2 LSE this evening.
>
> The vendor now tells me that it overheated at the weekend, possibly a
> blown pipe. Still overheating, and now thought to be a new thermostat.
>
> I've read things about cracked blocks and blown head gaskets.
>
> Assuming that the vehicle gets presented to me as 'fixed' and doesn;t
> overheat on a subsequent test drive, what else should I look for to
> ensure that I've not been sold a pup?!
>
> (And how hard to I hit the vendor for lending 'my' car (deposit paid
> etc) to his brother to drag a caravan about the country!)
>
> Up until this point I thought I found both a good car and a good bloke
> to buy from.
>
> Regards
>
> Mark
>

Tread very, very carefuly. There's a good chance that you are
looking at a new block or engine - it's not certain, but if you
are going to take the vehicle on then you need to get a suitable
discount/arrangment to cover the likely cost. Personaly I wouldn't
lend the car to him, never mind his brother, as who exactly
would be insuring it or be responsible for tickets etc - a potential
nightmare.

Richard
--
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