Orch

Orch

Active Member
Morning all,

Will be going to look at a few D2s at the weekend so just preparing myself. Have done a fair bit of research so hopefully this won't be one those annoying noob posts. Sorry if it is :D

My check list so far stands as:

Check condition of all body panels
Chassis, boot floor, door sills for rust/damage repair
Check above rear door for signs of water getting in
Brake discs, lines and pads (condition?)
Condition of exhaust system
Check diffs, transfer box and sump for leakages.
Check fuel pressure regulator for leaks
Check to see if ACE present and check pipework
Check injector loom for oil inside the plug at ECU end
Check ALL electrics work
Look for signs of leaking around sunroofs or saggy roof lining
If airbag suspension check for leaks, check pump starts up when engine started, check ride height sits level.
Check aircon blows cold


and of course generally how drives and handles.


My questions are



1) where abouts in the bay do I spot the fuel pressure regulator? I'm sure I'll find it but would save me fishing around for minutes.



2) As I understand it I'll know if it has ACE if the reservoir on the near side has two chambers, and apparently you can see the pipework in the near side wheel arch (?) but is there a pump somewhere I should be checking for leaks?


3) What tools do i need to take to get under the sea of plastic covers in the engine bay? I'd rather just the right spanner or two rather than lugging the whole tool box with me.


4) Regarding checking the red ECU plug for signs of oil from the injector loom, is it ok to just whip it out? I don't need to remove the battery first? And it won't do any harm to the car by unplugging and refitting? (stupid question I'm sure)


5) Anything else I've missed?


Models I'm looking at will be 1999/2000 GS models.


Thanks
 
There is a search box , top right of this page . use that and you will find . the iinfo is there.;):)
 
torch1 said:
1) where abouts in the bay do I spot the fuel pressure regulator? I'm sure I'll find it but would save me fishing around for minutes.

- NFI.

2) As I understand it I'll know if it has ACE if the reservoir on the near side has two chambers, and apparently you can see the pipework in the near side wheel arch (?) but is there a pump somewhere I should be checking for leaks?

And check for the bags still being there. The rest could be there just with bags removed if done badly.

3) What tools do i need to take to get under the sea of plastic covers in the engine bay? I'd rather just the right spanner or two rather than lugging the whole tool box with me.

Most i think are pull off.

4) Regarding checking the red ECU plug for signs of oil from the injector loom, is it ok to just whip it out? I don't need to remove the battery first? And it won't do any harm to the car by unplugging and refitting? (stupid question I'm sure)


5) Anything else I've missed?

D2's don't suffer so much from rust on the shells, Make sure it runs well. If you want diff lock, Check it works (most of the time they're just seized).
Click to expand...

Check all the windows work if they're electric.

Just check everything :)
 
concentrate on the ABS/TC/HDC cos they used to blank them with black tape due to the 3 amigos(if u google this out u'll get loads of info)
 
torch1 said:
Wow I see what you mean! Lot's of bedtime reading there tonight then. :(:D
Click to expand...

I also put comments in your quote (just incase you missed it!).

Good luck with your search. I would say don't expect to find one in a weekend. If it doesn't feel right, Walk away :)
 
Igloo said:
I also put comments in your quote (just incase you missed it!).

Good luck with your search. I would say don't expect to find one in a weekend. If it doesn't feel right, Walk away :)
Click to expand...

I did thanks, just messed up the multi quote when replying. :D

And I certainly will, as much as I want one I'm in no hurry to grab the first one I see. I've driven a decent D2 quite a few times as we already have one in the family so luckily know how a good one should drive like. I also won't accept anything less than a full service history, especially as my budget dictates I'm likely looking at one with over 100k on the clock.
 
IMO as a motor trader i wouldnt say FSH is a must, we have had lots of shagged cars with FSH, yet recently (as it happens) we had the mintest most perfect d2 ive ever seen on an 04 plate and it didnt have a single stamp in the book.

regards items to check:

noisy fuel pump
check sunroofs work
check central locking works on all door and tailgate, VERY common, 4 out of 5 come into us with at least one CDL fault
check manual gearbox feels ok when shifting
check viscous fan isnt seized
check for axle leaks
check rear half chassis condition
check starter motor works repeatedly
spend a long time underneath looking at everything

bit of advice:

before you show up at the garage ask the salesperson if it is ok for you to spend a long time looking/inspecting the vehicle. it is only polite to ask because sometimes it can seem a bit rude to the salesperson. explain that you know there are lots of common faults with the D2 and you hope he doesnt mind you taking a good deal of time to check things over. it will help, i promise. if they kick up a fuss, theyre hiding something!

also, of all the things that have been quoted so far, lots are common, most are cheapish to repair and all are easy enough to spot.

it is also very rare to find a perfect D2 but i think you are barking up the wrong tree solely looking for a vehicle with FSH because it doesnt necessarily mean the car is ok.

it's all about first impression, some cars are polished turds and always will be, i know this because we have to sell a lot of them :rolleyes:

this doesnt mean they are dodgy or a complete nail, just that they'll always be a bit "tatty" whereas there could be a very nice straight motor that would amke a beauty once a couple of CDLs and a new FPR have been fitted etc.

also, they ALL leak oil from the bell housing and most of the manuals squeal when you press the clutch, so dont let that put you off!

cheers :)
 
Great tips, thanks for the taking the time to write all that out, much appreciated. A very good one about asking to have a good look around, will definitely take that on board!

I'm a bit confused regarding your FSH history comments though. Firstly I am by no means a mechanic, I'll undertake the simple tasks with decent instructions but that's about it. I'm sure there are plently of decent vehicles without FSH about, but surely as someone that doesn't really know what he's looking for you stand a better chance with a vehicle that's been at least looked at once a year?

Like you say I don't mind having the odd CDL or likewise to fix, I'm not expecting perfection, I'd just like to know before buying so I can weigh different vehicles up against each other.
 
just to ad .... make sure you have a good test drive , not a 5 min ,blast round the block.. get the engine warm . There is no reason why you shouldnt be allowed to drive it for half hour... once you have been out and come back , check again under it etc for leaks. keep ya ears open for any strange noises also when out on the road. dont drive all the test drive with the windows open , close them for a while listen for noise...:) And dont buy the first one you see ;). get a list and view them , then narrow it down, to the best , and have a second view and drive...:)
 
torch1 said:
Great tips, thanks for the taking the time to write all that out, much appreciated. A very good one about asking to have a good look around, will definitely take that on board!

I'm a bit confused regarding your FSH history comments though. Firstly I am by no means a mechanic, I'll undertake the simple tasks with decent instructions but that's about it. I'm sure there are plently of decent vehicles without FSH about, but surely as someone that doesn't really know what he's looking for you stand a better chance with a vehicle that's been at least looked at once a year?

Like you say I don't mind having the odd CDL or likewise to fix, I'm not expecting perfection, I'd just like to know before buying so I can weigh different vehicles up against each other.
Click to expand...

I've had a good few TD5's through my hands in the last 3 years and all have varied with the amount of service history available. I can tell you categorically that a supposed fsh DOES NOT guarantee a good reliable and well looked-after vehicle.

Buying a '99 TD5 now the single most important aspect to check is the rear half of the chassis, these can be in really shocking condition without the owner even knowing!!!
 
Another key thing to check for is over pressurised coolant hoses and signs of head gasket failure. By the time you've bought a new cylinder head if it's cracked and then had the work done you will be lucky to get change out of £2k.
 
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Not a bad idea to Copy the thread to word, delete the chaff and organise it into an inspection checklist for yourself. Will make inspecting the vehicle much more thorough because you will undoubtedly forget/get flustered/**** yourself/get distracted whilst there so why not do it like the professionals do and take a clipboard?

Regards the service history comments, yeah it's a bit ambiguous. It's all kind of a mixture, on a d2 there's quite a few things that need looking at more than once a year, also there's quite a lot of stuff that the average "service" wouldn't cover. I also know this ecaise we are guilty of it ourselves. Low cost service is just that!! :eek:

Anyway, obviously a car with a nicely stamped book is a bonus but it really doesn't mean anything. Use the service book as a guide to help you evaluate the car, does it tie up with the vehicle? Excellent history, shagged vehicle? Probably had a very basic service schedule.

Look about underneath, are the grease nipples all greasy, is there evidence of regular service work? Crusty axle plugs is a sure sign the oils haven't been changed in ages!! :D

It's a package deal, but a vehicle with nice oily handprints underneath, new filters and worn out drain plugs is far nicer than a fully stamped book and no evidence of anyone having been underneath.

You'll be able to evaluate when you go to see a few. Remember not everyone is a landy enthusiast though so not all cars get oils changed every 6 months and there really is nothing you can do about that if you can't find the perfect motor out there...

Cheers :)
 
Last edited:
Thanks Mr N, all taken on board. You've got me round to the right way of thinking, now just gotta hope it works and I don't buy a ****ter! :D:beer:
 
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