Just Bought Mark 4 Project To Replace Mark 3 After 8 Years Use

robob · March 29, 2015

I have had my current mark 3 for the past 7 to 8 years and used it daily, covered about 60k in it. I still can't believe how reliable it has been.

Basically in all that time it has only needed servicing and tyres and brakes, amazing car. The only problem with it is the paintowk has suffered with bad laquer peeel over the past few years, cambelt change coming up and is due for a full going over, transmission fluid change etc.

I have been looking for a replacement for about a year, whenever something turns up it is always either 200 plus miles away or i do not have the money easily to hand.

I found a mark 4 advertised locally last week, went to take a look Saturday and have bought it. Basically a nice car, drove very well indeed, although showing more mileage than my own it did feel "tighter" also is in my favorite colour. 130k miles with the same owner for almost the last 10 years, service book all stamped up and most invoices as well.

There are some drawbacks unfortunatly. The car drove very well but does have the follwoing faults. Pulls to the left, steering shudder when braking and if brake hard a banging sound. Tyres need replacing immediately, alloys are the worst i have seen and one is a mark 3 wheel with 3 of the originals left. As a thought could that cause a pull to that side?

Mot runs out next week and has to have private plate transferred off before i can do anything else with it.

Cambelt change overdue, tapping/clicking noise when accelerate hard from under bonnet but only does this when driving.

The car appears to have been well looked after up untill a couple of years ago. The current owner has only done 700 miles in that time and changed the oil.

Also sadly has a few minor scratches and scrapes but that is not a problem to resolve as a last item in the project and a minor dent in one door.

Am i mad, perhaps i should have bought one without these problems?

anyway will sorn it next week and tackle the pulling to the left and brake issue first and go from there.

Also need a set of wheels if anyone has any suggestions i would be grateful.

Will keep updated in this post with photos etc as work progresses. Assuming i don't find a terminal problem all will be done over a few months.

Likewise any input as to what could cause the pullimh and brak banging would be appreciated.

Cambelt is a concern too, i don't want to drive it and risk it braking while i sort other jobs but likewise dont want to spend the money doing it and find too much other expense to get it up to scratch.

As i say will update with progress and photos as i go.

Cheers,

bob

ls400lpg · March 29, 2015

Judder will be non oem brakes

Pulling will be tyres or Upper control Arms

Colin M · March 29, 2015

If a car pulls to one side when braking, this is usually due to a sticking or 'lazy' piston in the calliper on the opposite side.

If it pulls to the left, as it is doing, the left hand front brake calliper is working OK but the right hand one is not functioning properly.

I would remove the brake pads from the right hand calliper and see how easy it is to retract the pistons. If there is some stiffness, this is likely to be the problem.

If there is, put one pad back in between the piston and disc and leave the other pad out, putting a piece of wood in its place about 10mm thick which you can use as a lever to work the piston backwards and forwards. Get someone to press the brake pedal a couple of times, then lever the piston back with the piece of wood. Repeat several times to see if this frees up this piston. Then put a pad back here, remove the pad from the other side and put the piece of wood in there to use as a lever. Then repeat pressing the pedal and levering the piston back, thus doing the same for the other piston. This might get the two pistons moving freely and prevent the pulling to one side.

You can do this yourself without someone else pressing the brake pedal. Just make sure that you leave the piece of wood in and supported when you go to press the pedal, so that it does not fall out. This will make sure that the piston does not come out too far when you press the pedal.

If you cannot get the pistons moving freely, the calliper will need rebuilding or replacing.

Malc · March 30, 2015

...... the cambelt should last you 120k since the last change ............ you would be incredibly unlucky for it to go " snap " otherwise ......

Malc

robob · March 31, 2015

Thanks for all the replies.

Just collected it and had a fairly long drive back.

Brakes are obviously warped, steering vibrates and they judder. Will take a proper look tomorrow.

Of more concern braking from a high speed causes a loud thumping noise which you can feel in the steering, brake pedal and throughout the car.

Any ideas? Is it possible it could simply be bad discs and pads or more likely a suspension?

Car drives perfectly until braking except a slight pull to the left, which is also where the main banging noise seems to come from when braking.

Thanks

robob · April 1, 2015

Well, progress today. It had what looked like almost new discs and pads in the front but i changed them anyway. Put a decent set of tyres on.

Drives like a new car, the difference is astonishing. Mot tomorrow so fingers crossed.

Can anyone tell me how to adjust the clock on a mark 4?

Bluesman · April 1, 2015

Go into "Settings" on the screen and pick "Setup" and the "Adjust clock" jobs done. Mike

Slobbo · April 3, 2015

If your old one was running well and you know ifs history. Why didn't you get it painted? Sounds like you'll end up spending loads on this one.

Malc · April 3, 2015

.... are you telling us that the issues with this new car are the same as with your old one apart from maybe more extensive lacquer finish issues ??

Malc

robob · April 5, 2015

Different niggles best way to describe it. This car drives a lot better than the other. Feels a lot tighter and younger. Also a lot quiter and more powerful.

The pull to the left went when I changed tyres. Brakes perfect with new discs and pads. Just need to do can belt and a service and then only some minor cosmetic issues.

I am surprised how much better this one drives to be honest

robob · April 30, 2015

Brief update. Been using this almost daily since i last posted. Cambelt, tensioners and water pump have been changed. The old belt still had the writing clearly visible and had no cracks etc. Was very limp in comparison to the new one though. I think it was the original and never been changed before. Quite a long job though i must say. Fresh oil filter and fuly synthetic oil and throttle body cleaned.

Car drives really well, slight steeing vibration but wheels being balanced today so hopefully that may cure that problem, if not will have to delve further.

Ticking noise under load i think is manifold blowing butis barely noticeable, will get sorted though.

Averaging about 26 to the gallon as well which is from a mix of motorway and local pottering around.

Titch LS · April 30, 2015

Bob , glad you got your mk4 almost sorted. How's the transmission? Has the ATF fluid ever been changed? I have a mk4 that's on 137k and have had a few things done to "bring it up to scratch"; changing ATF was the first thing I did. Then replaced discs/pads, front shocks and shock mounts (though probably didn't strictly need them yet), replaced front anti-rollbar bushes (easy and cheap), replaced steering rack bushes (made a big difference), and new engine and transmission mounts, which made everything incredibly smooth once again. It now runs beautifully. No clunks, knocks or vibrations. Amazing in motion.

robob · May 1, 2015

Titch, useful info, i will check the steering rack bushes etc. Hadn't thought to pay much attention to those. Transmisiion has had a partial fluid change when cambelt was done but is on the list to do a complete job and change or clean the filter. The only gearchange you can really feel is 1st to second when cold. Looking forward to a nice long drive this evening as we are away for the weekend.

This is a much better car to drive than my old mark 3, although i shouldnt knock the old one. it lasted me 8 years almost as an everyday drive and only ever had servicing done. Sadly was rather "tired" both cosmetically and drivewise in the end. Despite all its faults in the end it always started and got me where i needed to go.

robob · June 17, 2015

Have done about 1500 miles in this now, driving really well and averaging about 25mpg with a mixture of short local runs during the week and motorways at weekends.

Have had both rear springs replaced which made a huge difference.

Still need to pay attention to exhaust, under load makes the usual sound in the car although very slight, seems to be from drivers side downpipe but i didn't think that was a problem area on these?

Will change some bushes and probably front lower ball joints soon as just a very slight vibration in steering wheel on very bumpy surfaces remains since wheels were re balanced. No noticeable wear in anything though. Will also get a four wheel alignment done after this.

Had a strange thing the other day though. Was stuck in a traffic jam in the sun for ages and started getting creaking fom the front when pulling away and stopping. Also when bouncing front of car. Then as soon as drove along for a mile the noise went and hasn't come back since. Weird and any suggestions welcome. I was thinking likely roll bar bushes or something?

Finally will get the bumpers, mirrors painrted and a dent in rear door repaired later in the year.

When finished the car will owe me about 2.5k and be good for many years hopefully. So i think it was a worthwhile project.

Hopefully will be as reliable as the last.