Possible flood damage

JMURPHYTAYLOR

MEMBER
VOLKSWAGEN

I am thinking of buying a eurovan in LA that was in the vicinity of hurricane katrina and may have got flooded. I do not live in the vicinty. It is a 93 weekender mv. It has 143,000 miles. Engine: 5 - Cyl. 2.5 L, it looks good in the pics. What and How much work would have to go into it, moneywise?

Says on the add "engine runs shifts hard." also says:
"This van was traded in at a new car dealer. The title is clear and in hand, the van is 14 years old and has not been altered or restored in any way. You are buying a solid van that is a PROJECT. Please don't count on it to be dependable everyday transportation without putting forth some effort. I have attached several photos to give a clear depiction of the condition. It is not a rag mop by any means, but a little TLC, and replacement of a few broken pieces of plastic will go a long way. The interior fabric, curtians, etc., are in very good shape. The top mechanism works perfectly and is in good shape. The van does not appear to have had any water leaks on the inside. The body panels are free of rust, body filler and damage. It has been in southern climates all it's life." The carfax shows that the second owner has owned the van since 1998."

which i don't know what that means because according to the vehicle inspection report the second owner also sold it in 98.

also says:
" The engine runs very good. The transmission shifts through all of the gears, shifts hard on occasion. I am not aware of the quirks and mechanics of this particular drive train. All I can tell you is that it cranks right up and will drive off. The air conditioning is NOT working. I don't know why. The temprature light stays on although it does not appear that is has been run hot. An ideal home for the van is someone who can tinker with the mechanics themselves. I am not keeping it because by the time I pay for someone else to do all of the work, I will be over budget."

what do you think should be checked? and is this a good buy? MY budget is about 2000-3000 for fixes?

1 Reply

JBCLEM

MEMBER
11 POSTS

Several things pop out. This car (and the engine) have 143,000 miles. Although I don't know how long the 5 cylinder engines last, I know the 4 cylinder Vanagon engine bearings are getting thin around 150,000. So you have to consider that this engine may get getting near the end of it's bearing life. Another item is the transmission.I remember the eurovan computerized automatic transmissions were expensive to fix.

If you can't do it yourself, you'd be wise to pay a mechanic/shop to check it out. I used to own a VW garage in Santa Monica and I saved many people from buying bad cars by doing what we called a "used car diagnosis".

Don't know the policy on this web site, but my brother owns a garage in Venice, Ca. He's very honest and you could call him and see what he thinks.
If the web site allows it I'll give you his phone # (Wabbit Wepair).

Jc