1997 FTO GR in Buy and Sell

[Sean]

Hello Guys

I am looking to buy a 1996/1997 GR and I have spotted this black 1997 GR in the Buy and Sell.Does this belong to anyone on the Forum or does anyone know anything about this car??
This will be my first FTO and I dont know a great deal about them apart from the very usefull buying guide thats on this site.

Any info on the above car would be greatly appreciated

[Dave]

http://www.fto-ireland.com/forum/phpBB2 ... php?t=1509

have a look at this thread.

[Myfeckin FTO]

Sean - What money are they looking for - Is it manual or Tip - whats the mileage? - if its a 97 - is it a facelift version

[Sean]

Its a preface lift model with a tip box.Milage is 50k miles.His looking for €8250 on the ad.

Dave I think this is the same car you went to see. He said it had a small "tip" in the back and the bumper was replaced.From what you were saying it sounds like it was more than that.How is the quality of the finish on the repair job?
Was the year of manufacture 1995 on all the seatbelts?I dont know how that would be possible on a car with a 1997 plate.You did'nt perchance check out the chasis number to see if this corresponds with the year.
Thanks for you reply

[Dave]

checked both sides just in case the seat belt had been changed but nope, and no i didn't take down the chasis number. left it at that. don't know why it wouldn't have been registered till 97 but seems a bit suss to me that it would have been sitting in showroom until nearly two years later. if you're going for a 97 the safest bet is to get the facelift model to be on the safe side!
the crash must have been bad, there were ripples in the boot well and a crease on the passeneger wing and for that to happen it must have been a bad smack.

[kevinod]

the crash must have been bad, there were ripples in the boot well and a crease on the passeneger wing and for that to happen it must have been a bad smack.

Garages should be nailed to the wall for trying to sell cars in that condition, waiting for some poor sucker to come along and take it off their hands. If the body work is like that you can only imagine what state things are underneath. If it got into another accident it would probably just fall apart!

Friend looked at 2 beemers a few months back in Dublin, both were badly damaged and poorly repaired, and if he hadn't got the AA to inspect them he mightn't have known and paid full whack for a car that shouldn't have been anywhere near the road!

Kev.

[Dave]

well no doubt someone will buy it, the repair job looks ok on this one, but it's the little things that are there, the ripples and crease in the wing. not to mention it only being a 95! the engine seemed ok, nothing major to say against it. it drove ok. but with 50K on the clock there was a lot of smoke coming from the exhaust and i would doubt that an exhaust would go with only 50K kilometres on the clock.

[Sean]

Cheers lads you have saved me a wasted trip to Dublin.
This car has too many question marks over it .It sounds like more trouble than it is worth.I think this car is a case of buyer beware even though on the ad it states the car is in 'pristine condition'?????His definately taking the p**s there.
I would idealy like the post facelift model but I dont think they are worth an extra €4 k that they are comanding over the previous model.And to be honest I prefer the older front nose cone than the post facelift type.

[steelroe]

The fack the belts have 1995 on them does not mean the car was not registered until 1997. I have seen 1998 models with 1995 marked on the belts. I would not go by the belts.

If the chassis no were available then the CAPS program will give the exact year and month of manufacture

[Dave]

the mark on belt shows the month and year of manufacture. the uk boys pointed this one out before.

[steelroe]

That is the month and year the belt was manufactured. Mitsi made a certain number of each model in runs and a large number may have been made in 95 but not registered until 96 97 and even 1998.