Hi,

I've been lurking on this site for a while as I've been looking out for a reliable runabout. I own - and have owned - aircooled vdubs for the past 15 years, so it's been a few years that I've had to go looking for a non-aircooled vehicle.

I've spied a potential useful runabout in the form a Polo 1.9 diesel 5-dr. It's a 96/N and has 109k on the clock. It's taxed until Jan '10, and mot'd until May '10. The cambelt has been changed (so I'm told), and the exhaust is blowing (not sure where yet). It's got alloys and a stereo and does look pretty tidy (haven't viewed it yet, but have seen pics of it) and the owner (female student) wants 750GBP.

Would appreciate all advice on what to look for/check on this particular year/model, and also advice regards price I might want to pay for this car (based upon replacing exhaust?). I'm not bothered about the alloys (VW 5-spoke's) and would probably sell them in favour of some steels.

Thank you,

Mike

My mate works for a huge VW breakers and knows more about Volkswagens than anyone I know and the things he told me when I was buying mine was "The engines are bullet proof just make sure the gearbox and the diesel pump are okay as they are the only two things that fail. When they do its pricey to get them fixed".

If its got lecky windows check em as they can be a bit funny, not a mega problem, it just annoying.