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Lupo GTI rear beam broken - Sell car or fix?


00Jon00
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My lupo GTI rear beam has come apart (see pic) and I am wondering whether to fix it or to sell it.  I cannot find a replacement beam online and am unsure what my options are.  Incidentally, would anybody potentially be interested in buying it "as is"?

I am based in Surrey

The Lupo has been converted into a track car with racing steering wheel / bucket front seats / no rear seats etc. It has 150k on the clock.

I have another car and motorbike so its not crazy urgent but seems a bit wrong to leave it in the driveway indefinitely.

 

IMG_20190816_154406.jpg

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To define the "as is"...

It was my daily commute for a year and a half.  The previous owner had turned it into a track car so the interior is pretty stripped out/lightweight.  It still has all the dials/controls etc and everything works other than the AC but most of the buttons are free hanging.  It has lovely Oz racing wheels, coil-overs and drives superbly.

The bad parts...

Obviously the rear beam as shown. 

The airbag light is on (due to the racing steering wheel)

The front passenger wheel went over a speed bump a couple of days before the rear beam snapped so there is a wobble there which I have yet to fix.  (The wheel and tyre look fine)

Its easily the most fun car I have ever owned :)

 

 

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When's the MOT run out? I'm not that far... what sort of money are looking for? I know another vdub mate down the road from you in Dorking, which I'm guessing is nearby? He's got a trailer.

@Rich you have a spare rear beam I think? How much do you want for the thing? You could ship me the front subframe for my SDI at the same time :)

 

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Dorking is literally down the road (i'm based in Newdigate)

I am still trying to figure out a valuation...  Mint versions hold a lot of value so its tricky to calculate a price in its current condition.  Perhaps I will do a little more research but feel free to take a punt and make an offer.  Its such a great drive that i'm really torn as to whether to fix or sell.  Or fix then sell ;)

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Got any pics of inside and bodywork? Box and engine ok?

Apart from being stripped out and coil overs, any other mods- Could it be restored back to mint assuming I can source the interior?

But if you're anything like me- and you do visit club lupo, which tells me that you're definitely into Lupos... surely it wouldn't be that difficult to pull the rear beam out and take it down to a fabricator to weld? Then you could powdercoat it, waxoyl and put it all back toegther again :)

I haven't been in touch with my mate in Dorking; he can weld... but you'd need to get the thing out first. An hour.

I guess if you did decide to sell as is, the best way to price it is compare it to a good original Lupo gti (£3-5k ?). Then calculate how much it'd cost to buy all the bits that were removed, then put everything back again. Maybe replacing broken bits...? Obviously you can't include labour costs.

 

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Hope this works out, I get the feeling it will be a good @mk2 restoration

On 8/16/2019 at 9:37 PM, yeha said:

You could get a normal beam and transfer the anti roll bar tube across. Need a couple of holes drilling and the tube welding in.

its a good idea, I may be wrong, ignoring the spacers behind the stub axle, I thought the Gti beam was wider - I can measure mine in the day light

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  • 2 weeks later...
16 hours ago, mk2 said:

How on earth did you get that dent behind the door...!?

Any more pics? Had a think on price?

The dent was actually my doing...  from a wooden post trying to manoeuvre out of a car park. 

It could probably be pushed back into shape fairly easily as you can access the inside of the panel.

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Ooo er, properly stripped! 🙄

Even the door rain seals have been pulled. Does it leak when you drive in the rain (or leave it parked in the rain).

But it does still have the headlining in place 👍🏻

Anyone out there got a complete gti interior for sale?

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On 8/16/2019 at 4:50 PM, 00Jon00 said:

My lupo GTI rear beam has come apart (see pic) and I am wondering whether to fix it or to sell it.  I cannot find a replacement beam online and am unsure what my options are.  Incidentally, would anybody potentially be interested in buying it "as is"?

I am based in Surrey

The Lupo has been converted into a track car with racing steering wheel / bucket front seats / no rear seats etc. It has 150k on the clock.

I have another car and motorbike so its not crazy urgent but seems a bit wrong to leave it in the driveway indefinitely.

 

IMG_20190816_154406.jpg

I'd be interested in it as is too, how much do you think it's worth

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Ok, i hate telling everyone my tricks, but I've figured out how to drive it home. It has an MOT after all. All i need is a 2mm steel strap about 40mm wide and about 250mm long. My rechargable drill, 8.5mm drill bit, a couple of washers and an m8 nyloc nut and bolt, about 100mm long. Tada!

just a question of price now. Costs after buying would be- Interior probably about £300 ish. Original wheels about £150 for a set. Dunno what else is missing. Guess maybe another £100 of bits. Then fill, rub down and respray. Why oh why, black? It's the most difficult colour to get mint. Pull all the suspension, weld, grind, blast and powdercoat, then waxoyl £120. Perhaps 100h of work. A lupo gti as new again worth maybe £4.5k? Other bits, just for restoration- exhaust, steering wheel, rubber bushes, ball joints, boots, bearings, belts, water pump, door hinges, leccy windows? ICE, floor mats, RKE.... so maybe cost about £850 plus the car buy price?

Thoughts people? Might be easier to just buy a poor example that's about complete for £2k ish and do that up. It's always the interior that's hard. Especially the driver's seat. But other cars I've restored, I went on the german ebay breaker site and bought the german passenger seat material for 100 euros delivered- which in a small commuter car is hardly used- and is like new once valeted. There are loads of Lupos being broken in Germany. Loads and loads.... see here

https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-lupo-schlachtfest/k0

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Potholes are the real problem... saying that, it'd take one hell of a wallop to shear an 8mm 8.8 grade steel bolt. And the rubber bush would still be doing its job cushioning any shocks. With so many of us interested, I'm guessing that the starting price will be well over 1k. 

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I wouldn't go anywhere near a grand.

Don't take the wheels and seats, instantly get rid of the things you don't want and have more value attached.

I have most of the rears, a decent enough passenger and a ripped front; bought for spares.

Carpets and plastics are cheap enough.

Bodywork and mechanicals are the fun here but if you're going to restore one, why not start with a crap base, leads to a better end product.

Seller: you will get decent money for the wheels, seats & steering wheel from Facebook idiots and make a greater sum plus get satisfaction that you haven't killed one, years to come you will be able to check on the DVLA.

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