mk2 Posted July 11, 2021 Report Share Posted July 11, 2021 (edited) This is a brief list of items to check or inspect before or after buying a Lupo (or Arosa). Second attempt! Put together from lots of contributions from @Skezza, @Rich, @RAB, @Sausage, @lupogtiboy, @Little tank, @C3peteo, @MattyB, @Blue Loop, @battlebus, @danno It's not a how-to fix it guide, or what has caused a particular issue identifier thing. Just stuff to look out for, that happens a lot on various models. So for example, if your wheel has fallen off, that's not a common problem and wouldn't go in this post Please feel free to add any items that we've missed. I know for sure there are more that we hadn't thought of at the time of posting. Covers: Tdi Sdi Gti 1.4 8V 1.4 16V sport 1.0 (not FSI) All trim levels E, S and sport, with 'fun' variants like "cat and mouse", "cambridge" etc. ------- Rust: Roof channels Rear arches Rear suspension beam Front sills (behind arch plastic cover if never cleaned out) Front subframe Power steering swage crimps Suspension springs & cups Anti roll bar Brake pipes Brake hose swage crimps Exhaust system behind/after cat Wear or common items (not including normal stuff like brakes): Pedal box (not Gti or Tdi) Gearbox bearings (only 085 type) Front wheel bearings Door check strap pins Driver's door lock barrel Rear wiper motor/squirter Alternator brushes/regulator Suspension rubber bushes (all) Steering rack ball joints Lower suspension arm ball joints CV joints (mostly left hand side) Front tyres (caused by cowboy suspension work) Rear shock absorber bump stops Wing mirror adjustment controls Heating air direction deflection controls Hydraulic clutch slave cylinder Rear washer pipe joint (separating) inside LHS rear wheel arch Upper door card/panel clip failure (around lock pin) Automatic gearbox (due to neglect- no fluid/filterchanges) Electrics: Electric window motors Electric window switches (water ingress) Ignition switch Lights switch Indicator stalks Central locking mechanism/sensors ABS sensors Main engine/ECU power loom relay behind fuse panel Blower fan speed control resistor pack Engine cooling fan motor Engine: Coolant temp sensors Throttle position sensors Ignition modules/coils Ignition leads Crank timing sensors Coolant thermostats EGR valves Glow plugs Camshaft lobe wear (only on 3 cyl diesel) Coolant flange "O ring" leaks Valve cover seal oil leaks Piston rings (on poorly maintained petrol engines) Clogged oil breather/inlet/egr ducting Breather pipe heater (gti) Water ingress Leaks: Bonnet cable release seal in fresh air plenum Door membranes not resealed after cowboy repairs Pop out windows seal Hatchback seal Hatchback electrics flexi duct seal Rear light clusters to bodyshell seal Windscreen seal (after cowboy window replacement) Common damaged items (cowboy garage work): Door seals behind door cards/panels Door cards/panels Under engine trays cracks/loose/missing Engine electrics, incorrect loom routing Engine electrics, missing loom securing clips Engine electrics, damaged cables & connectors Headlight clips/covers/reflector damage Plastic cam belt cover damage/missing bolts Engine dressing cover damage/missing bolts Battery fuse cover damage/cracks Exhaust mounting points missing Shock absorber boots damage/incorrectly fitted Jacking points severely dented/damaged/rusty Poorly installed aftermarket hifi Edited July 11, 2021 by mk2 Additional stuff 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickster Posted July 11, 2021 Report Share Posted July 11, 2021 Add to water ingress around speakers if aftermarkets fitted - need to be sealed in really! This can leak even if the membrane behind the rest of the door card is untouched. heated wing mirrors on GTI are often replaced with non heated glass or the heating stops working - has been the case on both my GTIs I know you’ve got electric window motors but even if the motors are fine the guides are only plastic and often snap meaning when the glass invariably slips out of the guide you have to help the glass up by holding it in place else it refuses and automatically winds the window the whole way down. Not really rust but the GTI (and maybe other?) spoilers have a paint issue where they bubble underneath high level/third brake light often not working, *very* common issue on the GTI and more often than not the whole thing has been bodged before as the spoiler is originally bonded on and held by I think 2 bolts under a small plastic panel my old sunroof model had the classic sticky mechanism issue where it would sometimes refuse to close, perhaps true of all aging sunroof vehicles though! May just have been unlucky but I have had 2/2 alternators fail at around 90,000 miles one non air con one air con model 2002 GTI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lupo1.0se Posted July 11, 2021 Report Share Posted July 11, 2021 (edited) 35 minutes ago, mickster said: Add to water ingress around speakers if aftermarkets fitted - need to be sealed in really! This can leak even if the membrane behind the rest of the door card is untouched. heated wing mirrors on GTI are often replaced with non heated glass or the heating stops working - has been the case on both my GTIs I know you’ve got electric window motors but even if the motors are fine the guides are only plastic and often snap meaning when the glass invariably slips out of the guide you have to help the glass up by holding it in place else it refuses and automatically winds the window the whole way down. Not really rust but the GTI (and maybe other?) spoilers have a paint issue where they bubble underneath high level/third brake light often not working, *very* common issue on the GTI and more often than not the whole thing has been bodged before as the spoiler is originally bonded on and held by I think 2 bolts under a small plastic panel my old sunroof model had the classic sticky mechanism issue where it would sometimes refuse to close, perhaps true of all aging sunroof vehicles though! May just have been unlucky but I have had 2/2 alternators fail at around 90,000 miles one non air con one air con model 2002 GTI Spoilers - yes, this is a common issue. What happened was they where left at the factory primmed in damp environment. Absorbed the water, then sprayed then when warm the moisture came out. The only way to fix this is to buy a new spoiler (primed), leave in a house for a good 1 year (dehumified) then take it t the pain place. No problem since Third bake light. Mine went because the cable went, common issue that TPS provide a kit for. Unlucky on the alternators for sure. Exhuast on Sport/Gti is a centre system. This can be pricey to replace for a OEM one (for a rear box Gti is over £600 when i last looked). If it rattles the baffles are loose. GTi - production location changed in late 2003/early 2004. It it has a B in the serial number is a Belgium built. Earlier cars built in Wolfsberg. Minor detail differences include. Wolfsberg - Red i badge and 1.6 16v on the engine cover. Beligum built - Silver i badge and Gti on the engine cover. FSI - not sold in the UK, cannot run E10. Edited July 11, 2021 by lupo1.0se Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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