New To The Lupo

[714GT]

Hi All,

I am currently the proud owner of a mk3 polo gt but I am looking at moving into Lupo ownership.

I am looking at getting a 16v Sport and have a couple to go look at.

What I'd like to know;

Common faults/problems.

Main things to look out for when viewing (bad and good)

Does mileage make much of a difference in a Lupo (I know the engines are pretty good anyway, just looking at the mileage on the ones for sale its around about the same as whats on my polo which is ten years older)

Any help would be great.

As would any other information you guys may have.

Thanks

[Barnsley-Arosa]

mileage isn't really anything to worry about and for some reason lupo's always seem to have reasonably high mileage and the ones with low mileage are always the rarer ones. mines done 80k in 6 years and runs with no problems.

[AutoAsh]

Hey i got told on the 1.4 16v engines to watch out for the bottom end ,Somthing about wear on the big ends ,Can anyone correct me ? cheers

[.Phase]

GEARBOX

PEDAL BOX/CLUTCH

and you'll be fine lol

obv. all electrics

[714GT]

GEARBOX

PEDAL BOX/CLUTCH

and you'll be fine lol

obv. all electrics

These are common faults, or just things I should check?

[714GT]

Any more?

[dd23]

looked at a few 1.4s and a lotof high mileage ones(even mine) had slight bottom end knock from cold,tends to go away after a min or two and is fine once warm.

broken coilsprings,leccy window switches and obviously clutch/pedal box and gearbox issues.

[714GT]

Are clutch/gearbox/pedal box issues common?

If so what am I looking for?

[dj-jay]

to be honest with u every car made has common faults, the lupo does have a few, ill add some and im sure others will add more, but dont let it put u of getting one at all, there great cars with a big feel when your driving, nice and smooth to and parts easy to come by,

door locking sensors, check the interior light comes on from drivers door and when headlights are on the buzzer goes of,

alternators,

roof rust,

like the other guys said for sure pedal boxes/window switches and gearbox issues,

[714GT]

What am I looking for with the clutch, pedal box and gearbox?

[dj-jay]

im not sure about the pedal box, someone else im sure will help u there, as for gears just take a test drive and make sure there all smooth and engage well at low revs and high revs, i only have a 1ltr and my reverse is sometimes tricky to get with the angle of the road, but its always been like that and never caused a prob, not sure if its the same on 1.4, sorry i cant help u much more than that,,,

the only advice i can give u is,

have a good drive to check gears,

open bonnet and take of oil filler cap and make sure there aint no brown white or grey stuff in there,

take your bf or a guy with u, jack car and check underneath for rust, jack wheels check wheel bearings,

also while your underneath check out springs for corrosion, and oil leaks on shocks,

like i said about lights and door locks,

if all there are ok your onto a winner i rec, im sure someone said on here pedal boxes are under warranty, but i cant be certain,,

[714GT]

Just found out the car I'm going looking at has had the pedal box done anyway, so thats one less thing to think about

[stealthie]

Pedal box info....

The pedal box brakes due to a stiff clutch which is caused from ware/age. As the clutch gets older and therefore stiffer it puts strain on the clutch cable. This in turn puts strain on the clutch pedal (this can be felt by a stiff clutch pedal), the weakest part of the clutch system is the spot weld that holds the top of the pedal pivot, as the clutch gets stiffer each time you press the pedal it puts more strain on the pivot point and therefore eventually the spot weld gives up and brakes..... giving you a broken pedal box.

So.... if your pedal box has broken it is due to having an old clutch. If your pedal box is replaced you should replace the clutch too, if you don't then the clutch will just cause the new box to break at some point in the future.

Pedal boxes are covered under the VW warranty if your lucky (I was) but they won't change your clutch under the warranty

I know this as I used to work for volkswagen and have been in the volkswagen/modified volkswagen trade for a long time!

Hope that helps!

And heeeelllooooo!

[714GT]

Heeeeellloooooo again

Thanks for that, makes more sense now. Never had that kind of problem with my "old" polo.

[RobG]

Thanks for that, makes more sense now. Never had that kind of problem with my "old" polo.

That's cos they were built proper back then

I've had my sport a few years now, not had many issues with it. The pedal box was going when i bought it, got that done by vw for free. It's had a cam belt service, i've replaced the front brakes, the seal welding around the cat brole and currently my egr valve thing has given up the ghost. Other than that it's been usual wear and tear items, and no real problems. Not that mine does huge mileage, i think i only did around 3k last year.

[stealthie]

I think 6N2's suffer from it as they are the same base as the Lupo. Yours is a Mk3 isnt/wasnt it? no problem with the boxes on those

[grayg40]

have a look at the down pipes/cat as they arent cheap and you have to replace the whole front pipe as one.

correct me if am wrong guys.

i have found that things for the lupo are more expencive than my G40.

your GT is probably a far better car than the lupo overall.

i have heard from a few garages inc vw ones that the 1.4 16v engine in the loops is the worst engine vw has made, and i kind of agree because of the probs i have had with the gf's one and its only at 75k.

just my tupence worth.

[714GT]

I think 6N2's suffer from it as they are the same base as the Lupo. Yours is a Mk3 isnt/wasnt it? no problem with the boxes on those

Yeah it is and I love her to bits

Still keeping her when I get the lupo, can't bear to let her go.