Last VIN number for UK market???

[mk2]

After my briefest of introductions about me to this forum, I have begun my quest to find my first Lupo.

To my first official post......

It occurred to me to see if I can find the last (or one of the last one's) made. I know they didn't sell in serial number order so one of the last Lupos registered may actually be quite a bit older. but i thought I'd ask all you experts out there. What are the last few digits of your VIN???

Also following all your advice over the last few days, I 'think' I've decided to go for plain jane 1.7SDI.

Anyone know what milage these SDI engines can survive? They are different to the 1.9's found in Golfs with the double balanced 'flexible' flywheels....

I've seen a few Lupos for sale well with over 100k miles, but then I start thinking about gear train and wheel bearings... And brakes. And door hinges. And window mechs. And steering racks. The stuff that is a pain to replace as it wears out, since once you start, you think "well I've got it in pieces so i may a well do this too...", and eventually you end up restoring the whole car, down to rubber bushes and brake lines... You get the picture :-)

I spotted a 2006 registered car last week (silver).

[Skezza]

After my briefest of introductions about me to this forum, I have begun my quest to find my first Lupo.

To my first official post......

It occurred to me to see if I can find the last (or one of the last one's) made. I know they didn't sell in serial number order so one of the last Lupos registered may actually be quite a bit older. but i thought I'd ask all you experts out there. What are the last few digits of your VIN???

Also following all your advice over the last few days, I 'think' I've decided to go for plain jane 1.7SDI.

Anyone know what milage these SDI engines can survive? They are different to the 1.9's found in Golfs with the double balanced 'flexible' flywheels....

I've seen a few Lupos for sale well with over 100k miles, but then I start thinking about gear train and wheel bearings... And brakes. And door hinges. And window mechs. And steering racks. The stuff that is a pain to replace as it wears out, since once you start, you think "well I've got it in pieces so i may a well do this too...", and eventually you end up restoring the whole car, down to rubber bushes and brake lines... You get the picture :-)

I spotted a 2006 registered car last week (silver).

SDI engines can genuinely last forever if serviced properly. "They last forever" is a term used all too frequently for **** cars that can last a few hundred thousand miles. There's a guy on the Polo forum with an SDI with over a million miles. They aren't too different to the 1.9's. Same injection pump etc.

The other stuff is wear and tear and pot luck I'm afraid.

[mk2]

There's a guy on the Polo forum with an SDI with over a million miles.

Very Impressive. Can't beat a cast iron lump... I'd like to see that Polo to see what wore out. When i was on holiday in Tenerife a couple of years back, we took a merc taxi that had done nearly 5 million km. And it was the same old man who had owned the car for 30 years who was driving us. The car was in excellent condition, but just about everything had been swapped. Still the same engine though (but rebuilt a few times).

I've been doing some more Lupo research.

There were 3 different flavours of 1.7 SDI Lupo over the 6 year production run. Apparently the S is the best spec car, with the latest fuelling system (out of 3 possibles for the 1.7SDI). This led me on a quest to see what alterations were made to the models over the run. You know stuff like small wiring changes, additions of brackets, sound deadening panels and small mechanical changes. That sort of stuff. Usually there is a 'facelift' after about 4 years to fix any 'issues' but with the Lupo I can't find any alterations or 'technical service bulletins' in any of the data bases.

Was the first car off the production run the exact same as the very last???? If so, then it'll make no difference to the model year I buy (other than tax and rust...).

[Skezza]

Very Impressive. Can't beat a cast iron lump... I'd like to see that Polo to see what wore out. When i was on holiday in Tenerife a couple of years back, we took a merc taxi that had done nearly 5 million km. And it was the same old man who had owned the car for 30 years who was driving us. The car was in excellent condition, but just about everything had been swapped. Still the same engine though (but rebuilt a few times).

I've been doing some more Lupo research.

There were 3 different flavours of 1.7 SDI Lupo over the 6 year production run. Apparently the S is the best spec car, with the latest fuelling system (out of 3 possibles for the 1.7SDI). This led me on a quest to see what alterations were made to the models over the run. You know stuff like small wiring changes, additions of brackets, sound deadening panels and small mechanical changes. That sort of stuff. Usually there is a 'facelift' after about 4 years to fix any 'issues' but with the Lupo I can't find any alterations or 'technical service bulletins' in any of the data bases.

Was the first car off the production run the exact same as the very last???? If so, then it'll make no difference to the model year I buy (other than tax and rust...).

I can't remember what wore out on the Polo to be honest. Some parts will last a hell of a long time if treated right.

I assume by the 3 different flavours of Lupo SDI you mean the E, S and an SE. As far as I'm aware, there's absolutely no difference between the fuelling system on an E and a S. ElsaWin doesn't think so anyway. The main difference between an E and an S is creature comforts. E (l've always assumed meant 'Entry') has only the base features, manual windows, manual locking, less fancy seats. The S model has central locking, electric windows, easy access seats (the frame moves to allow people into the back).

There were some alterations made, but these were primarily to the interior. Pre-2001 models come with the original dash which has switches located underneath the radio. At the bottom of the centre console there's a small cubby which is perfectly sized for a 3-way cigarette socket (what i use it for to power my dashcam etc). Post-2001, the cubby at the bottom is replaced by switches and the original location of switches is replaced by a cup holder. There's benefits to both. I love effectively having a massive bucket underneath my radio as there's a **** tonne of wiring and it's a nice clean place to keep it. I imagine in a newer Lupo fitting my radio in would be an absolute nightmare, at least without ripping half the centre console and doing some extremely awkward routing of wires.

I think all Lupo's have sound deadening in the front in the form of a foam which isn't great to be honest. In the back, both rear panels have a square patch behind the card. Don't forget, most sound deadening products are just that. They're not sound insulation, they're simply deadening the acoustic vibrations. Clearly VW felt a small patch (about 6 inches square) was enough for that.

Only things I can think about that you want to look for, some Lupo's have speaker holes behind their rear door cards to allow you to fit speakers. My current one does, my old one didn't. There doesn't seem to be much consistency with this. Either you're lucky, and have them, or you're not, and don't. If you look through this thread of me fitting a boot light, you can see mine: http://forums.clublupo.co.uk/index.php?/topic/98357-how-to-simple-oem-boot-light/

I can't think of anything else of note really.

[mk2]

I assume by the 3 different flavours of Lupo SDI you mean the E, S and an SE. As far as I'm aware, there's absolutely no difference between the fuelling system on an E and a S. ElsaWin doesn't think so anyway. The main difference between an E and an S is creature comforts. E (l've always assumed meant 'Entry') has only the base features, manual windows, manual locking, less fancy seats. The S model has central locking, electric windows, easy access seats (the frame moves to allow people into the back).

There were some alterations made, but these were primarily to the interior. Pre-2001 models come with the original dash which has switches located underneath the radio. At the bottom of the centre console there's a small cubby which is perfectly sized for a 3-way cigarette socket (what i use it for to power my dashcam etc). Post-2001, the cubby at the bottom is replaced by switches and the original location of switches is replaced by a cup holder. There's benefits to both. I love effectively having a massive bucket underneath my radio as there's a **** tonne of wiring and it's a nice clean place to keep it. I imagine in a newer Lupo fitting my radio in would be an absolute nightmare, at least without ripping half the centre console and doing some extremely awkward routing of wires.

I think all Lupo's have sound deadening in the front in the form of a foam which isn't great to be honest. In the back, both rear panels have a square patch behind the card. Don't forget, most sound deadening products are just that. They're not sound insulation, they're simply deadening the acoustic vibrations. Clearly VW felt a small patch (about 6 inches square) was enough for that.

Only things I can think about that you want to look for, some Lupo's have speaker holes behind their rear door cards to allow you to fit speakers. My current one does, my old one didn't. There doesn't seem to be much consistency with this. Either you're lucky, and have them, or you're not, and don't. If you look through this thread of me fitting a boot light, you can see mine: http://forums.clublupo.co.uk/index.php?/topic/98357-how-to-simple-oem-boot-light/

I can't think of anything else of note really.

This is really good info that I cannot find elseware. Many thanks

[Rich]

I'll swap you a TDI and an SDI for the rallye, I'll even throw in a 1,4S too.

[Skezza]

I'll swap you a TDI and an SDI for the rallye, I'll even throw in a 1,4S too.

you having a clear out?

[mk2]

you having a clear out?

I'm interested in a late SDI for a spin in my golf...

Only adding to 'my collection' that's going in my barn. Me thinks that in about 10 years the Lupo GTi will be a classic. Get a good one now, store it and triple your money And you can drive it when the weather's nice. So why am I getting a SDI? I like basic stuff sometimes (like a mk1 polo). No turbine thank you very much.

Edited October 14, 2014 by mk2

[Rich]

So if I add a GTI to deal we're on ?