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Buying unseen...

2K views 14 replies 7 participants last post by  MaxD 
#1 ·
Hello guys,

Looking for a general gist from the forum.

I'm currently (a Brit) in the US but will soon be relocating back to the UK. I need cars, and No.1 for my daily is the GT86.

I have the option to reserve a decent 2013 model, 59k miles, half leather, heated and FSH. If I put down £200, it's mine however if I change my mind I lose it so want to be sure. What should I be asking to ensure I can take the car with minimal worry? I'll arrive in the UK with no vehicles but will technically be in quarantine for 2 weeks due to arrival fro. The US. Thanks.
 
#3 ·
I dont think its the best of ideas , unless you know the seller personally. It is not hard to find these cars, so you can come and take your pick.

Any specific reasons for the urgency as from the described specs, it does not seem very limited / rare

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#4 ·
I'd mostly check if valve spring recall had already be done. And if it hasn't left some not to your taste mods. After that testdrive & deciding if risks worth the cost.
If car is in good state, not too mod-bastardized, and fits good enough for your driving patterns (with some patterns cons might be felt more and pros not able to be enjoyed, making twin in general not best choice), one will miss little versus newer twins. If only, generic wear level of suspension bushings & shocks, as it's already 7y.o. car.
 
#5 ·
Thanks for the responses guys. To clarify a couple of things:

The car is reported as having full Toyota Service history (6 stamps)
The valve spring recall has been carried out
Car is un-modded (so far as I can tell)

The spec is not hugely unique - black, half leather heated seats. It does look tidy and is only half an hour from where I'm moving to - certainly a consideration with the fact I won't have any of my own transport and with lockdowns looming..
 
#6 ·
I would check the spark plugs were changed during the recall as that's a 60K service item.
 
#9 ·
Thanks - one of the questions I had concerns what other work may be on the horizon.

If you're some distance, see whether you can arrange an AA inspection. Did that for mine purchased recently from a distance and it's sufficiently detailed as to catch most issues that you might face. Car's been great so far.
That's definitely a good option I think. It would give me a bit of peace of mind.

Is it a private seller or from Toyota?
It is a dealer - an independent though not Toyota.

Given the new lockdown restrictions about to take place I may just hold off for the moment - I'm still assuming I can get back into the country OK but you never know...
 
#10 ·
A little update..

I have successfully moved from the US back to the UK - now almost a week into quarantine. The car I was interested in is still available. Can't effectively be sold until 3rd Dec with the current restrictions but I'm getting closer to making a deal.

I'm going to call the garage who did the recall and last service to enquire about the spark plugs. If the need to be changed at next service, what's the going rate?

I'm also going to go for an AA inspection for peace of mind - is the full inspection worth it over the basic, and will they look at model-specific items if pointed in the right direction (condensation in the light cluster, for example)?

Cheers.
 
#11 ·
I'm also going to go for an AA inspection for peace of mind - is the full inspection worth it over the basic, and will they look at model-specific items if pointed in the right direction (condensation in the light cluster, for example)?

I can't comment on the other things, but you don't get the opportunity to speak to the person doing the inspection ahead of time - only after, and it's a general inspection. In some respects it's like a more stringent MOT that will call out non-safety faults too. It is very detailed and I wouldn't be surprised if comment would be passed on condensation in the light clusters (mine wasn't affected so nothing to mention). I paid for the full inspection. You do speak to the inspector afterwards and they'll give you a detailed run through and their overall impression of the car, and this is the time when you could ask anything extra (though they'd have already left by then).
 
#12 ·
AN UPDATE...

I did some digging and found that at the last service at 55k miles, it had the full 6-year service including the valve spring recall, spark plugs, diff oil, all filters and even a new clutch. This was only 2.5k miles ago.

I'm pretty happy with the car now, although I'm still getting a full AA inspection done just in case there's something there I might miss.

If all goes well though, I should be a proud owner of an '86 in the not too distant future...
 
#13 ·
Well, the inspection is complete.

Mechanically it seems completely sound. Slight lipping on the brake disks and unknown wear on the pads but everything else looks good.

The only items really were cosmetic - stones chips and scuffs to some of the bodywork that he said were commensurate with the age of the car (and something I can deal with).

The only other thing he mentioned was some slight cosmetic corrosion in the underside of the chassis. Recommended a clean up and application of undersell - is this a relatively cheap job?

Car is a ‘13 plate it’s 58k, up for £11.5k. Seems like a reasonable deal?
 
#14 ·
That seems reasonable. They always look rusty on the pressed steel sections of the suspension. I wouldn't worry about it.
 
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