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buying a Corrado VR6 - any tips?


Guest jhanlon

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Guest jhanlon

Hi

I've picked up a few tips here and there and it looks like the web site's buyers guide will be invaluable when finished, but for now I'm trying to find a summary of the main pointers for buying a 10 yr old Corrado VR6. I'm no expert under the bonnet (might get a professional inspection for this bit); just need to know the main things to look for plus any other general advice on buying used and... am i making the right choice??

it's a jungle out there! help! :(

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They are nice cars the Corrado VR's, but, and may be it was just mine that was a bad one, i found the Golf much better built and actually slightly nippier.

Don't get me wrong though, i'd probably have another. They look fantastic, handle like a dream and have lots of little toys such as the electric spoiler. The most important things to look for are electrical gremlins, like windows not working, sunroof a bit dodgy (can also get runner problems with the sunroofs. not too expensive for parts but an awkward job), rear spoiler should go up at about 45-47mph and back down at about 15. Theres also an override button tucked under the dash to the right of the steering wheel, try that too. Heater controls can be a pain in the butt, make sure the direction control works right, and if it does, make sure you never change the direction of flow with the blower on anything above 2. Mirrors should be electric and heated. Check for panel damage as parts can be bloody steep. Other than that, its just your normal common or garden VR6 so check for smoke etc. Also take note of the brakes, as being a heavy car it can't half give em some grief.

Best of luck with the search, if you need to know anymore give me a shout.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest jhanlon

cheers dude, appreciate it. Start test driving this weekend. It's new territory for me and there's a lot of stuff to scare me off, but I'll take the plunge anyway.

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Yeah as CliveyP says, build quality can appear to be iffy on Corrados, especially neglected ones where there are missing trim clips and screws etc.

And why the Corrado sunroofs break when it shares the same components as the Golf 3 is a mystery.

Looks and handling, they're fabulous cars....definitely a future classic. The Motoring press had nothing but praise back in the day.

Evo Magazine have this to say about our beloveds:-

"Golf VR6 - + Classy compact BMW alternative, - Heavy thirst, heavy handling."

"Corrado VR6 - + Still to be bettered for all round ability and appeal, - Err......"

I very very nearly sold mine (had a couple of offers at inters from strangers!) and tried a few highlines and some MK4 Golfs....but nah.....couldn't do it. I've invested too much time and effort into it....and to celebrate me keeping it, it's getting treated to a new gearbox build with shorter diff ratio and a quaife !lol

Clive is also right about the engine. I think the Corrado VR is slightly heavier than the Golf? But the 2.9 was not one of VW's best efforts. It wears out quickly (compared to the 2.8) and VW never bothered making it OBD2 compliant, so it never got the Higlhine engine refinements.

However, there are some freak Corrado VRs out there.....one of them makes 217bhp and it's bog standard! Seen plenty of other standard ones make around 210 bhp too, but these are rare!!

My advice is search long and hard and only settle on one you feel 100% happy with and comfortable about buying... there are too many knackered, sheddy ones knocking around at the moment. If it's arounf

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