What to look for...

[Martyn]

I am planning on going to look at a Beat sometime this weekend.

Anyone care to tell me what to look out for? I have already read about the engine light coming on, sounds just like the light on my Blackbird.

Any help would be welcome!

Cheers,

Martyn

[tinytim]

Hi Martyn,

Here are a few things to look for.

Warning lights : All 5 should come on when you turn the ignition with the engine warning going out after a couple of seconds (NOT FLASHING) the other 4 should go out when you start up.

Idle speed should be close to 1200rpm and it should rev up to 8500 (DON'T do this from cold, the owner won't be best pleased)

The car should have a Cat 2 immobiliser with certificate or the insurance will be silly money.

The rest is the standard stuff, brake condition, body panel gaps etc.

Things not to worry about, quite often the clutch release bearing makes a bit of noise when your foot is off the pedal, dip the clutch and it should go away. Be wary if the noise continues with the clutch pedal depressed.
Nasty rattle from the engine between 2500 and 3500. On some cars this can sound quite bad, it's usually only when you are accelerating slowly and will go at 3200-3500rpm, it is actually caused by the springs in the friction plate but isn't really anything to worry about. If the car you look at does make this noise it would be worth checking the belts on the left of the engine just to make sure it's not actually a bearing in the various pullys. (Aircon comp, alternator etc)
Soot on the exhaust, probably just caused by the owner filling up at tescos rather than shell, the car definately runs better and more economicly on Optimax.

Good hunting
Tim

[Steve_M]

Originally posted by tinytim
quite often the clutch release bearing makes a bit of noise when your foot is off the pedal, dip the clutch and it should go away.

Gearbox main shaft bearings. a noisey release bearing would be when clutch is depressed (foot on) (e.g. the other way around)


Originally posted by tinytim
Soot on the exhaust


Failing ECU capacitors causing increased fuel mixture.

[Martyn]

Thanks!

Any more?

Cheers,

Martyn

[mlind1]

I wouldn't necesaraly agree with the immogiliser bit, mine hasn't got one and the insurance is very reasonable

(£500 , considering I'm 23 I think thats pretty good!)

[barkley]

its a non key chipped honda unless u wana see it "gone in 60 seconds" its a requirement so if it aint got one it needs one .......it may help you to allow for it in the price

[tinytim]

Mike,
Who are you insured with? I'm surprised you've found someone who will touch a soft top without an immobiliser, unless they are assuming there is one?

Steve,

Gearbox main shaft bearings. Useful tip there Steve, I'd better check mine when I drop the engine I had put it down to the release bearing rattling.


Soot on the exhaust

I'm still getting the soot even with capasitor change?? Possibly more to this one than just that. i have a suspision that it could be a weak spark, which was causing my detonation, Optimax may have just hidden the fault.

[mlind1]

I'm with direct line. They did not ask and it is not part of my policy. I plan on getting one soon for obvious reasons but they did not require it. They did on my Golf GTI but not my BEAT!

[Wh1teLeopard]

Mine seems to have some cheap after market one... which doesn't work anyway... It doesn't have an imoboliser!!! It will do after xmas though...

Got quoted £198inc fitting to fit a Cobra3 alarm complete with microwave sensors, imoboliser etc I can get their number if anyone's interested they're based all over the midlands.

[mlind1]

is that a cat 1 alarm?

[Wh1teLeopard]

I'm not sure, I don't think so... but they do cat1 alarms. Their number anyway:

West Bromwich
0121 522 4949

Central Birmingham
0121 643 0403

Tamworth
01827 60116

They're called Fast Fit, they offer a mobile fitting service, they fit Cat 1 & 2 alarms all with a 2 year guarentee

I found their number in the yellow pages (Birmingham North), page 226

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