FS UK Autotrader Legnum VR4

[Rally205]

I saw a galant (actually a Legnum ) VR4 in the Midlands Autotrader yesterday that grabbed my attention as it was very local to me. It is a 1997 manual with the sports pack interior and Evo bonnet for a reasonable £6995.

I rang the trader who had it and arranged to have a look at it this morning. I arrived to find a yard full of Subaru Imprezas :zzz: and one lonely looking Legnum. I found the guy and asked for the keys so that I could look round it. First impressions were that it was a bit tatty and needed some TLC but generally not too bad. Then I started looking harder at the panel gaps etc and found that not all was well. The o/s/f corner had been in a heavy shunt at some time recently and had been extremely badly repaired. So badly in fact that the o/s/f inner wing was no longer attached to the bulkhead and 'A' pillar.

I asked the guy if it had been a write off and he claimed that it had been HPI checked and was clear. He said maybe it had been damaged in Japan before it came here as it was only recently imported to which I replied " I don't f*&%$ing think so mate. It wouldn't get through an SVA test like that! I take it that it has been SVA tested?"

" Uhhh. I think so. I haven't really looked at the paperwork"

I carried on looking round it for a while and noticed that it still had Jap spec tyres on it. No way would it get through an SVA. Then the guy tells me that he took it in part ex for a Nissan SX200 that he had and was very upset with the fact that he had a lemon on his hands :sad3: .

I told him that I was most definitely not interested in it and that he should get it fixed properly before someone gets killed in it. As I walked away I gave him one last piece of advice and said that the reason I had become suspicious and had a more thorough look at the car was due to the front number plate.

" What do you mean? " he asked.

" It's got the name and postcode of the Salvage yard that sold it written on it!!! " /dunce

So beware!

[Kieran]

Can you post more details Marcus, I.E. the exact car? As someone who is looking out for a cheap Legnum, I would appreciate it!!!

[Vector]

good post sir
info most appreciated :thumbsup:

[Polabear]

Well spotted Marcus..... :2thumbsup

[bernmc]

Can you post more details Marcus, I.E. the exact car? As someone who is looking out for a cheap Legnum, I would appreciate it!!!

Must be this one, Kieran:

1997 MITSUBISHI Galant VR4, 2.5
twin Turbo, rare Manual Sport exhaust, Recaro trim, Evo bonnet, very fast, stunning car, p/x. £6,995.
A5 CARS Tel: (01455) 556 933 or (07966) 023 294
Distance: 8 miles
Price: £6,995

I'm tempted to go down there and have a look myself to see whether he admits to anything now...
:inquisiti

[Rally205]

Yep, thats the one.

[Kieran]

I think someone in the area should 'Cold Call' him, and if they're shady about letting on the small but important fact that it's got 'DeathTrap' written all over it, Perhaps we should be reporting the dealer to Trading Standards?

[RED]

If he's still got it next weekend I'm going to see him and see how he tackles the situation with a women looking at it :| if he gets condescending I will :karate: chop him and turn into a :klingon: and get very :furious3: at him /yes /yes

PS Did I mention that I like these new smilies /lol

[Sulli]

Is that in Hinckley then?
Does look nice with that Evo bonnet - wonder if he'd swap it for a standard one, as it looks indigo blue :2thumbsup
Bit of a worry though - Trading Standards should be informed if you're sure it's that bad.

Just noticed that the tatty VR4 at Auto Couture, and another one in Leicestershire (silver) are still both for sale - were on the trader when I was looking a couple of months ago - and that auto-couture one is still £9k for a 96!!!! :oops:

[RED]

It's at A5 Pine on the A5 inbetween Magna Park and the Sharnford dip. And the evo bonnet is just the scoops bodged on it :rolleyes4

It's a shame really it was almost everything I was looking for :sad3:

[bernmc]

It's a shame really it was almost everything I was looking for :sad3:
And I thought that was me ;)

Eeyagggghh watch out for Marcusssss...!:stars::smash: ==> :bigcry:

[RED]

And I thought that was me ;)

Eeyagggghh watch out for Marcusssss...!:stars::smash: ==> :bigcry:

:embarasse cheeky /lol

[Bream]

Thank god I checked in on this site before waisting a trip tomorrow, this was on my list to view but isn't any more :thumbsdow

Are there actually any decent VR4 Legnums out there for sale at the moment, coz I must admit I'm struggling to find any :sad3:

[SGHOM]

Are there actually any decent VR4 Legnums out there for sale at the moment, coz I must admit I'm struggling to find any :sad3:
there are 23 for sale on autotrader at the moment. surely one of them has got to be decent ??

[Rally205]

Have you looked at any others Bream? Are there any more to avoid? :inquisiti

[Bream]

There are quite a few in Autotrader I must admit and I was hoping one of them might be right for me, I'm planning on viewing one tomorrow but I haven't called yet to make sure its still there, a silver one just south of Ibstock, Leicestershire.

Other than that it seems to be a trip up to Yorkshire for a look round Keighley and Beeches, I've heard dodgy stories about both places but I think the cars are only as good as they come over from Japan. So there might be a gem amongst the crap, so to say :happy:

Have considered ordering one from Japan but I can't wait for the shipping and SVA time, well I could if I really had to I guess.

So I'll just have to see what happens this weekend, really not sure what to expect. :undecided

How about you?

[bernmc]

Are there actually any decent VR4 Legnums out there for sale at the moment, coz I must admit I'm struggling to find any :sad3:
I couldn't find any in that sort of price range either. Got fed up with blatting about the country and finding out that the dealer had been talking a load of carp :| every time. Which is why I've imported my own.

[Bream]

I couldn't find any in that sort of price range either. Got fed up with blatting about the country and finding out that the dealer had been talking a load of carp :| every time. Which is why I've imported my own.
:sad3: Not good news, have you been over to Keighley and Beeches?

[Big Ian]

their is a stunning looking Legnum in a Garage in Glasgow for sale in standard form..i had a lot of doubt about this car but ive spoke to other member's and a bloke who does work for the garage and they always look after the customer ,no history with it,might still to have the re-call work done,but other than that it's imaculate
(if i was in the position to purchase i'd have it on my drive)
it's in here,but they have'nt got it listed?
http://www.gwcomplex.com/

[bernmc]

:sad3: Not good news, have you been over to Keighley and Beeches?
Never quite got that far North ( I'm in warwickshire). There's lots in the dealership section about keighly which put me off the trip!

[Sulli]

I'm planning on viewing one tomorrow but I haven't called yet to make sure its still there, a silver one just south of Ibstock, Leicestershire.

That has been for sale for at least 3 months, probably more.
I phoned to view it when I was looking but there was no answer.
Can't give you any more info, but tread carefully :thumbsup:

[Kieran]

If he's still got it next weekend I'm going to see him and see how he tackles the situation with a women looking at it :| if he gets condescending I will :karate: chop him and turn into a :klingon: and get very :furious3: at him /yes /yes


Did you get anywhere with this, Red? The car's still for sale... :inquisiti

[Bazlightyear]

I bought the one from Ibstock three weeks ago. Had to wait for a mirror and speedo to arrive from Japan? Other than that it's quite tidy.

Barry

[Sulli]

Anything up with it?

[RED]

Did you get anywhere with this, Red? The car's still for sale... :inquisiti

No I haven't. What with work, Em's christening and not being very well I haven't had a chance :embarasse But I keep seeing it on autotrader so I'm going to phone trading standards on Monday and tell them what a pile pf poo it is :rolleyes4 and hopefully get them to pay him a visit :thumbsup:



Trouble with getting to see it as well as the above is that now the car is so bl**dy low I won't be able to drive up his pot holed driveway without scraping my bottom :leer: need to nab the car from Marcus and get him to look after Em for me - nothing is never simple anymore :lipsrseal :dizzy2:

[Bream]

Well, after spending over 7 hours in the car on Sat driving up the Keighley Car centre and Beeches, I feel rather disappointed

They had several VR4 Legnums in stock but nothing that could temp me into buying. Overall the condition of all cars were poor apart from one at Beeches, but it was an auto so not what I wanted. Most, if not all require some bodywork, looked like they’d been damaged during transit.

Overall impression is that you got what you paid for, cheap prices but you’d need to spend on them to get them anywhere near good condition. If you do find a car here that you like don’t be afraid the haggle on price, I got the impression these guys would almost knock 4 figures of to make a sale with hard cash under the noses.

I’d also treat a sale from these places like a private purchase with a sold as seen attitude, that way you won’t be pulling your hair out in despair when something goes wrong when you drive away.

I had to feel sorry for one new car owner, he’d turned up to pick up his new R33 Skyline, looked quite nice but it wouldn’t start! Still wouldn’t start when I left, they then had the plugs out and this was over an hour later. Wonder if he ever got home…….

Hope this helps someone else :rolleyes4

[Rally205]

Hi Bream

Was the one you went to look at Beeches the black one with recaro interior and manual box? The one that's been on autotrader for a few weeks? :inquisiti Was it any good?

[Bream]

Hi Bream

Was the one you went to look at Beeches the black one with recaro interior and manual box? The one that's been on autotrader for a few weeks? :inquisiti Was it any good?
Yep, the very one. I think you could get this for circa £4000 as it needs a LOT of bodywork, front bumper, whole passenger side, roof and rear bumper corner. Apart from that it looked in OK standard condition althought the recaro seats were a strange colour, mainly black/grey but the badging was lilac/green :rolleyes4

Cheers,

Jeff

[SGHOM]

I think you could get this for circa £4000 as it needs a LOT of bodywork
Jeff
Thats the price we all want to be looking at paying !! If it's reasonable mechanically, then a bit of bodywork is right up your street Marcus !! :thumbsup:
worth a look ?? I think so.

/edit; £4995 on auttrader, £6495 on web site ?? :rolleyes4
It also says 'no offers'.......... !! bo!!%cks !! all their cars say that ??

[Rally205]

:thinking2 Hmmmm. I think you could be right Derek. A bit of haggling :deal2: and it could be a bargain :smug:

[SGHOM]

:thinking2 Hmmmm. I think you could be right Derek. A bit of haggling :deal2: and it could be a bargain :smug:
buy 'em cheap............ forget the warranty, after all, we do tend to modify them a tad !! :thumbsup: & that will invalidate any warranty offered.

at that price, I would just use it as a toy/track day car. if it breaks it breaks. /yes dont buy it/one if you need to rely on it for job, ie; traversing the country etc.

I now use my van all the time, the legnum is parked up in a pub car park !! :embarasse It only comes out at 'play time' :evil2:

[RED]

Did you get anywhere with this, Red? The car's still for sale... :inquisiti

Trading standards were about as helpfull as a dose of the clap /help Having said that it's no longer up for sale. He's either getting it repaired, they've taken it off him or he's sold it :rolleyes4

Keep your mince pies open in case we have a new member soon :rolleyes4 :embarasse

[Kieran]

Trading standards were about as helpfull as a dose of the clap ...

Funny that!!! Nottingham Trading standards, whilst very helpful, couldn't actually DO anything about that Leggle that Derek and I went to see! /grr

[Big Ian]

might be better for the members section,but i think when posable "post the Reg numbers" of un worthy motor's? (black sheep)
as we know they can be moved from place to place on the hope someone will buy.

[Legnum Boy]

might be better for the members section,but i think when posable "post the Reg numbers" of un worthy motor's? (black sheep)
as we know they can be moved from place to place on the hope someone will buy.

Thats a good idea.... I would like to make the first contribution to this list to help future owners avoid any wallet cramps and major disappointments.

P*** JJU... Its had to have several new gearbox components and been modified and driven round by an unprofessional nutter for the past two and a half years... /yes :scholar:

[ritch_w]

what about taking this one step further and building a database of all the VR4s for sale out there (inc auto trader and e-bay)

If the car has been inspected - or looked at by a ClubVR4 member all the details inc reg should be noted and obviously whether the car was a dog or a good 'un.

we could clock if the same ones are for sale on a regular basis (like the saloon with the R??CUM reg???)

we could use the comments from the non registered site members as well for info on cars.

I think this should be in the member section to avoid upsetting any dodgy traders / legal implications etc

[bernmc]

I think this should be in the member section to avoid upsetting any dodgy traders / legal implications etc

Problem with that is that many people after VR4's are not going to be members yet, and it's these people that need the info most. It's only going to give the car a bad rep if people end up buying dodgy goods, so it would be most use if they had access to the info too...

[Kieran]

Many other clubs (e.g. The lexus/Toyota Soarer owner's club) keep owner's registers. Can be handy... Say a Leggle is involved in a shunt and is cat 'C'... And then gets picked up and repaired. The repair may well be fine, but I think people should know (if they want to) where their chassis has been before they got it...

[WildCards]

Many other clubs (e.g. The lexus/Toyota Soarer owner's club) keep owner's registers. Can be handy... Say a Leggle is involved in a shunt and is cat 'C'... And then gets picked up and repaired. The repair may well be fine, but I think people should know (if they want to) where their chassis has been before they got it...

An owners register is a very good idea. I assume this never got off the ground, any chance someone could breath life back into it?

[Paul Beazer]

Thats a good idea.... I would like to make the first contribution to this list to help future owners avoid any wallet cramps and major disappointments.

P*** JJU... Its had to have several new gearbox components and been modified and driven round by an unprofessional nutter for the past two and a half years... /yes :scholar:

This isnt P247 JJU is it? Only its down the road from me! I think its trigger mauve?? (Dark metallic purple?)