Hi all, buying advice needed!

[WildCards]

I went to look at a 96 Leggy yesterday, very nice everything looks ok, it appears to have all the right bits, bobs and the other, but the AYC light was permanently on, is that right?

Also what is the difference between the facelift models? (apart from a facelift)
And this one had the TV, DVD screen in the dash, is it reliable? is it best to go with one without this?

Lastly, what is better, the manual or auto? I really prefer manual's, but think i could get onboard this g'box after driving it yesterday.

Thanks for any info supplied.


W

[Nick Mann]

No, the AYC light should go out.

There is a buyers guide found under resources at the top of the page.

Search for 'MMCS' on this site - that will tell you all you need to know about the TV screen.

As for auto vs manual, that is a debate which is still going strong! The auto is apparently a box developed by or for Porsche, so is very good. Better than a manual? Again, try searching the site and you should find LOTS of arguments on this subject.

If the buyers guide and searches leave you wanting more, come back and ask! And good luck in your search.

[BraindG]

the ay light staying on isnt a good sign..
the car still drives ok, and from my understanding it means its in 4wd 100% of the time, however it could mean a 130 quid fix, or a 2500 quid fix to replace either the entire ayc pump, or the cheaper option a switch that controls it

i have this problem atm, and when i receive this months wages im going to buy the swtich, which hopefully will resolve the problem.. otherwise im going to cry..

but no, that light should not stay on!

[WildCards]

Went to see the guy again today, he assured me the light should be on, and that if it isn't then there is a problem, he offered to point it out the the cars manual. which i didn't have time for, but obviously i will if i buy the car.
Just to be sure, i'm talking about the letters AYC illuminating next to the speedo in the instrument panel. To the right of the 3 bars.

I have printed off and read through the buyers guide, everything in it seems like good advice, i have checked the car over according to what the guide says and it all checks out.

Thanks for all the help.

[BraindG]

yes, the AYC on the far right hand side of the dash, next to all the other icons for engine, handbrake etc... its the very last one on the right hand side

the AYC is NOT supposed to be on.. far from it.. theres a problem with that car.. i wouldn't buy it.. unless the owner fixes it!.. if he doesnt and you buy it, then your potentially going to have a very costly repair..

sorry to sound all doom and gloom, but its not right that hes trying to sell you the car, stating it should be illuminated!!

[Spirit]

Barry is spot on - and if it was me, even if the guy gets it fixed I would still get a full AA/RAC inspection done too, for peace of mind. What else could be lurking if the guy is blatently trying to mis-sell the car (or is just ignorant to the facts).

[h6tls]

also if the owner says hes fixed it, make sure it comes on with iignition and goes off after starting. its not hard to take the bulb out !!!

[WildCards]

Bummer, it is a really nice car aswell. I thought about getting an inspection done, but wasn't sure whether the AA/RAC expertise would stretch as far as a Jap Import, what i mean is, any monkey can check all of the 'usual' suspects, but what about all of the unusual ones? Also, if they miss anything, do you have any comeback?

Thanks for coming back about the AYC light anyway, even though it wasn't the answer i wanted. I always find it's better to talk to past and current owners about cars before you buy them. I shall have to decide the best way to tackle this.

I like these cars because they are so rare, but that's not a good thing until you actually own one, until then you have to pull your hair out trying!

Thanks again

W

[bernmc]

Have you read through the for sale section of this site? A least two members are selling their cars atm ...

[WildCards]

I have, although i'll look again just to refresh my memory. However i'm after an unmodified car, the insurance is steep anyway, so any mods (probably get away with alloy wheels) are going to push up my premium.

Thanks for the heads up tho.

W

[WildCards]

Just out of interest, what does the AYC light do/mean then?

[Nick Mann]

Active Yaw Control - powered rear diff to help cornering. The AYC light should come on with the ignition, then go out after the few seconds it takes for the system check (same as with the SRS light, engine check light etc).

There are then three lights beneath the rev counter that tell you how hard the AYC system is working. Press the loud pedal on a tight bend and AYC bars will start flickering!

[KiwiTT]

Just out of interest, what does the AYC light do/mean then?

The AYC sets the car apart from all other run-of-the-mill 4WD sedans and wagons. It was developed as part of the "Rally-Bred" EVO IV and later models, to help with hard cornering.

Keep looking. You won't be disappointed when you get one.

[Kenneth]

Um, when you talk about the AYC light being on, is it the RED ayc light in the warning cluster, or the white one on the dash?

The white one should always be on. There is a pic of my dash here
http://www.clubvr4.com/forum/vbgarage.php?do=view&id=1403

[WildCards]

Yeah, that white one as per your pic. So are you saying that IS supposed to be on? My directions/explanation was not probablt clear enough, but as i only drove the car for 20 minutes and for that time i was making sure it was pointed in the right direction, i was describing from memory (which isn't great in itself!)

If this is ok then, what should i be paying for a 96P Legnum VR4 with MMCS, 10xCD, DVD, moon roof, 51,000 miles, cloth interior, and a shed load of service work done? But no performance upgrades at all, well 17" alloys.

[SGHOM]

prices are a bit all over the place at the mo !! but it's to our advantage, that with the rarity of them, dealers cant shift 'em !
I bought mine in july 2003, it was for sale originally at £8995. then dropped by £500.... twice ! I ended up paying £7200. similar spec to yours, MMCS etc, & with 46K on clock.
today, I think £6K is absolute tops you should be paying. a bit of negotiating, & nearer £5K is what you should be aiming for.
If it's mint & as described, then you're getting a hell of a lot of car for very little money. /yes /yes In fact, a £33K car for buttons !!

[Kenneth]

Yeah, that white one as per your pic. So are you saying that IS supposed to be on?

Yep. My guess is that it is just part of the dash decoration.

[WildCards]

"Dash Decoration"? Do you mean a sticker or fancy decal of some sort or a light? It comes on with ignition and stays on, the guy says it 'should' be permanently on and is willing to show me the handbook to corroborate this.

6k sounds alot better than 8k which he's asking for, i'm not willing to pay more than 7k, but that was based on ignorance. The more i am learning about this car the better a position i feel i am in. And there seem to be more of them popping up, must be the time of year.

[SGHOM]

[QUOTE=WildCards
6k sounds alot better than 8k which he's asking for, i'm not willing to pay more than 7k, but that was based on ignorance. The more i am learning about this car the better a position i feel i am in. And there seem to be more of them popping up, must be the time of year.[/QUOTE]



8K is too much. either get him down to a sensible price, or walk away.
I think, as the only VR4 owners club around, we should have more buying power. /yes no-one knows more about Vr4's than we do, & I think we should use that to our advantage. /yes
If a dealer is asking too much for a car, which they often do, potential new buyers should consult this forum first, & bide their time in buying one.
that way we can, hopefully, make sure that the "lemons " stay with the dealers, & members get the best cars at the right price.


just my tuppenth !! hic ! :embarasse

[Kenneth]

"Dash Decoration"? Do you mean a sticker or fancy decal of some sort or a light? It comes on with ignition and stays on, the guy says it 'should' be permanently on and is willing to show me the handbook to corroborate this.

I meant decoration as in that it serves no purpose but to inform anyone who looks that this car has AYC.

Sure, it SHOULD always be on... but then that is so for all illuminated dash instruments. Its like the VR-4 logo on the dash, that should always be illuminated, but if it DOES go out, it doesn't mean you car is no longer a VR-4!

If the light goes out, you have a problem with your dash illumination, not with your AYC.

Hope this is clear for you now, good luck with getting a VR-4!

[WildCards]

That is a relief, just got a stonking good insurance quote from Elephant - £780, for some reason i put my mum on and it dropped £400! I'll have to make sure this is right through.
Then i've just got to get a loan, which is harder than i thought it would be. Then make sure i get the right price for my Scenic.

With any luck i'll be able to join the club with credentials soon.

[Polabear]

With any luck i'll be able to join the club with credentials soon.


And with a car that is the doggies danglers very cheap to boot.... :thumbsup:

[WildCards]

OK, i drove the car again today, is it supposed to peeter out of ooomph at around 120? (well just accelerate slower!) Not that i need it go faster, but i don't want a car with problems and have been told that it should be good for 160, with this in mind i wouldn't have thought losing such a substantial chunk of power at 120 would mean it capable of hitting 160 at any point.

Also it appears that there is a problem with the AYC light being on. According to the manual the the bloke had it means the AYC is malfunctioning/has malfunctioned and should be checked out. At least this can be resolved before i buy. Does anyone else find that full auto feels quicker than sequential shifting?

At first i thought the MMCS would be cool with TV, DVD and the like, but after finding the sat nav and TV won't work and the DVD is iffy without the TV, that only leaves the temperature control system and the 10xCD changer. Surely this doesn't really add any value to the vehicle? It has a 'moonroof' which is nice to have but not compulsory, and i don't think that adds value either, he's put 17" wheels on the car but other than that is is standard, with cloth/velour interior and is in Miester Blue. After that little lot, my question to you peeps is this:

Is it worth £7995 the asking price. After looking at the red one from Newera i think i have my own answer, but do i want the hassle of selling my own car privately, to then have to drive down to Bristol to view that one, should it still be available. None of the others for sale appear to be any nearer to me, or better, so i feel i'm inbetween a rock and a hard place.

Any help, views and opinions would be greatly appreciated.

[paulmc]

Not worth £7995. It is more or less standard, even if it were not and had all the right bits on it only make is more deisable not worth anymore, well not much anyway. You would deffo need to get the AYC fixed and It prob wont be cheap

Its worth £6k to £6.5k I would say with the AYC fixed :thumbsup:

[Nick Mann]

The MMCS is whether you like it or not. For me its a no, for Kieran its an 'Abso-fekkin-lutely!'

The price is around normal list prices for older good condition low mileage cars. If it is not perfect with FSH then its too much. I'd be looking to haggle, but I always want to pay less!

The car does slow up when it hits 5th. It still pulls, but MUCH slower than in 4th. Not unusual, and the freeing up of the zorst and addition of a bit more boost soon puts pay to that.

The choice, as they say, is yours!

[WildCards]

I might go back to the idea of selling my Scenic privately and start looking at others. There all just so bloody far away!
Are the any meets near Leicester coming up soon, if so i could always pop along for a look. I think i might need to take a step back on this one. Especially when you look at the one at Newera.

Thanks for the good advice.

[enigma]

Are the any meets near Leicester coming up soon, if so i could always pop along for a look. I think i might need to take a step back on this one.
Thanks for the good advice.

There is a mini meet at my house tomorrow! I am just of J26 of the M1 :thumbsup:

[Polabear]

That is a relief, just got a stonking good insurance quote from Elephant - £780, for some reason i put my mum on and it dropped £400! I'll have to make sure this is right through.
Then i've just got to get a loan, which is harder than i thought it would be. Then make sure i get the right price for my Scenic.

With any luck i'll be able to join the club with credentials soon.

Also make sure that they have quoted you for an imported Mitsubishi Legnum VR4 and not a Mitsubishi Galant V6-24, this has happend to other club members in the past.

[Trow]

btw, what does your sig mean???? I put it thru babelfish and get :-

Why those whether that and others can plug, all plane surface from that black box?
/help

[WildCards]

Thanks for the invite Dave, I was in Ludlow all weekend mountain biking and have only just read the post otherwise i'd have been there. I'd appreciate any invites in the future though.

Trow, my sig says 'Why don't they make the whole plane out of that black box stuff then?' - I put it through Googles translator but it is a BETA version, so may not be correct.

Ta

[Stewjohnst]

the ay light staying on isnt a good sign..
the car still drives ok, and from my understanding it means its in 4wd 100% of the time, however it could mean a 130 quid fix, or a 2500 quid fix to replace either the entire ayc pump, or the cheaper option a switch that controls it

i have this problem atm, and when i receive this months wages im going to buy the swtich, which hopefully will resolve the problem.. otherwise im going to cry..

but no, that light should not stay on!

I had same problem with my AYC light but it started out intermittent. If the light isn't on again when you go for a test drive, be sure to give the AYC some hammer round corners as that's normally when my light would come on and stay on.

I got my local Mitsy dealer to fix my AYC, it wasn't as bad as £2500. Talked them into doing the switch first (didn't fix it) then asked them to do the pump but not charge for the switch as it didn't fix anything. I got my VR-4 back with working AYC for £1117.01 (The price of the pump itself was £780). Still not cheap but less likely to induce a heart attack...For the record it was Mistubishi Wisley (Near Guildford).

Stu