Refurb advice please

[pinkybutter]

Hi all,

I am looking to have some work done to sort out a few issues with my Corsa B (97 - 3 door - automatic) and I wanted to get some advice before going ahead. I live in Exeter, Devon so if anyone knows a good mechanic in my area willing to do any of this work for a good price I would be interested to get in touch with them.

This is what I wanted to do:

* Replace rear windscreen as some of the heating elements are gone - will this solve the problem?
* Replace front windscreen - scratches etc...
* Rear washer jet doesn't work - what might be the main problem with this?
* Replace radiator - hole in the bottom patched up for now but would like to replace it
* Fix suspension - if anyone sits in the back then there is a mild grating noise every now and then which I figure is down to the suspension not liking the extra weight on the back?
* Replace driver seat - The one I have doesn't have a lever for raising or lowering the seat so I have so sit on a cushion...
* Upgrade manual wing mirrors to heated ones - Is this possible?
* Possible vinyl wrap - don't think I'm clever enough to do this myself so will need to find a professional!

I'd love air conditioning but I think that's pushing it....

Any thoughts and ideas on the work needed and ideas on costs would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

Gwin

[Barraclough]

Auto glass for windscreen, cost me a £70 excess. The grinding might be the exhaust grinding on the rear axle. That was the problem for me

[johnny]

* Replace rear windscreen as some of the heating elements are gone - will this solve the problem?- yes it will

* Replace front windscreen - scratches etc- mechanic won't do this or rear screen, contact autoglass or a similar local company

* Rear washer jet doesn't work - what might be the main problem with this?- easiest way to check is take the nosel off and this will show if it's the pipe or nosel that's blocked

* Replace radiator - hole in the bottom patched up for now but would like to replace it- easy to do, should attempt it your self

* Fix suspension - if anyone sits in the back then there is a mild grating noise every now and then which I figure is down to the suspension not liking the extra weight on the back?- do you have alloys or lowered?

* Replace driver seat - The one I have doesn't have a lever for raising or lowering the seat so I have so sit on a cushion- should be under the seat and you turn it, but this only buckets the seat, they didn't come with hight adjustable seats

* Upgrade manual wing mirrors to heated ones - Is this possible?- it is but may require a fair bit of wiring, you have to convert them to electric mirrors aswell

* Possible vinyl wrap - don't think I'm clever enough to do this myself so will need to find a professional!- the whole car? Could be same price as full respray

I'd love air conditioning but I think that's pushing it- AC in the corsa never really works right so no point imo but can be done

[andy w]

The vinyl wont be cheap for ya mate like johhny sez but it depends on the colour u want i wud price up the respray and see which wud be cheaper for u and some advertise on gumtree or ebay to do this for u

[Barraclough]

The vinyl wont be cheap for ya mate like johhny sez but it depends on the colour u want i wud price up the respray and see which wud be cheaper for u and some advertise on gumtree or ebay to do this for u

There's always that 'dipped' wrapping way or what ever it's called. Isn't that cheaper?

[andy w]

Not to sure mate ain't seen anyone adverise where i am but its worth looking into tho but luckily ive done it before so it only costs me the price ov vinyl lol

[Barraclough]

Plasti Dip / Rubber Dip / Car Wrap
http://www.gumtree.com/p/business-servi ... 1048458380

[johnny]

I'd rather get the car resprayed than spend £700 on a sticker

[Barraclough]

I'd rather get the car resprayed than spend £700 on a sticker

What's a decent price for a car re spray? Iv never looked into it.

[johnny]

Around a grand

[pinkybutter]

* Rear washer jet doesn't work - what might be the main problem with this?- easiest way to check is take the nosel off and this will show if it's the pipe or nosel that's blocked

* Fix suspension - if anyone sits in the back then there is a mild grating noise every now and then which I figure is down to the suspension not liking the extra weight on the back?- do you have alloys or lowered?

* Replace driver seat - The one I have doesn't have a lever for raising or lowering the seat so I have so sit on a cushion- should be under the seat and you turn it, but this only buckets the seat, they didn't come with hight adjustable seats

* Possible vinyl wrap - don't think I'm clever enough to do this myself so will need to find a professional!- the whole car? Could be same price as full respray

Thanks for your help!

Is the rear washer jet easy to remove or is this going to be a fiddly job?!

No alloys and it isn't lowered... It is 16 years old though and i figured the suspension is just about on its way out....

Sadly no such handle, there is only the metal lever for pulling the seat forward or back, would a new seat be tricky to get hold of...?

I priced a respray and was told £1200 so i figured the vinyl wrap must be a bit cheaper?

I'm not doing the car up to sell just fixing some of those little niggly things for my own comfort but if its going to cost more than a new used car then i wont bother.

Thanks

[pinkybutter]

The vinyl wont be cheap for ya mate like johhny sez but it depends on the colour u want i wud price up the respray and see which wud be cheaper for u and some advertise on gumtree or ebay to do this for u

There's always that 'dipped' wrapping way or what ever it's called. Isn't that cheaper?

Thanks for the suggestion but i don't like the matte effect of the 'dipped' wrap...

[pinkybutter]

Not to sure mate ain't seen anyone adverise where i am but its worth looking into tho but luckily ive done it before so it only costs me the price ov vinyl lol

What other equipment did you need to do it yourself? I have considered it but thought it might be a bit beyond my skillset!

Thanks

[johnny]

Is the rear washer jet easy to remove or is this going to be a fiddly job?- yeah it's fairly simple and straight forward

No alloys and it isn't lowered... It is 16 years old though and i figured the suspension is just about on its way out- yeah shocks are probably done

Sadly no such handle, there is only the metal lever for pulling the seat forward or back, would a new seat be tricky to get hold of- any scrap yard should have a corsa b, it's just getting the same pattern but you could always throw a seat cover on

I priced a respray and was told £1200 so i figured the vinyl wrap must be a bit cheaper? Vinyl will be cheaper no doubt but I'd shop around as you should be able to get a Corsa resprayed the same colour for a grand, and imo paying a grand for paint that you can polish and make super shiney is alot better paying 7-800 on a sticker that will never look as nice as paint but it's not my money

[andy w]

Not to sure mate ain't seen anyone adverise where i am but its worth looking into tho but luckily ive done it before so it only costs me the price ov vinyl lol

What other equipment did you need to do it yourself? I have considered it but thought it might be a bit beyond my skillset!

Thanks

tbh it ain't really hard to do it just takes alot of patients and time. For large panel it would be advised to use two of u. You need a hair dryer,spray bottle and a squeegee set. How bad is your body work by the way? Why dont you put some pictures up of all aspects of the car so i can see how bad the body work is