Re: [DML] Low Vin # Warnings

[Martin Gutkowski <webmaster@xxxx>]

Hi Tom

I wouldn't worry about an early car just because it's early. We have a guy over here with
vin #569. I myself have #1458 (May) and in working on it have discovered a number of
items that were more meticulously worked on it than the later cars when they started to
cut corners. That said it's worth investing in the factory updates manual and working
through it. The only really important one is the front suspension recall, but that
applies well into the 5xxx VIN's.

I still have the Ducellier alternator on mine and although the voltage guage tends to
creep southwards at idle when the headlights are on, so far it hasn't caused me any
problems. That said, the regulator on the Ducey is notorious and the auto trans computer
is susceptible to voltage spikes... I will be changing mine at some point, but don't
think you'll have to the moment you get it home. The same goes for the electrical
problems. With a car that early you may find it still has the fan fail module (mine did)
which can be satisfactorily bypassed with a pair of relays and a number of crimps (I've
basically made mine run each fan off a seperate fused relay, but by using a pair of
trailing relay sockets and a lot of yellow blade crimps). The only other one is the
starter circuit update as detailed on the DMCNews tech section which takes a bit or wire
and a crimp to sory out.

LockZilla is a good investment for you to rely on your central locking, but again you can
just unplug the old module - and all cars have this flaw. You may have trouble with the
door handle release cable being too short - something that was changed later in
production. Ditto the spring that pops the bonnet up when released was originally too
weak. You may also find the door fit isn't very good.

Basically, lots of little things, but nothing that should make you shy away from an early
car.

Martin
#1458
#4426

treehouse2000us wrote:

> And when I say a low vin #, I'm not kidding. I'm currently looking
> at Vin # 787, of course Black interior, gas flap, with windshield
> antenna and automatic trans. It has 39K on the Odo and they (the
> dealer) claims it to have a perfect interior. The only downside is
> its price, 13,995, but its not too terrible. Vrs 32.5k or 62k, its
> quite a bargin, stop arguing you guys.