Frontera 2.2TDi - Any good?

[gavin watson]

Hi all!

I have been the proud owner of a Frontera 2.4i 1995 Petrol for the last 3-4 years and having moved back from Tenerife to the UK now have to ditch (Temp import only 6 months) my precious old Frontera and am so impressed by it i have spotted another one, this time a newer (and diesel) 2.2TDi with 73.000 on the clock. It is absolutely spotless and is going for 3995 its a 2002 model.

Can I have a verdict from anyone else that has one?
It this a good deal?
What should I check for?

Thanks in advance for your opinions, and if anyone is interested a LHD 2.4i Petrol Frontera in (nearly) perfect working order (mechanically it just keeps on going, but needs a respray, and will need to be scrapped for parts as I am not re-registering it) FOR SCRAP, then please let me know!!

[jellybaby]

post some picks and i'm sure you'll have some intrest

[gavin watson]

good idea, i'll get some up asap... was thinking of ebaying it... anyone know what the legality of scrapping a foreign vehicle in the UK is? Or how to make sure its only used for parts and not on the road?? thanks again.

[Road Hog]

Hi Gavin,mine is an older model than your proposed car when I purchased mine 3 ish years ago it had a similar milage to yours.
In that time I have had 3 problems (beyond normal service items),
1) crankshaft pulley split .
2) exhaust crack
3) dashboard problem

Beyond this I have found mine to be a reliable car with good fuel returns,it also has a greater level of comfort than the A series.
Up side is you have the revised engine with greater output 150 bhp

Is there a service history ??

[gavin watson]

Hi A friend, thanks for your reply...

Could I ask approx how much these repairs may have cost (anything over normal servicing).

Yes, there is full service history.

Thanks

[Road Hog]

Hi gavin. Costs.

Exhaust was a vibration fracture,having access to oxy-acetalene I brazed it myself,however had it been taken to a garage I would expect £25-£35.

Crankshaft pulley,Again sorted myself parts cost £ 120 from Vx main dealer (pattern part now available)
viewtopic.php?f=41&t=9854

Dashboard problem.If you have a soldering iron & a bit of time the answer is in here
viewtopic.php?f=50&t=2152

[gavin watson]

thanks again for your time...

[Road Hog]

I should add when you go for a test drive be sure that the lights are off,before starting and during testing as it is known that using sidelights can hide the dashboard fault.
If it has this problem do not be put off,use it as a bargaining tool

Are you buying from a dealer ?? if so does it have a warrenty period ??

[Road Hog]

|Sorry we have gone out of sync`

ask questions & look in B series Known Problems & 2.2 Diesel these will be the principle knowledge base`s .

[gavin watson]

good point, I will ask about the warranty, am making a list of things to cover when i go back on saturday for a test drive... it is a dealer, but not a vauxhall dealer.

thanks

[Drift]

They should offer you at least three months warranty, most dealers do

[Road Hog]

I got 6 months warrenty on mine + 12 months network Q. Also look to see how many previous owners there have been,the fewer the better,company cars are good as they are the least likely to have had bio/veg put in.

[gavin watson]

hi all... a bit confused... i was told the 2.2dti i was looking at is the olympus model, which is just seen here ( http://www.wisebuyers.co.uk/motoring/car-specifications/Vauxhall/Frontera+(1991-04)/VA004717/ ) as having back disc brakes, but i specifically remember the one i saw having... er.. forgotten the term... 'not disc brakes'... can anyone help me out with this one, what else can i look out for?

Also, is there a minimum warranty that I should be asking for?

Thanks all

[Road Hog]

Deffo rear discs & drums......Now you are confused.

The rear foot brake operates on the disc section .



While the handbrake operates in the drum section.





Minimum warrenty 3 months ideally but ideally 6

Ensure that the side/head lamps are of during the test drive,as having them on can disguise the known dashboard problem

[gavin watson]

hi, sorry, drum was the word i was looking for... ok, the link to that site says that it has both front and rear discs, but the one i say had rear drums... thats what i wanted to say!

[Road Hog]

Hi Gavin,your proposed (Olympus) car will absolutely definitely have the rear brakes shown in my pictures,they are combined disc & drum.The picture in your link is a earlier trim level (Limited) yours will will be all one colour (including all plastic trim).

Check for service history !!

[gavin watson]

its this one:

does that look like the Olympus?

Service History looked fine, will check everything in much more detail on saturday when i take it for a test drive

thnaks

[Road Hog]

Yep deffo Olympus (all plastic colour matched to bodywork)
............Limited (colour matched mirrors,doorhandles & bumpers)
............Base (all plastic self colour black)

[gavin watson]

Took it for a test drive today, can't fault it, gearbox felt a bit 'wobbly', didn't seem to like second too much, but i'm being extremely picky here it wasn't that bad. I couldnt fault the car whatsoever, was offered 3 month parts and labour and full service history... so I reckon i'll be going for this one and it'll be the end of my previous 2.4i 1995 Petrol Frontera (which I'll get some pics on later of, in case anyone is interested, as I will be scrapping it when I get the new one).