Vb Commodore

[HØLÐEÑ]

Hi,im thinking of buying a VB Commodore im 16 and it will be my 1st car so is there any place that i should look for that are common rust places for VB's and any other faults,
Thanks for the advice in advance

 

[Smitty]

3 places - Vb-VL rust
around windscreens (under the rubbers-water gets in , can't get out)
bottom of doors, 'specially the front door corners
and on sedans the spare wheel well (gets water into it from faulty boot seals)

and beware poor or faulty crash repairs anywhere-will cause rust....

Ian

 

[HØLÐEÑ]

ok ill look in those areas thanks

 

[Trennaa]

hey HØLÐEÑ

I just sold my VB cause it had rust..

I will emphasise and advise you to (when looking at the car) take the little plastic guard thing off the front door sills and check for any rust there. Even if there is a small amount of rust, it can eventuate to what mine had in it (see bottom pic)

and beware poor or faulty crash repairs anywhere-will cause rust....
Good idea! - one place to look, I got told by a Panel Beater, is under the front guard/chassis area, look where all the panels are bolted together, if the area looks clean and straight means its good, but if it's slightly bent out, means the car has been in somewhat of a smash where the front end is slightly outta whack. This *could* make your car have a while in the beaters on a jig, this is both time and cost unfriendly. <- don't blame me if that info is incorrect, im only passing on.

as most the other guys on here will tell you, if your Oil is dis-coloured (milky colour) means you have some serious engine strife, but if it's just Black, u only need new oil.

One other thing I will stress to you, check your Chassis/Engine/Vin numbers on the front end (right above the grill/above fan). Check they are all there, and haven't been re-placed/scratched off. If there are signs of this, your car could've been stolen/dumped + found etc - and if this is the case, you may have trouble registering the car.

---
sorry the post is so long mate, I'm just telling you some of stuff I had wrong with my VB and I wouldn't want anyone to have the same stuff happen.. Good luck with the car.

 

[Trennaa]

hey HØLÐEÑ

I just sold my VB cause it had rust..

I will emphasise and advise you to (when looking at the car) take the little plastic guard thing off the front door sills (easy to take off and put back on, no dramas) and check for any rust there. Even if there is a small amount of rust, it can eventuate to what mine had in it (see bottom pic)

and beware poor or faulty crash repairs anywhere-will cause rust....
Good idea! - one place to look, I got told by a Panel Beater, is under the front guard/chassis area, look where all the panels are bolted together, if the area looks clean and straight means its good, but if it's slightly bent out, means the car has been in somewhat of a smash where the front end is slightly outta whack. This *could* make your car have a while in the beaters on a jig, this is both time and cost unfriendly. <- don't blame me if that info is incorrect, im only passing on.

as most the other guys on here will tell you, if your Oil is dis-coloured (milky colour) means you have some serious engine strife, but if it's just Black, u only need new oil.

One other thing I will stress to you, check your Chassis/Engine/Vin numbers on the front end (right above the grill/above fan). Check they are all there, and haven't been re-placed/scratched off. If there are signs of this, your car could've been stolen/dumped + found etc - and if this is the case, you may have trouble registering the car.

---
sorry the post is so long mate, I'm just telling you some of stuff I had wrong with my VB and I wouldn't want anyone to have the same stuff happen.. Good luck with the car.

 

[jafo]

another thing to look for in the older commodores is cracking in the floor pan around where the front seat rails are bolted on
and definatley lift the carpet in the boot and look for rust
my vb had no boot left after 4 years of neglect you open the lid and hey you can see the fuel tank.
while your at it look under all the wheel arches for bog or weld marks could also mean been crashed. not that trhat is a bad thing my vs has had a shunt and a half in the rear quarter but was fixed reasonably well