hey guys

been looking at getting a 2000 magna VRX for a relatively good price, high km though (217,000km) but full service history and the previous owner claims hand on heart that hes never had any mechanical issues.

a few things he mentioned regarding it though:

1. the left CV joint most likely needs replacing (clicking noise when on full lock) - how much is that going to cost me? i wont be doing any work myself.

2. he says he cant remember getting the timing belt replaced at 200,000km, and theres no mention of it being done a second time in the logbook - how much will that be costing me to get done? better safe than sorry i say.

3. minor cosmetic stuff - clear coat coming off the top of the spoiler (cut and polish should make it look respectable, worked wonders with my faded bluebird) but apparently someone clipped the right hand side wing mirror when it was parked and its now held on with a little bit of tape - how much would i be looking at for a new wing mirror, and are they easy to change myself or is it a crash repairer/dealer job?

the other issue is getting registration changed from victoria to SA - can anyone tell me what the process is for that? i will call transport SA tomorrow but if anyone's actually done it and could tell me whats involved (regency??!) then i would be very appreciative :)

From what you've said, it doesn't sound worth its money unless the sale price is under $10k. What do they want for it exactly? Or don't you want to post that?

hey guys

been looking at getting a 2000 magna VRX for a relatively good price, high km though (217,000km) but full service history and the previous owner claims hand on heart that hes never had any mechanical issues.

a few things he mentioned regarding it though:

1. the left CV joint most likely needs replacing (clicking noise when on full lock) - how much is that going to cost me? i wont be doing any work myself.

2. he says he cant remember getting the timing belt replaced at 200,000km, and theres no mention of it being done a second time in the logbook - how much will that be costing me to get done? better safe than sorry i say.

3. minor cosmetic stuff - clear coat coming off the top of the spoiler (cut and polish should make it look respectable, worked wonders with my faded bluebird) but apparently someone clipped the right hand side wing mirror when it was parked and its now held on with a little bit of tape - how much would i be looking at for a new wing mirror, and are they easy to change myself or is it a crash repairer/dealer job?

the other issue is getting registration changed from victoria to SA - can anyone tell me what the process is for that? i will call transport SA tomorrow but if anyone's actually done it and could tell me whats involved (regency??!) then i would be very appreciative :)

Transfer from Vic to SA is heaps easier than going from SA to Vic. Last time I did it (about 18 months ago) there was no need for a RWC in SA, so its a matter of taking it to Regency Park with proof of purchase, paying rego and stamp duty (see link below to calculate) and thats it. Once it's transferred I believe you can return the Vic Plates to Vicroads for a pro-rata refund on the rego.

Wing Mirror $60 on eBay (arrrrrgh!!!) easy enough to change yourself, but you may need to paint the standard black mirror, get a can of spray made up at any paint joint and can a clear, fairly easy.

Most wreckers/mechanics will replace both CV joints (full drive shafts) with new ones for around $500

Timing Belt, best to ring your own mechanic and tell him/her the situation and ask for a price. Can be charged anything from $200-$500 depending who does it.

Timing Belt, best to ring your own mechanic and tell him/her the situation and ask for a price. Can be charged anything from $200-$500 depending who does it.
$200! Where have you heard of that? Is that a DIY price, because the cheapest I've found yet is $500, not that mine is due for a while.

A timing belt will be closer to $700... How much is this VRX anyway? Believe me when i say it is better to spend money on a well maintained and presented car that has good kms on it rather than a pig that you will have to spend **** loads on just to get it reasonable...

For the price he's asking, it's a pretty good deal.

$300ish for the CV shaft, about $600 for the timing belt change.

The spoiler - I looked into getting various spoilers sprayed, most quotes were about $350, while mirrors were around the $90 mark.

The front bar is a different story - You might not be able to repair that.

Either way it's a VR-X, 163kW/316Nm. Good base to modify from, or good enough if you prefer to leave it alone.

A timing belt will be closer to $700... How much is this VRX anyway? Believe me when i say it is better to spend money on a well maintained and presented car that has good kms on it rather than a pig that you will have to spend **** loads on just to get it reasonable...

Amen to that brother!! Take your time and find one that's been babied. It won't cost you much more but will give you more peace of mind and greater driving joy. And this is the advice I gave myself when I bought mine of the original owner 12 months ago. One owner, 10 years old car, full service history, never been on a dirt road lol

A timing belt will be closer to $700... How much is this VRX anyway? Believe me when i say it is better to spend money on a well maintained and presented car that has good kms on it rather than a pig that you will have to spend **** loads on just to get it reasonable...
its well under $10k...i dont really want to say until ive got everything sorted because i dont want it being stolen from under my nose! not to mention all the ringing around i'll have to do tomorrow would all be for nought if he sells it in the meantime. we've got a good agreement set up though pending my convos with transport SA go well (i thought i might have to go to regency...can i just go to any transport SA office? id rather not go to regency unless i actually need to get the car inspected...)

i figure if it passed the vic inspections a year ago it should pass our lax SA ones now :p

veradabeast - not going to bother getting the cosmetic stuff fixed. wont bother respraying the spoiler either - i want this car for reliability, safety and the happiness of owning a newish car, the tuned 3.5l and the 5sp tiptronic is just a bonus :)

i figure im going to end up having to spend an extra $1000 on it all up to make it nice but even then its STILL well under $10k...and i get the feeling the timing belt was done the second time already before the current owner bought it because he bought it at 197,000km.

There is another vechile inspection center ( other than regency) next to the cop shop on sturt rd thats open wed/thurs. Cost about $40 for inspection + transfer reg + new plates + stamp duty (the killer). Just make sure you take any possibly illeagle bits off, I took off my strut brace and put the standard tail lights in, but they made me pull the window tint off my front windows (which I had put back on the next day). All up the transfer cost me just over a grand including personalised plates, but about $700 was stamp duty (I paid alot more than 10k).

A few months back when I was sniffing out Magna's/Verada's, I came across a 2001 VRX with 141000kms, from a Mitsu dealer. That was $11k, so I'd hope this is well under $10k!

A few months back when I was sniffing out Magna's/Verada's, I came across a 2001 VRX with 141000kms, from a Mitsu dealer. That was $11k, so I'd hope this is well under $10k!

11k cheap..... paid 18k drive away for a 04 TL VRX with 60000km... its black... its worth the money...

its not worth money if you have to spend money to make it good...

Sanjay. PM adz89 about whats involved in a Vic to S.A transfer. He bought my old car from here in Vic and transferred it to S.A rego.

By the way, we have no annual inspections over here. The only time you have to get a RWC is if you are putting a car into your name. Either you supply it or the seller does. So a car may not have seen a RW inspection since it was new. It may be a mechanical nightmare! lol


Amen to that brother!! Take your time and find one that's been babied. It won't cost you much more but will give you more peace of mind and greater driving joy. And this is the advice I gave myself when I bought mine of the original owner 12 months ago. One owner, 10 years old car, full service history, never been on a dirt road lol

Thats what i did with my TL VR i just got. It was a 1 owner car that had never been in a hit and was babied all its life. Every service has been done before schedule, with receipts (it was a novated lease car which he bought off the company when it ran out). Also you could get inside that car and there was no wear on the seats or carpet, odd smells etc and everything worked! The car passed roadworthy straight away with no issues.

If this is the one you are talking about, a dark green one, it is $6500?

It looks to be a good buy

I do belts for $480ish including the full timing belt kit (seals, belt and idler pull), really depends on how much I get the kit for, Labour I charge $250. Add a few bucks if water pump needs doing as well.

The drive shaft, about $180 for a new outer and reco inner, are not hard to put in.

if the car is regd in your name already, is simply a matter of taking the rego papers into SA transport, pay the $$ for reg and plates and you are off and going.

If you are interstate purchase, they will do a number check, the idiots do not like tint on front door window even though in every other state it is ok so long as not too dark. And you are done. They do random RW checks but you should not have issues if this is the car I am thinking of.

Personally, i would grab it, for the price, even if you spent $3500 on body and reg, you are still in front as it does present well.