As much as we like the Elite, it just doesn't seem to be.

Even after the kind offer of a replacement motor, circumstances stopped us from picking it up. I quite like the Magna, and my partner likes it too, but she feels tainted by it failing horribly after six months. And it's her car anyway.

I guess we might be getting rid of it soon. Such a pity. It is one of a very select few cars I have enjoyed driving.

Oh that sucks to hear that mate. You're right, the elite is a comfortable car to drive i know :D especially for it's age.
What exactly is wrong with it now? Engine problems?

Another one bites the dust . . .

Not many gen 1s left :shock: :redface:

It had acute heart failure. Oil pump or something gave out, and ended up with clogged arteries after snacking on copious amounts of rather unhealthy conrod bearing rinds. Oddly the bigend bearings, and everything else was fine, relatively speaking. That is disregarding the inability to pump oil, and clogged oil galleries.

Replacing the conrod bearings was futile. Jammed the motor up. I don't just mean stiff to turn by hand. I mean I bent a 1/2" breaker bar with a jack handle on it trying to turn the motor with just one conrod torqued to spec. These were standard size bearings incase you were wondering. That pretty much meant the crank was bad.

I was offered a free replacement motor, but the universe was categorically working against me to get it. Now that chance has quite probably gone, it all seems pretty pointless.

So that's pretty much the story. now the car is sitting in the carport of the place we just moved to (We pushed the car here. It's not very far away) gathering dust and cobwebs.

I used to have an 86 magna elite. It got tranny problems and went downhill from there. We go into the garage to take it to the wreckers and there was mould growing everywhere. It went for $80 a tonne and was sad to go. It did a good job though. Plenty of K's done including a nulabor trip or two. I say save up for a newer gen magna to serve you for more years to come :) My brother got his TF for only 4k and apart from a couple of paint scratches drives fine.

Get a VR-4

Looks like she's looking at a suzuki swift. I would have preferred she go for a newer gen Magna, but her father is constantly instilling the fear of Mistubishi in her. What can I say. Ford Faithful, except the newer models which rub him up the wrong way (and me too. Impossible to work on. Who rivets a power window assembly into the door. Seriously? And no auto trans fluid dipstick.).

I hate to ask this, although it won't be a dead loss I guess, how much will it sell for (wrecker / scrapmetal) in its current state? and if I were to strip bits for a project, would it really affect the price?

I know it's naughty of me to be eyeing off parts on a car that isn't mine, but if the money back isn't much different I don't think she'd care.

The ignition, EFI, transmission cooler, front seats, aircon, power windows maybe, digital gauge cluster and possibly cruise control and climate control are calling out to me.

What do I want to use this stuff on? An aircooled VW camper. Ahahahaha!

And no auto trans fluid dipstick.).

you check it under the car, its one bolt, not hard, though i had the same reactionwhen working on my dads au, wtf, no disptick?