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        General >> Give/Need advice to/from others >> Newbie buying Scorpio - a few questions
        
(Message started by: DavidBE on Oct 16^th, 2007, 3:17pm)

Title: Newbie buying Scorpio - a few questions
Post by DavidBE on Oct 16^th, 2007, 3:17pm

Hi,

I'm in the process of buying a Scorpio, not having had one before (I did used to have a Granada, but I can see too much has changed for that experience to count).

Lots of great info on this site, but I'm still a little confused over a few things, and I wonder if someone could be kind enough to help me out.

The car I'm looking at is a P Reg (says Feb '97 registration; VIN date code is for Jan 97) 2.3 16v Ultima Saloon.

1 There's no red key, and I gather I'll need one. As I understand it, I'll have to get that from a main dealer - is that right? How much is that likely to cost?

2 There's no remote. Do I understand things correctly that any of the 3 button remotes I could lay my hands on can be programmed by me to operate this car - i.e. the remotes aren't car specific?

3 It has the 5000 audio unit, and the kerb lights under the doors. Is that right? I thought I understood the info on equipment levels to say that a 1997 model Ultima should have the 7000, but no kerb lights.

4 The CD multichanger is missing, as is the radio/cd steering column remote. Is it easy to fit these if I could lay my hands on some?

5 Should this car have traction control? No traction control light illuminates in the dash on switching on. I'm also puzzled as to whether there's a switch for it or not. On the centre console rising section round the handbrake, at the bottom are the two switches for the heated seats - which is where the manual shows the traction control switch to be; above them there's one switch that's missing its cover - just a bare red push switch which doesn't appear to do anything; then above that is the switch for deactivating the rear window controls. I'm wondering if that bare switch should be the traction control one, and the car has traction control but it's not working in which case, how serious a problem is that. Or is that switch something else, and if so, what?

TIA for any assistance.

Title: Re: Newbie buying Scorpio - a few questions
Post by mr._floppy on Oct 16^th, 2007, 3:53pm

Welcome.

The trim level options are a nightmare to decipher :-/

As a 1997 model you should have the 7000 series and a boot
6 CD Changer, so it may have been pinched or changed in the
past. Same with the steeo column controls, every Scorp has them
( I think ) Very strange :o

Traction Control was an option on the Ultima and only standard fitment on the
24V and bigger engined models.

The Red key missing isn't too much of a bind, just don't lose the keys
you've got.

Does the N/S door mirror dip when the car's in reverse ?

Have you got Global Closing/Opening ?

Cruise Control ?

Climate Control ?

Title: Re: Newbie buying Scorpio - a few questions
Post by DavidBE on Oct 16^th, 2007, 4:06pm

on 10/16/07 at 15:53:07, mr._floppy wrote:

Ummm. Well, I'd be happy enough with the 5000. Not too bothered by not having the steering column control (or would replace it if that was easy-ish) ... as long as it's not the sign of something too sinister.

Car comes up clean on an HPI check.

Quote:

Traction Control was an option on the Ultima and only standard fitment on the
24V and bigger engined models.

So of this one hasn't got it ... I wonder what that switch is for?

Quote:

The Red key missing isn't too much of a bind, just don't lose the keys
you've got.

OK.

Quote:

Does the N/S door mirror dip when the car's in reverse ?

Have you got Global Closing/Opening ?

So many things to remember - I forgot to check both of those. :-/

Quote:

Cruise Control ?

Climate Control ?

Yep, it's got both of those, and both appear to work.

Title: Re: Newbie buying Scorpio - a few questions
Post by scorpio_man on Oct 16^th, 2007, 4:39pm

hi there

here's the buyer's guide.

http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/advice.htm

unless it's cheap enough, i'd walk away from this one. another, better one will come along soon. :)

you can get a red key cut and programmed by a local locksmith.

remote... only a scorpio one works. nothing else will work.

is it a ultima? it then should have the 7000 radio.
http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/specifications.htm

re traction control. that could be expensive to fix, if it's fitted. do you have the car vin number or it's reg? i'll look up the spec for you.

hth

Title: Re: Newbie buying Scorpio - a few questions
Post by Baz on Oct 16^th, 2007, 5:36pm

The switch that does nothing... if it is a round switch, that is the power cut off for the rear electric windows to stop the kids falling out after opening the windows on the motorway!

Title: Re: Newbie buying Scorpio - a few questions
Post by DavidBE on Oct 16^th, 2007, 5:45pm

on 10/16/07 at 17:36:34, Baz wrote:

The switch that does nothing... if it is a round switch, that is the power cut off for the rear electric windows to stop the kids falling out after opening the windows on the motorway!

It's not that one, because that one is immediately rear of the one I'm puzzling about. Essentially this switch is missing the top cover that would have the symbol on (I presume), leaving the red coloured little push switch that is what pressing the proper switch cover would push. It's between the rear window power cut off and the heated seats switches.

Title: Re: Newbie buying Scorpio - a few questions
Post by Matt on Oct 16^th, 2007, 6:27pm

the only other standard switch that should be there is the tractiopn controll switch, which is a a rounded off rectangle

Title: Re: Newbie buying Scorpio - a few questions
Post by DavidBE on Oct 16^th, 2007, 6:30pm

on 10/16/07 at 16:39:14, scorpio_man wrote:

hi there

here's the buyer's guide.

http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/advice.htm

Yup, I've read that - very useful.

Quote:

unless it's cheap enough, i'd walk away from this one. another, better one will come along soon. :)

Problem is, I'm in something of a rush.

I've developed some reasonably serious back problems, that also particularly hit my left arm and leg when driving, and I can now barely drive my current car, which has a seat that really aggravates the back, and I'm now struggling to use the clutch and gears. I'm therefore needing to get a car with a seat that's comfortable for my back, and is an automatic. Which made me think of my old 2.9i auto Granada, which was always very comfortable; which in turn lead me to the Scorpio, and trying the seat in this one (which is an auto) it is SO much better for my back.

So I've decided I'd like a Scorpio. But in terms of waiting, the other problem is my current car (an '87 Audi 90) is developing some serious problems, and is going to pack up on me soon ... quite possibly really soon. Which would leave me with both no way of getting to work and no way to get out to see other cars. So I really need to sort a replacement out quick while I'm still mobile.

This Scorpio's the second one I've looked at. The first I just got close enough to see the rust round the wheel arches and door-bottoms, and walked away without even opening the doors.

This one:

No significant rust I could find. Body has a few scratches, scuffs, chips and small dings, but nothing I wouldn't expect on a 10 year old car. Leather seats and interior very nice and clean. Engine and transmission sound and feel fine, and I'd get a 3 month warranty on those. Wheels don't move and power steering doesn't complain when doing the tests in the 'Buyer's guide'. PATS, ABS, Air bag lights doing what they should and not indicating faults. CC appears to work (at least it started chucking out heat when I put it on auto and zapped the setting up to Hi, and cold when I put it on Lo), as does the cruise control. All electric windows, window switches and electric sunroof worked; electric mirrors worked; all electric adjustments on driver and passenger seats worked, as did the seat heating; all interior lights (normal, reading, footwell, kerb and door warning) worked; trip computer also appeared to be working. The 5000 radio may not be right, but did work. Central locking locked and unlocked all the doors. I'd get a 1 year MOT. HPI check was clear.

Problems I'm aware of:

Missing red key and remote.

Boot won't open from the outside, but they (the garage - this is trade) say they'll fix that before handover.

Clonk from offside front suspension over bumps - they say they'll fix that too.

Missing CD, missing steering column remote, wrong radio/cassette - doesn't bother me per se. Only if it's a sign of something sinister that would affect other things.

So far (and presuming they fix the two things they've said they'll fix) it appears to me (admitting a great deal of ignorance) a good buy for a car that certainly deals with my back problems.

The one thing nagging at me is the question of traction control. Perhaps it should have it, but the warning light in the dash is blown (or removed?) and the switch without the cover is the traction control switch? (I'm particularly puzzled beacuse the manual shows the TCS switch in the same place as the heated seat switch ... so where should it be if you have TCS AND heated seats?)

So I'm wondering - if it should have it and it's bust, presumably it would be bust 'off'? Or would it, as the default is for it to be 'on'? And how much difference would it make if it was bust? I've never had TCS before, so I'm not going to miss it, and my boy-racer days are well over anyway. So would having a bust TCS just be the same as having a car without TCS?

Quote:

you can get a red key cut and programmed by a local locksmith.

remote... only a scorpio one works. nothing else will work.

Thanks for that.

Quote:

is it a ultima? it then should have the 7000 radio.
http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/specifications.htm

re traction control. that could be expensive to fix, if it's fitted. do you have the car vin number or it's reg? i'll look up the spec for you.

hth

Reg: P468UAB (I have also got the VIN, as I took it to do an HPI check).

Title: Re: Newbie buying Scorpio - a few questions
Post by bizzay1 on Oct 16^th, 2007, 7:17pm

The traction control switch is above the passenger heated seat switch and below, but closer to the rear window locking switch, to be honest I also would be tempted to walk away from this one, all the discrepancies you talk of would appear to be in or around the centre console, not sure what that could point to but thats just a thought that crossed my mind when I read your original post.

Title: Re: Newbie buying Scorpio - a few questions
Post by Tompion on Oct 16^th, 2007, 7:21pm

Have a look at the bottom picture here:
http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=cars;action=display;num=1191951625

It shows the layout (even though it's not TCS in this case), ignore the extra switch on drivers side.

Another check you could make is feel under the thermostat housing, if it’s wet or sticky with antifreeze residue, it may have a cracked inlet manifold/thermostat housing (plastic). About £200 for a new one plus gaskets etc.

Title: Re: Newbie buying Scorpio - a few questions
Post by bizzay1 on Oct 16^th, 2007, 9:41pm

http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=cars;action=display;num=1191951625

http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=cars;action=display;num=1191871534

http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=cars;action=display;num=1192478285

Don't know what you are looking at paying but the 3 cars above all look very nice value for money

Title: Re: Newbie buying Scorpio - a few questions
Post by peteHull on Oct 16^th, 2007, 9:47pm

Here's another good un....

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=230181894910&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=013

Nice looking car... ;)

pete

Title: Re: Newbie buying Scorpio - a few questions
Post by scorpio_man on Oct 16^th, 2007, 10:17pm

Quote:

Reg: P468UAB (I have also got the VIN, as I took it to do an HPI check).

sorry for the delay. i can't get the details to come up for that reg number.

all that i can find out is that it should be a ultima with leather trim.

oh and it's a 12/1996 2.3 16v saloon.

hth

Title: Re: Newbie buying Scorpio - a few questions
Post by DavidBE on Oct 29^th, 2007, 12:01pm

HI again,

First, apologies. Just after making my last post above I suffered a major problem with my computer and haven't been able to get back onto the internet until now, so I've only just seen the further replies.

In the meantime, I'm afraid I did buy the car I was asking about. I may well have been a mug to do so, but ... well, it's done.

I've been driving it for just over a week, and love it. The engine's so quiet and smooth I still find myself thinking it's stalled when I've pulled up at traffic lights; and unlike other auto's I've driven, I actually have to concentrate to feel most gear changes. If there's a major problem with it, I haven't found it yet.

Most of the kit works, but there are a few things I didn't pick up when I was looking it over, largely because at that point I didn't understand how it was supposed to work. They aren't show stoppers, but I'd like to sort at least one area out if possible. I'd appreciate any advice, and I'll start separate threads as I get to them.

Thanks again for the welcome.