Just bought a 126bis

[Mattwebb]

I am now the owner of this :





Think I got a great deal at 800 !
Picking it up on Sunday evening .
Anything I should be doing/checking on this car ? Prone problems on this year car?

This is a big change from my other car so might take a while getting used to

[charliebrown]

Nice - Love the colour.

I'm new on here having had mine a week or so.  Hope you enjoy it

[Pete126]

Hi Matt,

Welcome to the forum The car looks in very good condition, The only thing to mention is never select 1st gear while the car is moving as you can strip the 1st and reverse gear, we are a friendly bunch here so if you can't find answers to your questions by doing a search just ask

I have taken down the Gumtree Link as one of our members put the link up when it appeared on Gumtree and within an hour they sent the club an Email telling us Gumtree links are not allowed to be posted, Hope the photos will do for now

[wsmitwil]

Welcome , I got my bis a month ago and its in a very poor state off a scrap yard, that's a good buy your usually looking around £2000 for a car like that, I've an air cooled as well and apart from the bodywork were they go everywhere especially around the battery box and floor inside behind the front wheel, make sure the car goes into first and reverse as that is a problem area even on the bis

A lesson I've learnt your buying the car you can look everywhere ask to look under carpets, mats, check under the  bumpers, you dont want to buy a rust bucket, it might be shiney but rust can get everywhere,

Hope I've been helpfull 

[Rusty's Uncle]

Don't think of it as just being a new owner , with any 126 you have to look at it as starting on a journey. It may be short or long, painful or joy but whatever your experience is it wll stay with you  In the meantime if it is solid get some waxoil into doors , sills and all of the cavities. Grease the kingpins and do a full service and just keep on driving it 

[Amateb8]

Hello and welcome to the forum. Congratulations on your purchase. The car looks in mint condition. You bought it for a very good price as well.

Now that you have the 126, the secret is, I suppose, like all cars, you need to keep on top of the maintenance side of things on the car. Take precautions like waxoyling the car and getting the kingpins greased on a regular basis to ensure it lasts. Get the car serviced regularly paricularly if you intend to make the car your daily driver. After all, the car is 20+ years old.

Everytime I get into my 126 to drive it, I always tell myself, the adventure begins!!! The adventure continues...... The rest of my family has been infected by the 126 bug as well.

[FEDEandALE]

Hi Matt !
Welcome on board !
Nice red 126 bis !

Kindly

Fred.

[Hazey-n-Marc]

Keep the cooling system well maintained and bled. Start with replacing the thermostat, cleaning and checking the water pump impeller (it is behind the thermostat) and fully draining all the coolant and flushing the system before refilling. Really worth doing, it is a bit of a fragile cooling system, best to know it has been done.

[FEDEandALE]

The head motor gasket - if original - should be replaced with a copper one.
Much more resistant and durable.
 

[Mattwebb]

Wow ! Thanks for all the advice guys ill get to it straight away and keep it in good shape . Picking it up on Sunday so I will keep you guys posted on the the condition , he says its extremely good condition and seems a gen guy . This forums more like a family compared to the other I was on for my other car ! Really nice to see people trying to help and not just cause arguments haha

[Hazey-n-Marc]

Yeah, it is a bit like a family. Loads of good people who just want to see 126's survive. The closest it seems to get to an argument is the aircooled/watercooled (hairdryer/goblin teasmade) debate  .

[Lloyd74]

fantastic news I've had one as a daily driver for 2yrs and I am sure you will enjoy it as much as i/we do. On the subject of what to watch out for the copper head gasket and flushing the cooling system is top advise also take off the fuel pump (retained by 2 8mm bolts) and check that the fuel pump spacer (the plastic bit) has a pert hole through which the rod passes as the rod can wear to one side causing the rod to drift from a position which effectively actuates the fuel pump and can obviously stop fuel getting to the carb resulting in dishartening melancholy. I have taken a alan cap bolt and sawn off the head and filed it smooth and placed the top of the rod into the allcap and recessed the plastic bit to accept the alcap head this gives the rod end a broader contact face to actuate the pump and make it harder for the rod to drift thereby removing this problem other people fit electronic fuel pumps. What I am sure you will enjoy about these cars is not only profound kudos (ish) but the knowledge that when it does need a little work it will be both simple and cheap.
All the best to you and your lovely car Lloyd

[Abiella]

Welcome! Nice 126.... enjoy! 

[ciaoflyer]

Hi and Welcome

Nice BIS, I have had one since 2006 now and it has been fun!  Fixed it a lot but love it to bits.  I use mine every day and it seems to like use so make sure you get it driven.  As people has already said check the cooling system as it will probably need attention.  Drain it, get a new thermostat and refill 50/50 coolant and bleed at the front!  Also check that the fan is operating as it should if it don't come on then you need a new fan switch which is screwed into the RAD!

Anyway happy motoring and any questions just ask!

[kev126]

I'm new too! I saw that for sale on gumtree, the owner never replied to me

Hell of a steal though, congrats on the purchase and enjoy!