Got a 1998 'S' plate Gen 1 in very good condition with 60k that has electrical/engine problems.

Apart from the drivers seat tilt handle having snapped, a little scuff on the rear bumper, some typical coupe problens such as the clock flickering from time to time and some of the paint lacquer on the mirrors peeling a little and wheels that are starting to corode a bit, the car is mint with FSH and pretty mew Michelins all round.

Problem is my other halfs mum who owns the car is refusing to spend any money on having it fixed or even exploring the problem. At present all we know is that it may be the ECU which is causing Cylinder 1 to not fire, The coil has been replaced and that didnt fix the problem but beyond the above nothing else has been tried.

All she wants to do is scrap it and has been offered £145 from a local scrapper.

I want to know what it is worth in working condition as i moight buy it off her and try sorting it. Worst case is a new ECU that will be £500. IS the car worth much more than £700?

Would be a shame to let the car got to scrap for £150 as i know its just going to get put back on the road!

Personally I would be looking around a grand if I was selling and everything worked fine, scuff and wheels tidied etc - gen1's are so damned cheap now, it would need to be a pukka example.

I paid £1400 for ours in June 2007 with 1 former owner and FSH to 80k miles, was on a P reg. I've seen 'em go for £500 on an R at 80k, that one had a bit of arch and sunroof corrosion tho. Should give you an idea - I'd buy it if I were you, can't be much of a problem.

Couldn't you buy it off her for a bit more than the scrappy offered, then have a go at fixing it and selling it on? Should be able to make a bit of cash that way

I suppose it depends on the problem with Cylinder 1. If it's an HT lead or something cheap then it should be easy to make money.

If however it is the ECU then you're gonna struggle unless you can get one cheap from a scrappy

Yea was thinking it would be well worth a go if it's got no rust

tough call. try buying it for say £300. Cant see it being an ecu problem, tbh. But like Rik says - easy to get another from scrappy.

These cars suffer from crappy HT leads, and cause all sorts of problems.

try posting more specifics in the engine section and see what others have to say.