My name is Jack, I'm 19 and I just bought my first 'Lude - a 98 BB9 with Motegei Alloys.
About 18 months ago a friend of my dad's sold him his 2.2 Auto and over that time I've come to really like the car, mainly for its comfort on long journeys, style and its handling so I started looking for my own. About two weeks ago I decided to have a quick look through Gumtree and stumbled across a 2.0, manual with only 77K miles on it for £750 so I decided to go and have a look.
Turned up and the bloke was lovely, he loved the car and was the second owner but in the ten years he owned it it hadn't been driven much at all - only on the supermarket run or to work on rainy days, plus the odd motorway journey. He was now driving his partners car so it was time for him to let the car go. The service history is a bit patchy but the important bits are there, plus each full service it has done was not cheap to say the least (average of around £800). He genuinely seemed to have taken great care of it over the years he had owned it and it really shows (6 CD changer and original stereo both present after 18 years level of original), so last weekend I went and picked the car up. Managed to get it jacked up today and the chassis looks (to my relatively inexperienced eyes at least) as good as the rest of the car so I'm extactic! My dad has lurked here for a while and the banter and knowledge seem copious so thought I'd sign up
Overall the only diasppointment is that I can't drive it until I get my first years no claims discount which isn't until March, I didn't even get to drive it home!
Still, plenty of time to get stuff done to it over the winter and it makes me smile when I drive home! 
Anyway enough of my ramblings, here's a few photos and questions (Sorry about the potato quality, I'll try and get some better ones later on, also they're the right way round on Dropbox but not on here so apologies):
Front:
Motegei Alloys in need of some love:
Window seals need a good clean:
Sometimes I like to just come and sit in here:
Does this downpipe need a closer look? The back section is almost mint (had an advisory in 2013 but that's the latest paperwork I have) but the downpipe is a little more rusted than it looks in the photo.
And the lower suspension in general on both sides is a lot more rusted at the front than the rest of the chassis - anything to worry about?
Also this water in the boot, the carpet is not wet so it's either not come in there or it's been sat for a while, I assume it's an indicator that the seals around the rear lights need replacing but I'm not sure?
And finally, on the original invoice there's a Spray Bottom Seal accessory, is that an undercoat and if so how long does it last? If it needs doing then it's a dirty job and I'd really rather get it sorted before the cold winter months set in.
The difficulty I'm having apart from that is whether to invest my time and money into the car or hold out and wait for a 2.2 in a few years when I can afford the insurance. Personally I think the 2.0 is fast enough, and the car I have is an excellent example but I wanted some opinions.
Right now plans are to put on 282 Calipers with braided hoses (these are a straight bolt on, correct?) if I can find some, get the Motegei alloys refurbed and maybe painted if I chose to keep them and get the wood trim effect (Someone actually paid £210 to have wood effect in their car? Maybe it was a 90's thing I dunno
) out of the car ASAP! Someone also key'd the bootlid and there's a dent by the passenger door handle so probably should get both of those sorted out too.Sorry again about the essay I'm a bit notorious for it, so hello I guess!
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