Long story short, drove 4 hours one way to hopefully purchase a 2000 GLX 1.8T. After being assured on the phone that it was test driven and certified, we got there early Saturday morning. Car wouldn't start, used a jump box and it started right up. Let it run for awhile, checked everything over. Pulled out of car lot, every warning light on the dash turned on. I stepped on it and they all went back out. After driving it for 10 minutes and thinking we were in the clear, we headed for the expressway. Got up to 75mph, no noises or vibrations and it went straight, I asked my wife to turn the radio on. As she turned it on the speedo and tach dropped to zero. I quickly turned it off and looked to turn around and head back to car lot.
After stopping at a light, all seemed fine again, as I shifted from 1st to 2nd, the car shut off, nothing, no lights, tried letting clutch out to bump start, nothing. I coasted to a stop in the turn lane of a 5 lane highway. Called car lot, they wouldn't answer phone, so we got out and walked back 1.5 miles to dealership, handed them the keys and said no thank you.
It sounds like maybe a bad alternator, but I'm not willing to buy it and find out it's some sort of wiring problem. Wife was bummed out as it was nice looking car. Our search continues...
After stopping at a light, all seemed fine again, as I shifted from 1st to 2nd, the car shut off, nothing, no lights, tried letting clutch out to bump start, nothing. I coasted to a stop in the turn lane of a 5 lane highway. Called car lot, they wouldn't answer phone, so we got out and walked back 1.5 miles to dealership, handed them the keys and said no thank you.
It sounds like maybe a bad alternator, but I'm not willing to buy it and find out it's some sort of wiring problem. Wife was bummed out as it was nice looking car. Our search continues...
On the other hand, if you STEAL a car; like these $500 projects, people seem to be seeing these days and know how to fix the car with your eyes fully open to any issues, then go for it. 
