Buying a 95 gx with noisy tappets

[collyb1]

Hello all . I a returing FTo member . I had myself a few gpx's a few years ago and I'm looking to get back into one . I've my eye on a cheap 95 gx . She's off the road at the mo . No nct , low mileage for her age . Has a few things need repairing but nothing serious . Or so I hope . The car is going for 500 euro . It needs a stepper motor , a small bit of rust cut away and re welded and a bonnet respraying and one or two more small things just to tidy it up an ready it for an nct . It's starting an driving ok an the tip box seems to be ok too . The only issue I have with it is she's rattling a bit on start up . I take it these are the tappets ? Can these be cleaned or adjusted on the gx model ? And also is there a chance this rattling might be a big end bearing or something ? I want to budget around another 600 on top of the 500 for the car to have her back on the road and all working ok . What do ye think ?

[brccrx]

Rattling bottom end sounds much different to tappet noise tbh
Can U bring a mechanic friend with U to check it over, he would have a good idea whats causing the noise!

[collyb1]

I've been assured by the seller that it's tappets . But as it's the gx model the tappets will need replacing . He told me that any rattling or tapping disseapers after a minute or so of idle . I know 500 quid isn't alot for a car an I don't expect perfection but I'm hoping it is only tappets as I like the car

[Chris_Heilong]

also if its a 1995 then its a GR not a GX as the GX replaced the GR in late 1997 and a few parts are different.

[StewyD32]

The tappets will cost you more than 500 alone to get done with parts and labour unless you do it yourself, an I'd advise you to not as its a pig of a job.
Had a tappet noise on my first FTO but was only slight so left it and for used to it.
It's been discussed on here several times. Have a search and see.