Buyer beware…

ENGINE

On a pre-2001 car, emulsified oil could indicate cracked bore liners. Have a specialist do a borescope check. Pre-2002 cars especially can suffer worn chain guides on the Variocam timing chain tensioner. Debris gets into the engine oil so missed oil changes can lead to accelerated engine wear. Bearing noises on a post-2000 car at the rear of the engine could indicate failure of the intermediate shaft bearing (IMS). At all ages, an oil leak on the engine’s underside could indicate a failing rear main oil seal (RMS). Engine misfires or rough running could be cracked ignition packs. Hesitation under acceleration could be the mass airflow (MAF) sensor. Check the coolant expansion bottle isn’t cracked and look for oil smoke that suggests the oil separator is packing up. Ensure radiators aren’t clogged with muck.

TRANSMISSION

Check for a stiff change from first to second gears, and if it pops out of second. The clutch should be light. Heavy indicates trouble.

SUSPENSION, WHEELS AND BRAKES

Check service receipts for the quality of pads and discs. Lower arm bushes fail at around 40k miles, so listen for knocking from the rose-joints on the trailing arms where they contact the body. Listen for worn rear wheel bearings too. Tyres should be N-rated.

BODY

Look for water behind the seats caused by blocked roof drains. Check the hood works smoothly. Rust is unknown unless caused by poor accident repair.