Golden rules to stick to when buying used

With luxury brands, full service history’s a must, and look out for rattling catalytic converters

HEN thinking of buying a used car, I believe it’s wise to have the vehicle carefully vetted by someone who is familiar with the make and model.

As with any big luxury car, when repairs and spares are required, prices will often be high and specialist treatment required.

Avoid non-runners and any private sale where the car is described as “needing some attention”. On any used luxury car, a decent road test and expert advice are essential. Also, enquire about known faults and the cost of rectification.

For example, on any car with a catalytic converter and where there is a rattle on starting, get under it and give the car a shake. If it proves to be the culprit, either demand a replacement be fitted, or give the car a miss.

Renewing a car could cost you

Wthousands of rand and turn your “bargain buy” into a nightmare. I shall not quote starting prices lest I be accused of causing alarm and despondency! A fairly common, if not so disastrous a problem on the A8, A4 and A6 is stalling immediately after starting.

There is a coil reader in the ignition barrel that connects to the immobiliser control unit, and the wire can give trouble, and renewal is called for.

Okay, the wire is cheap enough, but fitting it is a hassle, and involves removing the steering wheel and some of the ignition casing. In other words it’s a fiddly job.

On the A8 particularly, look out for leaks from the diff seal. Again, putting this right is an involved and potentially pricey job.

Audis are extremely good cars and capable of huge mileages before major work becomes necessary, but