Buyer beware…

Q ENGINES

A full set of service stamps is a must-have. The turbochargers on early cars can be weak and several were replaced under warranty. They lack an anti-surge valve, meaning the pressure can only escape through the turbo impeller, causing it to wear prematurely. Get the turbo checked.

Q TRANSMISSION

This should be super-slick and on the downshift the exhaust should bark a naughty crackle. Mercedes did recall some for work on the DCT assembly.

Q BRAKES

The A45 is relatively light but heavy braking eats through discs and pads. Check them visually and through the car’s on-board command system.

Q ELECTRICAL

Electrical issues are rare and if any surface, it may have been involved in a crash. Electrics can be very expensive to fix so, to be on the safe side, ask a garage with the right diagnostic tools to scan the car’s ECU for faults.

Q BODY

Body rust should be non-existent. If the Aero kit is fitted, check it’s original equipment and not a replica, which won’t fit as well or last as long.

Q INTERIOR

The bucket seats are tight so the bolsters soon wear and look tatty. The cloth on the optional cloth and leather seats can hold stains, so avoid this