Buyer beware…

■ ENGINE

It should prove reliable, even with quite substantial mileage on it. The engine can sound rattly from cold so let it warm through until smooth, listening for noises from the bottom end (possibly worn con-rod shells or a bottom crank pulley on the way out). Stevenson (above) recommends fresh oil every 3000 miles. A diesellike rattle at 2000rpm suggests the cambelt tensioner is about to fail.

■ GEARBOX

Pre-facelift cars can suffer from a weak fifth-gear synchro and some people have reported problems on the reverse-gear synchro. Honda allegedly set this right with the 2001 facelift. Feel for crunching and budget up to £1000 to put it right. Expect up to 100,000 miles from the clutch.

■ BRAKES

Braking performance should be as exceptional as it was when the car was new. Watch out for perished brake pipes and fuel lines where they run behind a plastic tray under the car. Check the pads and those ventilated front discs for warping.

■ STEERING, SUSPENSION

Aside from regular wear and tear, it’s all fairly robust. A knocking or rubbing noise could indicate the anti-roll bar drop links are broken. New ones are inexpensive and easy to fit.

■ BODY

The big pain with an Accord Type R is rust. Check for it in the wheel arches, behind the door seals, under the bonnet and around the bulkhead. Look behind the clutch fluid reservoir, under the seal above the wing mirrors, the footwells, above the accelerator pedal and behind the wheel-arch liners. Check the automatic headlight-levelling system and the rear door handles work.

■ INTERIOR

The cabin wears well, but the side bolsters of the Recaro seats give up if they’ve been abused. Check that the air-con works. If not, it’s likely that it’s related to the air-con’s radiator, which is sited behind the front bumper and prone to corrosion.