BUYING TIPS

■ In addition to fresh rust, look for signs of iffy restoration work, such as poor panel alignment, ugly patches and sagging doors (sometimes due to weak A-pillars).

■ If you find damp stains or mould, suggesting water ingress, lifting the carpets to check the floor for rust is of vital importance.

■ Signs that the engine is on its way out include excessive blue exhaust smoke or a rumbly bottom-end. It’s normal for the A-series unit to leak a little oil, however.