Looking to buy this S40 and need advice
 

Hi, on Saturday I'm going to a dealer to have a look at an S40 I've had my eyes on.

I really don't know a lot about cars so I would appreciate any opinions and advice you could give me. This will be my second car (my first proper car really, current one is a banger and I didn't expect it to last long anyway).

So it's a 2006 S40 with 61,000 miles for £3000. What's your first thought on this deal and whether it's decent or not? Everything looks good to me on the surface, however I'm not confident enough to know for sure.

This dealer originally had two S40's for sale. The other one was also for £3000 but it was a 2005 model with 44,000 miles so I'm a bit confused as to why they would be the same price. Unfortunately when I phoned this morning someone had put a deposit on it the night before.

How are these cars in general? Is there anything I should know before going ahead and buying this car? Honestly I'm just a bit nervous and naive when it comes to buying cars. I'm struggling to ask a decent question in this post, let alone ask the dealer about the car.
I'm the type of idiot who will base his purchase mostly on a cars look, and if my more experienced older cousin wasn't coming with me, I'd probably buy this car at the asking price as well.

So any input you can give would be a big help.
Apologies if this kind of thread isn't allowed or is in the wrong place or something.

I get asked this a lot. "Is it a good car?" they ask.

There is no such thing as a 'good' or 'bad' car. What there is are cars which either have, or have not, been maintained. In that regard, buying a car is always something of a gamble, but there are one or two checks you can make.

By far the biggest criteria is: Do you like it? I mean the colour, the interior, etc. It might sound like a girlie question, but if you don't like it, don't buy it. It doesn't matter how practical, economical, reliable it is, if it's an insipid beige or a lurid green you'll hate it and it'll bug you. It should make you feel good. Wear it.

Ask to see the V5 (Vehicle Registration Document, a.k.a. "The log book"), check the numberplates match, and examine the chassis plate on the front bulkhead under the bonnet. Nearby should be the same number, stamped physically into the metal. Also on the dashboard visible through the windscreen. The V5 is proof of ownership, so it's important it's the exact one for the car.

Look for leaks, staining on the headlining. Examine the spare wheel well, it should be dry with no water sloshing around. It should also have a street-legal wheel and tyre (inflated), a rudimentary jack and wheel-changing tools. Feel around the upholstery, particularly carpets, particularly near wheel arches and sills, it should all be dry. If it's heavy with condensation - walk away, it'll drive you nuts.

Examine the engine bay. Obvious oil leaks will need repair, it's not the end of the world but it's something to be bourne in mind. If the battery has a 'magic-eye', it should be green. Open the oil cap, it should be clean and oily. Black is good, deep brown is good, pale brown is suspicious and white/yellow - walk away. Pull the dipstick before starting, check the level, again observe the colour. Any hint of mayonaise, walk away.

Open the coolant bottle, there should be no sign of oil at all. A little rust staining is normal, but if it's tomato soup then it's a mark against it. Again, not the end of the world, but bear it in mind.

Turn the ignition on but do not start the engine. Watch the lamps in the instrument cluster, particularly oil and battery, both should light. If they don't, walk away. ABS lights, etc. should all light and then extinguish with exception of the brakes, which won't extinguish until you press it. Press the brake, it should be very firm.

Start the engine with the brake pedal pushed, it should drop but not to the floor, just normal. A few seconds of engine rattle is normal, but if it continues, walk away. If it makes a squeeling noise on startup (belt slippage) the engine will need servicing. Notice the idle speed, it should be around 1200-ish gradually falling to around 700-ish as it warms. While this is going on, you can check all the ancilliaries.

Wipers, lights, washers, heater, windows, seat adjustment, seat belts, all that stuff. Press the clutch and release a few times, it shouldn't alter it's sound at all. If it rattles faintly until pressed, that'll need work in the future at some point. And it's not cheap, but can last thousands of miles, so it's a point against but not terminal. During these checks, turn the wheel all the way to one side - a straining sound at full lock is normal and should stop when you release the wheel. Apply the same test in the opposite direction.

When driving, gears should be selectable easily, and the clutch should not judder, squeel or slip. The car should keep a straight line and not wander, nor pull to either side. The steering wheel should be upright when travelling forwards in a straight line. When it is safe to test the brakes, do so. Don't be gentle - perform an emergency stop. The ABS should deploy and the car should maintain a straight line. If it twists or skids, knock a couple of hundred off the price.

With the engine at normal temperature, select a gear which is normally too high (i.e. 3rd at 5mph) and give it full throttle - any pinking, walk away. Any rattling under accelleration is bad news.

Return to the sales place, park and select neutral. Run the engine up to 4000rpm, if it rattles at high revs but not at tick over, walk away. Run, actually.

Finally, with the engine still running, open the bonnet. The top of the radiator sgould be hot, let it run until the fan starts. At this point, stop the engine. It should stop gracefully with no "running on".

That's all I can think of. Good luck.

Hi shaun1488,

Just noticed, you've posted this in the wrong group, you'll need to ask the post '04 model crowd for more info about the model you've added the pic for.

As above needs moving to the correct forum.

These suffer from electrical failures, so check every single electrical accessory and check again that everything is working. If it has a sunroof, check for damp/wet carpets in the front as the drain pipes get blocked. Not expensive to sort but fiddly, if you can do it yourself. If the drivers side carpet is wet and passenger side is dry, most likely the drain hose from the aircon is blocked or come detached. No experience of diesels, so cannot comment. The car is basically a Ford Focus dressed up in a party frock. Some of the underpinnings are Ford quality although the interior and trim is much more consistent with Volvo quality.

@ITSv40

"The car is basically a Ford Focus dressed up in a party frock."

Love it! Says it all, really.