Knowing when to avoid buying

[Gazdkw]

I've been posting some threads recently about my upcoming purchase for an XC90.

Iv got a few I like saved and plan to view this Saturday. However iv ran the registrations through MOT check and alot of advisory's have come up that I'm not sure are serious enough to avoid. Stuff like, Central Rear Upper Subframe mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive, Central Prop shaft flexible coupling slightly deteriorated, Nearside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule etc etc.

What would be a defo red flag? I can't afford to buy a car that needs alot of work so I want to reduce the chances the best I can

[jamie1131]

Every one is different, but my preference is to buy a car that has never had an advisory, although thats only one clue in the puzzle.

My logic is that if a car has advisories the owner hasn't kept up with maintenance, why else would you find a problem at test time. Cars that have no advisories at all will have had all the same problems but the difference is the owner splashed the cash to get them sorted.

Now obviously you can't go on that alone but its a good start.

Out of all the ones you listed, the brake hose would be the least likely to put me off, but the other two I probably wouldn't even go and look at. There will be plenty of other cars to chose from.

[Clan]

Originally Posted by Gazdkw

I've been posting some threads recently about my upcoming purchase for an XC90.

Iv got a few I like saved and plan to view this Saturday. However iv ran the registrations through MOT check and alot of advisory's have come up that I'm not sure are serious enough to avoid. Stuff like, Central Rear Upper Subframe mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive, Central Prop shaft flexible coupling slightly deteriorated, Nearside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule etc etc.

What would be a defo red flag? I can't afford to buy a car that needs alot of work so I want to reduce the chances the best I can

any xc90 you buy used from an unknown source you need around £2500 put to one side in case there are some items which need sorting out , people sell for a reason ... otherwise they would keep them going or pass them on to relatives or friends ..

[Gazdkw]

Originally Posted by Clan

any xc90 you buy used from an unknown source you need around £2500 put to one side in case there are some items which need sorting out , people sell for a reason ... otherwise they would keep them going or pass them on to relatives or friends ..

Well I'm not in a position to have that kind of money behind me after purchasing a car so for now it's case of buying one in budget with the cleanest history possible

[Tannaton]

Whilst it's always a bit of luck, its a game of betting and risk and as you have said already you can manage that risk to some extent.

Advisories are just that, and generally the opinion of the tester on the day, and do not necessarily mean there is anything wrong with the car or a situation is deteriorating. But fewer are better....

Common things that you will find in MOT histories include:

- Front headlamps going cloudy - usually reported as "front headlamp deteriorated/damaged but not affecting beam pattern" an easy no cost fix in many cases.

- Parking brake - my XC90 had failed or been advised on EVERY previous MOT on its parking brake before I bought it (seven of them).

- Rear subframe corrosion - a common issue on the older cars, including mine, but I have yet to read of any car failing an MOT on it. That said they will start to do so as they get older, so if it's been on for 2 or 3 years I would avoid it.

- Rear trailing arm bushes, a common wear point on older cars, but not expensive to fix.

- Front wishbones bushes, usually a consequence of fitting pattern parts, probably a £400-£500 fix.

- Uneven tyre wear, often a consequence of the one of the above two...

Advisories and fails to worry about would be anything to do with emissions, oil or fluid leaks, power steering, etc.

Any fails around dashboard lights (ABS, EML) are a lottery. Often a really cheap fix (connection, ABS ring), sometimes a next of kin conversation...

Ping us the reg numbers of the cars you are looking at....

[Gazdkw]

Thankyou tanaton.

Registrations are

YP09ZRX


YT07TXY

[Tannaton]

Originally Posted by Gazdkw

Thankyou tanaton.

Registrations are

YP09ZRX


YT07TXY

So on YP09 it seems very odd that it has failed the last two mot’s on worn front brake pads, but only done 14k between them? Other than that, nothing unusual.

As for YT07 I think the last mot tester was extremely fastidious noting the engine and sill covers so I would be less concerned about the advisories. Very odd it needed a trackrod end at 20k, but again no red flags. Worth double checking the propshaft joint as that can be tricky to do...

[Bonefishblues]

Originally Posted by Gazdkw

Well I'm not in a position to have that kind of money behind me after purchasing a car so for now it's case of buying one in budget with the cleanest history possible

...or consider another marque, perhaps? Serious comment.

[Gazdkw]

Got my heart set on an XC90. Mainly because I want to stay with Volvo and I need the following

7 seats
4x4
Good towing capabilities

[Bonefishblues]

Originally Posted by Gazdkw

Got my heart set on an XC90. Mainly because I want to stay with Volvo and I need the following

7 seats
4x4
Good towing capabilities

The R Class 320cdi is an option. Hyundai Santa Fe too. There's a big rufty-tufty Jeep too.

Just musing, but I do think Clan is right on this one, you do need a war chest.