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Originally Posted by bladerunne007
...Basically what’s a short list of what should I be looking for?
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I went through this myself 6 months ago. Basically, the S is quite fault free. It is not affected by the cylinder liner problems of the 2.5l. Rear Main Seal (RMS) is an issue on some cars but this is not a big deal. Just some oil stains on the garage floor with no consequences.... except you slipping on it!
Check the brakes discs for sign of corrosion but these are not expensive to fix. At this mileage (40-50k), check the service records for clutch replacement which should've been due. Same goes for suspension components which are typically due bet 50-60k miles depending on the driving style. Regular servicing is a must obviously.
The top should be lowered and raised without issue. Try to get one that comes with a glass rear window (2003 and above) as polishing the rear plastics every couple of months is a real PITA, esp the insides!
I rather buy a car that's used moderately than one that is a garage queen with very low mileage on it. Things tend to go wrong if left sitting for sometime, esp the rubber seals and bearings.
My main concern when buying a car of this nature would be to check the chassis for any sign of severe accident damage. I normally bring the potential car to a facility where they offer under carriage computerised measurement. This checks for body integrity by ensuring the measurement of the car is within the tolerance specs. The specs are in the computer. A badly damaged repaired accident car will never be aligned to factory tolerance specs. Sometimes, it's bad enough to cause the car to veer to one side even when the wheel alignment has done.
Finally, door dings. I hate cars that has them. To a certain extent, it shows how much the previous owner cares for the car. If he/she makes a point to park it in a lot where there're less chance of someone causing a ding, you bet this person takes care of the car properly
Have fun and enjoy your ride when you get it...