General: URGENT newbie V70 buying advice

[jackthehat.co.uk]

Hi folks, I have put down a £100 deposit on a 2002 V70 D5 S Auto. I am due to collect the car on Thursday morning this week but now I am getting worried about possible pitfalls. It is a private sale and the car has done 93,000 miles. It comes with a full service history (all by Volvo except last service) and 12 months MOT. I had a quick look round the car and it drove very nicely on the test drive but here's my question:

Before I hand over the rest of the cash what are the absolutely essential things I should look out for?

Everything electrical inside the car seems to work including the climate control. The auto gearbox works in all gears and kicks down OK and seems smooth. There are no nasty rattles or clunks from the suspension. The owner seems like an honest man. I can't see any evidence of accident damage or any dodgy paint jobs. I will be doing an HPI check before I collect it too. Apart from getting an RAC inspection is there anything really obvious I could look for myself?

[DSK]

It sounds like a straight car, but as you are HPI'ng the cars that is a plus and the RAC inspection will be worth the money - they always highlight things that most people will miss or won't know about.

[jackthehat.co.uk]

Originally Posted by DSK

It sounds like a straight car, but as you are HPI'ng the cars that is a plus and the RAC inspection will be worth the money - they always highlight things that most people will miss or won't know about.

Thanks, the only thing that grieves me about the RAC inspection is that it is £185 and if they tell me that the car has a fault I will be losing £185 + £100 deposit + 2 trips to Edinburgh (160 miles away from me). Alternatively, if I do buy it and find it has a bad fault I could probably resell it for at least what I paid for it back home.

I was just hoping some of you experts could give me one or two major things to look at that I haven't already thought of. I forgot to get on my back and look under the car so I will do that when I pick it up although I am not sure what I'll be looking for apart from oil leaks.

[SteveTDCi]

if you HPi it try and find out the previous registration number, I don't think the HPi would cover it from when it was new.

[jackthehat.co.uk]

Originally Posted by SteveTDCi

if you HPi it try and find out the previous registration number, I don't think the HPi would cover it from when it was new.

How do you know it has a previous reg number?

[michron11]

what about timing belt + tensioners + water pump have they been changed?????????????????????? work this into the price





D5 V70 Geartronic 53 plate

[SteveTDCi]

I don't ... I read the post quickly and read private sale as private plate !, ignore what I said.

[CTCNetwork]

Hi,

The RAC report should highlight any worrys about the car.
Check also the service record and look for timing belt changes and that this included tensioners and associated bits..

Also, don't you think it is a bit late to be posting now for advice and tips with you having selected, paid a deposit and ordered an RAC report??
Sounds a bit like closing the stable door with the horse galloping off into the distance..!

Des. . .

[DSK]

Originally Posted by jackthehat.co.uk

Thanks, the only thing that grieves me about the RAC inspection is that it is £185 and if they tell me that the car has a fault I will be losing £185 + £100 deposit + 2 trips to Edinburgh (160 miles away from me). Alternatively, if I do buy it and find it has a bad fault I could probably resell it for at least what I paid for it back home.

I was just hoping some of you experts could give me one or two major things to look at that I haven't already thought of. I forgot to get on my back and look under the car so I will do that when I pick it up although I am not sure what I'll be looking for apart from oil leaks.

A good number of years ago, I used a company called ABS who do vehicle inspection like the AA/RAC, only used them as they were cheaper and I was a student spending all my several years of savings on a BMW. Thats cost me about £200 IIRC. Anyway, I had a look at the car before the inspection and just found a minor leak on the g/box. However, the inspection showed the sides of the car had been re-painted to a high level at some point, but no damage such as filler etc or any replacement body parts were present - so probably resprayed due to jealousy scars when new-ish. So the inspections can be very useful and IMO, you'll probably not loose out if you are spending a lot of money as it may save you ££££ in bills or it could prove to be a decent buy .....

I don't know anything about the D5's so thats why I left the technical aspects to those in the know.

[DaveMitch]

jackthehat,

Check auto fluid colour & smell; if black & /or smells burnt, walk away. Look inside the rocker cover for evidence of sludge build up ( this may prove difficult due to the 'thingy' fixed to prevent god knows what???????????; again walk if there is any evidence.
Plus all the usual; electric seats,, elec windows ( front/rear) stereo, cruise,acc etc.
+ , as mentioned, factor in a new timing belt as soon as ( due @ 96k...........allow approx 4 hundred) !!!

Dave