Right,
I just spent my weekend and about £120 having gone from Glasgow down to Statrofrd-upon-Avon to collect this car, for the stated autotrader price.
Sadly it's not as good as we'd like to think. Summary, in random order, I highlighted the most serious imo:
1.
Paint has plenty of scratches, all around, that are not visible on the photos. Otherwise paint looks relatively fresh -just a shame.
2. NS sill is badly repaired at the level of the front jacking point. OS sill paint has pealled off and there's surface rust at the level of the front jacking point.
3.
BOTH STRUT TOPS NEED IMMEDIATE REPLACEMENT. They are totally rusty and I wouldn't drive away on them -could go at any moment-. I have photos of that. I said to seller this wouldn't have passed an MOT no way -they're a garage also doing MOTs, so assume they've put the fresh MOT on the car-.
4.
Hydractive is off service (e-valves not "cloncking" on door open or timeout after closing), one obvious problem is with the driver's door switch (os, not activating interior lights). Car was soft, so I pressume it's on comfort spheres. Also boot switch ready to snap (half broken).
5. Trip computers os both sides, totally off. Seller says they flick on intermittenly, but not when I was there. Control button on stalk is stuck -u can't depress it). No idea what could be happening there.
6. Rear gate shutting is problematic, something is not good there but can't tell what -I'd say something forbids it from closing as deep as it should. They had washed the car before I go, and some water had ingressed through the sealing rubber. NS light quarter is clearly missplaced, but that's not the problem.
7. Sunroof works slowly, and the wires can be heard suffering.
8.
Cooling liquid was missing about 1 liter from "top" mark. Didn't have time to ask why. Supposedely car had just been serviced and passed an MOT.
9. Petrol gauge was as low as it can be. Seller assured me it works, just that they've only put 1 gallon in car.
10. Didn't check engine temperature as I didn't have the chance to see it warming up.
11. Plastic dash facia behind steering wheel is broken in places, and u can easily snap it off its mounts -what have they been doing, hammering it?!-.
12. Screws missing (?) at the dashboard at the level of the footbrake lever as when pulling to release....the whole dash wants to come with it!
13. All electric windows working good.
14. Leather interior in good condition, better than I expected.
15. Climate is working well (flaps etc adjust), fan speeds not all working but most of (transistors going).
16. Climate compressor doesn't work as one of 2 cables is chopped off and couldn't find the other end (seller said didn't know).
17. Remote plip is not present at all. Car comes with 2 keys (different ones). Passenger barrel lock is spinning, driver okay.
18. Hydraulics: didn't try/measure anything, just steering assistance from end to end (on gravel), which was good.
19. No radio, and Citroen connector has been cut and an DIN connector spliced on the wires.
20. Too High-Temp warning light coming on with ingition ON, goes off when started, temp obviously not high.
21. "Brand new exhaust" is not-so-new, it's already rusted at the tip.
Finally, I still I've not been able to drive the car!!! I started up engine once (bit noisy but this must be the typical noise of FDV), let it run for 5 mins, then switched off to take time to examine other bits as petrol was very low. On 2nd start up, I got blue fumes within a few secs from engine bay. Switch off, found aircon compressor pulley was distorted (shaft not straight anymore), belt and pulley burning hot. Seller thought it might be that they overtightened the brand new belt, so he untightened it but of course pulley didn't come back to straight... I suggested that it must be the bearing that has seized, and indeed on a starter spin it was locked solid -belt slipping on it-. They couldn't explain "how it has seized just from driving it from the workshop out to the frontyard after putting a new belt

".
So, car stayed there, I'm back home, £120 less in my pocket and no car, and the agreement is I'll buy it when/if they repair the bearing, and they'll deliver it for free to my indy in Glasgow, for immediate strut top replacement (I happen to have 2 second hand). On site, I stated there's of course no way I'm paying £600 for this car, so price is still to be discussed.
In the meanwhile, I see he is still having it for sale on ebay and just added a note for the "enthusiasts". FYI, bearing is 100% seized and car doesn't go anywhere (unless "u take it on 3 batteries with u (no belt, no alternator)" as the suggested I do lol). I said I'm not *that* adventurous, and I wouldn't drive it anywhere with these strut tops anyway. Not even an sms to me, just in the way of apologising or so. All in all, I don't trust them one bit (as mechanics and as people), they're just lucky I need a 2lt manual.
We'll see, I'm calling them tomorrow. I've spent already too much time and money on their case and I don't want to see that time and money *wasted*. I've decided I can live without trip computers, even without Hydractive, and also no aircon -next owner can spend their days faultfinding (hope they are keen with electronics). I'll need to pass it though a *real* MOT though.
cheers
George