Buying used car frm AM dealer, what to check over on the car

[kazino]

I bought the car over the phone : v8 vantage roadster with 18k miles and 1 owner from AM official dealer network.

Going to see the car now, the dealer guaranteed it is in tip top condition and am wondering if I have missed out anything to check over?

Do Aston Martin do a full mechanical detail on their used cars (another AM dealer told me they do). If they haven't done it at this dealer, is it reasonable to request it.

Here is the checklist (sorry it's not organised well):

radiator condition (water levels look around engine bay)

creaming in oil cap

door handle area not rusting

boot lid button working

light units not cracked

clutch judder, when pulling away on incline or reverse. rattle, slip.moving slowy in moving traffic make sure nothing wrong. manual changes on the paddles.
tyre life remaining and tyre brand, even wear.
locking wheel nuts?
steering lock to lock. put the steering wheel to the max locks.

condition of brake pads and discs.

Check bodywork for respray or unaligned panels

check the hood works, put it up and down 5 TIMES to check that it works properly.
it should also open and close at slow speeds.

check there is not damage to outside or inside of the hood (rips or tears)

rattles when driving with hood up and with hood down.

check seats go backwards and forwards properly and no damage to them at the back, check not dirty underneath them or fungus from water condensation.

check : heated seats are working. Play with all electronics check they are working, glovebox.

in boot that it’s not dirty

condition of tyres, no cuts to sidewalls etc


INTERIOR
check no water in the interior
all electronics working
a/c working
damage to interior bits
doors open and close well
seat bolster
seat movement
check key is not damaged and working properly
battery, how old
stereo - white script not worn off, all working properly
trip computer and warning messages
cigratette lighter termals working
ipod, bluetooth
fuel filler cap release
seats and memory functions
listen to stereo check speakers are not damaged
headlight washers work on hid lights
spare wheel, toolkit etc.

TEST DRIVE
bumpy road for rattles in and outside the car and roof
hard on the brakes, check all fine, no squealing.

[BravoV8V]

Wow.

Yes, AM do carry out a pre-warranty check. It is a 140 point check and it takes about 2 hours. But it is specifically a pre-warranty check (ie checking items which are likely to cost a lot to rectify under warranty). Don't presume that issues won't slip through. Judging by stories and reports on here, plenty of things are picked up by new purchasers. The cars then have to be returned to the dealer to be rectified under warranty.

However, your list seems to be far more comprehensive than the AM list.

If you haven't bought it already, get 'the book': http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... It will obviously be too late for this particular car inspection but there is also a 'what to look for' list in there.

[NealCS]

I saw one with a slightly wider/inconsistent gap in front of the front headlamp - turned out one of the clips was broken and the entire unit would have needed replacing - v costly item. They all have a slight gap here - just compare with others.

Mine had cracked tyres- but only running around the tyre deep in the tread - I missed this altogether and they weren't old/worn but they needed replacing. This was an advisory on the MOT certificate but I was too impatient to wait until they tracked that down (assuming they didn't deliberately misplace it) so I'd insist on seeing it next time.

I also missed the mirror stalk corrosion on one side as it was underneath - though you can't see it anyway so not sure how bothered I am.

Finally it was missing the tyre inflation kit. These also expire - so if it has one, check its in-date.

You also might find this useful:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=137...

Good luck

Edited by NealCS on Saturday 19th April 10:59

[zvezdah]

Tho it'll cost a little more, I'm going to buy a certified pre-owned vantage from an AM dealer, for the warranty. This gives me a year for any covered items to show up. Obviously it doesn't cover clutch etc. but that's not really a concern.

Additionally, at time of purchase I'm probably going to have them change ALL the fluids, as my dealer is 2.5 hrs away, so want to minimize returns to dealer.
Chris

[Jon39]

OP. You are going to be busy checking that lot.

With mine, I closely inspected the bodywork and interior, then concluded that the previous owners must have been careful people. The dealer had computer records of the entire maintenance history, which provided reassurance, because almost no mechanical faults had arisen. There is always a chance of being unlucky, but I think generally everything goes very well.

zvezdah said:

Obviously it doesn't cover clutch etc. but that's not really a concern.

Chris

You state 'not really a concern'. I expect you already know this, but with the design involving a torque tube and rear mounted gearbox, a clutch change is a lengthy and expensive job. Clutches can last 65,000 miles or more, but with so much engine power, the mileage mostly depends on driver behaviour. With a used car, we just have to hope for the best on that one.

Edited by Jon39 on Saturday 19th April 13:52

[Pentoman]

In my experience you will definitely need to look out for:

Overspray and ripples in the paint - around the chrome trim ("strake"?) in the front wings. Overspray on window rubbers.

Silver overspray on the tyre valves from wheel refurb.

Neither the end of the world. I went private in the end, it just worked out better for me. I'm sure yours will be fine.

Enjoy the car

[Jon1967x]

I'm pretty sure on ASM cars they can tell you the amount of clutch wear.

[kazino]

There were a few things amiss, made note with the dealer who said he will correct them.

Do they machine polish their cars (my brother went up to see the car as he was up north for the long weekend, so I'm was able to check myself) booking the car in for a detail?

[BravoV8V]

The dealer is unlikely to get the car machine polished before sale.

Your best bet might be to contact our resident, tame specialist: paddy328/Francis. He can be bribed with cake.

[JohnG1]

You could do all that investigation....

I've bought two Aston Martins and if I ever get a third I would get Bamford Rose to look over it. For my V12V their pre-third year service inspection managed to get AML to pay for a new clutch, sundry bits and bobs and some pretty extensive re-spray work for bubbly paint. I think I paid BR about £400 and I got about £5000 of work done.

However hard you look, the guys at BR know better due to their background as factory drive train engineers.

Good luck with the new purchase.

[V8 Animal]

in boot that it’s not dirty?

On a more important note check the roof, stop it midway and check the lining if you have time that is.