Head Gasket or just condensation from not being used ?

[Stuckinthe80s]

Help please -
Looking at buying a 2008 2.0 petrol duratec 4 speed traditional auto Ford C Max. Only has 45,0000 miles. First services were 2 years apart but about 6.000 miles and at a Ford dealer then remainder were every year at 3000 miles at general garage.

Have been trying to limit risk of expensive repairs by going for 2.0 duratec unit and old fashioned auto (think it was a joint Mazda/Ford auto and not CVT or powershift or DSG). However the oil filler cap looked like the pic below after I had driven for 20 mins on mix of 40-70 MPH roads (didn’t think to check it before I drove car and car was warmed up before I first saw it by dealer). Temp gauge stayed firm at mid way and coolant is very clean and no sign of milky substance in the oil filler neck just on filler cap.

Is this potentially an expensive head gasket issue or more likely just condensation ? Dealer showed me another Ford on his forecourt that had exactly same milky substance on its filler cap and said it was just a sign of condensation reacting with oil and can be caused by head gasket or just moisture in air but my Toyotas of similar age/mileage has no sign of any milky residue on cap.

What do we think - take the low mileage and general good condition and service history as sign it is ok and buy after insisting on a drive from cold or avoid just in case ?

[steveo3002]

could well be condensation , imagine the car has been shunted around the cleaning bay and forecourt a few times without a run

[V8covin]

All my cars look like that because I only do short journeys

[Stuckinthe80s]

Thanks for the 2 v quick responses.

Do we also think I am right that this engine and gearbox combo are a relatively safe bet at this mileage as I do need an auto and see endless horror stories about the likes of powershift and DSG/CVT boxes of this sort of age.