White steam after 30 mins driving

[EllyB]

Hi, I’m hoping for some advice / knowledge here, please. I test drove a Kia Sportage 2014 1.6 Gdi yesterday. Car seemed fine but even after a 30 minute drive and the engine temp gauge being almost at the centre, there was still white steam (?) coming from the exhaust. The outside temp was around 3-4 degrees C but no other cars on the road were doing this.

It didn’t smell, but I did get a vague sweet smell at one point on the test drive, but not when I was standing at the rear of the car!

I’m concerned about potential cylinder head / gasket issues. I plan to get an inspection done but not sure if the mechanic would be able to check this out in more detail, so I thought I’d ask on here first. Is this a red flag?
Thanks, Elly

[EmailAddress]

Why waste time and energy.

There are plenty more fish in the sea that won't give you that nervous feeling.

Could it be fine... sure.

The fact you have doubts already...

[POIDH]

Yep, are doubting it now so just walk.

[EllyB]

Thanks for the replies. The trouble is, cars that tick all my boxes are rare within a 100 mile radius of where I live so it’s not so easy to walk away. The elevated ride position and cruise control are ‘essentials’ due to mobility / nerve issues. I want to avoid turbos and eco-boost engines as their issues seem to be well documented. I’ve been looking for 5 weeks!

[EmailAddress]

Sweet smell and white smoke is, for me, as you suspect, coolant.

And I doubt an inspection will do a compression test.

[andrewcliffe]

Walk away, find another.

[James_33]

I'd sooner travel to the other end of the country and find something else i wanted than pay however much for a car that was going to give me no end of potential headache, back and forth with phone calls and lost money all because of it's within a certain radius, it's not like it's something rare either and you've already cast doubts by posting on here about it.

Walk away is my opinion, and I'm saying that from experience too.

[Opapayer]

EllyB said:

Thanks for the replies. The trouble is, cars that tick all my boxes are rare within a 100 mile radius of where I live so it s not so easy to walk away. The elevated ride position and cruise control are essentials due to mobility / nerve issues. I want to avoid turbos and eco-boost engines as their issues seem to be well documented. I ve been looking for 5 weeks!

Are you asking for advice, or just looking for people to reassure you on your decision to buy it?

[zarjaz1991]

EllyB said:

Thanks for the replies. The trouble is, cars that tick all my boxes are rare within a 100 mile radius of where I live so it s not so easy to walk away. The elevated ride position and cruise control are essentials due to mobility / nerve issues. I want to avoid turbos and eco-boost engines as their issues seem to be well documented. I ve been looking for 5 weeks!

Don't.

Just....don't.

[Stick Legs]

I tend to get cars for good prices. This is because I am willing to travel.

When a coach journey, or a flight is <£100 and the fuel to get you home in your new car is <£100 from almost anywhere in the UK why not look further a field.

[EllyB]

Opapayer said:

EllyB said:

Thanks for the replies. The trouble is, cars that tick all my boxes are rare within a 100 mile radius of where I live so it s not so easy to walk away. The elevated ride position and cruise control are essentials due to mobility / nerve issues. I want to avoid turbos and eco-boost engines as their issues seem to be well documented. I ve been looking for 5 weeks!

Are you asking for advice, or just looking for people to reassure you on your decision to buy it?

Definitely advice. Do these mitigating factors indicate that it’s not a symptom of an issue? Some research I’ve done online would lead me to think it’s ok because it’s not a hefty amount, doesn’t smell when right beside it (the brief sweet smell might have been someone’s vape?!), the ambient temp was cold and the car might not have been driven much recently. That’s why I took it on such a long test drive and left the engine running.

I’ve travelled a lot on public transport to see cars which seemed good from the ad, then got there and found it’s not!

[EllyB]

EmailAddress said:

Sweet smell and white smoke is, for me, as you suspect, coolant.

And I doubt an inspection will do a compression test.

Thanks - good to know.

[Opapayer]

EllyB said:

Definitely advice. Do these mitigating factors indicate that it s not a symptom of an issue? Some research I ve done online would lead me to think it s ok because it s not a hefty amount, doesn t smell when right beside it (the brief sweet smell might have been someone s vape?!), the ambient temp was cold and the car might not have been driven much recently. That s why I took it on such a long test drive and left the engine running.

I ve travelled a lot on public transport to see cars which seemed good from the ad, then got there and found it s not!

All the advice so far has been to walk away. If you have doubts then there’s a reason for those doubts. However, your subsequent posts have been to justify why you should buy it and trying to encourage us to agree.

Stick with the advice and walk away.

[zarjaz1991]

EllyB said:

Definitely advice. Do these mitigating factors indicate that it s not a symptom of an issue? Some research I ve done online would lead me to think it s ok because it s not a hefty amount, doesn t smell when right beside it (the brief sweet smell might have been someone s vape?!), the ambient temp was cold and the car might not have been driven much recently. That s why I took it on such a long test drive and left the engine running.

I ve travelled a lot on public transport to see cars which seemed good from the ad, then got there and found it s not!

It's not going to be someone's vape.

Your own instincts were spot on, everyone here is confirming that, walk away, please!

[EllyB]

Thanks folks, advice noted!

[trevalvole]

EllyB said:

I want to avoid turbos and eco-boost engines as their issues seem to be well documented.

Yes, some older cars with turbos may have problems, but unfortunately your wish to avoid them seems to have led you to consider a car that likely does have a problem.

Don't buy this car - you will probably regret doing so immediately.

Perhaps you could go on a day out or an overnight stay to somewhere where there's lots of cars for sale nearby? Yes, it would cost money, but probably less than any inspection on the car you are considering (and particularly the cost of putting it right).

[paul_c123]

"Scarcity of supply" is a myth.

[South tdf]

Kia Sportage GDI engines are known to fail around 70,000 miles with head gasket faults.