06-07-2013, 08:10 AM
Hello,
I test drove a 12 plate Berlingo XTR yesterday and noticed two issues that concerned me. One was that the steering wheel made a squeaking sound when turning the car, esp. noticeable at low speeds. The other was a slight vibration/juddering on the clutch. Does either of these issues spell trouble? Does the vibration/juddering suggest that the clutch is on its way out perhaps?
What I also found slightly off-putting was that although the car is advertised as 'Approved Used' it has not been serviced/examined by the dealership. The reason they gave when I queried this was that it makes no sense for them to do the checks before the car is sold as it may be lying around in their forecourt for months. But then what motive do they have to do the checks once the car has actually been sold? Isn't it more likely that they will hand over the car without any checks at all (except perhaps a cursory glance by their servicing dept)? In that case, are there any real benefits to buying 'Approved Used' as opposed to, say, buying from a car supermarket (provided there's still manufacturer's warranty to run) as the latter is likely to be cheaper?
Any thoughts?
I test drove a 12 plate Berlingo XTR yesterday and noticed two issues that concerned me. One was that the steering wheel made a squeaking sound when turning the car, esp. noticeable at low speeds. The other was a slight vibration/juddering on the clutch. Does either of these issues spell trouble? Does the vibration/juddering suggest that the clutch is on its way out perhaps?
What I also found slightly off-putting was that although the car is advertised as 'Approved Used' it has not been serviced/examined by the dealership. The reason they gave when I queried this was that it makes no sense for them to do the checks before the car is sold as it may be lying around in their forecourt for months. But then what motive do they have to do the checks once the car has actually been sold? Isn't it more likely that they will hand over the car without any checks at all (except perhaps a cursory glance by their servicing dept)? In that case, are there any real benefits to buying 'Approved Used' as opposed to, say, buying from a car supermarket (provided there's still manufacturer's warranty to run) as the latter is likely to be cheaper?
Any thoughts?