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Hi Stu,

Not necessarily. Mileage is, to be honest, more or less irrelevant. It's all down to the condition of the car and its history. If it comes with a full service book, showing every stamp and receipt, and it's clearly been looked after and cared for then it should be fine. 

Just check to make sure that all the electrics are OK and that the cabin doesn't show obvious signs of abuse. Might be worth getting someone to look at the engine too - that 1.6 diesel has a fragile water pump and is prone to 'sludging up' with deposits of old oil. Worth getting it flushed and have the oil changed.

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Hi Matt,

Check the steering and suspension for any sagging or any nasty knocking noises, and make sure that the car has been back in to have an engine ECU upgrade - that should have been carried out as part of a recall. Other than that, the engine needs regular checks for oil level and regular oil changes too. If that hasn't been done, the car has been neglected and you should leave it.

Make sure it comes with a full service history.

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Hi Mary,

I'd tread carefully where the Multitronic box is concerned. While the serious issues that plagued it pre-2006 have been mostly sorted, it's still not trouble free. Oil changes are needed at regular intervals if it's to be kept in good order. 

I do reckon, if funds allow, you'd better off going for the S-Tronic gearbox, which seems to have a much stronger reliability record.

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Hi Robert,

Yes, they're pretty good. We've heard no major reports of serious issues with the current-shape Focus and that 1.6 diesel is long-lived and has seen service in various Volvos, MINIs, Citroens and Peugeots. Just make sure that it gets a regular oil change and that you use a high-grade synthetic oil. 

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Hi there,

There are not generally any set change intervals for timing chains. If a car is well-maintained (in terms of oil changes etc.) then it should never have to be changed really.

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Hi Meeka,

I personally bought a 2006 Volvo V50 1.6 diesel, which is the estate version of the S40 so I know a little about them. I'm assuming that S40 is 1.6 diesel as well, as most are from that year. The most important thing about this engine is that it is used regularly at motorway speed (to burn off deposits on the diesel particulate filter - DPF) and that oil changes are also regular, and done with the right oil. Insist on a full service history and the more reputable the garage the better.

Make sure the DPF warning light is present when the ignition is turned on and that it then goes out soon after the car is started up. If it's missing completely it means there's a reason someone removed it - walk away.

Other than that I found the car to be very well equipped for the price, making it much better value than a similarly priced Focus or Golf from the same year. It's also more spacious than those cars - though not by much.

Let us know how you get on

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Hi Aoife,

We asked Toyota Ireland what it thought would be reasonable oil consumption, and though you haven't told us the age of your car it was suggested that a rate of a quarter litre of oil per 1,000 kilometres was normal. Toyota suggested that, if you suspect there is an issue, bring the car to a dealer and as for an oil consumption test to be carried out.

Hope that helps

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Hi Rosemary,

According to the official figure, you should be getting 33mpg. Bear in mind though that this is almost a ten-year old car, so its performance in terms of fuel economy may have tailed off. Nothing a good service and oil change wouldn't fix though, along with some decent new tyres.

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Hi John,

Great car, the Mazda6, and lovely to drive. Two things though: you may well find that 2.0-litre petrol to be both a touch thirsty and, consequently, very hard to move on again come resale time. And at that mileage it's imperative to make sure that the car has a full service history and that major maintenance work such as timing belt replacements and oil changes have been done.

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Hi Albert,

It's a timing chain, so theoretically no maintenance necessary once you stick to recommended oil changes.