If your buying/selling a MK3 Fiesta then theres alot to look out for. Heres what to look for.
Rust! No Mk3 escapes it, well its very lucky if it does! Heres the places to look:
-Check underneath, chassis rails/sills
-Petrol cap and surrounding area
-Underneath rubber door seals at bottom
-To check if theres a load of filler under xr2i/rs arches take a magnet and put on the plastic arch, if it doesn’t stick, the likely-hood is its full up with filler. Just take care not to scratch their paintwork!
-Inside engine bay, bulkhead on passenger side
-Rear Struts, it’s easy enough to take of carpet (if any) have a look and replace. While your there you can check the boot floor.
Check that the suspension is in working order, if you push down on a corner it should return to its place and not carry on bouncing up and down. Best way to test wishbones is to take it for a drive, if it pulls to one side when braking or accelerating its usually a good sign that the wishbone bushes are knackered and will need to be replaced.
While on the test drive if you can hear anything knocking at the back, especially when over little bumps as this can suggest bushes in top of shocks or shocks themselves need replacing.
A jumpy speedo is a sign that the gearbox is has done a lot of miles, so if your not sure the milage is genuine, its something to consider.
Check that the rear wiper works, theres a contact switch on bottom of boot and sometimes this needs cleaning up to make it work.
Other than that its your usual wear and tear. Check that tyres are worn evenly, check fluid levels and for leaking fluids – check for fluids on floor where car is parked. Look for oil in the water and water in the oil, signs of this are a mayo like substance in either oil cap or header tank cap.
One thing that is suggested is a HPI check, to confirm the car is what it says it is. If i was spending on a RS i would 100% check this. Imagine finding out that your car has been written off, is a ringer or has been stolen. You can also check the old MOTs online, for free, it will tell you the dates of pass, odometer reading, and advisorys/refusal notes. Click here MOT status and history checker.
Other than that its up to you how much you decide to pay for it.
If your selling then anything listed above is what the buyer is going to be looking for so put all the details in your advert!