Looking at used Aygo 2013 - what to check for

[thecornflake]

Hi,

One of our neighbours has a 2013 Aygo ICE up for sale and we're looking for a small car for my wife to use to commute into London (so needs to be ULEZ compatible, good for city driving etc). It seems a good option but I wondered if there is anything specific to look for other than the usual checks I would do for a used car eg putting into top gear at low speed to check clutch not racing etc. I am aware of the water leaking issue so plan to check footwells and boot for evidence of this. Also a local garage I use a lot has always offered to go over any car I'm thinking about buying so hopefully the seller would let me take it down there for a once over. It's got 63k on the clock and priced at 2500 but I suspect I can knock it down a bit for cash.

[Coreyw]

I advice you to ask the owner if you can have it check with a mechanic.

[mrfixer]

Pretty rugged and simple cars really. Like any city car the clutch and discs/pads get a lot of use. If its still on its original clutch then budget for a new one.  Apart from that just look for steering and suspension joint wear and tear, and of course the water leaks!

[steveo3002]

it will smell like a wet dog if its had ignored water leaks ..so have a good sniff or be wary of excess air fresheners

theyre fairly tough , can use oil so be aware of lazy owners that never take care of them , and the bumps n scrapes that sort of owner will inflict 

make sure the a/c works   

[Ahar]

The 'finger' that hooks into the rubber exhaust hanger thing rusted off on my 2012 Aygo a couple of years ago. I think it's reasonably common for them to fail here so you may want to check how this looks. It's the one on the side that the pipe enters and leaves the back box.

[Guest]

Only things I had on my 2008 when I sold it last year were a new clutch in 2012 and the usual boot water leaks (usual causes and fixes), apart from that just routine servicing and maintenance.

[Puglet]

As you say even the later models could leak, think they fitted better seals etc on later models, but was still a problem. Some smaller common problems I can think of, check fan works on all speeds, if only 4, then possibly resistor, check indicator arrows on speedo work and the hazard light switch can fail thru lack of use.  As said they pretty reliable, our similar 107 owned for 13+ years and been very good and it an early one which could have bigger issues.

[Vandals01]

Aygo specific:

Water ingestion - usually in the boot area.  Check the spare tire well for any signs of swimming pool.  The channels where water enters the boot were: Top brake light, weather seal around the tailgate, rubber grommets for rear light cable (lights for rear number plate) and rear left & right light assembly.

Clutch - Although they were upgraded since 2008(?) but they are still the weakness part of Toyota Aygo.

Coolant leak - usually around the water pump.

Malfunction Hazard warning light - build up and oxidation inside the switch itself.

Malfunction Signal Stalk - Same as above, but can be costly to replace as it is required to take the steering wheel out.

Broken rear exhaust - can be the rubber hanger or the actual exhaust itself.

 

Non Aygo specific:

Check for service history

Look at the engine oil.  If they were really thick & dark it means the car were never really look after and might considering walking away.

Look behind the engine oil cap.  Again, build up behind the cap "can mean" the car never had an oil change for a long time.  In certain situation, it can also means a blown head gasket.

Check for rust or oil leak underneath the vehicle

Check the tires for any excessive OR UN-EVEN WEAR.

Turn the fan to Max to check for any usual smell from the air vent (can be signs that the car has been in a flood).

Check the various panels on the car and make sure they LINE-UP properly - If they don't that can be signs that the car has been in a crash.

 

If you are satisfy with all the above AND you are ACTUALLY CONSIDERING buying the car, then ask for a Test Drive.

Things to look out for in a the test drive are:

1. Noise from the suspension

2. Is the steering wheel straight - does it pull excessively to one side.

3. Braking power - sure the initial rust can lead to poor braking, but after a few stops the rust should go away.

4. Does the car shakes when you press the brake - if it does, it means you'll need new brakes all around.

5. Clutch and Engine performance in general.

6. Any excessive smoke from the rear