Buying berlingo in auction

[Drozeanu]

Hello, 

I about to bid for very beautiful 1.6 diesel 2013 year berlingo. Please assist what i should look at more. I can only sit in the car and start it. No test drive. Regards, D

[ffrenchie]

Sit in the car and start it up from cold preferably, look at the mileage and dash lights make sure they go out when they should etc. Adjust seating to see if you can get comfortable. Press the clutch and run through the gears finding biting point, press brake pedal, check outside lights and all fluid levels and look at general body and tyre condition. It's all common sense and really the same for most vehicles.

[cancunia]

If you have an OBD reader, plug it into the OBD socket & connect to an app on your phone, for example 'Torque' & check for fault codes.

[oilyrag]

Check that washers and wipers work in all positions, along with the heater and check that every switch works, including courtesy lights . Check all door locks with key/central locking & all window openers. Check the exhaust with the engine running. Check rear screen heater . Look at the van from the back and make sure that the rear wheels do not tilt, which would be casued by axle bush failure.
Check engine / gearbox for oil leaks and also check the colour of the oil and for any creamy deposit under the oil filler cap.
Check the coolant when cold for any oil contamination or signs of sealants (often brown/orange).
If there's oil in the water or water in the oil , walk away!
It is best to make a list of all of the things that you want to check and then take your wife along to make sure that you do actually carry out the checks, rather than just imagining it, as I would .
Good luck - I hope that the roads in Iceland have improved since I visited or you'll be spending a lot on suspension bushes/springs.

[williamsheikspare]

First Test it and then bid for it. It never same what it shows.

[Gryffindor]

Put one bid in when price begins to get realistic, so auctioneer knows to keep an eye on you.

Then let others bid without joining in.

When they eventually give up outbidding each other, decide if you can afford to place a final bit and grab it, just before the hammer falls.

Cool head, surprise tactics.