Nissan Figaro Car Buyers Checklist

So, you are looking to buy a Nissan Figaro! Well done! Here is a printable checklist that I have researched and put together. All I ask for in return is that you fill out the comment form below and let me know if it helped you out and what the result was. 

How much to pay?

If people are asking too much, don't bother. In the 90's the Figaro importers were working at full tilt and the public demand jacked prices up to the £10k mark. But since then the prices have been dropping like a stone despite their cheeky cute looks, but don't fret, around 2007 the prices seemed to bottom out at £4500 for a good one. In 2013 the auction price for a good one is up to around £5000.  If you look at Autotrader and average out the prices this is about accurate. But that won't stop people asking silly money. But also remember that prices are rising and as this car becomes viewed as more of a classic the prices will rocket.  We are seeing the touch paper lit in the last few years. So 2013 seems to be a good time to buy before it gets silly.

Making the initial call.

Asking the right questions in the call will save you a lot of driving around. Here are some hints and tips.

• When dialing a private seller call and say "I am calling about the car". If the answer is which one then you are talking to a dealer. While this may not be too much of a problem, it isn't exactly a good start.
• Does the roof leak? - a common problem which can be a bit pricey to fix.
• Any rust at all? - roof or rear wheel arches are common areas for spots. Answers like "Well, it's a 20 year old car" or anything else evasive should start ringing alarm bells.
• If the car is >50k miles
• Has the cam belt been changed?
• Has the water pump been changed?
• Has the tensioner been changed?
• Has another other major work been done? - Major work having been done can be considered a good thing, these are old cars, so head gasket seals, new roof, cambelt, etc.
• When was it last serviced and MOT'ed? Has it had regular servicing? 6 months is ideal, 12 months at least. 
• Any dinks, bangs or accidents at all?
• How does it run? Sound? Does it start well? Any blue smoke?
• Any leaks? Any oil spots on the driveway?
• Why are you selling? - Put yourself in their shoes, sound genuine? If you are not sure, walk away. Gut instinct could save you a lot of trouble. 
• Are you willing for the AA to inspect this independently?  You don't have to do this, but the answer will give you more of an idea who you are dealing with.
• Is the car registered to your name and your address? Do you have the V5 documents?
• Ask if it has ever failed to start in "park". This is a simple fix, but worth knowing if it has been done. 

The Viewing

Bodywork & roof

• Check for dinks
• Check panel alignment, make sure everything looks good.
• Check for rust particularly around the roof and more importantly around the wheel arches.
• Open the boot and take a look at the metal around the drain holes. It's a wet boot so don't worry if there are any water marks.
• Feel around the point where the seat belt joins the chassis for rust. 
• If you can, pull away the rubber seal slightly from the roof to check for rust. 
• The rear window surround is metal coated in vinyl. Push down on this in various places, any crunch noises or movement means rust is behind the vinyl.
• Check the door sills, run you finger underneath to feel for any rust build up.
• Check around the lights front and rear
• Check the bumpers
• Check the underside of the vehicle for rust and ask if it has been under-sealed. Worth doing and can cost around £400
• If you are viewing the car and the roof is down ask for it to be put up. Check for wear, marks, rips. Check the join around the edge, there should not be a gap greater than 1cm and you should certainly not be able to see any daylight from inside the car.  Look for watermarks and drips that may indicate the roof has leaked. 
• Check the leather seats for cracks and wear.
• Check the Stereo works including the CD player. 

Under the Bonnet

• Is it clean, this might give you an insight into how much the owner cared about it.
• Smell, any scent of petrol is a very bad thing.
• Check the oil, any creamy substance on the stick may be an indicator of a head gasket failure. 
• Check the radiator, unscrew the cap, mayonnaise in the water or under the cap indicates oil in the water. Bad sign - head gasket failure. 
• Another test is to take the rad cap off while the engine is running, place your hand firmly over the radiator hole and pulsing sensation may indicate the same issue as above. 
• Check for leaks, drips, cracked hoses.  Engines are usually pretty dirty unless your owner has an OCD. 

The Test Drive

Make sure you do a test drive. Make sure you are insured and make sure you bring the docs to prove it. 

While on the drive check off the following points:

• Does it start well? A cold start is a better test, if the engine felt warm when you were doing your checks then maybe it doesn't start well when cold and the owner knows this. 
• As the engine starts look in the rear view mirror for blue smoke. Blue smoke is bad. 
• Does the engine rev up to above 1k and then slowly drop to just below 1k and not jump around too much. Note, having the AC on will impact the engine revs. Also if the engine is hot and the radiator fan switches on the revs may also drop off. Remember the battery is small. 
• As you pull away wind down the window and make sure you listen for noises, pings, grinds, knocks, could mean big problems. 
• On a nice bit of road when the car shifts to second, put your foot down and make sure the automatic kicks down smoothly. Make sure the gear changes are generally smooth. 
• As you accelerate, look for blue smoke in the rear view, it could mean turbo problems. 
• The turbo on a Nissan Figaro doesn't actually "kick in", it should be smooth. The 987 cc engine isn't exactly going to push you into your seat but should feel the nippier end of sluggish ;)
• If you can, perform an emergency stop making sure the car doesn't pull right or left. 
• Are there any knocking noises on uneven road surfaces, do the shocks and suspension feel reasonably OK. The figaro does wallow around a bit, so don't expect too much. 
• As you turn the wheel the power steering should feel smooth and not make any whining noise.
• As you pull back into the drive, don't forget to look for oil spots and coolant leaks or better still park somewhere else and check where you were parked originally. 
• Finally, check the engine temperature, make sure the engine is not running hot. 

Closing the deal

Depending on the price you may be willing to accept the odd niggle from the list above. If, this would be rare, you find a perfect car then well done!

Always haggle a bit but don't go too low, it will just antagonize the seller and if you want it and the price seems fair then make the offer. If you believe it is a good condition car priced between 5k and 6k then you may try to get a little more off to - for example - fix a patch of rust, recondition the roof, valet the car, etc. 

Edit July 2013 - I would recommend you join the Figaro Owners Club, you get lots of advice and they have guides also.