Brakes, transmissions and a town in a valley
Purley sits in a valley, and the residential roads climb away from Purley Cross steeply and in tight curves towards Woodcote, Russell Hill and Riddlesdown. Everyday driving here means descending on the brakes and climbing on the clutch or torque converter, repeatedly, and the gyratory at Purley Cross where the A23, A22, A235 and A2022 meet adds the stop-start element. A car that is tired in those areas will be fine on a test drive round the flat and tell you the truth on the second week of ownership.
That is why the brake assessment is measured rather than eyeballed. Pad material is gauged, discs are checked for lipping and scoring, and we look for signs of overheating and for fluid that has absorbed moisture, which is what lowers the boiling point and gives you a soft pedal on a long descent. On the road test we brake firmly from speed to feel for judder, pull and a spongy pedal, and on the ramp we look for seized guide pins and corroded brake pipes running along the underbody.
The rest of the inspection follows the same pattern across the whole car: VIN and paperwork cross-checked against the MOT history, cold start listened to before the engine warms and hides things, paint depth taken panel by panel, sills and subframe mountings examined on the ramp, every module scanned, fluids tested and the road test done by a technician who has driven a lot of cars. Findings are grouped into faults now, attention soon and points to note, with photographs.
The drive over is Foxley Lane west through Woodcote to the mini-roundabout, then north on the A237 through Wallington into Hackbridge, about 15 minutes. Arrange with the seller that the car can be inspected before you travel to see it, hold it with a refundable deposit on condition of the report, and ask for it cold. If you go on to buy it, we can quote any work in writing, though nothing obliges you to have it done here.