Does someone asking to view a car with cold engine ring alarm bells?

[craiginuk]

Hi all,

After a bit of advice please. I have my coupe up for sale. I’ve had someone want to come and view it but they have asked for engine to be cold when they arrive. This sets of alarm bells for me as friends have had experience of 2 guys coming to look at car (asked for engine cold) and then one of them adding oil to coolant while other distracting them.

That combined with low post count of 3 and november join date is making me suspicious. Am I over reacting?

Craig

 

[Beerman]

It sounds perfectly normal to me.

A cold start often exposes if there are problems with the car.

 

[enuff_zed]

Have someone else with you if you are concerned

 

[TheDan]

Yeah asking for cold engine is quite normal as when a seller already warms the engine up its likely because they are trying to hide some sort of issue such as bad lifters, lumpy idle etc.

In terms of the coolant trick that is getting more prevalent, they could do this with the engine hot and it would still blow white smoke from the exhaust. Best method to combat this is to keep an eye on the buyer and if there are 2, have someone else with you who can keep an eye on the other one.

The join date and 3 posts is probably because they saw your ad (or were sent a link to it) and need 3 posts to send PMs.

Maybe I'm being too naive though!

 

[Z450]

I have had this asked a few times, perfectly normal

 

[Boyo]

I have had this asked a few times, perfectly normal

+1

 

[craiginuk]

Thanks everyone - have had a chat with the guy and all good.

 

[Micke]

When I went to look at my Z4 I also asked for it to be cold, nothing unusual from my point of view

 

[Gebbly]

I had also heard the advice to see cold start when looking to buy. When I visited [ref]Simon 3.2M[/ref] to see his Z4MC for sale I didnt even have to ask, he made of point of showing me it was a cold start.

 

[pvr]

As you are in Sevenoaks, the chance of one of the "cash for crash" brigade making an appearance is very much reduced. But having someone with you is neve a bad thing in any case.

 

[buzyg]

I have had this asked a few times, perfectly normal

+1

+2

 

[craiginuk]

As you are in Sevenoaks, the chance of one of the "cash for crash" brigade making an appearance is very much reduced. But having someone with you is neve a bad thing in any case.

Sadly the mate it happened to was in Sevenoaks too but yep all seems good.

 

[Jollygiant]

I always ask for people not to start the car so its cold when I get there.
Then I can have good look around the car and touch/ feel stuff without getting burnt by hot bits, makes it easier to check for water in the oil on the oil filler cap and see if the oil level goes down after its warmed up.
Its also a good gauge of how good the battery is starting it from cold.

In fact if someone then starts it after I've asked them not to I walk, as it shows it has cold starting issue or a engine rattle that goes once warmed up.

I always plug an OBD reader in before I start it, then again after it's ran and warmed up to see if they are hiding anything there too.

All this is mainly due to my obsession with buying cheap, old, stylish, dodgy Alfa's, Range Rovers and now BMW's where lots of things can and do go wrong!

 

[Vanne]

how do you know its just an obd reader? there are so many different readers/programmers on the market, i have 4 myself, i dont think id let someone looking at my car plug in a reader/something into my obd port. Id happily supply my reader for them to read out any codes, but no sir, i don't think id let them plug whatever into my car, no Sir!.

 

[Pondrew]

In fact if someone then starts it after I've asked them not to I walk, as it shows it has cold starting issue or a engine rattle that goes once warmed up.

Or it could be they just had to go somewhere unexpectedly, of course. :wink:

 

[Pondrew]

how do you know its just an obd reader? there are so many different readers/programmers on the market, i have 4 myself, i dont think id let someone looking at my car plug in a reader/something into my obd port. Id happily supply my reader for them to read out any codes, but no sir, i don't think id let them plug whatever into my car, no Sir!.

That is a very good point.

I have a little 'black box' thing sat on my desk (from my daughter's old insurance). It will plug into any OBD port and contains all sorts of black magic.

 

[Rich8]

I was always told to ask for cold start to check for smoke from exhaust. Thought it was a pretty standard well known basic check for oil getting past seals.
White smoke - just condensation.
Blueish smoke on start up - walk away.

 

[Mr Tidy]

I specifically asked the seller not to have my MC warmed up when I went to view it. It hadn't had an Inspection service for years so I wanted to see what the valvetrain sounded like when it was cold.

As many others have said already, nothing to worry about. Although as it's an N52 they may get to hear some lifter tick - might be worth giving it a good run the day before!

 

[BMWZ4MC]

I wanted to see what the valve train sounded like when it was cold….

With the S54, often worrying to someone unfamiliar with its tappety nature, even when perfectly healthy!

As for viewing a cars, I always want to witness the car start from cold too. Interestingly, my RS4 produces a little blue smoke when it’s cold, but it seems that “they all do that, sir” applies in that case, at least according to the reputable indy who looks after it.

 

[darich]

I bought my coupe from a forum member and specifically asked for it to be cold when I arrived. Owner was happy enough and it meant I saw/heard the car from a cold start. As above, an extra pair of eyes if you're unsure