ST185 Buyer's guide February 2009 What do you need to look out for when buying an ancient GT-Four ST185 (Carlos Sainz)? In this article I try to cover the important things. Several points on the list are easy to check and by doing so, you might be able to save yourself time and money in the long run. Try to arrange a viewing when the car's engine is cold or at least hasn't run for a while to allow for a better inspection. Exterior We start off with the exterior. Check the body panel alignment. This Carlos Sainz has probably had an accident If the panels aren't aligned properly, look out for further damage marks. The car above had a drivers side (LHD) door which was red underneath the rubbers, so I suspect the car got smashed up pretty bad. For me that was a reason not to buy it. Check the entire body for dents and possible rust. The front fenders are easily replaceable, but the rears have to be cut from the body when you replace them. Suspension and bottom Push a corner of the car down and let it go. If the car rises back to stock ride height the shock's fine. If it wobbles once or twice before it stops at ride height, the shock is likely to be shot/gone. If possible, jack the car up to see if there's any fluid (= leak) on the outside of the shocks. If you grab a wheel with both hands and you're able to wiggle it inwards and outwards, the wheel bearing is shot. Since there's a bit more ground clearance at this point, check the condition of the bottom of the car; 1) Is it under sealed (often a flat black rough coating)? If not, check for rust. 2) Check to see if the engine and gearbox are dry 3) Are the brake and fuel hard lines ok? 4) Is the exhaust ok? Interior We move on to the interior. What's your first impression - Does the condition match the km's? If the car has 98,000 km on the clock but the seats and carpets look like they are from WWII, something isn't right. The ODO meter numbers should be nicely aligned. Check the carpet for moist. Specially the passenger side foot well, as a damp carpet could mean a leaking heater matrix. If there's a radio, check to see if it works and if it powers up the electric antenna when you turn it on. In case of a CS, the original numbered plaque in front of the gear lever is a bonus, as well as the signed certificate. Unfortunately, quite often at least one of them is missing. Somehow, all T18X Celicas seem to suffer from deformed plastic panels in the boot. Specially the LH side panel, it often forms a gap with the boot lid rubber. Nothing to worry about though. Open the jack compartment on the RH side of the boot, remove the jack and stick your arm in there. The bottom of the arch should be dry/dusty. If it's wet, look for rust. Lift the carpet to see if the spare wheel is still in place. The boot floor should be straight, if there's ever been a rear end collision you'll clearly see it. The electrics as well as the head and taillights should work, of course. Engine bay Next up: The engine bay. If you're wondering if you're looking at a genuine CS or not, have a look at the chassis info (VIN) plate located in front of the radiator (European Carlos Sainz models) or at the firewall. ST185L-BLMQZG: This is a genuine left hand drive (LHD) GT-Four Carlos Sainz The model code above confirms this car is a genuine LHD GT-Four CS. For other ST185 model codes, please see the ST185 Models page. Check the oil cap - a mayonnaise like grease on the inside could mean a blown head gasket (BHG). Check the oil level and colour. I think it's a good indicator of how well the owner is looking after the car. If possible, check if there's axial/radial play on the turbo shaft. It's very easy and takes only a few minutes, but requires basic tools; 1) Disconnect the black connector of the airflow meter (AFM) 2) Undo the hose clamp on the turbo side of the inlet hose 3) Undo the metal clamps of the air box (4 from the top of my head) and remove the piping/AFM/air box cover assembly There should be no/minimal play. Reinstall the intake assy and make sure you don't forget the AFM connector. Check the condition of all belts and find out whether the timing belt is in need of replacement or not. Normally there's a sticker on the upper cover, showing the last replacement (date and km's). Check to see if this matches the service history. Open the radiator cap and see if the radiator is topped up. In case of a CS the same goes for the intercooler. Both ideally should contain red coolant (Toyota For life). ECU error codes Check the ECU for stored error codes, using a paperclip and the Diagnostics terminal behind the LH strut tower. For detailed information about checking error codes, please see the How to. Before you close bonnet, check if the car is equipped with ABS - it's a pump with brake lines connected to it, located behind the RH side headlight (on the left when standing in front of the car). Test drive If the tires are road legal and at the right pressure it's time to go for a test drive. Does the car have ABS? Make sure the ABS light comes on with the rest of the warning lights before you start the engine. After starting the car check the idling rpm; when cold it should be roughly 1000, when 'warm' 800. Blip the throttle to check if the intercooler pump is activated (CS only), you should hear it running clearly. Leave the handbrake on, put the car in 1st gear and gently release the clutch pedal. If the engine is about to stall; good. If not, the clutch is likely to be worn. Repeat for all other gears. Replacing the clutch is an engine out job, keep this in mind when buying the car. When turning tight, a clicking noise indicates a worn CV joint. There should be no strange sounds while cornering. Make sure the oil is up to temp (80 °C or 20 minutes driving) before you hit boost. Check the boost if possible, it should be ~0.6 bar in 1st and 2nd and ~0.7 bar in 3-5. When you hit boost, the turbo should spool up smoothly. Check your mirrors to see if there's smoke coming out of the exhaust; Black smoke indicates unburnt fuel. When the car is fitted with a free flowing exhaust this happens quite often as GT-Fours are running rich as standard. However, you shouldn't see it clearly in your mirrors because we're talking about very small amounts of smoke here. Looking from within another car it is visible though. If you really see black clouds, the engine isn't very healthy. Blue smoke indicates burnt oil - also bad. White smoke means there's water in the exhaust gasses, which could indicate a BHG, a big problem! If you step off the throttle you might hear a 'clunk' coming from the rear. This is likely to be a worn diff. mount, a common problem but easy to fix (see the How to). When braking, check if the car goes in a straight line when you let go of the steering wheel. If not, the car might need a wheel alignment and a look at the brakes. If you feel vibration in the wheel when braking, one or more brake discs could be warped and need replacing. After the test drive, let the engine idle for a bit if you've been boosting a lot. This way you prevent turbo damage caused by oil sticking onto the hot turbo cartridge. Pull out the dipstick a bit, there shouldn't be any smoke coming out of the pipe as this indicates blown ring lands. Related links ST185 Models Tech articles Top