Peugeot 206

Find a quiet, bumpy road or do some sharp low-speed turns, and listen closely for clicking, creaking, or metallic knocking from the rear of the car. Also, step back and inspect the rear stance. | Note: The rear trailing arm needle bearings dry out, rust, and wear into the axle tube. Look at the rear wheels from behind; if they bow inwards at the top (negative camber) or scrape the inner wheel arches, the entire rear axle beam requires a costly rebuild or replacement to pass a NZ WOF.

Before starting, check under the oil cap for milky sludge and check the coolant expansion tank. After a warm test drive, park up and inspect the front-left corner of the engine block near the alternator with a torch. | Note: The 1.4L TU3JP engine is notorious for head gasket failures. They most commonly weep oil externally from the front-left corner of the block, or mix oil and coolant. Ensure the cooling system is not pressurising or blowing bubbles when warm.

Cycle through all headlight, indicator, and wiper functions multiple times. Turn the steering wheel fully from lock to lock and see if the indicators turn off prematurely or if the headlights flicker. | Note: The steering column switch cluster (known as the COM2000 unit) is highly prone to internal circuit wear. If the indicators fail to self-cancel, or if the lights switch on spontaneously, the whole unit must be replaced. This is an immediate WOF fail.

For automatic models, accelerate smoothly through all gears from a standstill. Ensure there are no violent thuds on downshifts or sudden drops into 'limp mode' (stuck in 3rd gear with flashing sport/snow lights on the dash). | Note: The optional AL4 4-speed automatic gearbox is notoriously fragile and suffers from premature pressure solenoid failures and overheating. If buying a manual, feel for excessive slop in the shifter, which points to worn nylon gear linkages.