2nd hand D40 questions

Hi guys first post so goes,

I'm looking at a 2007 D40 ST-X manual diesel, and after reading alot about brake rotors, diffs, engine, and fuel consumption, I'm still interested in getting one...

I plan one going over the car with a fine tooth comb, does anyone know what the minimum thickness of the brake rotors is? I don't want to have to replace the rotors straight away.

Anything inparticular I should look for? Leaks, etc?

Cheers

Chooka

Welcome to the forums Chooka. I don't know the answer to your question but I'd like to hear what others suggest given that D40 brakes are always getting ragged as being crap.

Welcome to the forum!

Feel the outer lip of the rotor. If there's a significant rise, the rotors are shot. Mine were shot after 38,000km but I do tow a caravan a lot...

Your bigger concern is the clutch. They're dual mass jobs and they don't like being overly stressed. If you have to do some towing or heavy work at low speeds, your clutch will suffer and an auto is recommended.

The rear diff is generally bulletproof. The front diff is a little too light, but you should only use 4WD on really loose stuff anyway, so it may never be an issue. Depends what you want to do with it, of course!

Hi,

I bought my 2008 version, and they are really hard to find in top condition.
I went from Adelaide to Bendigo to get mine as I could not find one in the condition, with the kms and the price I wanted. I also wanted an 08 so it was still under waranty if there were any issues.

I made sure/ checked for

-no leaks anywhere
-no rust
-body condition-minimal scratches
-check roof and underneath very well - often they may have a dent in the dif or on the roof that you should pick up.
-check tyre condition- enough tread or factor in a new set at $1200
-The condition of the interior is usually a guide as to how they were treated.
-Also take it for a drive, listening for any odd sounds.
-talk to the owner and check why they sold it, if a dealer ask for the previous owners details and contact them, also how much towing or off road work/beach driving they have done, It all adds to the extra wear and tear on the vehicle.
-I also wouldn't buy one without a complete service history.

It all depends on your budget though.
Good luck

Cheers guys for the quick replies, I plan on taking it for a decent test drive (as long as possible) problem with that is the car yard is in the middle of Brisbane so could be a challenge listening for weird/strange noises.
How would I know if the clutch is on the way out? Shudder? Slipping? does it make a noise?

I'll mainly be using it for highway use, to and from work on a pretty bumpy road (which means about 90% of Qld roads) about 80km/day. And the odd camping trip, no beach work in the forseeable future, but the occasionaly dirt road into the bush.

As far as I know it's got a full service history but just ran out of factory warranty but the dealer has a 3yr warranty but I'd have to check what that covers.

Budget $30k after trade-in on WB tonner (so no more than $33k)

Chooka

Chooka said:

As far as I know it's got a full service history but just ran out of factory warranty but the dealer has a 3yr warranty but I'd have to check what that covers.

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Full service history can be faked as much as a part one can be but if you take it to an independent mechanic and get it checked they will soon tell you if it's been looked after and the money spent on such a check can be money saved later on.

The extra warranty out of the dealer isn't a bad option but make sure you get what is covered in writing because it is easy for them to back out of things that aren't in writing. Not suggesting they need to write coverage for every part but if things like the drive train are covered make them write down exactly what is covered not just that the drive train is warranted because it could only be warranted against minor damage or something equally as stupid.

Cheers Krafty, I have a mate thats a mechanic in Ipswich, might pick him up on the way to have a look.

Good idea, the best help you can get when buying second hand is having someone who can check things out for you.

Chooka said:

Cheers guys for the quick replies, I plan on taking it for a decent test drive (as long as possible) problem with that is the car yard is in the middle of Brisbane so could be a challenge listening for weird/strange noises.
How would I know if the clutch is on the way out? Shudder? Slipping? does it make a noise?

I'll mainly be using it for highway use, to and from work on a pretty bumpy road (which means about 90% of Qld roads) about 80km/day. And the odd camping trip, no beach work in the forseeable future, but the occasionaly dirt road into the bush.

As far as I know it's got a full service history but just ran out of factory warranty but the dealer has a 3yr warranty but I'd have to check what that covers.

Budget $30k after trade-in on WB tonner (so no more than $33k)

Chooka

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33K will get you a brand spanker D22 with extra's. Might be worth test driving one and comparing it to a secondhand D40.

08KINGCAB said:

33K will get you a brand spanker D22 with extra's. Might be worth test driving one and comparing it to a secondhand D40.

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Main reason for the D40 was the child restraint anchors and overall a bit more comfy but I might check out some D22's, be good if I had an ABN.

Be aware that the cabin of the D40 is 175mm longer than the D22 and most of that goes into leg-room for the rear seat. On long journeys, the D40 is VERY comfortable and in a post on this site, Dave (a D22 owner that drives a LOT) did say (in a round-about way) that the D40 is far more comfortable than a D22.

Chooka[/QUOTE]

be very wary of dealer warranties
they usially have caps on repair costs ,have a lot of exclusions and you will probably have to have it serviced by them only(at an inflated cost) to maintain wty
generally speaking there not worth the paper there written on
my last 2nd hand car (2004 ss comm) blew a g/box within 6 mths and dealer claimed misuse and wouldnt pay up ever though it had been serviced by them 3 weeks prior
you can have anchor points fitted to a d 22,add $2000 for a suspension fix to make it more comfy and if you are financing it interest rates are better on a new car
you will also nave new car wty and a new car? and the exclusive right to bag d40 owners

Keep checking carslaes, some cars go very quickly after being added.

I was very close to buying a New D40 RX in Victoria or Queensland for around $32k drive away, no ABN. you might be able to get a deal like that if you didn't want an STX. There is not too much different between the new ST's and old STX's, depending on the features you want and if you can afford ~36. Otherwise it might pay to wait and keep shopping around for a good deal if you cant find one that is a good deal. You can often get a better deal privately too. You should be able to get an 08 one with low km's for that money, if you want.

I dont know why you would stress about rotors for, i replaced mine @60k's myself for $250, hardly a major expense.
Mines for sale ........