The car has 118k miles and all major maintenance done which includes timing belt, water pump, engine seals and spark plugs. When I go to check it out and test drive it what should I be looking for? I'm in the airforce and need a first car up here in Alaska and the guy only wants 10k for it.

 

10k is cheap! Listen for a whine around 30-45 mph before the car warms up. That would point to the propeller shaft bearing issue many have dealt with. It won't leave you stranded, but it is annoying. Other common issues are the door handle lock/unlock not working, and the A/C not working. The last two will run you in the hundreds of dollars but are just features you can drive without.

Common used car checkout includes matching VIN stickers in every panel/door/trunk/hood to ensure no major accident. Run the car at hwy speed for at least 5 min to ensure the temperature doesn't go beyond 50%. 40% is typical.

 

I want to refine my comment about test driving and the engine temp. After you after test driving the car at hwy speed, let the car idle with the A/C on. The engine temp should remain below 50% for the entirety of your inspection. Also, the rpms should remain constant during idle, and of course the car should not die.

 

Yes the Whining sound is common on RL's I have a 08. But nice car

 

I also have an 08 and I hear the whine everytime I step on the gas. Is this normal in RLs? It doesn't sound bad or anything but just wondering.

 

The propeller shaft whine should only happen around 30-50 mph. It should be speed related, meaning it doesn't change with throttle or RPM. If you noise tracks your throttle, your issue is something else.

 

You're right, oo7spy. I listened to the whine again and it is between 30-45 mph. I usually have the music up so I don't hear it. Just hope it doesn't cause other problems later on. Thanks for the info!

 

I don't think we have ever seen a complete propeller shaft bearing failure here. It just annoys people who don't listen to music in the car.