Dylan,

Check the rear valance for rust along with both inner wings and the battery tray and cross member. Get the carpets up and check for rust behind the drivers and passengers seat in the rear footwell. Feel the arches behind the kit to see if they are rotting away.

Take the tow eye cover off the front and look at the panel behind for rust. In the boot well and boot floor. Also check the sills and floor pans for rot. and if you can get to it, the bulk head inside the car, check for damp underlay. Door bottoms also go.

Check around the window seals for rot or respray evidence and check all the gaps around the car. Also check the sunroof and the suround as these rot and can spread upto the roof from the underside.

Make sure all the switches and gauges work as they are getting harder to get hold of.

The trim may be gruby but try to get one that's not worn out or torn as it will be hard to get a single seat, and good nick S1 seats can be about £350 a set.

Check the gears engage well and you aren't getting any wineing noises.

Ideally the brake will have been upgraded, if not you may want to do this as they are abit weak.

Check the dash isn't split to bits, there will be a crack or 2 but not to much ideally.

Make sure the car is cold when viewed and check for smoke and rattling or knocking on start up. Then take it for a good 10mile drive at high and low speed. Make sure it pulls well on boost and isn't slipping the clutch. Also get some one to follow you and watch for smoke under boost.

Whilst out, check the temp and make sure it isn't over heating.

View the car in day light and in dry weather and check that all the paint is the same alround and look for little blisters on the paint that may be rust spots that have been T-cutted so harder to notice.

Engine wise, look for the usual stuff, turbo is in good condition, no oil leaks or headgasket failure etc.

Should have had a service and belt change when you buy it, if not make it the first thing you do!!!

The History is very important, the more the better. Any work that has been done should have a receipt and a stamped up FSH book will be a bonus, old MoT's are a good sign aswell. It's doesn't tell you if the car has been thrashed or not, but bill etc, can show previous owners have appreciated it.

I would suggest having alook at a few to give your self an idea of whats out there, and spend abit of time with the car your looking at, you will notice more things the longer you look over a car. Take a mate who can keep a level head, all to easy to buy a with your heart not your head.

Also if the seller take you out in it and raggs the shite out of the car from cold then after the test drive turns the car straight off, you may want to walk away. They need time to warm up and should be left ticking over for a couple of minutes after a hard drive, and an enthusiast should know that.

I have mine for sale, but it is heavily modded and has lots of shiney bits so is probably not the one for you, good luck with the hunt.

Matt