LEAKS:
Yes, roadsters are known for leaking, you have been warned! Check under the carpets, this can be done by sliding the seats forward a little, and you’ll see a joint behind the seat, get your hand right under. Also, lift the seal at the base of the door and slide your hand under the carpet in front of the seat. Then slide your hand under the very front of the foot-well carpet
Ideally you want to run a hose pipe to simulate rain fall over the roof for a few minutes. Leaks tend to come where the roof bars meet the door glass, particularly front and rear, by the gutters. Bad seals will be apparent immediately as you see quite a stream of water run down the inside of the glass. A tiny drip after a few minutes is acceptable in my opinion, a stream is not. Dealers will adjust the window and door position, and possibly fit new seals in order to rectify this. You can make the adjustments yourself providing your happy taking doors to bits, there are some guides available on the internet to help you do it yourself.
Boot seals have been known to leak too, so check for water stains on the carpets in the boot too. And remember, everywhere might be dry now, but it could have been dried out for the sale! Don't believe a dealer that says they washed the carpets, carpets tend to vacuum clean or brush up, if they're that bad to need washing it must say something about the way the car was kept!
The most serious of leaks comes from the front bulk head where the tridion meets. You should take out the inner boot lining and have a look at the seals there. You may see additional sealant added by the dealers as either a fix or a preventive. Front end leaks can be serious, water can get into the electrical control box and cause corrosion, the electrics then go haywire, flashing lights, wipers that will not turn off, etc. A replacement control box will cost a lot, around £500 for a “SAM” (fuse box) including fitting and coding.
Check for droplets of water in the rear center brake light, it is easily fixed but shouldn't be like that.
For a much more indepth look at the problem of leaks, click the banner below.
