Soon to be owner, can you please help with some issues?

[RazDan31]

We’ve put a deposit down on an Alphard camper 2005 2.4L. There’s a few things that I’m concerned about and I was wondering if you can shed some light. 
1. The offside door doesn’t open or close automatically, I can hear the sound it makes but I have to open/close it manually. 
2. The retrofitted display shows the reverse camera imagine somehow flipped, like the if there’s a car on the left you’ll see it on the right in the display.

3. Underneath the car looks good but the engine bay looks a bit rusty, I’ve attached a picture, should I be worried about this?

Thanks for you help!

Dan

Edited June 14 by RazDan31

[Rojie]

19 minutes ago, RazDan31 said:

We’ve put a deposit down on an Alphard camper 2005 2.4L. There’s a few things that I’m concerned about and I was wondering if you can shed some light. 
1. The offside door does open or close automatically, I can hear the sound it makes but I have to close it manually. 
2. The retrofitted display shows the reverse camera imagine somehow flipped, like the if there’s a car on the left you’ll see it on the right in the display.

3. Underneath the car looks good but the engine bay looks a bit rusty, I’ve attached a picture, should I be worried about this?

Thanks for you help!

Dan

 

Hello Razvan,

 

Welcome to the Forum.

 

Are you buying privately, or from a business ?

 

A key question.

 

From a business you will be protected by Consumer Legislation and should have a warranty; privately, you will not.

 

Your question 1 is confusing.

If the door opens and closes automatically, why close it manually ?

Did you mean the door should close automatically but doesn't ?

 

If buying from a business get them to repair it . qed.

 

If privately, it may be a cable or motor repair, or both.

 

Important, are you sure the offside is/was automatic; not all Alphards have the motorised offside sliding door option (but if it opens electrically you must have).

 

My guess ? The opening cable is OK, the closing cable isn't.

Does the door soft close properly ?

 

The photo 2 is not clear enough for me to answer; and I have the alternate engine; but it is open to all the elements.

 

Is the vehicle undersealed; I would be far more concerned about that if it isn't

[RazDan31]

10 minutes ago, Rojie said:

 

Hello Razvan,

 

Welcome to the Forum.

 

Are you buying privately, or from a business ?

 

A key question.

 

From a business you will be protected by Consumer Legislation and should have a warranty; privately, you will not.

 

Your question 1 is confusing.

If the door opens and closes automatically, why close it manually ?

Did you mean the door should close automatically but doesn't ?

 

If buying from a business get them to repair it . qed.

 

If privately, it may be a cable or motor repair, or both.

 

Important, are you sure the offside is/was automatic; not all Alphards have the motorised offside sliding door option (but if it opens electrically you must have).

 

My guess ? The opening cable is OK, the closing cable isn't.

Does the door soft close properly ?

 

The photo 2 is not clear enough for me to answer; and I have the alternate engine; but it is open to all the elements.

 

Is the vehicle undersealed; I would be far more concerned about that if it isn't

Sorry, iPhones autocorrect keyboard is at it, I’ve modified the first question accordingly. Basically the door only opens/closes by hand and I think it should be automatic as the N/S door. 
I’m buying privately. 
i did check underneath the car as much as I could and it looks fine, I’m not sure how an under sealed vehicle should look like to compare it to what I saw. 

[Rojie]

30 minutes ago, RazDan31 said:

Sorry, iPhones autocorrect keyboard is at it, I’ve modified the first question accordingly. Basically the door only opens/closes by hand and I think it should be automatic as the N/S door. 
I’m buying privately. 
i did check underneath the car as much as I could and it looks fine, I’m not sure how an under sealed vehicle should look like to compare it to what I saw. 

 

Underseal is often a black coating that sets.

 

If you are sure the o/s door is electrically operated than you are obviously facing a repair cost.

The doors are heavy, opening and closing them can be a challenge on sloping ground.

 

There is a lot of comment on this Forum regarding the sliding doors, binding, non-functional etc.

Lots of reading for you to do !

 

Do make sure yours is an electrically operated one.

 

How ?

 

If it is there will be an open close button on the dash.

If no switch then no assist is available.

 

Do your homework as these problems can be costly.

 

I believe the Alphard Club recently posted a video that may prove helpful too.

 

What else ?

 

Check the MOT history on the DVLA website which can, sometimes, give an indication of the care, or otherwise, the vehicle has experienced.

 

Finally, with most private purchases, what you see is what you get; recovering repair costs is usually very difficult.

 

Good Luck.

[smurf]

The side doors have a soft close motor, regardless of whether they are power doors or manual only, so this might be the sound you are hearing? Basically, it is so you don't have to slam the doors to get them to close, you just gently pull them shut and the motor pulls it tight. There is also the same on the boot lid. 

 

As regards the engine rust, the vehicle is nearly 20 years and will have been through many heat cycles and wet weather. A bit of surface rust is to be expected on steel that has been subject to the elements over a long period and is nothing to be concerned about. Likewise, oxidation on on aluminium is no big deal. 

[RazDan31]

Thank you guys. I’ll post some pictures up and introduce myself when I’ll get it. 

[Gamith]

Just to add to what smurf says my 19 year old 2.4l has:

              a near side door that can open and close automatically - there is a button on the dash and on the key fob. It can also be opened manually but the motor takes over 🙂

              a drivers side door that is opened and closed manually but when closing it a motor pulls it in to the body for the last centimeter or so of travel.

 

I would say my engine bay is similar to yours - there are loads of leaf remains on the gearbox and a slight oil trace on the nearside at the top of the engine. Quite a few minor scrapes and scratches but it all looks to have been treated with a rust stopper - looks a bit untidy but it's been handled at least.

I bought mine from a camping business that was closing down.