Buying an SD1

Years Produced:
Series1 cars 1976-1982, Series 2 cars 1982-1986
Body style:
5 door hatchback. Body styles are categorised as series 1 and series 2.
Engines:
1994cc O-Series inline-four
2350cc, 2597cc inline-six
3528cc V8, EFi on Vitesse and late VDP’s
2393cc inline-four turbo diesel
Transmissions:
4-speed manual, 5-speed manual & 3-speed automatic, all rear wheel drive

Series 1 cars can be identified by their metal bumper and number plate plinth. The V8-S had them painted black. The instrument binnacle has round dials. The headlamps are recessed.

Series 2 cars have plastic bumpers. A deeper rear window (to aid reversing). Flush fitting headlamps. The instrument binnacle has square dials. A glass fibre chin spoiler (except the base 2000 model). Revised rear badging also revised interior trim.
A word of caution for fist time SD1 buyers:
A small amount of owners have been known to try to make a Series 1 look like a Series 2. Most parts are interchangeable i.e. wheels, bumpers and badges. If you are after an original and unmolested SD1, look at the position of the headlamps and type of tailgate first.

What are the like to drive?
The lesser engined SD1’s are unexpectedly good performers despite their engine capacity and weight. The 2000 model is as good as the 2300 but not as smooth running. The 2600 models were the same basic engine, but with more power. The 3500 model has the best performance with a lot of torque and surprisingly economical for a V8. The Ride was considered very smooth but average these days. The Vitesse has a much firmer ride. The handling is best described as normal unless you have poor quality tyres and the ride can be a bit ‘choppy’ going around roundabouts.

What to check:

Bodywork:
The main enemy of any SD1 is rust. Paintwork should be closely checked, especially on Series 1 cars, on these early cars the paintwork was poorly applied at the factory. It is highly unlikely you will find one that has not received some paint attention later in its life.
Check everywhere for rust, but pay particular attention to: Front and rear wheel arches. Boot floor due to water leaks. Sunroof mechanisms and drain holes as they become blocked if left unchecked. Outer sills, especially at outside edges. Door bottoms. Front and rear bottom panels. Bonnet and tailgate can rust badly at the leading edges. Floors, lift carpets to check for signs of water damage. Leaky windscreens, check surrounding panels, these can be very difficult to repair as the windscreens are bonded.

Interior:
Easily broken trim on Series 1’s which means that many will be missing parts. Choke levers are a usual problem. The quality was improved on Series 2 cars.
Check that the front seats recline as they should (problems with early ones). Check the area under the false boot floor where the spare wheel is kept. Check the rooflining is not sagging, another difficult repair. Dials have been known to be problematic, check they all work.

Engine & transmission:
The smallest engine in the range, the O-Series fitted to the 2000 is generally reliable. Check that the distributor cap screw holes have plastic inserts, if not the threads can become damaged due to electrolysis of two dis-similar metals.
The inline six engines can suffer from excessive camshaft wear and top end noise. Most early life problems should have been ironed out by now. They should come with a full service history, given their past troubles.
The V8’s are very long-lived engines. Regular oil changes are essential for their long life. Make sure that there is evidence of regular oil changes. Look carefully for signs of any overheating.
The manual gearboxes are usually reliable. Automatics are not as reliable, so you should check that drive and reverse engage without a "thump" and that all changes are smooth. Check the automatic gearbox inhibitor is working correctly.

Suspension, steering & brakes:
Check all linkages and balljoints at the front. These wear quite quickly. The rear axles can fail, so ensure that there are no signs of oil leaking from the differential or whining when driven. When the oil gets too low, these can seize, with disastrous results.
Rear dampers are also prone to a short life with normal wear and tear. If the SD1 has self levelling rear suspension, they are very expensive to repair.

The steering is of rack-and-pinion design, and in the power assisted versions it is exceptionally light and direct. Check that there is no knocking when turning from lock to lock at rest. Check the steering fluid level is topped up. Check there is no fluid leaking from the rack (usually around the gaiters). Pull the steering wheel (left and right, up and down) to ensure there are no loose parts.
There are no major issues with brakes. They are a front disc, rear drum layout, but front pads wear heavy on automatics. Check for corrosion on the brake pipes. Check the master cylinder is not leaking. Ensure the handbrake is working correctly (especially with manual gearboxes.

Electrical system:
Electric windows can be a problem; the failure is usually with the switches, not motors. Ensure that central locking works as it should - and on mark twos, ensure that the central locking does not unlock itself! This is caused by problematic solenoids. Check trip computers on Series 2 models, and ensure that all warning lights and electrical gauges work as they should.