Giuliettabuyer's guide

The 940 Giulietta is one of the more rewarding used hatches on the EU market — and one of the easier ones to buy badly. Timing belt/chain or wet-belt service risk is the fault that ends engines: an overdue or unverified service history on the wet-belt variants can mean a $500–$4,500 repair before you've driven it home. Manual/automatic clutch or gearbox judder runs to $5,500 at the top end; a cold gearbox that baulks or shudders on a light-throttle pull is rarely "just the cold."

This guide covers ten faults on the 940: timing belt/chain or wet-belt service risk, manual/automatic clutch or gearbox judder, coolant leak or thermostat fault, infotainment/software electrical faults, suspension knocks and tyre wear, brake corrosion or ABS sensor fault, oil leak or PCV fault, boot water leak or accident repair, air conditioning leak, and recall/campaign status. Each fault has a field check and a real repair-cost range.

A 2016–2020 Giulietta with a stamped service book, clean timing history and a dry engine bay is a compelling buy. The same car with gaps in the stamp history and a damp boot floor is not.