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I'm considering buying a Mazda Atenza 2006, 60,000km. A mechanic checked this over and expressed concerns with air blowing out oil droplets when the oil cap was removed. Is this a big issue? He thought it needed an immediate transmission service.

Also on a test drive one of the back wheels had a noisy wheel bearing. He was a little suspisious of the odometer reading as he wouldn't expect problems with the bearings at 60,000km.

Interested in your comments and what is the cost to repair?

Any engine that isn't equipped with a splash plate above the camshafts will splash a small amount of oil out of the oil filler when the cap is removed while the engine is running. But if there is excessive blow-by from the engine then there is reason for concern. The comment about the transmission is also worrying.

The mileage is low and you would expect the vehicle to be in a better condition but this could be due to either a lack of maintenance or an incorrect odometer reading.

From the mechanic’s comments it sounds like a high risk vehicle. You should rather look for a better condition Atenza that you will be happy with.

The repair costs will be in the thousands of dollars if the engine and transmission needs repairing.

I highly recommend you have an AA Pre-Purchase inspection carried out to reduce the risk of buying a lemon.