Hi guys, I want to know if there's a "common" problem in the 850 T5. I'm looking to buy one, but in Brazil is a rarity. And if I a have engine problems, probably I'll have to import pieces, and here this is a very expensive process. The good News is that the transmission is the Aisin, and it's used in many cars here, about that I think I won't have problems.

So, what I have to look before buying a 850 T5?

 

There is a good "new owners" thread in the 850 forum. There are three common problems.
1. The PCV system requires significant maintenance once in a while. It's all plastic and it also gets filled up with crud. While you are cleaning out the crud, you might take the oil pan off, and if you do, you could replace the o-ring in the oil pickup tube. If that thing leaks of course you don't have any oil pressure and the pan has to come off. It will come off without much trouble.
2. The timing belt may break, and it's an interference engine. I had one that locked up a cam bearing. No preventing that, I don't suppose. Sometimes the water pump will lock up and that would also kill it.
3. If it gets hot, the head will warp, and that's pretty expensive to fix. Best to avoid overheating it. Unfortunately they used a "worry free" temperature gauge where the needle is always right in the middle of the gage over some huge temperature range and you have no idea that it's getting hot until the last 10 seconds. A common issue here is the heater core leaks. They have a low coolant light, and the heater core is easy to get to, so you really don't have an excuse.