Test drove a DS3 120 VTI today

[L_lijster]

Hey everyone.
I have just come back from test driving a 2012 red DS3 Dstyle 120 VTI.
The car only has 44 000 KM on the odometer (I'm from Norway)
But there was a small issue.
It can just be my imagination, but when I cold started the car, I could hear this metallic grinding noise sort of sound coming from the engine.
So my question is, Do the 120 VTI engines also have a timing chain or do they use a regular belt?
When I opened the oil filler cap, this is how it looked like.

Does this mean that the car is on it's way out, or am I just imagining things?

Best Regards
Lucas

[WTF]

My 120 had a timing chain fault. Not THE timing chain fault, but something that was associated.

She also sounded very rough and rattly, and used a LOT of oil. Not sure if what you heard is just 'normal'

[L_lijster]

Thank you for the reply.
It might have just been my imagination acting up, but it did sound quite rattly.

[DaveB]

I wouldn't worry about the oil filler cap. It's an oil/water emulsion, commonly called "mayonnaise", usually the result of the car being used for short runs in cold weather which means that the engine never really gets warm. A good long run, 20/30 miles or so, will cure it.

My 120VTi, which has done 43,000 miles, doesn't suffer from rattles on cold starts. Oil consumption is better than 1 litre/5,000 miles.