With a performance car of this type, crash damage will always be a significant factor. Check for obvious signs such as the closing of the gap at the bottom of the A-pillar and for creases in the roof. Lift and check behind the windscreen rubber for evidence of a respray or rust.

All cars gain stone chips on the A-pillars and bonnets, if there aren't any find out why. If there is a crack at the top, front corner of the driver's door aperture it could be evidence of a front-end shunt and the same goes for signs of repair around the leading edge of the sunroof.

Drain channels from the opening roof can block, causing rust to start. At the rear, look above the top of the tailgate for rust along the edge of the roof. This is the meeting point of three layers of metal and it is common on older cars for corrosion to set in along this edge. This can be very expensive to put right. Inner wings for 8-valve cars are now beginning to become prone to rust.

Shut the doors and listen for the clunk. If there is a rattle it could mean that the door contains shattered glass left over from being broken into. Higher mileage/use card will show wear on the seat bolsters and squabs. With the car stationary and the doors closed, get someone to turn the steering wheel from lock to lock and feel if the doors move. The bodyshell's rigidity is not great and reduces over time. A weak bodyshell can be felt by placing the heel of your hand just below the windscreen at the bottom of the A-pillar and feeling movement when the engine is revved. It is important to ensure that the shell is sound as this is the whole basis of the car - other parts can always be replaced. Beware of uprated dampers as these can exacerbate body flexing.

Check the condition of the wheels, bad kerbing is always a sign that the car has not been well looked after. Wheels cost about £40 each for refurbishment.

In general all engines are robust. The 8V is almost bullet-proof. All cars run happily on unleaded fuel. Richard Thorne ran an 8v for 50,000 miles on 95 octane and found no problems whatsoever after a strip down. At that point the engine had covered a total of 133,000 miles. Octane booster can be used and additives such as Millers VSP or Castrol Valvemaster, but they are not compulsory.

It is vital to use good synthetic oil and Barry Waterhouse recommends one with a cold start weight of a minimum of 10 16Vs use oil through the turbo. Paul Baker advises that it is a good idea to check the oil level when cold, then run the car for one or two minutes before dipping it again. It is also a good idea to start the car up every day whether it is to be driven or not, to ensure that oil is present in all parts of the engine. The lubricant drains down from the camshafts and in some cases bottom-end harshness can be experienced with 16Vs due to the camshafts wearing and metal dropping into the sump and getting into the bearing. Under normal circumstances, oil consumption should be about one litre every 6-700 miles. In the case of a car that is driven hard, oil should be checked every time the petrol tank is filled. John Whalley has had cars in with no oil showing on the dipstick at all - "Must be a faulty dipstick!"

If you remove the bottom hose from the turbo to the intercooler and oil runs out this could well be advance notice that the turbo is on its way out. Smoke from the exhaust usually indicates a turbo problem but beware of being sold a car with no oil in the turbo to stop it smoking. Check that the pick-up pipe from the oil pump to the block has not been damaged as in some cases these have been known to fracture, leading to eventual, catastrophic engine failure.

Cambelts must be changed every 25-30,000 miles and Paul Baker recommends every 15-20K after that. Never leave the job until the handbook recommended 36,000 miles. Barry Waterhouse advises that over 50% of cars he sees for the first time have belts that are over

STICKING MY NECK OUT, I'd say that in the future the Delta integrale will be the Lancia that most people remember. Phenomenally successful across the globe in premier league international motorsport, the car is somewhere near the top of virtually every enthusiast's wants list.

One of the troubles, though, is that integrales are also fairly high on the shopping list of car thieves so, if you go ahead and buy one, make sure that it is fitted with one of the best alarms you can buy. Your insurance company will insist on that anyway.

This article applies to the standard models that are available. Special editions were available and for specific details of those you need to obtain a copy of Auto Italia issue 21 for May 1998 which lists them all. Also, if you wish to go ahead and purchase one from abroad, then you need the copy of Auto Italia detailing reliable agents. All the special editions command a premium in price over the equivalent standard cars, although this can vary from edition to edition.

The integrale line evolved from Lancia's Delta hatchback, initially introduced at the Frankfurt show in 1979. In 1982 Lancia revealed the Delta 4 x 4, and this line of development reached the public at the Turin show in 1986 when the HF 4WD was announced. Lancia's competition department was winning rallies with the so-called "Delta" S4 so the HF 4WD was the civilised face of the company's sporting activities. From this car the natural progression was for more power and a developed transmission, thus the 'integrale' appeared for 1988. With a 20bhp increase, to 185bhp, from the 8-valve 2-litre it continued the winning ways of its predecessor.

Sixteen valves were the next evolution with the introduction in '89 of the integrale 16V. A different turbocharger was also included in the package which saw power go up once again to 200bhp. The final major change to the model came about in 1991 with the introduction of the Delta HF integrale. This model has become known as the Evoluzione as the factory introduced new ideas to keep the model at the forefront of World Rallying. Track was increased, a rear spoiler was added, wheels were different and front end and interior styling were altered. Power went up to 210bhp although the car put on weight. This was the final set of dynamic developments. These cars subsequently became known as Evoluzione 1 as cosmetic differences were later unveiled thus creating the Evoluzione 2 but underneath these latter cars were virtually identical to their predecessors. Cars for Switzerland, which country has stricter emission laws, were only ever fitted with 8-valve engines which eventually developed 180bhp, so beware. Also, Delta HF integrales sold in England were badged 'Montecarlo' and in Germany, 'Sedici', even though they were identical standard production models.

As far as Evolutions are concerned, there are only ones and twos. The Evo 2 differs from the 'Evo 1' in having 16 inch rims, gutter mouldings, high back Recaro front seats, no sunroof as air-conditioning was standard, standard tinted glass, a Momo steering wheel, a catalytic converter and a smaller turbo with remapped chip. This endowed different torque characteristics and five more bhp to make up for the cat.

There is no such thing as a cheap integrale. A service history is important, but easy to falsify, so ensure that the bills are there to substantiate the car's story. I was shown a newly-imported car from Italy which was considered to be in good condition. It looked immaculate and was generally very sound but still needed £1,500 spent on it to replace bushes, brake discs, anti-roll bar droplinks and exhaust. Nothing big, but all of them important.

Always go for the most expensive car you can afford. Cheap cars are just a waste of money. Even in good condition, a regularly used integrale will cost approximately £2,000 a year in maintenance to keep on the road. What about the problems then ?

tensioned, and it is common for the various plastic covers and plates to be missing. If the blue coolant temperature sensor fails then this can result in the engine blowing out black smoke as the ECU tries to overcompensate on fuel delivery. Induction sensor failure in the distributor can cause the enginer to die for no apparent reason. It is important that all connections from sensors are clean and good. 8V relays, situated under the windscreen near the wiper motor, are subject to corrosion so check if they are clean and making good contacts. If the engine revs go up and down at idle the problem may only be a faulty idle control valve.

Beware, chipping is common. If done properly with attention to all other ancillary parts this may not be a problem, but it can cause serious engine difficulties otherwise. If the overboost solenoid has been disconnected then the engine has probably been modified.

General opinion is that the diffs are robust and reasonably trouble-free. They definitely shouldn't whine loudly, replacement could cost £1,800 each. Oil can leak from the output side of the front diff, and the input end of the rear pinion nuts may need restaking. Gearboxes can show weakness in third gear. If a box is rumbling it could be the bearings, which cost about £4-500 to fix.

A new clutch will set you back between £550 and £700 and it is a good idea to have the epicyclic torque converter checked at the same time as this can become worn and need additional stakes applied. Clutches on 16V cars become heavy when they are worn and it is best to change both the master and slave cylinders when either requires work.

A pinging sound as you drive away indicates that the front prop-shaft joint has lost its grease and needs repacking. As always, use a synthetic grease.

If any of the models have an inherent weakness or design fault then the front Evo anti-roll bar drop-links are probably it. The rose-joints and links as made at the factory are of poor quality, and need replacing every 5,000 miles at £80 each. If they have gone, it is usually apparent from the tapping under the floor of the car when driving. Uprated parts are available and Barry Waterhouse reassembles them with grease. Barry has also known an Evo experience the anti-roll bar pulling away from the floor due to body flexing.

Suspension bushes, which can be heard clonking when worn, will probably need renewing (for about £300) on an annual basis on a frequently used car. Correct steering geometry is vital and the rear end should be set up first. If it is out, the front tyres wear on their inside edge but this could be caused only by the rear-set up being out of alignment. Both front and rear dampers can leak and wear, especially at the top of the rears, which can be enough to cause camber changes to lead to excessive tyre wear.

All integrales suffer from squeaky and noisy brakes, especially Evos. It is not possible to stop it. If the brakes are in good condition a touch on the pedal should make the car slow down in a straight line. Rear brake calipers can seize up as they have less work to do than the fronts. Both TNI and Evo Engineering can rebuild them or supply rebuilt units. The front flexible hoses are prone to cracking. Check the rigid pipe from flexible to caliper for possible damage. Earlier model calipers can develop play, resulting in long pedal travel. The rear brake compensator can cause trouble and, at worst, replacement may entail the removal of the petrol tank.

Anything else ? Electrics are reasonably trouble-free although the check panels on earlier cars often give false readings. If a car is not used much the rear exhaust box will rust out at a cost of approximately £100 to replace.

If all of this sounds like a litany of disasters, I apologise. However, everyone I have spoken to involved with the integrale since it first appeared has stressed many times that if you search for the right car, if you buy one you will own one of history's all-time greats. Always remember to try and buy the very best you can afford. Top cars will always command top prices.