Engine 'warming'

Buying a used year 2000 Peugeot 106 which seems to be fine (NCT Jan 2010)..

BUT the seller said that if I do repeated short (<2 mile) journeys that it might refuse to start. the solution is to turn the key halfway for 30 seconds (warming the engine?) and then it should start fine.

I've heard of this sort of thing for a diesel car, but this is a petrol - has anyone ever heard of this being required for petrol?

If not, what in the car could cause this problem and is it likely to cost a lot to repair?

Never heard of this, fuel pump might be likely to fail with this year car. Maybe by leaving the ignition on primes the pump over a longer period allowing it to start, kind of like the seller knowing the cars quirks, but sounds like it's the pump on the way out.

Thanks dieseldave.

If it fails do you think it would be expensive to fix?

My sons 1999 Peugeot 306 1.4 petrol needed a new petrol pump. The car would crank over ok but refuse to start, mostly from cold I think and it was an intermittent problem...... real pain....He would leave it for a couple of hours and try it again.

€110 approx for pump and I fitted it in under an hour.