How big a moneypit is an E-Type SIII V12 Roadster??
Discussion
I'm probably asking how long is a piece of string, or have you got a crystal ball but I've always wanted an E-Type but never managed to get one - always out of my budget, wrong time etc. Now one is on the market here in NZ and I'm tempted.
I've been told its ex Australia so less likely to have rot problems. Also told its a good useable car, by the dealer, - it's not being sold as a 'restored' car but has had money spent on bodywork/paint and head gasket work. Is this the start of major problems so the owner is selling whilst the going is good, or a sorted useable car. I know it won't be concourse, especially at the sale price and I know it needs inspecting etc but long term is an E a moneypit? It equates to around GBP27,500. I'd rather see it 5k less. It's advertised here by this dealer and a picture;
Details on http://www.carfax.co.nz/car/?plate=rs8307&sear... suggest # numbers are: Engine no: 7S164715A Chassis: E3V121S2793BW
Your comments and advice welcome.
I've been told its ex Australia so less likely to have rot problems. Also told its a good useable car, by the dealer, - it's not being sold as a 'restored' car but has had money spent on bodywork/paint and head gasket work. Is this the start of major problems so the owner is selling whilst the going is good, or a sorted useable car. I know it won't be concourse, especially at the sale price and I know it needs inspecting etc but long term is an E a moneypit? It equates to around GBP27,500. I'd rather see it 5k less. It's advertised here by this dealer and a picture;
Details on http://www.carfax.co.nz/car/?plate=rs8307&sear... suggest # numbers are: Engine no: 7S164715A Chassis: E3V121S2793BW
Your comments and advice welcome.
You probably want to get someone who knows E-Types to look at it. There is a book about buying E-Types you can buy.
Jaguar E-type 3.8 and 4.2 Litre (Essential Buyer's Guide)
by Peter Crespin
The E-Type club (www.e-typeclub.com) has a buyers guide online at http://www.e-typeclub.com/buying_guide.htm
I believe the commonly held wisdom is that if you buy a good one, it won't cost you a fortune. If you buy a bad one it will bankrupt you.
Jaguar E-type 3.8 and 4.2 Litre (Essential Buyer's Guide)
by Peter Crespin
The E-Type club (www.e-typeclub.com) has a buyers guide online at http://www.e-typeclub.com/buying_guide.htm
I believe the commonly held wisdom is that if you buy a good one, it won't cost you a fortune. If you buy a bad one it will bankrupt you.
a8hex said:
I believe the commonly held wisdom is that if you buy a good one, it won't cost you a fortune. If you buy a bad one it will bankrupt you.
This is my concern. I do have Beacham Jaguar on my doorstep to ask for advice but once the moneypit opens...Is there a chassis number decoder to confirm it's what it says it is?
A lot of useful info can be found at www.xked.com
Pete Crespin can be found on the jag lovers forum as can many others with a great deal of E type, or XKE as the Americans say.
Pete Crespin can be found on the jag lovers forum as can many others with a great deal of E type, or XKE as the Americans say.
pete also does a v12 version of his jaguar buying guide, i have one somewhere, it's worth picking up
i don;t know that much about the series 3, the to bits i do know is the body work is critical, as long as the metal is sound you're generally ok the other thing is to get a compression test on the engine, the engine is good, really good, but is so smooth that you can loose a piston without noticing, i have a friend who lost a whole bank with and only really noticed it felt a little sluggish compared to normal
i don;t know that much about the series 3, the to bits i do know is the body work is critical, as long as the metal is sound you're generally ok the other thing is to get a compression test on the engine, the engine is good, really good, but is so smooth that you can loose a piston without noticing, i have a friend who lost a whole bank with and only really noticed it felt a little sluggish compared to normal
I second that.
I used to have a '72 E-Type S3 Roadster, which was a delight, never caused me any concern to speak of, never had to spend much on her, and subsequently sold for the price I paid. But I started by looking at one hell of a lot of S3 E-Types and I then bought the best one I possibly could, with absolutely no issues which I could detect, then had it inspected before parting with the cash.
'Good Useable Car' imho equates to 'current MOT and you will probably be ok driving home'. If you even start thinking about improving it (which inevitably you will) you will very likely find that you are in for a start from scratch job, which you can either do yourself if you have the skill time and space, or have done in which case it will in essence bankrupt you. If anything major goes wrong, or creeping corrosion appears in the usual places you can either bodge it up, which you won't be happy with, sell it on if you are lucky, or face the aforesaid total refurb.
Don't kid yourself, cheapies aren't cheap.
I used to have a '72 E-Type S3 Roadster, which was a delight, never caused me any concern to speak of, never had to spend much on her, and subsequently sold for the price I paid. But I started by looking at one hell of a lot of S3 E-Types and I then bought the best one I possibly could, with absolutely no issues which I could detect, then had it inspected before parting with the cash.
'Good Useable Car' imho equates to 'current MOT and you will probably be ok driving home'. If you even start thinking about improving it (which inevitably you will) you will very likely find that you are in for a start from scratch job, which you can either do yourself if you have the skill time and space, or have done in which case it will in essence bankrupt you. If anything major goes wrong, or creeping corrosion appears in the usual places you can either bodge it up, which you won't be happy with, sell it on if you are lucky, or face the aforesaid total refurb.
Don't kid yourself, cheapies aren't cheap.
Just came across this thread and IMHO you were lucky to avoid it. V12 engines go on for ever provided that the antifreeze level is kept up. If this car has had new head gaskets it sounds as though there could have been serious corrosion building inside due to lack of proper maintenance.
lowdrag said:
Just came across this thread and IMHO you were lucky to avoid it. V12 engines go on for ever provided that the antifreeze level is kept up. If this car has had new head gaskets it sounds as though there could have been serious corrosion building inside due to lack of proper maintenance.
Thanks for that. It is on his dealer stock here http://www.mcguinnessclassics.co.nz/stock.htm now the TradeMe ad has expired. I do know of a Series 2 4.2 E Type roadster that has been undergoing an 'at home' rebuild for several years. An elderly chap owns it and its been ongoing but as yet unfinished. I do hope he sees it completed but time isn't on his side.
Gassing Station | Classic Cars and Yesterday's Heroes | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff