Low mileage S type R but dodgy garage?

[ceramicolive]

I recently wrote a thread with me agonising over which car to buy, XFR/ISF/VXR8/C63 I thought I had settled on a VXR8 but then spotted an S type R local to me low miles 46,000 black £8995 and I had a light bulb moment, this is what I actually want!

So I arranged to go and view it and I have just got back, the car itself was sat outside and was dirty, one curbed alloy,no big deal, three different brand of tyres on it two Pirelli on the front a Goodyear and Falken on the back. Things like that make me feel like the car has fallen into the wrong hands at some point, a lack of basic maintenance or care.

The salesman started the car for me whilst I was under the bonnet and revved it immediately. wince!

It boasted a full service history in the ad which consisted of five/six stamps in the service book each with a two year gap but no receipts of any kind for work carried out. It was possibly a lease car when new?

I wasn't keen on the salesman, typical second hand car dealer type, let's just leave it there.

I'm torn on what to do, I like the car but didn't get to drive it and the people put me off. There were a few bits on the car that I could see needed attention but nothing major. if I were to buy it it would get four new tyres and a full service so I'd factor that in.

I'm not sure what the going rate is for these what do you lot think? Should I offer £8K to factor in for things needing to be done?

Or is it best to walk away because of the guys selling it? Seems a daft thing to do but my gut doesn't like them.

Thanks

[BenjiS]

Service interval should have been every 10k miles or yearly, so serviced every 2 years would ring alarm bells for me.

Should be plenty of decent S-Type Rs out there, I’d walk.

[sjc]

Walk, the car doesn't sound great let alone the dealer.

[sjc]

And get on to the many jaguar forum and face book pages and let them know you're looking, a good one will come up.

[ceramicolive]

Thanks guys, that was my gut instinct. I'll head over to jec.

[sjc]

ceramicolive said:

Thanks guys, that was my gut instinct. I'll head over to jec.

JEC is about the least active of them.

[mrbarnett]

The price of these seems to have not changed since I was looking back in 2011! IIFC, £7k got you a leggy 2002 model, and £10k brought the miles down and got up to maybe a 2004 car. Would have been free motoring (ignoring all the running costs) if I'd actually bought one back then. Hey ho...

[Rory3186]

Things to look for: evidence that 'Valley" coolant pipe has been changed; MOT history which you can check online if car reg. known and of course, rust rust rust

[LFB531]

I had an 04 STR and adored the thing. Despite what people say, they're pretty straightforward to sort. Talk of the 'valley pipe' may sound scary but to a decent indie, it's a bread and butter job and something I'd simply factor in to the buying price if no evidence it's been done. Brembo brake bits (if fitted) can be pricey and always assume you need a new battery!

Rust behind the sill covers and rear frame mount got mine, it can be repaired but it's a pain. That's where I'd be looking as it doesn't always get picked up on MoT. Otherwise, it's all about general condition, it's easier to put new brakes on than re-trim the leather!

I've just bought an Audi (shame on me😉) as a stop gap, needed an A4 Quattro. I found a peach being sold by the seediest back street outfit ever, I knew the car was a good deal and all the annoying bits could be sorted, it's not as if I'll ever see the dealer again is it?