Hi all , what to look for in a pre buy inspection on this model . Thanks

 

Scheduled maintenance in the handbook?

 

Full maintenance history with receipts, as well as:

• Coolant hose under supercharger has been replaced
• Supercharger coupling has been replaced and supercharger oil changed
• DCCV valve has been replaced
• Gearbox has been serviced at 100,000 km (62,000 miles)
• Gearbox coolant lines have been replaced, or are not seeping
• Differential fluid has been changed, or differential has been replaced
• No pending or set DTCs (MIL is not illuminated)
• Front and rear suspension bushes have been replaced

In addition:

• Check front and rear struts for leaks or seeping
• Air conditioning functions correctly along with all controls
• Condition of tyres

 

thank you

 

Not always a red flag, but any idea why the mileage is relatively low? That's only about 5000 miles per year. While low mileage is generally good, this is not always so.

For example, had it been driven regularly for a few years and then parked due to a mechanical problem? How long has the seller owned it? Is he a long-time owner or somebody just trying to flip it for a profit? If his name is Vlad or Boris, run away and don't look back.

Even if the car has a well-documented history of minimal usage, you may encounter some problems. Brake cylinders are prone to leaks if not exercised on a regular basis. Other seals may tend to dry out from inactivity and then cause trouble. I'm not saying a low-mileage cream puff is a bad choice. Just be aware you may discover some minor issues due to limited usage.

I'm an airline mechanic and we had part of our fleet mothballed two or three years ago. The planes were diligently preserved per manufacturer's procedures. Goodness, those planes gave us fits for several months when brought back into service. Lots of fluid leaks, electrical problems, nuisance messages, etc. The planes that had remained in service were far more reliable, even though they had accumulated much more hours and cycles. YMMV.

 

Spark plugs are due at 100K miles.

Check OBD has (pending) P1111 (and not P1000) - it means all the OBD monitors are happy. (On other makes, you have to check the status of the monitors. P1111 is just easier.)

With hot engine, check fuel trims at idle (do this with any petrol-engined car you might buy).

 

+1 on NBCat's and Karl's excellent summaries.
Very true on lack of use. I'm looking at spending a sizeable amount buying another (English) classic car. Even at my budget I can't afford the ones made from the mid 1980's and beyond and will likely be only able to buy the one's made from circa 1977 to 1982 (the earlier ones are too old for me). Many in the club have warned me to avoid the ones with lack of use/low mileage for brakes, hydraulics reasons etc. So, this approach is very different to many modern cars.
I know the STR is a modern car but not a new car so, several parallels here. Worth buying though.

Mine's an 02 STR. Owned since c24,000 miles, odometer now at c78,000 miles. It's had all the well known work done, and I do endeavour to take it out each week. Main problem now being a flat battery plus of course the UV damage causing small cracks from the paint's base, which is no reflection on the cars brand.

I would also seriously look and make sure the compressor's been done. And on this car? A tedious job if you have to do it yourself and an expensive one to pay others..

 

All GREAT suggestions!
I would only add that this will only work if you can DIY the repairs? Shops are expensive and at least in the US we are seeing Jaguar dealers refusing to work on cars over 10 years old! Hard to believe but many reports. So if you can't or won't DIY it comes down to finding a very good independent shop. Not as easy as it sounds either!

I had one for over 100K miles and found it to be a wonderful car. Not much in the way of problems BUT as with ALL cars you are buying used so do expect that repairs and maintenance WILL be required. This forum was absolutely key in allowing me to fix my problems without going to the dealer. I purchased my STR while it was still under factory warranty so had a few things done for free.
.
.
.