I have been looking for a relative bargain for a sedan to use as a daily driver (so the XK8 doesn't have to go to the supermarket and fight off rogue carts on missions to scratch and claw the kitty). Anyway, a dealer I know has a 98 VDP that he would sell to me for around $5,400--with 83,000 miles on it. On a visual inspection the car looked good. No signs of rust and both exterior and interior looks clean for an 11 year old car. A good detail job would make this car look like new. If this was a later year, I would have less qualms. I do have concerns about the throttle body issues (stalling), the transmission (no records so no info on transmission fluid change on the "sealed for life" transmission"), no info on timing chain tensioners. Those are the issues I am concerned with. The nikasil I am not too concerned about. The car is 11 years old and the car was going to fail, it probably would have happened already. I would have a blow by before I make the purchase.

Anyway, for those of you who are more mechanically inclined than me, would you buy this car with expectation that the issues I have identified would need to be addressed immediately? How much would (should) it cost to rectify these issue at an independent jag specialist. Is $5400 a good price? Do you think that at this price, the car has hit the depreciation floor?

 

I guess the replies aren't flowing today. Nevertheless, I was hoping one of the exerienced techs that knows a thing or two might have pointers or suggestions for me. My best is that if I can find the car in good enough shape physically, for the right price and 2000 budgeted for work, I can drive away with a rather sweet car that, with all the proper records, I could enjoy for a year or two then sell for about what I bought it fo. If I am misguided. Please let me know, and I'll think about going in a different directions. I would just assume that the '98's are undervalued because of their history, but a good one with the proper updated could be a diamond in the rough. I have seen guys sell them on line for as much as 2000 and 2001's because they are able to explain exactly what they did to correct the known '98 faults. It is confidence inspiriring for a buyer to take care (still at at relative discount), from someone that clearly treated the car right and made the right repairs. With a trasmission flush and a new filter for a few $100 bucks, the HF4 should be good for an extra 50-70k miles and the AJ with the timing belt tensioners kit, new water pump and a reubilt or properly repaired engine throttle should be pretty reliable for 200k or so on the engine. The engines have been around long enough that we know their problems and how to fix them. These should be reliable engines in the right hands.