So, I've been looking for a new chariot for some time. I come across a 2000 VDP with 89k for $5k. Not bad. Factor in timing chains and we're now looking at $7k. Again, not bad for a 90k VDP. I talk with the owner's friend (he's the one who responded to my email), and the only other thing wrong is the headliner. Cool. I make an appointment to look at the car. Oh, and the timing chains WERE done?! Say, this could be a bargain!

Wow.

Front driver fender was bondo-ed and painted with as much care and attention as a kindergartener on a six pack of coke and a dozen cookies. Everything else was rough but manageable. Rubber seals was good except for one spot. No big deal. A few loose plastic trim pieces. Again, no big deal. Cosmetics can be resolved without sticking the vacuum hose in my wallet, right? Besides, the timing chains were done. That's gotta count for some offsets, right?

Gets better.

I get into the car. ABS light is on. Ok, in fairness, that was discussed earlier. Again, no big deal, it's probably just a sensor went out. Traction out. Again, no big deal, it's probably with the ABS. ASC out. See Traction Control.

And then it starts. . .

I drive her to her mechanic's shop. I hit all the buttons and make sure everything works. Windows are good, sunroof is good, seat heaters work, and a/c is fine. I floor the car to see how if all 290 horses are awake. For a 2.5ton vehicle, she sure has plenty of get up and go! After that, I noticed the LED screen started to tell me she was going into limp home mode. Really? Let's try flooring it again. . .seems fine. I wonder. . .

The mechanic shows me all the paperwork. Yup, the timing chain tensioners were done. At this point, I'm done with the car. Instead of taking her to my mechanic to have a look-see, I drive her back to the owner.

And for the coup de grace. . .

At a stop light, I shift through all the gears, and then the tranny throws a code. Funny, I didn't hear anything before. Lemme give it some more gas and see if I can hear anything. Can't hear a thing, but then I notice that more than half the horses are now asleep. Yup, we're in limp home mode now for real! And then the check engine light comes on.

Wow. So many things could be wrong, and only one thing is definitely right: the chain tensioners. Maybe the ABS is just a sensor and not a pump. Big maybe with a big downside. Maybe the engine and tranny are just the throttle body. Again, BIG maybe. The O2 sensor will need to get changed out too. So, on the inside, we're looking at at least $1k in parts just to get the codes resolved. On the outside, well. . .that vacuum attached to my wallet would be the shop vac. . .

I tell the seller all the things I think and figure. I asked him if he wanted me to run some numbers and give him an offer based on those numbers. He said he's probably looking to sell the car to someone who's not as much a perfectionist. Wow. I didn't realize not wanting to be stranded by your car was a sign of perfection.

Good times!

 

I enjoyed that, but taking a banger like that out and flooring it is like taking my great aunt to starbucks for the afternoon, it could go two ways, she'll come home and clean house like she's 20 again, or throw her own check engine light lol!

The real meaning behind the topic for me is the knowledge you showed in the faults and potential cost, fair play to researching before you buy.

The other thing I noticed, people that factor in a parachute fund for the inevitable problems an older car has, have more chance of enjoying the car, typical Jaguar.

 

I am only asking $6400 negotiable and mine doesn't have all those problems, just almost double the miles. Come check it out some time. I have an ad in the classifieds and I am in the Waco area.

I'm surprised he wasn't a little more flexible on price considering it was going into limp mode. You will know more about the possible problems once you get it scanned. I dont blame you one bit for flooring it. It's part of knowing that you have a good car. If you can't drive it how you want to, what good is it going to be for you?

 

Perhaps with all those issues, she'd take half the price and you could part it out?

Tanalyst