Hi to all,

Just registered and posted in welcome forum as looking for our first FFRR to replace our Focus Estate.

We are hoping to look at this one in the next few days which looks ideal other than would prefer cream interior.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/adv...?logcode=p

I have been checking the for sale and wanted section regularly and already have the buyers guide printed out however I am wondering whether it is worth either getting AA/RAC or a local specialist to do a proper inspection, any thoughts please? I am not really a DIY'er so worried about missing something important.

Looking forward to contributing to the site...

Cheers
Simon 2004 Lotus Elise S2 111S
2001 Ford Focus Estate

Just make sure absolutely everything works and get the dealer to fix it if it doesn't.

When was it last serviced? Receipts for that? Budget for a service for peace of mind anyway.

The TV won't work as it's analogue, but digital conversions are available if that's what you wish to do.

Photos are out of focus which worries me. If the chap can't take a basic picture......

Go have a look, but be critical and don't assume the seller is telling the truth.

An inspection? I'm 50/50. I personally have mixed views and would trust my own instincts more. A good RR will talk to you.

Welcome, by the way.  Si. <This is my name.

I eat rat poison.

A man ain't truly been insulted until he stands buck naked in front of a woman and she didn't even notice. Or care.

I had mine inspected at an indie that specialized in Brit cars. It's nice for the piece of mind and my two cents is to go for an inspection as you say your not a big DIY type. Of course, have it pass YOUR tests first.

Also, fix down a price BEFORE the inspection. This way, you and the seller have established the value of the car assuming all is working fine. Then, if there are any issues, they should either be fixed before sale OR the price adjusted to allow for fixing later.

Good luck.

PS. I agree with above! We're not talking arty photos here, but why can't people take photos of cars that are in focus, not backlit and have at least most of the car within the frame????

Cheers guys,

I believe Jameson 4x4 in Summer Lane Birmingham are fairly nearby the sellers so may contact them for a quote to inspect it for me...

Simon 2004 Lotus Elise S2 111S
2001 Ford Focus Estate

I can only add that I wish I had payed out for an inspection of my recent purchase as I am now paying what can only be described as a very large amount of money getting mine sorted out.

Altho I had a very good friend look over the car ( Prop ) and I hope he doesn't take offence but i doubt he will and I class him as very knowledgeable on Range Rovers you cant find everything and if I had payed out for an independent inspection I probably would of ...

1 > knocked the price down as I still think it is a very nice example of this car and 2 probably saved myself a huge bill but I do have to point out in that huge bill there are mods I wanted done to the car and it gives me the piece of mind that it has been serviced properly by Craig of Cam-Tech-Craig
Craig explained that in the last service, that fortunately was only 2,0000 odd miles ago was very badly done with inferior parts used.

Learn by other peoples mistakes because as described in one of my previous posts the buying experience was made very unpleasant by the seller

http://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/topic18778.html

Dave

Dave, it's crossed my mind several times, but if your seller experience was so bad, why did you buy the car? I'd have walked away and waited to find another.

Not a criticism, bu there must have been something urging you to complete the sale and I'm struggling to establish exactly what that was. Si. <This is my name.

I eat rat poison.

A man ain't truly been insulted until he stands buck naked in front of a woman and she didn't even notice. Or care.

Sometimes you can also get lucky with a car and sometimes not.

Mine is going through a major "standard wearing parts" phase now :
- all rear suspension bushings
- rear wheel bearings (fronts already done)
- parking brake shoes and cable
- front airbags done recently
- brake pads front and back
- rear calipers (OK that is a while ago now)
plus the normal stuff, oil/filters/plugs etc.

On top of that the gearbox transmission cooler shat itself (quite literally I might add) and the gearbox suffers from a 3-4 upshift issue, that we are trying to get to the bottom of.

AC failed (or it could have been gas as well the first time)

Replaced the fuel pump and cleaned the entire fuel system (ran a LOT better after that and the ECU update)

Gearbox filter and ATF were changed in the beginning, solving some small nigglies, the 3-4 shift issue came later.

And mine only has some 50,000 miles on it and I use only original parts.

I guess I'm just unlucky here with all the work being done while I have it. Then again, I have had it for over 2 1/2 years and hope to be driving around in it for some more years. Since the insurance and fuel are very cheap here, I don't mind it too much.

What I am trying to get at, all inspections in the world do not make you lucky or unlucky. I inspected the car quite well (unfortunately without the FFRR knowledge, only some Rangerovers.net knowledge) and the issues I have had were nowhere in sight then. As you can see the majority of the issues age related work and the big costly ones are bad luck.

Japanese cars are much better that way (main reason I drove them for years), unfortunately they don't build the Range Rover. If they did, there would be no other 4x4 being sold I guess

My suggestion is, get a good inspection done by someone who knows all the FFRR problem areas and then hope you're lucky if it comes out al-right  MY 2010 5.0 SC Galway green and sand interior!!
Have the Faultmate MSV2 Extreme to be tinkering with the settings etc. !!

As others have said you can do as many checks as you like and things can be fine for years or they can go wrong the next day.

Make sure you have a healthy pot of contingency money (£3-4k just in case), or a bulletproof warranty.

A 2nd / spare key is £250 ish. 03 4.4 V8 petrol / lpg. 1st of many hopefully. I love my Rangie

daz62 wrote:

As others have said you can do as many checks as you like and things can be fine for years or they can go wrong the next day.

Make sure you have a healthy pot of contingency money (£3-4k just in case), or a bulletproof warranty.

A 2nd / spare key is £250 ish.

Bellini wrote:

Dave, it's crossed my mind several times, but if your seller experience was so bad, why did you buy the car? I'd have walked away and waited to find another.

Not a criticism, bu there must have been something urging you to complete the sale and I'm struggling to establish exactly what that was.

I suppose the only way of answering this and no criticism taken is I suffer with severe depression among other nasty mental disorders and chronic back pain << is thinking maybe I should put this in my signature as it would probably make things more understandable from my point of view

When my friend found this car on ebay I will be the first to admit i really liked the look of the car and I can tell you on the day in question and I think Prop would back me up on this the seller was a total bleep and took serious dislike to the fact that we , I mean prop was pointing out the issues with the car and believe me I came extremely close to walking away because at one point it looked like it could become violent but at this point we had the price down to where I think at that point Prop and my friend who drove me up there said I would be silly to walk away and would probably beat myself up for walking away.

But hey we are who we are and our lives are what they are and all I was trying to point out in my previous post is that an independent inspection would be an advisable option but even then there are pit falls to buying cars and that has been demonstrated on here , ie a buyer buying from a main dealer , now you would think that this would be a foolproof option to buying a car like this but even he had major problems and stress caused because of this but I have received a pm from this member saying the dealer has paid out several thousand pounds getting things rectified.

And hey I quoted to the seller on the day that he couldn't provide the same backup that a dealer can but to be totally honest buying cars is a seriously hit and miss thing and i personally feel that its impossible to cover all the bases.

previous to this buy and the recent purchase of a Ford Focus ST with every imaginable extra for the Boss which came with 6 months ford warranty left on the car and we extended it by to extra years = piece of mind the average spend on a car would of been around 5k.

To be blunt this car was my one chance of owning my dream car and after a 10 year legal battle on a personal injury claim that ended in disaster on the 21st of March this year , well people have been saying to me you have to try and live and enjoy life to the best of your ability.

Hey I will probably never work again due to disability and it was only down to the fact that over the years I have pumped as much money away as possible after losing our house in the last recession that I was able to buy the boss her mid life crisis pocket rocket that i have to say the grin on her face when she goes off to work is priceless and for me to own my dream car , how long I will be able to run it for is another thing all together but hey heres hoping I can at least keep it for a few years

Mate that was hard work typing all that up and I can only hope that answers your question .

Cheers

Dave

the right spirit !

XXXAngelXXX wrote:

the right spirit !

+1

I didn't realise we had a bunch of back sufferes in FF's ! After 2 discectomies over the past 10 years and still suffering from siactica, the FF really is the only car I can drive or be driven in for long periods, so I understand the need to

A) have a comfortable car
B) have something to put a smile on your face, other than a blow

Now, which Aston Martin to get next....  Current MY2020
Gone: 1 x L405 and 2 x L322's

Where is the like post button when you need it

And thanks Guys

Does that help with back pain too  .
Experience is the only genuine knowledge, but as time passes, I have forgotten more than I can remember
Volvo V70 P2 2006 2.4 Petrol 170bhp Estate SE
MG Midget Mk1 1962

Previous: L322 Range Rover TDV8 3.6 2008; L322 Range Rover TD6 3.0 2002; P38A Range Rover V8 1999

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it doesn't take a lot to confuse me but your comment does