Bewares - Supercharged - Buying Advice

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pld118

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Hi,

Can you please advise?

I have been looking at a 56 plt FFRR 4.2 S/C with 70k mls on the clock in a Private sale.

Current owner had it 3 years and had it serviced/ maintained at a reportedly competent local independent but not RR specialist. Has had car serviced 3 times during ownership.

Only queries are:

1. The car has receipts/ stamps going back to 'only 2007'?

2. From 2009 from approx 45k mls/ 2 years, the car has a gap/ no verified service history for next 12k mls until current owner bought it?

3. Owner says it has been a very reliable car and only issue he has ever had with car is that the coolant warning light intermittently comes on but coolant has always been checked by his garage and found to be no issues/ fine. His garage advised him to leave it as nothing wrong with coolant and its a waste of money to fix what is a one off intermittent electric gremlin?

4. Is 17/18 mpg on a motorway run what you would expect (he says that is average).

5. What would I be in for with a 56 plt 70k mls RR S/C by way of impending expensive maintenance?

The owner seems genuine, appears someone who could afford the maintenance and sounds like he's had the car well/ sensibly maintained
during ownership (car is reasonably priced).

I have a copy of the forum buying checklist done by someone called Matt that many refer to but wondered if you can consider my 5 questions please.

Any thoughts/ warnings/ advice would be much appreciated please/ thanks.
 
Mpg around town is more like 12mpg

I do know that the turbo's are known to fail which are extremely expensive !

Go with your heart, it sounds like a nice low miler

On the log book, where was it previously owned ?
 
2.0_hippo said:
Mpg around town is more like 12mpg

I do know that the turbo's are known to fail which are extremely expensive !

Go with your heart, it sounds like a nice low miler

On the log book, where was it previously owned ?
Click to expand...

Don't know that detail as yet.. responses pending.. it's not got full LR hist but certainly a detailed hist last 3 years of current owner
 
Only queries are:

1. The car has receipts/ stamps going back to 'only 2007'?

.... Quite understandable ...... don't forget the 56 Reg means it was registered between Sept 2006 and Feb 2007 so the first service would, most likely, be in 2007.

2. When, exactly did the current owner buy it? and if it was from a dealer, maybe the dealer prepared it for sale with a service without stamping the books.
 
Last edited:
flookyk said:
Only queries are:

1. The car has receipts/ stamps going back to 'only 2007'?

.... Quite understandable ...... don't forget the 56 Reg means it was registered between Sept 2006 and Feb 2007 so the first service would, most likely, be in 2007.
Click to expand...

Agree... I thought that too.. just repeating what he told me
 
Superchargers are generally fairly reliable as they are belt driven and don't live in the crapy world of exhaust gases....

Needless to say, this is aslong as the servicing is maintained....

Don't know a huge amount on the supercharged engines...but the rest of the car should be dealt with like any other L322 as it is just the same as the other vehicles, just this one has an expensive bit ontop of the engine!
 
I believe the service interval is somewhere around 6-8k miles. For 70k you'd want at least 10 stamps.
 
Bix said:
I believe the service interval is somewhere around 6-8k miles. For 70k you'd want at least 10 stamps.
Click to expand...

There's nowhere near 10 stamps...

Last detailed service report of 3 mts ago said to investigate coolant loss and top up anti freeze.. owner says it was coolant warning light that prompted that.. invoice shows customer was supplied with a bottle of rad leak and 'warning wire' and 'fitting kit'... any thoughts please???

The car's history does seem light to what I would expect of such a beast... but I really did trust the owner.

Anyway, my quest questions resulted in the owner firing me off by txt mssg.. due to huge distance to travel and view the car I pretty much sent him the check list of things I would want reassurance on to save time and ensure neither of us had wasted time.. His response was to say had loads of interest and byeee... disappointed (again)!
 
pld118 said:
Anyway, my quest questions resulted in the owner firing me off by txt mssg.. due to huge distance to travel and view the car I pretty much sent him the check list of things I would want reassurance on to save time and ensure neither of us had wasted time.. His response was to say had loads of interest and byeee... disappointed (again)!
Click to expand...


theres plenty out there mate.

usually the SC models are quite cheap, due to the fact you need a petrol tanker towed behind you to keep the thing going !!! :p:p
 
2.0_hippo said:
theres plenty out there mate.

usually the SC models are quite cheap, due to the fact you need a petrol tanker towed behind you to keep the thing going !!! :p:p
Click to expand...

You're probably right... Complete waste of a day!!!
 
Last edited:
Saint.V8 said:
Technically....

A Turbo uses a Turbine to spin up the compressor...a Supercharger uses a drive belt....principle of charging the induction air is the same, method of acheivement is different!
Click to expand...

a turbo charger utilises waste exhaust gas energy where as a super charger is mechanically driven by the engine which takes a colossal 22% of the crankshaft power
 
juiceyv8 said:
If you have to ask buying advice on a SC rangie then maybe its not the motor for you. And yes the SCs failing is not uncommon.
Click to expand...

Why not.. sorry but perhaps some might feel that is a ridiculous assumption to make.. it's not a brand new car with a 3 year warranty, it's a complicated 8 year old beast with a query history, no warranty and the potential to go big time pear shaped.. there are old pilots and there are bold pilots but there are few old bold pilots/ ha!

If you are 'still speaking' what 'SC failing is not uncommon'???:eek:
 
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