First of all, hello to everyone. Secondly, I'm about to ask a whole lotta newbie questions.

I'm coming to you guys to get feedback, mostly. I already own a couple of "imported Chryslers," as my previous experience is with the old Chrysler Conquest/Mitsubishi Starion twins. My wife and I also own a pair of Jaguars. I guess I'm a glutton for punishment. Better yet, three of the four cars we own were recovered from a junkyard, abandoned by the side of an interstate and pulled from a barn in Georgia, respectively, and made to run again. I guess I like a challenge.

Nearby to me, I found a black six-speed 2005 model today at a reputable Toyota dealership. It has a whopping 27,000 miles on the clock but has had three prior owners, two lease owners and (AACK) one rental car agency. The dealership disclosed all of this without me even asking. Clean CarFax, for what that's worth. They want around $13k for it and I test-drove it today.

I've always liked the styling on these cars (especially from the sides and rear) but my mother-in-law has a Sebring convertible of the same vintage and I'm not that enthused with Chrysler interior bits. Mostly, though, I've been hesitant to actually consider these cars thanks to the wonderful review they got on Top Gear, which has become somewhat of a YouTube sensation.

What I found today pleasantly surprised me in a lot of ways. I can get used to the many blind spots, and the lack of tremendous acceleration isn't that much of a deal-breaker. I generally like firm seats but this one felt somewhat lumpy. My biggest complaint was in the clutch take-up, which felt sort of like automotive Russian roulette -- it engaged here this time, then it engaged there, and oh, now it's over there.

My basic questions are the following:

1) Generally, how easy is it to mod this thing to go (somewhat) faster than stock?
2) Parts availability for the aftermarket?
3) Cost and demand of routine maintenance (i.e., is it more like a Chrysler, or an Alfa Romeo with a opiate addiction)?
4) General reliability of the breed?
5) And most importantly, how would you feel about buying a former rental car?

Thanks for the help, and I look forward to talking with you all.

Jess

 

..........

 

1. There are mods, but if you really want to go fast, get an SRT6.
2. Parts availability is limited.
3. Routine maintainance is a bit more expensive than your average car, but not too bad, really.
4. I've had no problems at all in over 3 years.
5. I would have a rental examined before buying it. While some rentals, no doubt, have been abused, I would suspect that most were driven reasonably.
6. This is really a great car, that I and others enjoy greatly.
Wish you well in your decision.

 

05, 27k miles for $13k?

Hmmmm. If it is REAL clean (including under the hood) and has NEW tires and a NEW battery ---- I guess it's ok.

But if it was a rental car - move on. Find something else or offer 11K so you can pay for a clutch if needed!



That is my 2 cents. I know the miles are low but I question 13K.

 

Thanks for the responses I've received so far.

I would surely like to find an SRT-6 ... if it had a traditional manual transmission. I'm a sucker for a row-it-yourself, clutch-driven manual car. I'm not much for paddle-shift cars or AutoSticks.

It's good to hear maintenance costs won't be unreasonable. I've heard oil changes on these cars are a little frightening. The car would be used as somewhat of a daily driver. It would alternate duty with one of our Jags, and would be used when I went to see clients. I suspect I'd be putting around 10k/year or more on the car, and that's a conservative estimate. I'm from the camp that says if you're going to own a car, drive the thing.

As for upgrading, I wouldn't be looking to go very far even if I did do some modifications. I'd pretty much be comfortable with the base performance if it came to that.

Jess

 

Just wanted to say welcome to this wonderful forum!!

The windrestrictor family

 

I frequently buy rental or fleet cars. I have no reason to assume a previous owner is any less likely to have abused the car. I *DO* know the rental companies are meticulous about performing routine maintenance, whereas private owner may or may not be so.

 

Haven't really thought about it that way, but you're right. I know the last few times I've rented a car, they've been sticklers for making sure the car was returned to them in the same condition in which they gave it to me. Cuts down on the joyriders a little...

Jess

 

My car was a former Alamo rental. Bought it with just under 9800 miles so if the car you're looking at has had a few owners already there couldn't have been that much put on at Hertz or Avis or wherever. I don't think that should be a sticking point although I'd wonder why two owners got rid of it so quickly.

 

Clutch take up should be smooth as butter - it is in my car. In fact, I find it much more satisfying and linear than in my boss's new BMW M3.

What the Limited lacks in straight line acceleration it more than makes up for in cornering ability. I have personally chased down and passed Spec Miata racers on R-Compound tires on a race track, and I can't drive like Jenson Button. Braking is phenomenal in these cars as well. But not once have I felt a desperate need for more power when driving on the street with mine.

Otherwise:

1) Generally, how easy is it to mod this thing to go (somewhat) faster than stock? As per other's responses
2) Parts availability for the aftermarket? As per other's responses
3) Cost and demand of routine maintenance (i.e., is it more like a Chrysler, or an Alfa Romeo with a opiate addiction)? It's a Mercedes Benz, through and through.
4) General reliability of the breed? Bought mine 3 years and two days ago - not a hint of trouble
5) And most importantly, how would you feel about buying a former rental car? If this one is 5 years old, going on 6 real soon, has been privately owned by two others and only has 27k on the clock, how much rental use did it get? I don't think I'd be overly concerned, just have it checked out very thoroughly. That clutch description you gave bothers me as well.

 

Get the clutch checked out. If it's good the price is reasonable.
You can throw another 50 horses into it for satisfying acceleration.
The 6spd will benifit with a Sprint Booster as well (about $350 from China last I checked).
Welcome to the forum and have some fun.
P.S. Lose the Jag's before they break you (my .02).

 

Heh...I get that a lot. The funny thing is, my 88 is the second- or third-most reliable car I've ever owned.

My cars have interesting lineages: The 99 Jag was bought off a used car lot. But the others came to me the following ways:

87 Starion - rescued from a trip to the crusher back in 2001.
88 Conquest - abandoned on the side of Interstate 59 near Gadsden, Ala. Paid about $640 for the car at auction a month later and swapped in a new engine (it was abandoned because the previous owner slipped the balance shaft/oil pump chain and drove it until it locked up).
88 Jag - Bought out of a barn south of Atlanta for $676 in 2008, and all it needed was a $4 coil wire (coil wires from Chevy Cavaliers just happen to fit an 88 Jag perfectly) to make it run.

What can I say, I like reclamation projects (both our dogs are shelter adoptions, too).

The only reason I can't say the 88 is the second- or third-most reliable is I can't decide whether it was more or less reliable than an 88 XJS V12 that I owned from 2002-2004. The thing about old Jaguars that are still running is that if they're still running now, it's quite likely they were "good" Jags to start with. Most of the older ones that were crap (and there were many) have already died off and left us with the survivors. My current 88 is about to roll over 200k and doesn't leak fluids, hard as that may be to imagine considering its pedigree.

Jess

p.s.: Thanks all for the opinions on the clutch.