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Possible purchase - when is a service history too lengthy??
I'm seriously looking at a 2016 S Convertible with 47,795 miles on it, the cost is $31k. The car has everything I'm looking for in terms of options and colour combination. When I pulled the CarFax I was a bit suprised by the amount of service history attached to the car. I'm not sure if to be thrilled about it, or if it's a red flag...
The history is very lengthy, I'm just wondering if some of the work that has been done could indicate a problem car? Or if I should be happy that so many things have already been done?
I'd love opinions if anyone has them, this forum has already been invaluable and I really appreciate any help! Thanks in advance!
Yes, water pump had to be changed when replacing the coolant pipes, as documented on the warranty invoice for my MY2017, built late 2016. As for the "Turbocharger" probably meant supercharger. This an early car, so probably some early production issues. On my 2017, a manual trans car, there were stories of owners not even getting the car home and the clutch had failed. JLR was on the 4th gen clutch by the time I bought mine. 24,000 miles at that time (2020) and 43,000 now with no clutch issues. Car was missing fender bolts for the RHS headlight assembly and the nighttime ambient blue lighting in the doors and grab handle was not enabled prior to my ownership.
Make sure the center went unit raises and lowers quietly and spend some more time on this forum to learn as much as you can.
Best wishes!
This one would concern me. Clogged roof drains can cause rainwater to end up in the trunk where all the electrical components are. I'd definitely want more info on what the complaint and resolution was.
I am looking at this through the perspective of a detective. If you look at the dates you can infer that if there was a major problem it would have reappeared. Keep in mind this is a 10-year old car that spent most of its life in Chicago (rain and snow) then moved to New Mexico and not owned by a DIY'er. If the exterior and interior are in excellent condition then it was garaged and well-cared for based on the service history.
The coolant system was serviced earlier this year, most probably for a leak. If there was a catastrophic engine overheat that would be the end of the engine.
The body water check was done in 2022 and nothing since. A check of the floor of the trunk would reveal corrosion if this were recurring. Pulling up the carpets in the foot wells would reveal prior water intrusion. It looks like the issue was resolved. The battery survived 9 years so that's also a good sign.
The turbocharger (obviously SC) was done in 2020, probably for coupler noise.
As a potential new owner of a 10 year old F-Type convertible you:
will need to always be on the lookout for a coolant pipe leak at any given time while driving (use Torque Pro or another OBD2 app to monitor you coolant temp). Many on the Forum have replaced the coolant pipes proactively for this reason.
will need to watch out for water intrusion and monitor the convertible drains if you drive it or keep it parked outside in the rain.
will probably have a SC clunk after turning the engine off. Most of us just live with it as it is not damaging the engine.
Send us the link for the car so we can take a look...
I am looking at this through the perspective of a detective. If you look at the dates you can infer that if there was a major problem it would have reappeared. Keep in mind this is a 10-year old car that spent most of its life in Chicago (rain and snow) then moved to New Mexico and not owned by a DIY'er. If the exterior and interior are in excellent condition then it was garaged and well-cared for based on the service history.
The coolant system was serviced earlier this year, most probably for a leak. If there was a catastrophic engine overheat that would be the end of the engine.
The body water check was done in 2022 and nothing since. A check of the floor of the trunk would reveal corrosion if this were recurring. Pulling up the carpets in the foot wells would reveal prior water intrusion. It looks like the issue was resolved. The battery survived 9 years so that's also a good sign.
The turbocharger (obviously SC) was done in 2020, probably for coupler noise.
As a potential new owner of a 10 year old F-Type convertible you:
will need to always be on the lookout for a coolant pipe leak at any given time while driving (use Torque Pro or another OBD2 app to monitor you coolant temp). Many on the Forum have replaced the coolant pipes proactively for this reason.
will need to watch out for water intrusion and monitor the convertible drains if you drive it or keep it parked outside in the rain.
will probably have a SC clunk after turning the engine off. Most of us just live with it as it is not damaging the engine.
Send us the link for the car so we can take a look...
Just a couple quick comments:
1) overheating and engine doesn't necessarily mean the engine is toast. They can "survive" for a while but likely will have weakened head gaskets or a small breach that hasn't yet made a big impact. Gotta look closely at those things. That said, just because it had the pipes changed doesn't mean there was an event. If all the work was done at one dealer or shop, maybe they could give you some history.
2) look closely at oil change intervals, long change intervals can cause problems for these motors as well
3) an sc clunk may not be a problem, but could be a problem, and if not investigated/addressed certainly can lead to other issues
get the car inspected by a shop that knows these cars, best insurance IMHO
I've put a hold on the car for now while I do a bit more digging, all of the information people provided here is super helpful, I really appreciate it!
Did the Carfax show damage? The photos and some of the descriptions indicate paintwork and chipping. Paintwork (as best I can tell based on limited ability to zoom) does not appear to be great. Can’t tell what brand or age the tires are. As others have said - have a reputable Jaguar experienced shop inspect. Unless flawless, then pass.
"Unless flawless, then pass." How is this decree even possible when buying a used car that is not a rare collectible? Based on the service history and exterior, the car is not flawless.
The "flaws" are why this forum exists.
Use the 7 day grace period to decide if you want to keep the car. You can reject it at time of delivery if it does not meet your expectations or if there are missing features. Take pictures of the body and wheels/tires with the delivery truck in the background. The tires and brake pad depth should be checked with your initial inspection. If worn they should cover it as it's a safety issue. If they refuse during the 7-day period then send it back. You can even have the work done at a JLR dealer and they will pay for it, but needs to be initiated during the first 7 days. Or keep looking for a flawless old F-Type...
Possible purchase - when is a service history too lengthy??
