How to tell? STR
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Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 67
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From: Calgary Alberta
How to tell? STR
Ok, so I am loving my recently purchased 04 S Type 3.0l, its had a couple of issues, oil pan gasket, new battery that I have rectified and about to change the cabin filter at the weekend if it every get above 0 degrees here!
Anyway, I am now looking at an S Type R for the spring/summer and maybe even the winter, I only have a 2 minute commute to work. But my main question is: How can I tell if the STR I am interested in has been raced/thrashed.
Whilst I am not averse to driving with leaden boots, I would prefer the one I am buying to have been driven by an elderly gentleman with a morbid fear of exceeding the speed limit
What would be the tell tale signs that I should look for????
Anyway, I am now looking at an S Type R for the spring/summer and maybe even the winter, I only have a 2 minute commute to work. But my main question is: How can I tell if the STR I am interested in has been raced/thrashed.
Whilst I am not averse to driving with leaden boots, I would prefer the one I am buying to have been driven by an elderly gentleman with a morbid fear of exceeding the speed limit
What would be the tell tale signs that I should look for????
Veteran Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 27,518
Likes: 4,910
From: Yorkshire, England
Will racing it do harm? It's an automatic and has a rev limiter. Change brake and probably transmission fluid in any case. Check all major parts you'd check anyway.
Bad maintenance would worry me more. Look at the general condition and has it got cheap or mismatched tyres!! Walk away if so.
Bad maintenance would worry me more. Look at the general condition and has it got cheap or mismatched tyres!! Walk away if so.
Veteran Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 12,076
Likes: 3,361
From: home
The things to look for. If the car has a K & N filter, aftermarket exhaust, Heavy aftermarket wheels, Stereo mods, goofy window tinting. I also look in the trunk and under the hood to see if any wiring has been messed with. Any car with this stuff you want to avoid!!!
These are what young guys do to "improve" or make the car "custom". I don't want a $65K custom car! The good thing is the STR is kind of off the main stream radar. That's why we don't have the normal aftermarket mods like ECM tunes or a limited skip rear end options. I have not found too many "beat" STR's. As they age and get cheaper this will change.
I really look for a car that still has about a year or more of warranty. This will allow you to get to know the car and then get all of it fixed on somebody else's dime. Be aware that ALL cars will have their unique problems. So you have done the most important step and that is using this forum to get educated.
A Carfax can help but it is not a guarantee of anything.
As others have said using the power will not hurt anything as long as the proper maintenance has been done. I was able to track down the first owner of my 2005 STR from a receipt in the glove box. I was surprised to find out it the first owner was a women who leased the car for business. I bought it from a dealer who gets most of his inventory at auctions. Many cars at 3 years of age still on factory warranty.
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These are what young guys do to "improve" or make the car "custom". I don't want a $65K custom car! The good thing is the STR is kind of off the main stream radar. That's why we don't have the normal aftermarket mods like ECM tunes or a limited skip rear end options. I have not found too many "beat" STR's. As they age and get cheaper this will change.
I really look for a car that still has about a year or more of warranty. This will allow you to get to know the car and then get all of it fixed on somebody else's dime. Be aware that ALL cars will have their unique problems. So you have done the most important step and that is using this forum to get educated.
A Carfax can help but it is not a guarantee of anything.
As others have said using the power will not hurt anything as long as the proper maintenance has been done. I was able to track down the first owner of my 2005 STR from a receipt in the glove box. I was surprised to find out it the first owner was a women who leased the car for business. I bought it from a dealer who gets most of his inventory at auctions. Many cars at 3 years of age still on factory warranty.
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Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 552
Likes: 61
From: Texas
The things to look for. If the car has a K & N filter, aftermarket exhaust, Heavy aftermarket wheels, Stereo mods, goofy window tinting. I also look in the trunk and under the hood to see if any wiring has been messed with. Any car with this stuff you want to avoid!!!
These are what young guys do to "improve" or make the car "custom". I don't want a $65K custom car! The good thing is the STR is kind of off the main stream radar. That's why we don't have the normal aftermarket mods like ECM tunes or a limited skip rear end options. I have not found too many "beat" STR's. As they age and get cheaper this will change.
I really look for a car that still has about a year or more of warranty. This will allow you to get to know the car and then get all of it fixed on somebody else's dime. Be aware that ALL cars will have their unique problems. So you have done the most important step and that is using this forum to get educated.
A Carfax can help but it is not a guarantee of anything.
As others have said using the power will not hurt anything as long as the proper maintenance has been done. I was able to track down the first owner of my 2005 STR from a receipt in the glove box. I was surprised to find out it the first owner was a women who leased the car for business. I bought it from a dealer who gets most of his inventory at auctions. Many cars at 3 years of age still on factory warranty.
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.
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These are what young guys do to "improve" or make the car "custom". I don't want a $65K custom car! The good thing is the STR is kind of off the main stream radar. That's why we don't have the normal aftermarket mods like ECM tunes or a limited skip rear end options. I have not found too many "beat" STR's. As they age and get cheaper this will change.
I really look for a car that still has about a year or more of warranty. This will allow you to get to know the car and then get all of it fixed on somebody else's dime. Be aware that ALL cars will have their unique problems. So you have done the most important step and that is using this forum to get educated.
A Carfax can help but it is not a guarantee of anything.
As others have said using the power will not hurt anything as long as the proper maintenance has been done. I was able to track down the first owner of my 2005 STR from a receipt in the glove box. I was surprised to find out it the first owner was a women who leased the car for business. I bought it from a dealer who gets most of his inventory at auctions. Many cars at 3 years of age still on factory warranty.
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You probably need to find a one owner 06-08 that wanted a Jag cause its a Jag not a pony, and one that still has some factory warranty and then buy an ext warranty before factory expires.
Anything older has become quite cheap to buy and probably been tried to turn it into a mustang or camaro with a different body.
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