Back in 75 Ownership - My new car was a lemon!
 

Hi all,

Some of you may have seen my post recently about leaving 75 ownership and replacing with a 2008 Jaguar XF, which I was over the moon with.

Unfortunately, I got the XF up on a lift this morning at a local garage and we were shocked to find the underside was rotten.

Very sad as I loved the car and I am now out of pocket a bit (though distance selling regulations mean I am able to return the car to recoup some of my money). It was immaculate inside and out but was hiding a nasty secret underneath.

None of this mentioned on MOT history either...

Amazing that my 75 that is 4 years older and has done nearly twice the mileage is in far better condition underneath, so I am going to do what I should've done in the bl00dy first place and spend the money getting the 75 sorted.

Lessons learned here:
1. NEVER buy a car without seeing it in person. Hard at the moment I know but nothing beats getting dirty on the ground and crawling underneath with a torch.

2. NEVER buy a Jaguar. Can't believe the corrosion prevention is that bad on a 2008 car.

Happy to be back driving my 75 though. I had forgotten how well she drives.
Good job I hadn't sold her yet!

Had to post on here about this just to vent.
I am in a bit of a sulk today after finding all this out. :duh:

Every time I visit my local garage the guys always comment about how good the 75 is underneath compared to ‘modern’ cars. Volkswagens and Vauxhall’s seem to be the worst with serous corrosion setting in after only SIX years. They also describe how easy it is unbolting things on the Rover compared to much younger vehicles where everything is seized. Must be our throwaway society.
Enjoy your 75.


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You have my sympathy, this is not nice.

macafee2

I have been there, albeit with an X-Type and a untraceable limp mode issue (10 years later I believe it to have been a turbo actuator issue/leak). But this was so perfect everywhere, with common issues (for that time) being sorted. Top money, ad 3 months later, it was traded against a used dealer supplied Passat :getmecoat: lost three grand on it between dealer trade in price and the main dealer labour charges.

Because of the era, British car, and looks, I was put off ZTs and 75s at the time because of it (we know better now lol).

One tip though, when looking at a low mileage car, always check and expect the rust to be worse than a higher mileage. Low mileage suggests standing for long periods, and therefore a major lack of air flow. Static moisture and air promotes oxidisation.

One thing

Built-in obsolescence I'm afraid. Sad to say that Jaguars are not what they were. My 1986 Series 3 is still on its original exhaust, and has never been welded, yet I had to spend a fortune on having rust dealt with on a 1999 Daimler Super V8. Luckily I bought it cheap enough to warrant the expense. Very sorry for your experience.

Sorry to hear about this.

It sounds like a current British manufacturer has learnt diddly squat from history.

Thanks for having the courage to post up how your "over the moon" car turned out.

Welcome back (sort of) :}.

Thanks all for the kind words and for your own stories and experiences.

Its as I've always said to people, if you know a car well, you know it's history, it's foibles, what's been done and what needs doing, don't walk away from that.

I just wish I had followed my own advice in this case!

Looking forward to ticking a few things off the list on my 75 when the weather gets a bit warmer then I'm going to treat her to some bodywork pampering.

Thank you, and sorry to hear this. Can I ask where the corrosion was? In the bodywork / sills/ subframe? Or all three perhaps? Asking for a friend.