HOW TO BAG THE BEST DEAL

1 CHECK FOR RUST

The sills and wheel arches are the main weak spots and the front wings rust at their mounting flanges under the bonnet. Rust resistance is better on galvanised models (1994 onwards).

2 ENGINES

A light rattle from the V12 might signify a worn timing chain, coolant can silt up if it’s not replaced every couple of years and the AJ6 sometimes blows its cylinder head gasket around 50,000 miles.

3 TRANSMISSION

Second gear on the four-speed manual fitted to early V12s can be stiff. A smoother GM three-speed automatic replaced the earlier Borg-Warner unit in 1977, followed by a four-speed GM auto from 1993. Six-cylinder models used a Getrag five-speed manual or ZF four-speed auto.

4 INTERIOR AND ELECTRICS

Check the carpets for damp especially in convertibles. Driver’s seat bolsters wear but the interiors generally last well and finding used trim is easy. Watch out for immobiliser issues with Japanese imports.

5 RUNNING GEAR

The suspension sits in a subframe and incorporates myriad bushes that wear over time. Top bushes on the front doublewishbone suspension are prone to failure. With the body supported, rock each wheel to check for play in the hub bearings.