BUYING TIPS

1 HUNT FOR RUST

The F-type’s shell has plenty of rust traps, so check the bodywork carefully, specifically the inner sills, the area around the rear spring hangers and the floor area around the rear seats.

2 KEEPING IT TRIM

Look around the cabin for any signs of any ripped or damaged trim. In the standard model the seats are trimmed in Elastofab and rayon, while Deluxe models like our test car are trimmed in leather, which is easier to replace. Keep an an eye out, too, for missing instruments or switches, because sourcing replacements is tricky.

3 KEEP IT SHINY

There’s plenty of chrome trim – it’s generally easier to replate damaged items rather than search for replacements, which are hard to come by. Don’t worry too much about it lining up perfectly – they often didn’t when new!

4 DOES IT SHIFT?

Not the engine – which is generally fairly hardy, as long as it’s been serviced regularly – but the three-speed transmission, should slot smoothly into each ratio. If there’s crunching the column change may need adjusting. It’s unlikely you’ll come across any cars equipped with the Newtondrive auto system, though.