WHAT TO LOOK FOR
DOES IT NEED A RE-BUILD?
A neglected or worn-out engine is a major expense (though V8s are cheaper to re-build than many lesser car engines), so check for service history and condition. Cylinder head gasket failure is common on 3.9 and 4.2 V8s and on VM turbodiesels. With the latter, a swap to Tdi specification is a good option if originality isn’t an issue, because VM parts can be hard to find. 3.5s are generally strong, but 3.9 and 4.2 V8s tend to slip a cylinder liner when the radiator silts up and the engine overheats. This gives similar symptoms to a blown cylinder head gasket but costs far more to fix – a full rebuild with top hat liners is the only guaranteed solution.
CHECK FOR CORROSION
Severe body frame rust is what kills most cars – with late examples often suffering worse than early ones. The bulkhead is complex and costly to sort, especially on later cars with more components to remove before repairs can begin. Alloy panels can corrode, too, notably the link panel between the rear wing and the bottom of the door shut panel. Thorough inspection when viewing a potential purchase is vital – ask permission from the seller to remove the front indicators ( just two screws at the top) to reveal the state of the inner wings.
KNOW WHERE TO LOOK
Other rot-prone areas include front inner wings and front footwells, A-, B- and C-posts and sills, rear inner wheelarches, boot floor, rear crossmember below the tailgate and doors, bonnet and tailgates. Doors, rear wings and lower tailgate are hard to find for twodoor examples, less so for fourdoors. The chassis rots up over the rear axle but rarely anywhere else, except when the car’s been abused. Budget about £90 for a new floor, £50 for an inner sill and £40 for an outer sill. Genuine front outer wings are £234 while plastic replicas are available for £94.
DOES IT JUMP OUT OF GEAR?
The transmission is a complex affair and can be costly if major overhaul is needed – check it operates smoothly in all gears and that none jumps out on the overrun. A failing clutch may be the cause – budget £500 for a replacement. It’s best to come to a stop before changing between high and low ratios. Also try locking the centre differential – the lever can seize up through lack of use. A front propshaft is around £80 but universal joints usually cost just £7 each.
IS THE SUSPENSION DRY?
Oil leaking from the self-levelling strut above the differential (not fitted on air suspension cars) is an MoT failure. The original Boge strut is unobtainable; you could just remove it, or convert to another proprietary system. The front suspension ball swivels are inevitably exposed on full lock, and can dry out and corrode on a car that has been standing for long periods. The swivels should be unpitted and not leak oil excessively. Re-building a front axle (excluding the differential) costs in the region of £950.
DO THE ELECTRICS WORK?
Electrics become an issue on later, more complex cars, where heavy off-roading can trigger expensive ECU failure. Check that everything works; keep in mind that a new wiring loom costs around £400. Electric memory seats are a major issue because the battery inside fails and then corrodes the printed circuit board – and a non-working driver’s seat is an MoT fail. Specialists can repair ECUs provided they’re not too badly damaged, but finding a repairable one can prove to be a real challenge if it’s too far gone.
CHECK THE INTERIOR TRIM
Replacements for loose headlinings are available, but replacement plastic trim is mostly unobtainable and used parts often brittle or split. A-, B- and C-post covers, centre dash panel and centre console are among the hardest to find. The air-con is buried in the dash and overhauling it is labour-intensive.