Next (potential) automotive disaster identified

"Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo" (akioohtori)
11/04/2019 at 22:34 • Filed to: unnecessary car shopping without E90M3, The Hot Mess

So it sort of looks like I might be once again gainfully employed starting this month. That means I am allowed to buy a project car if I want. And I think I want?

Specifically I want one of these:

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Jaguar S-Type R. 400HP of pure compromise awesomeness.

On the bright side there is one near(ish) where I’m at. Low miles, low price, shady dealer.... basically my kind of thing.

The good:

Right color

Right engine

Low miles

Low price

Looks OK in pictures

The Bad:

Been on sale for 160+ days

Small dent in the trunk

400 miles away

Suspiciously cheap

Free VIN check shows it may have started life in Michigan

Wrong wheels

Additionally YourMechanic doesn’t service the part of Saint Louis it is in and apparently WeGoLook is relatively pointless. Which is to say the latter goes and takes pictures for the same price the former goes and does a mechanical inspection... plus I’d need to pay extra for them to go take some pictures before I would want to go look myself.

Next steps:

Confirm this is a thing I want to do

Beg for a VIN check (HEY ANYONE HAVE A FREE VIN CHECK!?)

Fail to acquire free vin check and pay for one

Call and verify car is still for sale

Make arrangements to drive up and take a look with a co-driver so I can drive it back down as needed

What do we think Oppo? Right color, right engine, right price.... worth a drive?

DISCUSSION (26)

Nibby > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
11/04/2019 at 22:38

RIP your money

MiniGTI - now with XJ6 > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
11/04/2019 at 22:42

Do it. I love my 85 XJ6 and I kinda secretly like s-types too.

AestheticsInMotion > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
11/04/2019 at 22:42

Hmm.

What's the current state of your other vehicles?

not for canada - australian in disguise > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
11/04/2019 at 22:43

You know it’s a great idea when you’re buying a car with more than 400 horsepower that’s sitting at a dealership next to an Aveo.

Abiel > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
11/04/2019 at 22:44

I have made many terrible automotive choices but if it checks out... GO FOR IT! I’ve driven the base and R Versions of the S-Type and while the base model was caddy comfortable the R was a rocket. My only real worries are the lower mileage and possible Michigan winter duty. That BRG....

OPPOsaurus WRX > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
11/04/2019 at 22:46

I briefly had a fancy green European car....

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
11/04/2019 at 22:53

This is a terrible idea.

Have fun!

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > not for canada - australian in disguise
11/04/2019 at 22:54

And a Solara that we can assume has at least 200,000 miles

AkursedX > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
11/04/2019 at 23:07

I have such an irrational want for an S-Type R. I was actually in a bidding battle on BaT for one a couple months ago but it went too high. There is also a green one for sale locally to me that I have gone and looked at a few times but I just can't talk myself into buying it. I already have an rx-8 and an STI, adding another horrific maintenance and reliability nightmare to my stable might not be the smartest thing to do.

Land_Yacht_225 > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
11/04/2019 at 23:28

I’ve got one sitting in the garage right now!

And it is...fine? I don’t know. Not the kind of car I would personally buy, and my mother only likes it aesthetically...her chain link grille is pretty and her tennis friends call it her “Bentley.” Were it only so easy, I’d rip off that supercharger and plop it on the N/A 4.2 in my father’s Vanden Plas.

Don’t get me wrong, it will go like stink if you can get your foot in it enough to make that ZF 6-speed hold a gear long enough to spool the blower up. But my god, the electrical issues. Hit a puddle too hard and water will find its way up to your throttle body, short something, and send you into limp mode for a few days. We lost one of the two keys, and the remote functions for the remaining key stopped working. I had to buy one of those inflatable bags lock smiths use for getting into cars because I need it for the monthly incident wherein the car locks the keys inside itself...while running. If you leave the car running, get out, and shut the driver’s door - it will lock all the car doors. Not every time mind you - just infrequently enough to lull you into a false sense of security.

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > Land_Yacht_225
11/04/2019 at 23:33

Funny enough that last scenario is something I (almost) always plan for. Which is to say I have an irrational fear that may happen, even though it never has, so I (almost) always roll down a window if I’m getting out of the car with it running.

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > AkursedX
11/04/2019 at 23:34

adding another horrific maintenance a nd reliability nightmare to my stable might not be the smartest thing to do

I feel you. I think the Jag would be in good company with my Land Rover... and Saab... and Alfa... and Volvo...

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > AestheticsInMotion
11/04/2019 at 23:38

I FEEL PERSONALLY VICTIMIZED BY THIS COMMENT!

Err which is to say they’re mostly fine. The Saab is probably the biggest unknown as I haven’t messed with it in a couple months. This last problem with it has just been too big of a problem to sort out. Now that the Alfa is OK again, I’m hoping to focus on the Saab more.

Otherwise, the Alfa is fine. Land Rover is fine. Volvo is fine. They could all use a little something, but they’re all running and driving as expected.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
11/05/2019 at 00:58

Do it!

CompactLuxuryFan > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
11/05/2019 at 01:51

What’s wrong with the wheels? They seem to be the factory ones. The front of these looks rather unfortunate if you look at it too hard. They’re still gorgeous as long as you don’t stare. I’m in full support of this plan!

shop-teacher > Land_Yacht_225
11/05/2019 at 07:24

Bwahaha!

shop-teacher > OPPOsaurus WRX
11/05/2019 at 07:25

Yeah, that went well.

facw > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
11/05/2019 at 09:10

Did you ask the dealer if they’d be willing to drop it at a nearby shop for a PPI? I’d think I’d want to have one done before committing to driving 800 miles.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
11/05/2019 at 10:04

Congrats on the new gig!

Disposable income is a hell of a drug...

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > not for canada - australian in disguise
11/05/2019 at 10:05

LOL

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > CompactLuxuryFan
11/05/2019 at 11:28

Oh sorry I should have been more specific. The wheels are fine, but I really like the... uhh I guess I would call them turbine wheels . Easy enough to solve as it isn’t like wheels are hard to change.

Kinja'd!!!

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > facw
11/05/2019 at 11:30

I haven’t but that isn’t really my style, especially on a sub-$1k car, especially when I fully intend to roll up and low-ball the crap out of them. An option anyway.

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/05/2019 at 11:34

Thanks! Not quite that simple, but I have a solid plan C haha. Which is to say when it rains it pours. Really solid, written offer from Company A, but verbal offer from Company B, which is a dream job, except it might take 3-4 months to hire me and is likely 20% less money. Additionally I have an interview with Company C tomorrow.

Of all these Company A excites me the least, but is likely where I’ll end up.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
11/05/2019 at 11:38

Nice to have options. Maybe the dream job will come around in the end.

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > facw
11/05/2019 at 12:09

err sorry... sub-$10k car.

Rufant > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
11/05/2019 at 15:23

I thought I was the only person under 60 who liked these... can you buy it so we can find out if they are terrible awesome or just terrible? You can apply that to just about any Jaguar I guess though...

Congrats on the new gig.