Rolls-Royce - should I?

[RickM]

FWIR Rolls NA almost went bankrupt because of a class action lawsuit from owners who claimed their cars were in the shop more than their garage. Is that true? If so that would tell me something about reliability issues.

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by speedracing944

Hmmm. If that is the case a nice LS7 sure would look nice under that hood

Speedy

saw an old XKE with a small block Chevy sportin' a trio of 2 barrels and a big cam. It was impressive and reliable, but it was an automatic transmission

[the]

Originally Posted by Moses

Your wife has always wanted a Jaguar, so you're going to buy her a Rolls. How's that approach working for you so far?

LOL.

Seriously, you think your wife would really want to be seen driving around town in Wisconsin in her $18,000 Rolls Royce?

[Ronbo]

My father-in-law had an old chrome-bumper Silver Shadow that he tinkered with. As others have said, parts are outrageously expensive and it's not the easiest car to DIY.

[Hugh R]

What I've been told is that most of them were not maintained, especially the hydraulic suspension system. For the most part, there are no parts from other cars that will fit a RR, nuts and bolts excepted. So instead of $85 for a complete set of main and rod bearings, like for a 350 chevy, they will be $1,800, and you'll be glad that you can still get them at all.

[MRM]

For $20,000 you can get an older Jag Vanden Plas or a late model S Type. That's a way better choice than the RR for the same price.

[tabs]

Your absolutely certiable even comtemplating an older RR. Maintaining it will drive you to the poor house, cause thats exactly what it will cost you, the price of a house.

RR folded because of poor sales, Many of the parts suppliers also went outa business, and parts are tough to get. The orginal RR motor was an Alumium Block with steel sleeves. After RR folded BMW picked them up and started installing BMW motors in them. Also finding a qualified mechanic who won't cut corners is another challenge. Many RR's are not maintained, the rich owners don't care because they will trade them in, in a coupla years. Like anything mechanical the older it gets the more maintainence it needs. On an 80 or 81 RR you need 2 catalytic converters at $2500 each. So your welcome to RR he11.

[nostatic]

if you want to get a money pit, at least get one that is cool

[speeder]

Originally Posted by speeder

It's a gift that you would give someone that you really hate.

When I was a kid, I had a friend whose Dad owned a foreign car repair shop. He used to say,

The only way to fuch a lawyer is to sell him an Alfa...

And Alfas are Toyotas compared to RRs. Not to beat a dead horse, but we really don't want you to do this. One last story; in the mid-'80s, I was working at a Porsche dealer in LA. when a guy pulled in driving a new Rolls sedan. Beautiful car. I asked him, "how do you like it?"

"It's a POS."

"So why did you buy it?"

"Company car..."

[tcar]

If I'd always wanted an older jag and someone gave me a RR, I would be LIVID.

Not a smart move.

Like wanting a Corvette and getting an Olds.

So, why do YOU want a Rolls?

[the]

I'm not saying I know a lot of people, but I know a lot of people, and I can say I can't think of one single woman who would not be absolutely HORRIFIED if their husband pulled up in some 1980 Rolls Royce and said "Hey Honey, here's your new car!"

Every woman I know would be embarassed out of their mind to be seen driving around, seriously, in that.

[Laneco]

An older Rolls? Says three things to me:

1. You wish to appear ostentatious.

2. You are cheap in the process.

3. You don't care if it your wife wanted something else.

I swear that if my husband brought something like that home to me he would sleep on the couch with one eye open in fear of my retaliation for the rest of his natural days (and there would not be many).

Long and short - DONT!

angela

[strupgolf]

A mechanic I know was working on one last year. He said the plastic taillight lens was almost $3000.00 from RR. Yowsa. He was trying to locate a used one.

[speedracing944]

Wow tough crowd here. Let me clarify. Yes my wife has always had an eye for a older Jag but I wasn't going to pull a bait and switch on her. "Oh hunny I know you really wanted an older Jag but I know what you really meant was you wanted an older RR!" This was not going to be the case at all. She would be 100% involved in the car buying experience seeing as it would be her car. I just read the older RR can be reliable and a good bargain used. I checked out some RR books from the library and was showing her the cars and she sowed interest. That is why I posted this to the PP BBS as I know so many people here are more than willing to share thier experiances and opinions.

We are not looking for something super flashy but more of a 911SC of sedans. Something fully depreciated, safe, fun to drive, carry 4-5 people in comfort, good parts supply, easy to work on and a little different from a Ford Taurus. I thought maybe the RR fit the bill but I am wrong.

Speedy

[speedracing944]

BTW I love the look of the old XKE. My Grandfather-in-law owned one for many years. Every other check written out of his checkbook was to the Jag dealer for repairs.

Speedy

[MRM]

Seriously, check out the Ford-Era Jags. I have been looking into them, thinking of a replacement for my trusty Toyota family truckster. Word is the Ford takeover did good things to reliability but cheapened some of the looks. The X Type suposedly feels cheap inside but the S and XJs get better, especially on the higher trim models. The S Type was redesigned in 2003 and the XJ series in 2004, so the older ones have fully depreciated and make excellent buys right now. The S Type was just retired and the XJ is being redesigned again, so the older models should be going down again this summer. The 04 to 07s get the same gas mileage as the Camry.

Buy one of those and tell me how it goes so I can buy one too.

[targa911S]

$120 for a dizzy cap. And that's just the beginning.

[strupgolf]

I dont think you could go wrong with a older XJ Jag around 96-99 or even 2-2005 etc. They are great cars and built to last. I/ve had three and they were the best and most trustworthy cars I've ever owned. If I wanted a cruiser I would buy one again, without a doubt.

[jhynesrockmtn]

Most beautiful sedans built IMHO........... I've always thought RR were fugly.

[the]

Jags are ok, but given the tremendous depreciation they suffer from, it's not worth looking at anything older than 2001 or so.

And the X-Type is a joke, and a flop that is being cancelled. Given the depreciation and bottom basement pricing of the real Jags, the X-Type isn't worth looking at.