Dear Fred,
You write:
>1) The car looks fantastic, almost like new. The price seems low. Is there
>something lurking inside that is going to bankrupt me?
Even on a car of this age, check for rust in the wings. You probably will
not find any, but to keep such a car looking good, any paint job over a
repair must be of the highest quality.
>2) Is there anything in particular I should be aware of owning a RR? This
>automobile was allegedly only serviced by a RR dealer and all records are
>available.
A FULL service history is really an essential. In the U.K. it need not be
from a R-R dealer (some of the best cars I have seen have been meticulously
looked after mainly by their owners), but it does need to show that all
essential work has been done on a regular basis.
>3) On the average, what can I expect my per mile maintenance costs to be? I
>can do all mechanical work, as long as I have the factory service manual
>and the proper tools.
I would not know about this in your country. From what I can gather from
U.S. owners, the parts in the U.S. are not excessive, but do remember that
it is an extremely costly car you are dealing with (as the Merc. is also).
What I am trying to say is that you are not buying a $40,000 car, but a
rather more expensive one (with service and parts costs to match) at a
stage in its life when it will only cost you $40,000 to own it!
>4) Are service manuals available? What does one cost?
I believe these are available from the R-R Enthusiasts Club in the U.K.
(they have a www site), but I should think you will probably also be able
to get them from the [U.S.] R-R Owners' Club. From what I have seen of
this outfit, they are an extremely nice bunch and pretty helpful.
I know rather more about the slightly older cars, but have been tempted by
similar models such as the one you are considering, I have, therefore,
tried to find out a bit about them. Things to check? The entire breaking
system should have been overhauled by this stage, this is, alas, a pretty
expensive operation, and whilst you are doing this, check the rear ride
height as well. The engine should be fine at this age, as should the auto
transmission (but check it changes smoothly and without slipping - if it
does need work, it is not that much of a disaster, it is GM-based and no
worse than many to fix).
Along with the brakes, the other thing that needs careful checking in just
about everything electrical! It might be a R-R, but the electrical bits
and bobs come from the standard British factories and the standard is only
average (at best). Combine this with the sheer number of electrical
circuits and miles of wiring and you can see there is plenty of scope for
electrical problems.
As with any large heavy vehicle, the tyres wear quickly with spirited
driving as can the brakes (I keep mentioning these, check the rotors,
callipers, and power assisting pumps, regular fluid changes) and suspension
bushes.
When you open the hood, you will find a bit of a nest of snakes under it!
These cars are difficult to work on sometimes from the access point of
view, but blessingly simple in concept, compared to some European designs.
Obviously, you will require some special tools, but not as many as you
might suspect. It is quite possible to do most of the jobs yourself with
care.
I should not think this is a particularly bad age to buy, as you observe,
it has lost a huge amount of its residual value, but should not be in too
worn a state, this means that you have a fighting chance of keeping it up
to scratch whilst you drive it, rather than embarking upon a fairly major
restoration from the outset.
Good luck,
George
'Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds'
Albert Einstein
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Dr. George Mowat-Brown, Tel & Fax.: +44 (0)181 580 8430
High Point,
13 Borough Road, e-mail: geomowat@zetnet.co.uk
Isleworth,
Middlesex,
TW7 5DY,
UK.
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