[paulNY]

Hey everyone, newbie here who has never owned a RR before. However, I have decided that I want to buy RR from '07-'09. I have found a two owner southern originated '07 HSE with 62k miles, and like new, and I mean like new condition. The retired lady in her 60's bought it 6 years ago from the owner of a RR dealership in NC, who's wife drove it initially. The vehicle has never seen snow or rain as the current owner has 5 cars and only takes the RR out on nice days (or so she says), but after seeing the vehicle I believe it. Maintenance history is thorough, and doesn't appear to need anything. I have talked her down to $15500. So, is this a good deal or should I continue to look for a '08-'09 and one that is supercharged? Any pros or cons to owning the SC version reliability wise? Thanks for any advice or opinions as I am relying on you experienced owners for help.

 

[RRToadHall]

O7s are quite reliable. It was the second year for the Jag 4.4 drive train in Rovers and the first year of fully Ford designed systems. Parts are easy to acquire and reasonable in cost. 07-09 are kind of a sweet spot as they don't have some of the issues that 5litres have in newer years and are still simple to work on. However they don't have some bells and whistles some folks look for.

I would prefer The HSE over the S/C. The 4.2 SC comes with a completely different realm of additional cooling lines and maintenance issues. The SC cones need to be rebuilt around 80-100K miles and require separate oil changes that many owners have no clue about. Don't get me wrong, they are fun to drive but they require a bit more attention. The 4.4 is more than enough for most folks in real world driving. So unless you are a speed freak or aggressive driver the SC really isn't required. Something tells me if you are looking for a pristine, well cared for, second gen L322 you have found a head turner. Around here your example would fetch just north of 16K so your pricing is pretty much on par.

One thing that may come up in the next couple years would be front struts due to EAS leaks. EAS is nothing to be scared of, the rubber is a wear item. Think of EAS as being similar to tyres, brakes, alternators etc. EAS bits almost always fail in the front first but you have lots of hints and warnings early in the process. If you catch the hints early you can save your compressor. If you ignore the hints you may wear out the compressor. It can always be rebuilt on the kitchen table or upgraded. Rear bags last much longer and are considerably cheaper.

 

[paulNY]

Thanks so much for the reply. I am 47 and my speed demon days are way behind me for sure. After reading your post, it sounds like this '07 HSE may be the way to go. I was shocked (which the lady said I would be) after seeing the rig. Literally, it looks brand new and even the drivers seat looks barely used. The miles are pretty low obviously for an '07, but I have also found another '07 RRSC with only 54k miles and the asking price is $14500, so may be able to get that one even cheaper. It's a one owner but has been up north it's whole life. Looks really clean though, but since it's supercharged, I may want to avoid it as I don't want all of the maintenance headaches.

Do you care to elaborate on the EAS leaks as I have no idea what the heck a HSE is lol. If I purchase the HSE, maybe I should just go ahead and baseline it along with replacing the front struts to avoid the EAS leaks before they happen? I assume replacing the struts will take care of that?

 

[csscza1]

I was in same position 2 years ago. I bought a 06 RR hse 100k miles 4.4 Jag moter. Ive replaced alot but I really dont mind working on my own vehicles. Id never owned a RR at all and got it for the engineering and I love it. Now the wifey and I fight over who gets to drive it.So if you dont mind getting your hands dirty I think theyre Great vehicles. I would get some software to scan and work on suspension. I Love ours and I take it off roading alot and its held up so far, except for plastic underneath front bumper. One thing I would do is look at stereo nav system newer ones have better features for connecting to phones and such.

 

[pinkflamingo]

If you found a SC lower than the HSE I think it's a no brainer to get the SC unless the SC looks worn but doesn't sound like it is. Keep in mind the RR weighs 3 tons - that's a lot of car to push even with a super charger. It's nice to have that extra power when you need it. Also I believe the SC model was $20K more than the HSE. It comes with an incredible crisp 14 speaker 715 watt stereo that blows away even the Bose 15 speaker system we have in our Nissan van. It comes with many other upgrades as well - I would do some research on it. I purchased a 07 RRSC for $8000 last year with 154K miles on it. In last year's dollars the MSRP was something like $117K brand new. Except for a broken headlight and a deep scratch that a body shop fixed the car was in pristine condition. There were some other mechanical repairs I had to do which was why I got it so cheap. Like you mentioned yourself even with 154k miles the seats look brand new - in fact the entire inside looks fairly new. Just shows what kind of quality goes into it.

As far a maintenance headaches I have not had many with the 07. It's a fun car to drive but I really bought it because it won't rust out like my expedition did. Good luck!

 

[RRToadHall]

Paul, either one sounds terrific. I would recommend looking at and driving both and see which one talks to you. If one of them gives you an uneasy feeling just walk away. Of course if one of them makes you sigh and and grin from ear to ear then that would be a good sign. The SC mileage gives the same add on to base price as the HSE. The SC is booked right at $17K out here in the NW. The HSE was $16,300. Both should give you another 15-20 miles on the EAS bags up front... unless the road salts have deteriorated them. Yes replacing struts will eliminate any leaks for another 80K miles minimum. Original Delphi struts are the same for either rig.