20/25 purchase
Discussion
A while back I was looking to purchase a R.R. 20hp, many experienced people suggested that the 20/25hp would be a better car and certainly less expensive and more choice. Having found a 20/25 for sale the current owner has been helpful in sending some information and plenty of images so that I can decide if it may be a car for me. Several items have cropped up that have made me feel jittery. I asked in the 'classic car section' but only one poster replied, so maybe a better response in here.
PRICE 24,500 willing to negotiate. Seems at the low end of current prices even for private sale.
Starter ring has a couple of teeth missing.
Rocker cover looks to have heat blistering.
Cracks on paintwork to windscreen pillars.
Oily/untidy under bonnet.
Brake squeal.
It would appear little evidence of service history, the car is said to be in regular wedding hire use.
Paint work good and interior smart.
My gut feeling is its one to avoid but at a purchase of say 22,500 it leaves a margin for work to be carried out. Comment and advise sought.
PRICE 24,500 willing to negotiate. Seems at the low end of current prices even for private sale.
Starter ring has a couple of teeth missing.
Rocker cover looks to have heat blistering.
Cracks on paintwork to windscreen pillars.
Oily/untidy under bonnet.
Brake squeal.
It would appear little evidence of service history, the car is said to be in regular wedding hire use.
Paint work good and interior smart.
My gut feeling is its one to avoid but at a purchase of say 22,500 it leaves a margin for work to be carried out. Comment and advise sought.
20/25 is quite an easy car to work on. Engine out flywheel of sent for repair. Job done. As for A piller cracking, usual fault but usualy rot and movement in the woodwork, very expensive and not easy to fix. If you have to get an engine rebuilt big bucks. I di my own but took me many months and did not need mains or big ends as they were very good. Had both 20hp and 20/25 and forund it a lot nicer to drove and own. Hope that helps
my uneducated ten pence worth
the price will depend on the body style (a d back limo if its been a weding hack i guess) and the condition of the car - in the current market id say that 24 is at the 'bottom end' (or its a bargain!)
missing teeth - ive never seen one do this, it could point to a problem with a driver jabbing the starter button before the bendix has fully returned if it keeps stalling in traffic - a damaged starter would probably be an issue as well. (they are pretty expensive to get secondhand)
the rocker covers are normally just stove enamalled, so heat blistering would be a worry....
cracks on the a pillers just point to a 'soft' old body, the door fit will give you more of an idea how bad the body is, when they are very bad the doors will kick out at the bottom and drag the pillers when the doors are opened and shut - not a problem if its cheap and only you are using it, but a serious pain if your doing weddings! -
oily under the bonnet - not a huge issue, but you have to wonder where the oil is comming from and if its been left like this to draw your eyes away from problems like cracks in the cylinder head....stuff like modern coils, home made dizzy caps etc etc all will tell how well its been looked after.
squely brakes - either in need of a good clean out, or has had modern shoes fitted which do this sometimes - somtimes you just need to spend time 'squaring' the shoes to the drums etc - one of my old mans bentleys sounds like its got a haunted cat orchestra fitted to it thanks to the noise it makes!!!
smart paint and trim - is this recent paint thrown onto a tired body for the benefit of wedding photos? - if so its not worth a sot, nothing will stop the cracks etc comming through, same with the trim, a retrim in the proper leather / cord type cloth is mega money, so if its been done in vinyl it points towards a 'economic' job - not real big problems, but its details like this that set the value of the cars when people are buying them.
i think that a car like this needs taking for a good half hour drive both in traffic and on the open road with a good eye been kept on the temp guage - the engines fur up and can/do run hot, particually in number six cylinder - a recon rad and a new cylinder head are a serious lay out of cash (your two grand would probably cover the rad recore!), so once a 'wedding car' starts running hot / breaking down / costing more than its earning a canny owner would probably move it on and buy another......
an old dog will have its rewards, as long as you accept that its very tired and dont thrash it every where, but drive a bad one, then drive (or be driven) in a well looked after one and they are a fantastic thing.
the price will depend on the body style (a d back limo if its been a weding hack i guess) and the condition of the car - in the current market id say that 24 is at the 'bottom end' (or its a bargain!)
missing teeth - ive never seen one do this, it could point to a problem with a driver jabbing the starter button before the bendix has fully returned if it keeps stalling in traffic - a damaged starter would probably be an issue as well. (they are pretty expensive to get secondhand)
the rocker covers are normally just stove enamalled, so heat blistering would be a worry....
cracks on the a pillers just point to a 'soft' old body, the door fit will give you more of an idea how bad the body is, when they are very bad the doors will kick out at the bottom and drag the pillers when the doors are opened and shut - not a problem if its cheap and only you are using it, but a serious pain if your doing weddings! -
oily under the bonnet - not a huge issue, but you have to wonder where the oil is comming from and if its been left like this to draw your eyes away from problems like cracks in the cylinder head....stuff like modern coils, home made dizzy caps etc etc all will tell how well its been looked after.
squely brakes - either in need of a good clean out, or has had modern shoes fitted which do this sometimes - somtimes you just need to spend time 'squaring' the shoes to the drums etc - one of my old mans bentleys sounds like its got a haunted cat orchestra fitted to it thanks to the noise it makes!!!
smart paint and trim - is this recent paint thrown onto a tired body for the benefit of wedding photos? - if so its not worth a sot, nothing will stop the cracks etc comming through, same with the trim, a retrim in the proper leather / cord type cloth is mega money, so if its been done in vinyl it points towards a 'economic' job - not real big problems, but its details like this that set the value of the cars when people are buying them.
i think that a car like this needs taking for a good half hour drive both in traffic and on the open road with a good eye been kept on the temp guage - the engines fur up and can/do run hot, particually in number six cylinder - a recon rad and a new cylinder head are a serious lay out of cash (your two grand would probably cover the rad recore!), so once a 'wedding car' starts running hot / breaking down / costing more than its earning a canny owner would probably move it on and buy another......
an old dog will have its rewards, as long as you accept that its very tired and dont thrash it every where, but drive a bad one, then drive (or be driven) in a well looked after one and they are a fantastic thing.
crankedup said:
A while back I was looking to purchase a R.R. 20hp, many experienced people suggested that the 20/25hp would be a better car and certainly less expensive and more choice. Having found a 20/25 for sale the current owner has been helpful in sending some information and plenty of images so that I can decide if it may be a car for me. Several items have cropped up that have made me feel jittery. I asked in the 'classic car section' but only one poster replied, so maybe a better response in here.
PRICE 24,500 willing to negotiate. Seems at the low end of current prices even for private sale.
Starter ring has a couple of teeth missing.
Rocker cover looks to have heat blistering.
Cracks on paintwork to windscreen pillars.
Oily/untidy under bonnet.
Brake squeal.
It would appear little evidence of service history, the car is said to be in regular wedding hire use.
Paint work good and interior smart.
My gut feeling is its one to avoid but at a purchase of say 22,500 it leaves a margin for work to be carried out. Comment and advise sought.
PRICE 24,500 willing to negotiate. Seems at the low end of current prices even for private sale.
Starter ring has a couple of teeth missing.
Rocker cover looks to have heat blistering.
Cracks on paintwork to windscreen pillars.
Oily/untidy under bonnet.
Brake squeal.
It would appear little evidence of service history, the car is said to be in regular wedding hire use.
Paint work good and interior smart.
My gut feeling is its one to avoid but at a purchase of say 22,500 it leaves a margin for work to be carried out. Comment and advise sought.
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