Used Vehicle Inspection Items and Would you Do This?

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txfromwi

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Keeping in mind I already own a 2013 and a 2016 (daughter's)...

I am considering purchasing a 2016 HSE Silver Edition, 80K miles, one owner but no maintenance info.
It has been a Chicago vehicle it's entire life - concerns about salt and corrosion - your thoughts?
(I am a WI native so understand about salt, but my current LR4's are both TX vehicles so I have not experienced LR4 salt corrosion....)

I have been watching and either the website is never updated, or it has been sitting on the lot since late Oct, 2021.
(I will contact the vendor later this week.)

If I do this, we need to immediately drive it about 11 road hours to upstate NY (collect the daughter from university - drive HER LR4 home to Houston), park the "new"
one in NY over the summer (almost 4 months), perform maintenance on daughters, then drive daughters LR4 BACK to school in fall, collect the "new" one and drive it 24 road hours back to Houston. So that's 35 total road hours on the "new" one.

So with that said.....

The ONLY available maintenance info is new front brakes and turned rotors and oil change in Oct, 2021.
The ECO light is on - I know what to do - no need to comment..

Your thoughts on all that driving with no history and no known maintenance - and possibly junk oil? (Thinking crossover pipes, but we all know all the other issues...)
(I might be able to change oil after the first 11 hours - maybe.)

So then, Inspection Items List - please add!!

I have an IID Tool - anything I should check with that?
Rear center tow "tree" and chassis tow points for damage.
Suspension up/down for compressor/leaks.
Tight circle for transfer case
Brake from 2 mph for clunk for front lower control arms
Braking at low/higher speeds for shimmy and true
I need to crawl under the 2013 and look around, but hints on checking rear brakes for wear?
Check for rough shifting
General visual inspection and drive about
Listen to engine run - but I have never heard a bad LR4 timing chain so I don't know exactly what to listed for..
Check if it's an original windshield and if it heats.
Check cowl for issues and cabin for windshield leaks.

Due to trip logistics I will not have time to take it anywhere for an inspection, I need to do this myself and make a quick decision...
Or so you advise this is really stupid?

Or should I ship it from Chicago to Houston? ($1,200 +-)

As alwasy,
THANKS!
Dan
 
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djkaosone

'11 LR4 HSE LUX 5.0L V8
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Just adding to inspection items to check.

- Unplug BMS and check for 13.8V - Tests alternator's default value
- EPB, engage and disengage it - Make sure it actually works
- All terrain modes
- Sport mode
- AC/Heat in front/rear
- Check all door functionality including rear upper/lower hatch and lock/unlock buttons
- Access/Off Road height while driving 5 mph to 30 mph
- GAP tool run live values for stft, ltft, air flow bank 1/2, and boost psi (if there's a value for boost it'll verify turbo is running, I have a v8 so not too sure if this is a thing). The values between bank 1 and bank 2 should be very close to each other or there's other underlying issues
- Check for rear driveshaft play

On your drive back, carry extra engine oil and coolant just in case. And monitor your engine temp with the gap tool.

Good luck.
 

Pagoda

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I wouldn't risk it. That sort of mileage in a car you know nothing about might turn a safe bet into a complete wreck. Better to leave it and go back to it when you have time to inspect it properly, then if you decide to buy take it to a local shop and put the correct fresh oil/filter in and take a look under it for any problems. You're inspection list is good, but if you're rushing you WILL miss things.

What you're talking about is a gamble. Rush to failure. If it's been there that long it's worth waiting for and worth doing properly. My view.
 

mm3846

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I had my one owner truck shipped to me sight unseen and it has worked out so far. I wasn't able to get a PPI or anything (if I didn't buy it, someone else was going to) but of all the information I had I was betting it was going to be a great truck, and it was (is).

Rust is the only thing that would hold me up on this one.
 

jlach993

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No one will be able to give you an answer on this forum honestly. That’s just a gamble. If you want to feel better about the purchase? Cmon it’s an LR4. Why not be prepared to spend $500-5k who knows.

Thats the real question to ask yourself, do you have extra cash laying around for “repairs”.
 

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