'03 (pre-facelift) 2.5 Connoisseur SE 64k FSH...**SOLD**

[b1ackflash]

THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS CAR! Good, important to get that out of the way because...

I bought this superb car only last week having owned supercharged Jags (XJR then XKR-S) for last 6 years. The XJR was getting tired and I fell in love with the XKR-S at the same time I got a new job with a car allowance (or a company BMW 320d? I think not), but one year on I made the mistake of using a loan saloon and realised that the gorgeous looks did not compensate for the hard ride of the coupe on 20" wheels. I didn't want to go back to the saloon (too big and the newer ones too frumpy), looked for but failed to find the right late model S-type, so went back to my roots and this Rover 75 (I had one as a company car in Rover's glory days when the future looked rosy...).

Have you guessed? Yes, the perfect S-type has turned up. Same colour scheme as the Rover, a bit more oomph, etc. And a bit more cash, obviously.

I looked hard to find a 75 with the auto box, a 2.5 V6 engine (the best performance this side of a V8), a decent exterior colour (navy or arden green for me, though please don't divert this thread with an argument about colours!) and my preferred sandstone leather interior, and with full service history. I spotted this: http://www.northendmotors.co.uk/used...saloon_171.htm, negotiated for the cambelts to be changed and splashed out on 12m tax. I travelled from the East Midlands to Portsmouth to collect it and it was a great journey back. Wife loves it (the 75 was always her favourite car of mine) and car freak neighbour, who I thought would mourn the passing of the XKR-S, said what a nice and good condition car I had managed to find.

The detectives amongst you will have deduced from the website ad that I paid between £2295 and £3395 for the car. It cost me well over £3000 by the time I had factored in the cambelts and 12m road tax. The interior is superb, the bodywork is rust free and rock solid, with some scratches near the door handle which I'd polish out but this is a seriously good-looking car which belies its years, as you can see.

Now, I'm an intelligent man and i know I'm not going to get my money back. But I'd like to think I could get more of a contibution to the S-type than a token trade-in valuation of £1000... And, seriously, I'd like to see it go to a good home rather than be some uncared for "budget" runaround for someone who doesn't really appreciate that they're driving a fine piece of British engineering and heritage, or the importance of maintaining same...

Apparently I have to give a price: I am looking for £3000... or a very near offer... or a near offer... or a not very near at all offer which is more than £1000 . You probably know the market price better than me; offer me it and we have a deal. Thanks.

Seriously, happy to answer any questions.

Best wishes,

Nigel