My xj8 is in the shop right now because the timing chain broke. Sad story, but to make it worse when one on the two valves broke on the drives side it got pushed into the piston. Thus the car will be down a lot longer.

I need a car to drive in the mean time. I have found a decent deal on a '79 XJS with low miles in great condition.


My questions are:

Would the XJS be a good car for a daily driver?

I have heard stories of bad electronics, but how bad are they really?

Would I be better to get a late 80's H.E. with better mpg and stay away from lucus electronics?

What mpg do other early XJS drivers get? I have heard most get about 10 mpg whereas the H.E. can get 20 mpg, is that correct?

Can the mpg be improved?

What other problems do the late 70's and XJS's have in general, and how much do they cost to repair? I am not afraid to get greasy, and have worked on several XJ8's so I am only concerned about the cost of parts.


As you may be able to tell I am slightly concerned about the gas mileage. Looking at other vehicles, they just feel cheap. I am used to driving a Jag XJ8 everyday, and my dad has a VDP. I would just get another XJ8 but would prefer to get something a little different, so I don't have two when my car gets finished.

Thanks for all your help and I look forward to hearing from some XJS owners.

 

I don't think you can reasonably expect to get any better than 15mpg from any 12 cylinder model, HE or not.

My 6 cylinder 1996 model year doesn't average 20mpg, unless they're all highway miles.

 

The XJS is no better or worse than any other car really; if you neglect an Aston or a Ferrari it will be a bag of spanners and cost a fortune.
If you are not bothered too much about a specific model then just go for the one with the best service history and the biggest pile of receipts.
There is not a great deal of difference in the performance of the V12 and the late 6 cylinder (AJ16) motors but with the V12 you have at least twice as many things that can go wrong!
The AJ6 and AJ16 engines have a good reputation for reliability (bombproof basically) but the AJ6 can sound a little coarse at high revs.
If i was just looking for something to tool around in whilst the other one is in hospital I would go for a 3.6 manual; slightly lower performance, better mpg but still all the XJS comforts.
Or an XJR6! (cheap as chips over here).

 

HELL YES.

Everyone deserves ONE V12 in a lifetime. I have had 4.

The Lucas is always a worry, but not that bad. Made worse by the mechanic that takes too many short cuts, and screws up things, and blames Lucas.

The PerHE is a drinker. The HE is a slurper. City style driving on either, not much in it.

Reliability, as said, no different to any other 40+ year old car of near any make.

Our PreHE has topped 500000kms and is untouched, apart from the normal service things that any car requires. Never broken down, and being "her" car until recently, would never dare break down.

The HE's had all the "known" gremlins addressed early in ownership, and do what they do without fuss.

One has taken us around our island twice (20000kms each trip) , and no issues at all.

 

yes...especially if you like to drive somewhere and walk back.

 

Been my daily driver since I got it. Would recommend.

 

My first XJS was a 79. A low mile car. Maybe in 1984? 85?...Anyway, the car wasn't bad, except it would just turn off mysteriously. Sometimes it would fire right back up, sometimes not. A old time Jaguar mechanic showed me some of the multi-pin connectors. Tin coated copper, mated with copper. Instructed me in using dielectric compound on any connection I could find. The car never did it again after. A daily driver? I don't know.....my first thought was HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHALOLOLOLOLOLWHAHAHWWHAAAHAAAA !!!, But hey, life is a adventure. Enjoy your passions....

 

It's my goal. I figure, a nice car is meant to be driven - right? Picked up my '88 with 87,000 miles and planned to get my hands on 500 bucks worth of winter beater, but decided to put the money into snow tires instead. Kind of sealed my fate there, but It's cheaper than storage.

Besides, I've still got my motorcycle for the summer.

 

Thanks for all the replies, and please do continue to chime in. I am a college student and still live at home, I will be starting an internship either in the summer or next fall when I graduate. I car pool most of the time with my dad so my car does not see a lot of miles. I have only put on 12k since I bought it, with 2 years it being the main vehicle my dad and I drove everywhere.

The main reason why I need to make sure I have a car is because my dad and I will not be car pooling when I start interning. If I don't get the XJS I will get an XJ8/benz/volvo.

From what I am sensing I would be fine with an XJS as a daily driver. Another XJS I was looking at was an 89 but it needed a new engine harness. Anyone know about about engine harnesses on these cars?

 

the harness is a harness, wires are wires. Some of these cars need the harnesses replaced and some of them seem to be just fine. A few people are replacing theirs right now.

 

In my opinion, no XJS of any vintage is a good daily driver. I would not use my 95 AJ16 as a daily driver and much less my 74 V12. Do people do it?....indeed they do, but you should have a clear picture of the kind of dedication, maintenance and work that goes along with that, in reality you can even have a XK150 as a daily driver if you are willing to take all that comes with that territory.....To me, even the height of the car is problematic for driving in adverse weather conditions. Based on the facts you have shared about yourself I don't think getting a XJS as a daily on long term basis would be a good idea.

IMO, the reality is that not even the late AJ16 cars are as trouble-free as they are portrayed. Sure, they are super-reliable within the context of XJS ownership, but not nearly as reliable as a comparable Japanese car of the same age. Not even close.

I know many will disagree, that's just my opinion.

 

Have you seen jagzilla or its sister? One of the two does something like a 200 mile commute

I don't personally put a lot of miles on mine because of my area, but it is my daily driver and has been since i got out of high school. I have broke down a total of four times since I got it.

I don't like to simply argue, but the XK150 would be a great car for reliability. It is dead simple

Also to comment on the japanese remark, it all depends on the maintenance just like the XJS depends on maintenance. I had a 92 infiniti before my xjs and it was a piece of junk that I couldn't find any parts for.

 

I agree with Mark on this. Just driving any car every day with the age span you are talking about would be a stretch but a V-12 XJS is a whole other animal. I just would not put myself in that situation as to me owning a XJS is about smiles per mile and not frowns per time down-LOL.

These cars are not the easiest to get parts for at you local auto parts store and access can be a big issue, so if you are relying on one to get you to a job every day I think you are putting yourself in a situation that may end up being very frustrating. I would wait until you are in a position to have one of these as a fun car that you have the time and resources to get to know and enjoy.

 

I think there's more info (and parts) for the later 80's HE cars. I'd say about 70-80% of threads on this forum pertain to '82-'92 jags, and mostly the V12's.

If you want reliability and fuel economy go for a 3.6 or 4.0. If you want a challenge (a rewarding one) and the bragging rights that come with V12 ownership.. well, you know what to do!

+ In the 4 years of having an xjs being my daily driver, I have been marooned on the side of the road mid drive 2 times, and gotten back to my car in a parking lot to find it would't start 3 times. In all but one of these instances I was able to get the car up and running on site

 

I'm on my 5th XJS and have never had to walk home (and no, I didn't get the bus either!).

 

I agree with these guys. An XJS V12 or otherwise, is a reliable car, once sorted and thereafter maintained. A 6 cylinder car is easier and cheaper to work on, but even so, will require a great deal of looking after and bringing up to scratch before it is reliable.

As a daily driver, once yuo have got it up to scratch, it will be the best thing for the car. Rust aside, the more they are used the better they go. But if you buy one, particularly a pre HE (ie your 1979 car) you will have a huge amount of work to do before it is reliable, without question. For example a typical list of things you will need to attended to is: Brake calipers and rotors, electrical ignition problems, loom problems, suspension rebuilds, heater unit, full hose kit, radiator rebuild, possible serious corrosion issues. However good it seems, I guarantee you these will be needed in the first year of ownership. If you have the facilities to work on the car under cover, and the tools and interest it will be a great fun thing to get the grips with; if not a nightmare. If you want an idea in detail of what can go wrong and what is required to fix it, download Kirbert Palm's book from the Jgglovers site and read it over a weekend. That is a very good start to know what you are in for. The jaguar Ford-era engineered cars such as you already have, are very different animals from the 1960s designed and 1970s built XJS.

I write all this as an XJS 100% fan who has owned one since 1998 and wanted one since they were launched. But as an intern, and if without too much cash, wait say I !

Parts availability for a pre HE is far more limited than for an HE or later model, so I say go for a post 1984 car and a 6 cylinder if you go for one at all.

Good luck whatever you choose.
Greg

 

Any car can do anything-for a price. That price comes in the personal time you invest under the bonnet or the in actual cash you pay for someone to do so.

The 95 AJ16 has *never* required a flatbed. The 74 V12 has required it once or twice in the past several years. Both are in excellent shape and can travel several hundred miles daily with no problem should I choose to use them in that fashion; however, In order to keep them this way, all and any issues get pre-emptively resolved by myself if possible and by my mechanic when it is beyond the my scope or desire. I am almost 32, and both the time and financial resources I dedicate to these vehicles, (by the grace of God) is a possibility to keep them running and looking like they do. This would not have been a possibility at 22 as a student, for me at least. I would have suffered, the cars would have suffered, and school would have suffered.

An XK150 would not make a good daily driver in the least. Not only would the lack of power steering and air conditioner (and even headrests) make the driving experience somewhat precarious in 2014 traffic, but the car suffers from very particular eccentricities such as a steering column rubber bushing that splits (even aftermarket ones) and renders the steering wheel useless to name one,...... I know this because the same individual who gave me the 95 XJS AJ16 and 74 E type V12 I now own (my grandfather), is now trying to give me his XK150 as well. Sadly, I have had to decline , as it is not possible for me to take on that car with the additional financial commitment and time it would require to keep it running PROPERLY.

Look obviously I love these cars, but I think we all know the reality of Japanese vehicles. They are uninspiring appliances that require little to no owner involvement. They make, however, great daily drivers. Obviously some of them turn out to be absolute lemons, but for the most part they can be maintained without great expense or involvement.

My advise to the OP would be to get the XJS if he can also secure a used, dirt-cheap little Corolla or Sentra that he can commute on. Those cars, like the energizer bunny, just keep on going and going, and in many cases without any real looking-after.

 

Preventative maintenance is the key with any machinery, no matter how old or new. I work on a $10,000,000 machine. But without preventative maintenance it would be unreliable!

 

The Only good reason to go and buy yourself an XJS is down to the fact that you are 'obsessed' with owning that make and model of Car to the total exclusion of anything else.

Where in the event you are even considering buying something else, then its probably best to forget all about buying an XJS until you have the time and the Cash as well as the dedication to devote to looking after Her.

If running costs are a problem then its best to look away now! as around 15 mpg is about the best you can expect and as such I know from experience that you cannot get any real pleasure from driving this kind of a Car, with one eye on your Wallet and the other one on the Fuel Guage, as this is a Car that 'Loves a drink of 4 star!'

In your case as an Intern, you would be much better off with a Merc.

Looks the Business, does the Business, plenty of MPG and if its anything like mine, annoyingly never goes rusty or ever breaks down.

 

I thought I would have to wait for XJSs to rise in value; that is Fantastic news !

Greg