Hey there - I'm new to this forum because I'm thinking about picking up a mid 1980s XJS coupe.

My brother and I are semi-hacks when it comes to wrenching cars, but we can handle certain kinds of stuff and we have enough money and time to deal with reasonable problems. We're pretty experienced with Volvos but want something that has a bit more juice and prestige.

We're thinking about the XJS I mentioned above and could use some war stories from those have already tread this path. What I've seen with respect to the mid 80s XJS is thatthey're well maintained - inside and out. (plus we live in So Cal USAso there's no rust and other wear and tear is relativelyminimal).

Our basic questions ....

How hard are these cars to work on in general?
I looked onlineand see pretty reasonable parts (availability and pricing) -is that everyone's experience.
What kinds of things are better to have done at the shop?
What's the HP of the V12 - I haven't found that yet.
What kind of aftermarket customization stuff can I buy for thecar - or is that not something that exists for this car?

Arthur Lathrop
Pasadena, CA
nsono@att.net