All, need your help. Not an S but I have the offer to buy an XJ6 from a excavator I know. He did some work for a builder and the guy went belly up. So he gave my friend the Jag as payment. It was his wife's car. Now my friend wants to sell it. It is a 1997 and its in gorgeous shape. Black, with about 92 thousand on it. Garage kept. tires are brand new. He wants $4200. I understand the having it looked over by a good mechanic and I have asked for the paperwork on the service info of the car. I know this is an S forum but I am sure some of you know the value of these cars and the ins and outs of what to look for. I really value your opinion because in a weird way (saying that in a nice way) I feel like I know most of you and trust your opinions. I am going to post on the XJ6 forum but thought I would ask all of you what you thought. To much money? Or good buy putting aside the possible service issues if any. Also anything I should be looking at that is a tell tale sign. But again, I took a look and it is very clean what I can see.

Thanks,
Mike

 

in A+ condition its worth about $2000-2500 wholesale

 

If it's in the condition and operates well, then $4000 should do it.

 

thanks. did some more research and its not what it used to be. Sad the price drops so drastically. Think I will pass unless he wants to give it to me for 2500.

 

The old XJ's really suffered from the Jaguar syndrome. Not anywhere near the S Type quality. I would stay away unless you really are in love with the car.
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LOL, I thought we were discussing an XK. Def. pass on her unless $2500.

 

I drove my 95 XJ6 daily for 7 years. It really was a great car and handled like no 5000lb barge should be able to do. Honestly, it was far easier to replace parts on than my STR mostly because there is more room to work around in the engine bay.
Listen for a humming sound coming from the front wheels. They are notorious to wear out wheel bearings, IMO because the bearings are too small for the size and weight of the car. Its easier to replace the spindles with new bearing in them than pressing new bearings in. Also be gentle with the J-Gate because the plastic bushings inside will break easily.
That 4.0 6 cyl lasts though. I put over 110k on it in those 7 years. Mine has over 185,000 and still going strong. Every car has its short comings but I really enjoyed that XJ6. I feel the build quality on those X300 jags were good as well. It had less brittle plastic parts than the STR, didn't take hours to change a climate control valve, and didn't have a silly rubber coolant line under a supercharger (but it didn't have an awesome supercharger either).

 

Don't buy it....you won't wanna drive the S-Type anymore!
And Fred's right. I'm no "S"-hater...see the sig-line...but an X300 is hands-down more durable and reliable than the much-newer S-Types. A bit quicker and sounds more throaty than your V-6, as well.

 

Now I am confused. I drove it a little bit and it does have a knock on the drivers side. I am thinking a bushing maybe or even the shock but not sure. It could be anything. I am going to bring it to my house and put it up on some Jack stands and play around a little bit. And I was wrong with the miles, its 76 thousand. The check engine light is on but that I think was because the battery died and they had to re-charge it. I do have a code reader so going to hook it up later today or tomorrow.

I told him 4200 hundred was to high and I know he will come down. Fred09 and aholbro1, what do you think about the price to ask?

Thanks for the help.

 

The cars lose the codes (that set the MIL) with a flat (or no) battery, so the light should be off.

Oh well, just read them

 

Pretty common for noise in the front end to be the upper damper mounts - they deteriorate. You can see it, though, with the bonnet open. Seem to be over bumps? or constantly noisy and vary with speed?

Several good threads over in the X300 section on common ailments and their fixes. MIL could be most anything, but P0411, secondary air pump is what I'd put my chips on if it was a roulette wheel type game. $100 - if your state imposes an inspection that checks those. Otherwise, no foul, clear it when it pops.

To me, in the N. TX market, a primo X300 with 76k mi. on the clock is worth $6.5k - $7.5k. Maybe less for yourself or others. My advice is decide what it would be worth to you if it were perfect, then calculate the cost of moving it from where it is now, to your idea of perfection, for your situation, skills, and abilities and formulate an offer from that. But don't do any of that without reviewing the "I'm looking at X300's" threads next door. I've gotta get out to the shop and get busy reconstructing the Excursion, but if you can't find 'em, let me know and I'll try to dig you out some links by the weekend. Also, it looks like you are in PA, and I believe salt-roads do some badness to them, so factor that in. Clock is $120 fix if it is not working. ABS, if it is the C1095 code is a cut-it and solder yourself like X308's...or you could pop $1500 - $2400 for new module...

You didn't mention if it was LWB or not? If it is a VDP, at MY1997 it will be LWB. But it could also be LWB and not be a Vanden Plas.

 

Be careful they are a money pit and in no way do they compare to the build quality of the 2005 and up S-Types.
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LWB. The noise is just over bumps up front. Going to do the inspections today. As stated, the salt on the roads up here is an issue and cause rust. I don't think it was driven a whole lot when the roads were bad though. In Pa. as I am sure all the states up north, they now put a chemical on the road before the snowstorm which cause the road not to freeze up after the snow or ice hits. How bad do you think that stuff is tearing into the metal or anything else on a car! After they spray it down, and cars are driving on it, you should see the roads. Looks like a dust storm from the cars now driving on it wiping it up. If I am a parts dealer, I am buying those road crew guys coffee and donuts to make sure they put it on the road extra thick .

Will let all know what happens and thanks for the help. Will go search the sister forum for suggestions.

 

They spray that stuff here in Baltimore too right before the snow. Places to look for rust are around the wheel wells and fender lips. I drove mine regularly through our winters and I'm just started to get a bubble at the rear fender lip. That clunking is likely the shock mount bushings as stated earlier. If you replace those and still hear a clunking, it may be a bushing in the front end somewhere else. In good shape here in Baltimore, I can see $5,000 for that car with 76k on the clock.

The X300 is a quality car. If its abused or neglected, like any car, will take your money like a thief. Fortunately they are very easy to work on. They are a great first Jaguar for Jag newbies too. The way the car is put together just makes sense. The electrical connections have a metal spring in them and overall things come apart and go back together easier by procedure once you stop and see how it works.

Highway gas mileage was incredible too. I would get 27mpg on a regular basis.

 

2005 S-Type a/c won't hold a vacuum nor will the cooling sys. hold coolant - $200 upper rad hose asy leaking at the overflow hose turret. Meanwhile, the '95 XJ is sporting ice-cold air (TX was 109F yesterday) and the $4.58 upper rad hose is water-tight...jus' sayin'........