My personal choices for a mid-life crisis car were a 1980s Porsche 911, 928, or XJ-S. I just remember how seductive the lines of the XJ-S were as a teenager in the eighties. Plus seeing the V12 badge intrigued me then as it does now (the engine intrigues me differently as an owner). I know others must have gone through similar situations before choosing the XJ-S.

 

Well I already own an 1980 SC, and I love my XJR, so I figured why not an XJS too?

 

I chose my XJS because it feels like the last real grand touring car before the soul was sucked out with electronic sorcery and traction control nonsense, it is the last of it's kind and they'll never be another. Plus I get compliments on a weekly basis when I drive it.

 

Brilliantly expressed. So true.

 

True love at first sight in 1975 in my case!

 

I wish I got compliments when I drive mine. My wife does like to point out when people notice the car--that is, it's apparently always ONLY older men who notice, which amuses her as she thinks it's an old man's car anyway.
But in my case, I'd lusted after the XJS since high school, thirty years ago. I don't remember where or when I first saw one, but as a teenager I was far more interested in "wood and leather" luxury cars than sports cars (a Rolls is on the bucket list, if only to experience it). Finally bought one two years ago as (1) I started a new job which would involve regular, though not daily, commuting (not very long, to be honest), and (b) prices were ticking upwards and numbers getting thinner.
Have I regretted it? Yes and no.
She's cost a lot to keep running well, that's for sure. While rust-free, she was a bit neglected before I got her, it seems.
The ride's not the wafty, isolating "magic carpet" I expected, though some of the blame for that must go on the roads around here, which are crap--mind you, on good roads, she really does glide.
The interior could be a little more comfortable, though again, I accept that being shaped somewhat like Trump is partially to blame for that. (No way are those White House height/weight measurements accurate. Not a chance....) However, I can still drive for hours and remain fresh.
I chose the facelift over the pre as I unfortunately have to store it outside for the time being, and wanted the supposedly better rust-proofing and other Ford-money improvements. Though I do prefer the rear lights of the original design.
And I chose the V12 because in for a penny, in for a pound as the saying goes. If I went with the straight-six, I'd always be wondering just how much better the V12 was.

So it's mostly "no regrets," though I would be very interested in comparing the XJS with the SIII Daimler Double Six. That might be where I go when I move on.

 

Um,

It was RED,
It LOOKED the real deal,
Ran on 10 cylinders, front plugs were still factory after 9 years.

16 years later, and 2 coast road circuits of OZ (25000kms each time), and like has been said,

THE IS NOTHING LIKE AN XJS ON THE OPEN ROAD @ 5000+rpm hour after hour.

Compliments, MANY, and like Some Day, many from older males that knew the beast in the day, but later in ownership, young females that actually knew what it was, and their "boyfriends???" had no idea.

Miss that car, seriously.

 

Same here, but in 1991

 

Grant - how fast are you going to get up to 5,000 rpm? I suppose on the Nullabor and other places you can get some serious speed. I heard the Northern Territories had either no-limit roads, or it was very high.
Hm. Not any more apparently. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_...n_speed_limits

 

Pretty quick if I wanted, but usually just a "normal" acceleration mode got there fast enough. Speedo usually hovering at the 180/200kph mark, but I really was not looking at the dash, things come up damn quick if you lapse too long.

The highways then were less patrolled, and less traffic to patrol.

Thousands of kms on unsealed roads, and that was the best part. Let it cruise and enjoy the real Jag experience.

The NT was open limit then, but the wandering wildlife made silly driving deadly driving.

We talk of another "rounder", but in the S Type???, NAH, not the same. Time will tell.

 

I have a Series III V12 (though not DD6 trim) but drove a 1988 XJS V12 Coupe for several years.

There are the obvious differences (more doors, more room, actual rear seat, styling) but there's a remarkable similarity to the overall feel and driving experience. No surprise, considering how much DNA is shared.

The sedan is a couple hundred pounds heavier and a few inches taller so, though hardly sloppy, it doesn't have quite the same glued-to-the-road feel as the XJS. A gentle driver might not really notice; a few tweaks will even things out if he does.

Whereas the XJS was always being updated the Series III cars never received much modernization after 1986-87 or so. You won't find heated or memory seats, factory fitted alarms, the later cruise control, Marelli ignition, etc. A few of the late (1991-92) Series III cars had ABS and CD players but that's about it.

Cheers
DD

 

180-200 kph? Yikes. That'll do it, definitely. You weren't doing that on unsealed roads, were you? Bloody hell, that's insane if you were.... And I can imagine the worries about wandering wildlife. I remember being puzzled by the signs saying "open range" in the American West, then learned it was basically no fences so livestock might well be on the road. Wouldn't want to run into a herd of bison round the next corner.... Over here, I can manage to hit 4,000 stomping on the kickdown, but the problem is I either run out of road or get too far over the limit very very easily.

Doug - thanks for that comparison. I was curious if the Daimler was more wafty-softy in driving, but it seems it's pretty similar in that respect. Interesting about the lack of updates - though many of those, like heated seats (my wife likes; I can take or leave), memory seats (no point when I'm the only one driving--I don't even know if my car's memory actually works, come to think of it), and don't have an alarm (factory or otherwise) anyway. The latter cruise control might be more reliable, but Lucas vs. Marelli seems to have proponents on both sides.

 

I notice the same lol, many Thumbs Up from the old guy in the cross walk, owners of newer jags always looking over and of course the mutual nod while passing by an E-type.

 

Mostly 120/140 on the dirt.

Had to keep in front of these suckers.





Main wanders were the camels, wombats, and the odd Roo. No traffic sense at all.

 

At least the XJS has plenty of oomph for passing those road trains....
Never seen one myself. It would be impressive.

 

Instead of choosing an XJS an XJS chose me, as up until that fateful day I didn't even know I wanted one

Though I did have an XJ6 at the time and was very happy with that apart from the fact that I got stitched up when I bought it

As this was a Car that used to use more Oil than Petrol! or at least it seemed that way to me

Where at the time my mechanical knowledge was Zero! which is the one thing you don't want whenever you go out to buy a Car

And though I loved that XJ6 fate can play strange tricks, when one day I called into a Garage to fill up with Petrol

Which can be a daily occurrence to those of us who are lucky enough to drive around in one of the best Cars in the World

But then without warning my World fell apart, as while I was filling up with gas a guy drove in with an XJS

And I though OMG 'O Yass!' I want one of those!

Where then as both being Jag owners, we ended up chatting

'You wanna what!'

I could feel my blood run cold and my throat run dry, as the owner of the XJS told me that his Car was up for Sale

She was looking drop dead gorgeous in a beautiful Fern Green, while in the meantime I just stood there shaking

As I really didn't think that I had enough money to afford her and so I then jokingly offered to do him a swap

Where much to my amazement he said YES!

And though there was a bit of Cash adjustment on his side, I thought that I had died and gone to heaven!

There were no Test drives on either side, as we did the deal right there and then

And just exchanged keys like you would at a Wife Swapping Party, er.... not that I have ever been to one of those....

Where nano seconds later 'Fern' was mine!

The only problem being that somehow we had managed to stitch each other up

When I swap him my Oil burning XJ6 for an XJS that had a major problem of her own, as in a very short space of time

I noticed that the Rotors were worn down so thin, that one of the surrounding rings that goes around the edge

Had fallen off the Rotor and was hanging round the drive shaft, where it was making a tinkling noise like the ringing of a Telephone

Where with my lack of mechanical knowledge and facing a possible garage bill the size of the National dept!

I really felt the only choice I had was sell 'Fern' on, which was a major mistake on my part as other than that 'Fern' was a really Great Car

Where had that problem occurred to day on one of my other XJS's then I feel quite certain that I could have fixed her

But that was then and at the time I felt it was beyond me and so 'Fern' had to go

Although by then the dye was cast and so I went right out and bought another, as when you get the fever

It seems to be just something that owners of an XJS are often known to do, as when you drive one of those Cars its almost like a drug

Where you can't stop buying them one after the other or even all at once, where at one stage I had ten of them but that was crazy!

So having had some counseling, I managed to kick that habit (just a little bit!) and have since reduced my Collection down to only Six

At least for the Time being as you know what they say 'Never say never again!'

There are so many reasons why I love my Car, as for a start it makes you better looking! not of course that I need any help.....

But there are not that many Cars that at least I know of that have got an Engine that runs as smooth as this

Where in an uncut Video with the Engine running, I can balance a 2p Coin on the Inlet manifold

And then rev the Engine without it falling over, you can see the Video near the bottom of Page 40 on my 'Cherry Blossom' restoration thread

Here is the Link to that page: https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...122634/page40/

I've seen it done on other Cars with a square cut 50p but that is just for 'Snowflakes' as this is the real deal!

 

Impressive, OB. I must try that coin thing myself to see how bad mine is. My car's got all new mounts and bushes and the injection system's been gone over with new spark plugs and wires and cap and rotor, and it's still not perfectly smooth sitting at the lights, especially when warm. But my main worry is what happens when the coin inevitably falls over and gets lost down among the engine somewhere. I suppose I could carefully tape some string or thread to it so I could fish it out if it did fall....
(Actually, I might even have a 2p coin in my collection of overseas shrapnel....)

 

Hi Someday

That was Take Two as the First Take that you can see here: https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...122634/page38/

Was shall we say 'less than impressive' though if your engine has the 'Shakes'

Then you could try to replicate that to begin with

Before you try and balance the Coin on the smooth part of the Intake manifold, which was done in just one take

Where the reason that the Coin kept falling over was not down to engine but the wind from the Fan

I'm looking forward to seeing you turning this into a full scale production with your superior Video editing skills

 

Yeah, I saw the first one too--the one aptly described as filmed with a potato . The second was much better. Though as you noted, I'll need to be careful of the gale from the fan. Mine's a facelift, so the entire manifold is smooth, and I can use the "Jaguar V12" plate as a base.
I should see what suitable coins I have....

 

I think it chose me. :-) First one than two than three than four, then I did not have no space no more.