Are values of the (X356) XJR's going up or down?

I bought my '07 XJR one year ago, and am still amazed at the value for money it represented (vs. similar German performance sedans of roughly the same vintage)

Now, I'm poised to spend ~$8K+ on parts to replace shocks, overhaul the suspension, service trans, replace tires, refinish wheels, perform all the 100K mile services, etc.

This is ~ 75% of what I paid for the car ($11K), and begs the question of whether it wouldn't be wiser to patch it up (one air shock), sell it for ~$10K?, and buy something with a more sustainable market value

I have been down this road a couple of times in the past, having invested time and parts $ in money pits (eg, E55) and sound investments (eg 911 turbo). My best investments have been in 30 - 50K mile cars I have sold at ~100K miles with very few repairs beyond routine maintenance (eg S8, 7 series, E63, M5)

Is the '07 XJR ever going to be worth more than it is now?

 

Yes but that's decades away.

 

Depends on the parts value. The car itself is worth less every month. The wheels, motor, tranny, and bulk aluminum are increasing in value. These two will cross soon.
A XJR is not an investment. It is a high maintenance vehicle that is initially cheap to get into. Many either refuse to or cannot maintain them and sell for very little. They need massive investment to get back.
The number of 3,000.00 tail staggers cap the upside of vehicles in good shape. The x308 cars that look identical to most buyers selling for 3,500.00 also caps the x350 pricing.

 

Well, I googled "Jag XJ Value Trend" and found this reassuring thread. But, as Mikey alluded, not sure if I'll live long enough to witness it for the '07 XJR



JAGUAR MARKET SPOTLIGHT: XJ SALOONS
By: Brian Rabold
Jaguar E-types are remembered for their stunning looks, their sporting performance, and for one of the most famous quotes in all motordom, penned by Henry Manney (“The greatest crumpet-catcher known to man”). Jaguar saloons of the 1970s and 1980s, on the other hand, are most frequently thought of in the context of what they are not. Namely: an E-type. Lately, however, buyers have come to cast a more appreciative eye on four-door models from this era.

Outside of Blue Chip Jags like the C-type, D-type, and XKSS—cars that are simply unattainable for most enthusiasts—the biggest movers in the Jaguar market during the past 16 months have surprisingly been XJ saloons. While the E-type (Series I to Series III) has increased in value at an average of 12%, the XJ has climbed 26%. The average XJ price today is nearly 12% higher than it was in 2008, and is at its highest price since Hagerty Price Guide was first published in 2006.

The thing about XJs is that the market has stopped knocking them for having two too many doors—for the moment at least—and instead noted that these cars carry many of the positives of their more sporting brethren at a 20%-50% deduction in price. Early XJ-6s have the famed 4.2-liter inline-six XK motor that is so celebrated in E-types. XJ-12s likewise benefit from the smooth V12 that makes Series III E-Types such fun to drive. The cars obviously have completely different lines and driving dynamics—they are family cars after all—but the characteristics of the motor are preserved in the larger model. In a lot of ways, the visceral charms of the motor still shine through in the sedan, even if performance is dampened by the car’s greater weight.

In terms of collectability, early Series I cars are best as they have purer looks when compared to Federalized models and offer a more classic interior. Series II models are generally safer due to their side-impact beams, as were Series IIIs. Both the first series V12 and 4.2-liter models offer performance that is not out of place in today’s traffic, with 0-60 times at 7.4 seconds and 8.8 seconds respectively.

Make no mistake, XJ sedan prices are not primed to overtake E-type coupes, nor will they be unimpeachably collectible in the long term. Market tastes change as do prices, and high build numbers and an inherent bias towards two-door models work against the XJ in general. Recently, though, prices have been on the move, even outpacing Coventry’s most famous model. Smartly buying a Jaguar XJ today for a few years of service looks like it could end up being a free ride when it comes time to sell down the road.

Brian Rabold is the editor of Hagerty Price Guide.

 

On a more sobering note, here's the cargurus 2007 jag XJ price trend data, showing a 27% DECREASE in value over the last year:

https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/price-...XJ-Series-d286

 

I recently picked up my 2005 XJR (nearly perfect condition with every option), 130k miles for $5500. Basically a disposable automobile at this point. I'll put a few thousand aside for maintenance. There is no other similar luxury performance car out there for the money.

 

You hit the decade mark and you're over 100k miles. If you get in an accident it will likely be totaled.

Jaguars don't appreciate and require special circumstance to become valuable decades down the road, like the E-Type was the Queens former daily driver

 

Every Jaguar owner is hoping that their car will soon increase on value, but that isn't going to happen soon or ever. I guess it depends on the original buy in price. If you buy a car for a couple of grand than there might be a chance to enjoy a modest increase in value over time. The normal depreciation process will steadily decrease values of late model cars for years to follow. The original owner will never recover anything close to their purchase price. Still, that's what makes the used Jaguar experience possible for me and probably most of you guys out there. From my vantage point on the broke guy fringe of the hobby, I find it kind of funny that cars from ten to forty years old are all pretty much in a value range, any where from free, to maybe seven to ten thousand dollars. Earlier cars can be worth more that the average selling prices if they are in good shape and have a complete record of needed maintenance and repairs. A savvy Jag enthusiast will pay more for a better car, although an average car buyer wouldn't have any interest.

As you stated in the original post, the best value is around a five year old car that has middle mileages of around forty to fifty thousand. These cars should have many years of useful life left before major maintenance should be needed. Cars approaching ninety plus thousand miles will need major services soon. It's okay to buy a car with over a hundred thousand miles on the clock as long as all the required services have been completed and documented. Of course, broke guys like me buy old cars that are completely depreciated with no records of any kind, except maybe the last smog check results. I just (usually) avoid buying obvious junkers.




This is listed on CL for 7,000 or so. No motor or transmission.




Just needs a little leather treatment.

Any room for value increase here?

 

So, basically, if you buy one of these cars, any routine repairs will put you upside down. Big time. That's my takeaway...

I always try and at least break even on used cars (and almost always do; not counting my labor). Anyone that buys one from me gets a prime example in top condition. And, I generally enjoy tinkering with and driving different cool or unique cars for a couple of years

But, with an '07 Jag XJR, it doesn't matter. I can (and probably will) put $8k of parts in, tons of labor, and its still a $10 - $12K car - moreover one that's depreciating fast.

Weird, because the X356 Jag XJR is a great looking, well performing car. Much better, IMHO, than contemporary Merc S series, and certainly no less reliable or any more costly to keep (ditto vs similar vintage BMW 7 series, Audi S8/A8)

So, why no love?

 

People remember the bad old days of Joseph Lucas and British Leyland and think things have not improved.

 

I have an A8. The original rubber suspension bits look fine. Replaced the sway bar links and front UCA bushings because of age. I have replaced every one in the XJR. Most were disintegrated.
The air springs last twice as long as the ones on a XJ. They do not leak at the top. Only the bag leaks. My 2005 A8 has four original airsprings with NO leaks.
The wheels do not bend either.
Plus the A8 fall like a rock on resale too.

 

Excellent cars (A8/S8)

I have replaced most front end wear parts in two D2 Audi's (A8 and S8). Not so much D3

Handling is much better than XJR, IMHO, as is interior fit and finish

Another under priced gem, if you're handy

 

Rivguy

I'm old enough to remember those horrible series 3 E types when they were new - only the ungainly 2+2, IRRC. The one you show just wants a bit of buffing up to be some poser's dream come true

 

or a decade AGO.

 

You may have been lucky with your Audi airsprings not leaking on top, should be the same than Jag's, they're probably the same Bilstein's

 

How true. I think the OP was hoping the value would be increasing as time progresses though.

There very few cars never mind just Jags that ever regain the equivalent of their original selling price taking inflation into account.

 

These types of threads are posted all the time. Having any car is just an expense, not an investment. There are lots of ways to hold down the cost of car ownership and have a whole lot of fun in the process. That's why we're all here!

 

Just replace the parts slowly over the period of your ownership. My car may not be worth much now but it looks expensive and driving it makes me happy. Every time I have an expensive repair I always think how much the car was new and how much I saved (80%) buying used.

 

Hell yeah!! Man, do your homework. Those cars can sell for 50-80k.. your gonna have to put at least 25-30 in it

 

they've been saying for years the XJS is destined to be a 'classic'. Yay right very funny.