Treading on eggshells 'cos I dont want to break any rules. I have posted my cherished 2004 XJ8 on the classified forum here but had no takers. I have sold a lot of cars on eBay before quite successfully but sadly, more than one has sold to an owner wanting to restomod it and I would much rather find an owner who will keep my car in the lovely condition she is in. Any other forums I should be posting her in before I go the eBay route?
If you want to see my baby, she is at;
Immaculate low mileage, slate gray XJ8L with black leather interior -Florida car - Jaguar Forums - Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum
Steve

 

I fully understand. My uncle had a 1967 Chrysler Imperial coupe. When I was a little kid in the early 70s (I think he bought it in 1972), I thought my uncle must've won the lottery or something because that was the kind of car that Mr Drysdale might drive in Beverly Hills. By the time he went in a nursing home, it was in need of restoration and that's the kind of car that costs several orders of magnitude more to restore than its worth. He actually got some insane offers advertising it locally, however, all anybody wanted was the 440 engine to put in a messed-o-rod or dragster. That motor would have paid for a couple of months of nursing home care but instead, he turned down everyone because he didn't want his beloved Imperial dismantled. My dad knew a collector hundreds of miles away who promised that the Imperial would be preserved in its current state of "patina" for as long as he lived and so they made a deal for the whole car for a fraction of the value of the engine.

Have you tried to contact the local Jaguar owners club? Take it to one of their meetings or shows and let them know its available. The members may know of somebody in the market, particularly if they have one like it. Or add it to their own collections. A lot of gearheads aren't actively shopping but can't resist when something they really like just falls in their lap.

 

nobody’s going to restomod a 350


jag enthusiast = lowballer

 

Actually just take out the "resto" part. Nobody is going to "restore" anything about a 2004 XJ8. I have tho see them running around on Chip Foose rent-a-wheels with stick-on fake vent-a-ports and trim hanging on by a single clip, shaken loose by massive bass speakers. But mostly I see them at this age, baking to oblivion in the parking lots of Section 8 apartments. Sadly, a 2004 Jaguar sedan has already depreciated well beyond just lowballing. Our OPs only real choices are to either be patient and wait for some local enthusiast or trade it in at wholesale hundreds of miles away so that he isn't likely to become aware of its fate.

 

Breaking up is hard to do. That's the pain of being an enthusiast. Your car is more to you than something you drive for transportation. Unfortunately we can't control what happens to them once we sell or trade them in. There aren't a lot of people standing in line to buy older Jags, no matter how good the condition. If you are likely to find a sympathetic buyer you'd think that this forum would be the place, but I haven't had that kind of luck. Just cast the widest net and hope for the best.

 

Told my friend about it but not willing to drive that far, to pay what he sees as premium price.
Agrees a rust free Jag is worth more.
Just not a good enough price for him to buy, .

 

Here's the challenge: though your XJ-8 has low mileage and is in what I'd call excellent condition the likes of Edmunds, KBB, etc. are posting sales to private buyers from $5K to ~$8K. The trade-in value to most dealers is about 1/2 that. My 2004 has ~102K miles and I've been offered $2.5K (not that I'm selling, but still...). So the disparity in mileage seems to be moot. Appraising a car by a dealer without seeing the car seems nuts.

Please PM me and lets chat. Thanks.
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Steve -

There was an excellent 2004 XJ8 for sale here on the forums earlier in the year for 7,500$ or so. It was listed as being in my hometown Columbus OH. I was the only one to respond to the listing over several months.

I finally went to see the car and it was perfect in every way, no mods, but fully "restored" - meaning all the usual age problems associated with our cars had been fixed and then some. It was much nicer than my current 05 Super V8 (which still has repairs to do even after 3 years of ownership, some significant).

We had agreed upon a price of 7K. But after the sellers other car got wrecked, he ended up up needing the Jag.

It is beyond me as to why these beautiful cars have little interest - even when fixed. If I drive reasonably on the highway I can get 29 mph and have a ton of fun if I want to push it a bit.

The only thing I can think of why listied car on the forum don't get a lot of response (lots of looks, but...) is because we already have one or more and know what's involved with "restoration" - which really is nothing more than catching up on longtime neglected maintenance. DIY'ers can do, but if not then it is deemed too expensive to invest - especially since there seems to be no coming "classic value" for our cars. At least not high milage ones like mine and many others.

I'm looking at now replacing many coolant, oil, SC, hoses and belts, along with oil pan gasket and therefore transmission fluid (not sure if its ever been changed). But I feel it's worth it. I don't have any quirky problems, just normal maintenance for a 160K Jag.

Those who think I'm crazy or make fun of the Jag reputation have simply never driven our cars. Even my mechanic (American car guy all the way, specializes in Mustangs), fell in love with the car once the suspension brakes, calipers, tires, and rims issues were completed.

I now call mine "A Fancy Ford" for that reason. Much nicer term than "Euro Trash".

I love my car - period - and my goal is to get at least 200K out of it.

Finally - I know what you mean about "mods" - There is a great youtube vid where a 04 XJ purchased for $1,200 on ebay gets a makeover with an LS 575HP engine, a salvaged Audi R8 interior, beautiful brown metallic paint, and manual transmission - The owner called it a budget build at 38K. I wish I had that kind of cash because I'd do the same thing.

There is hope however -I believe that prices are starting to rise - I don't think it possible anymore to find a 1,200$ car that is nothing more than a bucket of rust. Some sites note prices slightly on the rise for the X350, 356 358 examples.

Mike

 

Mike, you are exactly the kind of guy that should own an older Jag. Commitment combined with the right "can do" attitude. I think that is necessary to enjoy these cars, I strive to find and maintain a similar mindset. Best of luck with your future projects. There is an important distinction between a cheap money pit and a more expensive, well maintained vehicle, sometimes I'm too much of a cheapskate!