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Today I went to look at a 96 xj6 vdp. The car looked pretty decent and drove really well, however there are a couple of things that worry me. The car was repainted about 7 months ago, the color is allegedly the same color that came from the factory but there are already three tiny spots where the paint is starting to bubble up. I am worried than in a short time the car will need to be repainted again.
The second thing is there seems to be an indiscrepency in the mileage, the car was rolled back at least once for around 5k miles. Also, from 2004-2014 the care only gained 16k miles which seems fishy.
What do you you guys think? Here are some videos and pictures I took today.
Do a professional compression check of the engine and if is not good walk away . Post the results so readers can see . Worn brake pedal observation and a car fax of history . Any pics of the front seat pan leather and the bulster on the upright section ? The chrome around the gearshift can a found at a junkyard as they break easily on removal . Otherwise it does look like a clean low use car
Last edited by Lady Penelope; Nov 29, 2017 at 02:56 PM.
I tend to judge a car by it's condition, not by a row of numbers on the odometer. I'm not aware that it's possible to roll back the odometer, but the entire cluster can be replaced quite easily and it carries the mileage in it's memory. So if you see a low mileage cluster at a junkyard, swap it in and Voila! You have a low mileage car.
From the pictures the interior looks nice, but it's kind of a truism that all cars look nice in photos. If the paint is bubbling it could be bad preparation, or solvent pops. Do you have a relationship with a body shop you trust that they could give an opinion on the paint?
There are plenty of these cars out there, don't be in a hurry to buy one. I wouldn't think too much about the mileage between 2004 and 2014, it could have been an elderly owner who didn't drive much, a second car etc. Lots of reasons for it to have sat and the low accumulation be genuine.
The headlight assemblies can be swapped out with the superior and shinier looking reflector and front lens glass X308 units , opinions on the X308's light performance
Pretty! Looks to be straight, clean and complete. I believe we are seeing Morocco Red, like a plum color. Fairly rare. I really like the X300 in dark colors.
Looks to be quite good cosmetically. You will want to work to preserve that new paint by repairing any blemishes and getting some good wax on it. It should last awhile. Cars with original paint these days are often looking tired and faded.
Try to get both companies' history reports. Maybe that can shed light on puzzling mileage readings. Not necessarily a deal-breaker.
Tires and battery: two items that often require attention and money soon after purchase. Don't settle for a small, cheap battery.
If anything doesn't add up, or there are other concerns, they can translate into a price break. No doubt there are a few items on that list. Plus, the market is pretty thin for these cars. If the seller knows that, he will be less likely to stand fast on his price and let you walk.
Good chance that yes, this would be a car worth buying. But due diligence first!
Moroccan Red as SleekJag observed. One of those was offered in either the Carolinas or Virginia on eBay (or autotrader) a few years ago. I looked into it fairly seriously but it had some rust on the top, around the sunroof, IIRC, and would've needed paint.....notwithstanding seller was a bit too proud of it. Radio head looks familiar...could be the same car? (this would've been Aug-Sept 2015 era https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...-x300s-154657/)
Clock doesn't work, the clown that installed the head unit broke the chrome surround for the J-gate (So one wonders how his workmanship behind the dash is looking?)
Only paint bubble I see in the pics is on the bootlid....in a place one doesn't normally see corrosion, so I'd lean toward poor preparation committed during a budget re-spray.
No pic of the driver's seat bolster, which is a common wear item, but otherwise the interior looks good. You don't say what the claimed mileage is, nor the price. So I can't say whether or not the car is worth buying for me, let alone for you! As to mileage, you can assume whatever is shown on the odometer is at least the MINIMUM, and go up from there. But most mileage-induced wear you can check visually in the driver's position, by observing how the suspension works in a test-drive, likewise the gearbox functionality, and as previously noted, a compression check.
Last edited by aholbro1; Nov 30, 2017 at 07:48 AM.
I couldn't find where you said what the price is. With the paint situation you mentioned I would walk away unless it is really cheap. There are a lot of these out there to choose from.
There is a saying about "perfect" becoming the enemy of "good" and I think it can apply in the case of looking at cars which are over 20 years old.
There will be faults and imperfections, and the key in my view is to ensure that these are reflected in the price. As has been widely discussed on other threads, these cars have yet to show any meaningful signs of appreciating in value, so I would not expect the car in the pictures to be at all expensive. That isnt a criticism of it, simply a reflection of the prevailing reality in the market. Despite the blemishes you refer to, the respray looks to have been done well, and could easily have cost as much as the car is worth, suggesting that the car was cared for by the previous owner. The condition shown in the photographs would suggest that all of its owners have taken care of the car (although I would echo the earlier expressions of caution about relying on photographs) Did it seem well cared for when you were in it?
The paint blemishes I can see in the photo, on the boot lid, would seem to relate to a fault in the preparation/ application of the paint rather than rust bubbling through, and whilst annoying would seem less worrysome. They seem quite large and distinct, and I suspect if there was a more widespread problem it would be manifesting itself by now.
You havent mentioned the mechanical condition and how it drove, but if these seem OK, it would look very tempting to me, particularly in such an attractive colour and trim combination. All depending of course on the price.....
Excellent points by COuntyJag. As previously noted, Tires and Battery are significant expenses, but also wear items you will face with any car. Pitfalls of this particular model that you "have to" fix that can accrue to significant $$ pretty much boil down to the differential. They are known to wear out before the rest of the car, and you can't "live with it" as you can an inoperative sunroof, or memory seat function. BTW, if either of those two items are "Got to have" for you, proceed cautiously as they are also prone to failure and prohibitively expensive to mend. If it made lumps and bumps as you drove it you are likely looking at front and/or rear shock bushes, perhaps other suspension bushes. I can't think of anything else that is both a budget-killer and something you can't "put up with" until you develop the gumption and budget to mend.
However, despite the market value being what it is...you will still encounter sellers who are selling a "JAGUAR" in all its mystique and don't know or ignore the true market value. Buyer Beware.
If you are a DIYer then the differential is not bad on parts cost , It's the shop labor that brings the cost up . Plenty of information on this site for DIY items .
Is this car worth buying?
