...So I bought a 20 year old Jag!

Background: The transmission went out on my '98 BMW 740i. I like the beemmer, but it has 166K on it and was ready to have the suspension done on it and a bunch of other things. And it isn't my favorite color. So, by the time I put $5000 in to it I still wouldn't have the car I wanted to put $5000 into this year.

So a month of scouring Craigslist and I come up with this: 1995 Jaguar XJ6 with 69K. 2-owner / one family car. The son bought the car new, drove 5 years and put 33k on it. Then gives it to mom who drives it 15 years and puts 35K on it. Now that she's 90 she felt like she needed something newer, so she bought a 2005-ish S-Type. Same color combo - Red/Tan. Little old ladies and their Jags - Gotta Luv Em!

So, may I present Miss Ruby (aka Lady Constance).




First the bad:
- Hole in the exhaust.
- Steering adjustment and side mirrors not working (Already checked fuses, next the relay and switch)
- Mirror switch-pad needs replaced.
- Driver door panel needs some connection tabs replaced.
- Driver door felt trim needs replaced.
- digital clock display needs replaced.
- Interior needs cleaned and conditioned.
- Paint needs buffed and a few places on the clear repaired.
- Passenger door mirror will need repainted at some point.
- CD player doesn't work. May need some speakers replaced too.
- Auto mirror dim doesn't work

And that's about it. OK, it leaks oil, but I think that is just the drain bolt needs a new seal.

The good?
- Straight, Tight and pretty much Unmolested.
- Front is resprayed but looks like the original parts repainted original color so I figure clear coat issues at some point. Inner finders are original and everything looks "just worn enough" to make me think its original. But the hood paint looks better than the rest of the car under bright light.
- Leather 9/10: Needs conditioned and a VERY few cracks re-dyed, but no tears.
- Wood 9/10 (no cracks in the veneer and only found one hairline in the driver door that I think I can repair before it spreads.
- HK sound package (although I would like to get a later model receiver if I can get one that matches. Want to keep car factory as much as possible.
- Two keys
- All the manuals
- Matching full size spare
- Much of the rubber under the hood replaced in the last two years.
- New PS Pump
- Michelin's look new.

All in all this has the makings of a nice driver.

To Do list
- Examine and repair/replace exhaust
- Brake flush and check pads (brakes are fine, but nobody ever does that as often as needed)
- Inspect and clean all drains in the body.
- Check all electrical over. Clean and coat all ground points.
- Clean contacts for all ECU connections.
- Clean MAF.
- Seafoam the engine
- Replace every filter whether it needs it or not.
- Resin Glaze, buff and wax the paint
- Clean, Condition interior.
- Replace Battery (Prevention)
- Give the whole sound system a check, and maybe upgrade the receiver to a later model if possible.
- lube every point that might need it.


In the fall:
- Transmission Service (Prevention)

Next Spring:
- Convert to waterless coolant
- Possibly have another layer of clear applied

Thanks to everyone that's contributed to the DIY's and related threads. Been reading through for several weeks.

 

Very nice pick up there.

The issues you have are all kind of normal for the X300 and very fixable.

The list you have done is an excellant way of getting at the base of the car, and again, most are no surprise.

Bring it back to spec, and look again in 20 years times.

 

Grant, thanks for the comments and sorry I didn't reply sooner. Busy summer here - that's my story and sticking to it.

Quick update:
- Almost 3000 miles and it runs and drives great.
- 5 new tires. BFG Touring TA's
- 500 road trip yielded 25mpg round trip.
- Have not fixed anything yet.
- slight loss of Power Steering fluid. 2 ounces in 3k miles seems to be about the rate.
- Time, temps and hopefully the check book will cooperate with addressing the issues.
- Engine is smooth, but an Italian Tune Up AFTER reaching normal temps really seems to benefit things.
- And driving it seams to have fixed the oil leak at the drain plug. Been watching my parking space at work and one drop of PS fluid (and not every day) seems the only issue. Besides the half gallon of water the AC drains at every stop. Hey, it cleans up after itself!
- The ghost of my wife keeps telling me to polish the paint. I've used cleaner wax on a few of the panels but will need to use a little more aggressive treatment on the original paint. Will try 205 first, but I may have to go find an old body panel and brush up on my wet sanding skills for a couple places. (Yikes!)
- And to top it off, my daughter tells me the sunroof sounds like something off of Star Trek when closing it at freeway speeds. "Rigg for warp factor 9!"
- after a few weeks it's won over the kids. The backseat roof is a little low for my two oldest boys, but their rides back there are uncommon. And I've taken a turn or two, so they can't complain.

First oil change will likely be next weekend and the beginning of winter preparations check list.

I'll leave with a shot of her next to her coworker at the office.

Miss Ruby next to her co-worker, Shelby