2000 Jaguar XJ8 Vanden Plas
Alpine Green
83,000



I am asking for any help I can get on pricing this 2000 Jag XJ8 Vanden Plas, Alpine green and 83,000 miles. It has new tires with approximately 250 miles and a new battery. So a few months ago all was well and then the restricted mode and the misfiring codes. The conclusion was the upper tensioners were damage but that it had not made any engine noise and that I should not crank it until they are fixed. But that the tensioner set up for the timing had plastic parts that deteriorate over time and that it was due and that that tensioner failure can lead to engine destruction. So it will crank and run but it could ruin the engine. The tensioners are fixable by a very mechanical person, the instructions are here on this site as well as where to get parts and help from guys like the ones on my last post. So I have a pretty green car I'm selling as a project car, what price would be reasonable to start it at, knowing the something is only worth what you can get. But, it would be heartbreaking to just give it away. Heck, I look like a rich dude with a Jag and my Old Black Deville in the driveway, Any prospective buyer can run his OBD coder on it or my inexpensive one.

Will P

2000 Jaguar XJ8 Vanden Plas Photos below sorry for any repeats, could not figure out how to delete extras!
Alpine Green
83,000

 

Take a look at Craigslist for cities around you and you will get an idea of what they are selling for. There are 3 here in Vegas for sale. One started out at $1400.00 and he is down to a $1000.00 after 3 months and no takers. The others have problems also and are around $1000 to $1200 dollars. You will get a lot more if you can get it fixed and sell it with no problems.

 

Seems reasonable, I guess it will go like it goes eventually. I'm not in a huge hurry. Thank you! Any method of selling or the price is what I'm looking for. Will P I

It's funny but I had been thinking $1400 because of the nice paint and the new tires and battery. might gather that amount. I have read some suggestions that they went for $1000 but some of those had blown engines. Heck you could just fix the upper tensioners and probably drive it home. I'm not running it because I don't want to ruin the engine on such a nice car. If I wind up keeping it, I want it fixable. It will depend on the offers.

 

Consider the condition of the car. If there is a lot that needs fixing, or requires special tools to fix, or a Jaguar specialist to fix, then I would think that it might not sell for much. Some parts-cars are $1,000 or less, but if it's a Project car, and being a Vanden Plas, you should expect $1,000 or more depending on what's wrong with it.

 

Changing out the plastic tensioners is about $1,500-$1,800 done by a Jaguar specialist, from my calls to those guys around here. After professional detailing (about $300) you can probably get 4K for it, given the relatively low mileage and what appears to be nice paint and interior. That's my 2 cents.

 

The thing is that unless a buyer can test-drive the car, he has to assume that there's a lot more wrong with it than what the seller says is wrong with it. I think like Alfred. Sell it as-is and pocket $1,000 to $1,200 or get it fixed, sell it for $3,500 - $4,500 and net $1,700 to $3,000. My other worry would be, sell it as-is and it may just get parted out, but if its running and driving, then it will surely drive on until the next expensive thing breaks. I was going to sell my X308 as soon as I got the XF last summer but its got that t-stat tower leaking and a couple of oil leaks. I shoved it to the back of the warehouse until I can get around to fixing it rather than sell it as a "needs work". I'd prefer to see it go to a Jaguar enthusiast rather than just have somebody pour in a can of Bars Leak, rent some gigantic wheels for it and drive it around in the local poverty scene for a year or two until the oil runs dry.

 

$6000 once you get the tensioners fixed (assumes this is your problem); $1000 without fixing (buyers will want to drive it, as Phil noted). Part it out, maybe more.

But if you get it fixed and detailed to get more dinero, you will drive it and say: "What am I thinking this is a great car . . . "

 

If it's just the upper tensioners (secondary) then it seems a shame to sell it without fixing it first. I don't need it at all and I'd probably give you 1k for it right now, just as a parts car.

I'm no mechanic and I've changed upper tensioners in an X308 3 times. It seems the last time I did it only took a couple of hours and the parts were less than $200. Well, maybe more if you count new valve cover gaskets.

I wish you lived closer to NC, I would come hang out one afternoon and we could change out the tensioners. Then you would know if that's really all that's wrong with the car. Jim is right, if that's all that's wrong and the car shows as well as the pictures then $6,000 is not an unheard of asking price. (If the mileage is low)

 

I agree with you absolutely about it being a shame to sell it and yes I wish you were close enough to help me do it. All of you guys here making suggestions about my decision is very thought provoking for me, giving me much to think about and I appreciate it so much. That is why I'm taking so long to make my decision on selling her, and all aspects of that process, price etc...I'm going to continually access the situation until I feel my secure with it. I'm just a guy who never thought he would own a Jag. Will P.

 

Okay, I am reading all the replies and think further about what to do with the Jag and I had a question that I hope doesn't show my ignorance too much, LOL.

If I got someone to replace my upper tensioners which should be less than doing it all, and say as several of you have mentioned the timing chain had slipped and it's off a link or so making the two camshafts un-parallel and do not come up flush with steel straightedge how is that corrected and does that cause considerable more work? I don't think that was in the info I read. Seems like you would move the chain over a link or so on one spoke and being they were aligned with the cogs of the spokes on the camshaft earlier, moving the link would at some point be the correct one to keep the camshafts parallel?

I spent a good part of the morning searching the net for the pricing of x308s for sale in the south and there were some priced from about 3,000 to ridiculous There was even one very similar to mine, and XJ8L I believe was kept in a closed area and had like 19,000 miles on it and look new but, they wanted 19,999 for it. And, we all know that though like new, it still had those 18 year old plastic parts in the engine and that wonderful A-drum in from the transmission oh, and don't forget that plastic blade on the water pump. All interesting information and good for making my sure my decision was right considering all that has been posted here. Will P.


How would you insure a car like the OLD, NEW 2000 XJL I mentioned?

 

Agreed Value Coverage through one of the classic car insurance providers like Haggerty or JC Taylor would be the only way to go. Its amazingly cheap compared to regular insurance. They know its somebody's baby, its going to live in garage at least 164 hours a week, its not going to be driven to work, left unattended in a mall parking lot or otherwise exposed to any of the sorts of risk that regular transportation vehicles are subjected to. And if something does happen to it, the value is already pre-established so there's no argument and no negotiating.

 

I think I heard of the Haggerty company on the big auto auction on the Velocity channel. Somebody's baby sounds like a correct assessment. Will P

 

Well if it drove like it did at 77,000 miles, my Jag fever might return, a condition we've all had. Will P.

 

I have finally decided to go ahead and sell the Jag. I have thought about it many different ways, and it is painful for me to do. I appreciate all the help I have received here. I will place an ad in our classified and on Craigslist for now at $1200 and if it hasn't sold in two months I'll lower it to $1000. Thank you all. Will P

 

I bought a 99 xj8 3 years ago from a dealer I knew for wholesale [ $1000 ] with 99,000 miles.i had every intension of fixing it but, it had a bad trans. so I sold it to a friend for $2500.it was a nice clean car but I did not want to spend big money on trans and a repaint,it was silver [ UGH ].I was wanting a replacement for my xj6 and I realized too many miles for a keeper.2 years later I found a garage kept 2001 with less than 50,000 miles on it with a wrinkled fender & bumper it was silver [ UGH ] with black interior,so it was worth it to me to fix.fixed the body and painted it black,its beautiful and a keeper.steve

 

Thanks, Steve get information. Will P

 

Update! I posted the Jag on our forum's classified and craigslist, having cycle trader and eBay in reserve, in case she doesn't sell in these two locations. So far I have over 400 views but no conversations about seeing the vehicle on the forum. On Craigslist I've had several inquiries and conversations with one seemingly very serious. So if I have no action in the next two weeks or so I'll add other venues. I thought there may be others who could make suggestions to me and there could be others less experienced members like myself with a car that needs a little fix that they might want to sell and my experience could help them. Will P

 

Will P, I'll be in Alabama next weekend (07/28 and 07/29). If you have the car and willing to negotiate I am interested in purchasing. I've had 5 of this model and currently own 2, 98 Vanden Plas with 145000 and 2000 Vanden Plas with 80680. Would love to add this one to my collection. I have an appreciation for these cars and would not try to low ball you.

PS. I don't think the issue you described is a timing tensioner but I'm not a mechanic. It could be several issues. I had a similar issue on a 2000 Vanden Plas I owned. It was the head gasket.

 

I would like it if you came and viewed the car. It sounds like you have a lot of experience with these cars. At this time I will not negotiate on the price of the car at this time. But if you'd still like to see it let me know. Call me for its location or if you'd like to ask any question. I'm in Montgomery, AL and my number is 334-272-0603. Will P

 

Thanks to all who helped me with this and my efforts worked in that I think I found a good home for the Green Beauty. I hope he moves her back where she belongs cutting up the curves on some scenic country road. Will P.