When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Yes, if you like the car. Otherwise sell it or part it. There is no other car, as nice as a 2000 VP, you can buy for $2900!! Any paint shop can fix the bumper; any good upholstery shop can fix the tear and rehab the leather . . .
Fix it and make sure they install the updated main pressure regulator valve in the valve body while the transmission is apart.
Also, tell them to flush out the transmission oil cooler, replace the rear main oil seal and the cap seal that’s like 3” above it.
This is a big decision. Either you will make this investment, which will be the beginning of many more, you mention some paint and upholstery repairs, or you wont. It sounds like an easy decision, but it's not. I know that you've been searching out the values for comparable cars and it's not reassuring. You are going to be underwater financially, but almost every car owner is in that position, even the new car buyer, due to depreciation and financing costs. At least with a new car you are pretty assured of getting reliable service from your vehicle.
The question of value is hard to put aside. I've got an XJS that needs work, and I humorously refer to it as a 3.500 dollar car that needs 10,000 dollars worth of work, that will only be worth 7,500 dollars when I'm finished. The actual numbers can be disputed or discussed but the sentiment remains the same. I guess one way of looking at things would be to ask yourself if you will be satisfied with the car afterwards, will you keep the car and use it for years to come? Will you be able to amortize the costs of these repairs.
Of course, there are costs inherent in owning any cars. I just had to replace one of my fleet with a late model used car. The cost of your transmission repair is around a half year's worth of car payments. To be honest, your car will require other repairs over time, just as my new to me, used car will eventually.
I'm moving very slowly with my own XJS, maybe too slowly, as I have lost any excitement that I once had at the prospect of bringing my car back to everyday usability. That's why these cars end up parked and forgotten. At least mine is well protected in my garage.
I was going to type a long reply, but Rivguy captured what I was going to say v well.
FWiW, if you do project work on your own, when I did the rebuild on my transmission many years ago (2007??), the parts were ~700 USD total (I also replaced the torque converter). I did the job in the garage and once I got started, it wasn't all that hard and as I expect you know, there is lots of online resource help available. Biggest challenges are getting the car high enough off the ground and reaching a few of the bolts on the bell housing. Hardly any tools required and none that weren't in my collection already. $2900 seems to be a fair price for a shop job - not a lot of profit in it for whoever is doing the work.
In my case, when I was facing the same issue, I had just put new rubber on a couple of weeks before (less than 200 miles) and no salvage yard would even offer the cost of the tires. That helped me decide to do the job. Since then, the car has been (mostly) trouble free, but if the tranny went today, that would be the end - and mine is 100%. As it is, I'm holding it pending going electric as I can get $6000 on a govt scrap it program - about double what I could sell for on a good day.......
What are you going to buy for $2900? An old Sentra or equivalent.
I dropped $4K 2 months ago in my '01 (engine,etc.) with 155K. It's near showroom condition due to years of elderly woman ownership. At a yearly drive average of less than 6K miles, the car will last longer than me...double edge sword of being over 70's, lol.
Dave in AZ
Last edited by 92/93 XJS; Jul 30, 2021 at 04:14 PM.
Reason: change of picture
That was my point: all old cars need repairs now and then -- but these are still wonderful rides (and drives) -- with nothing else even close at the price of the repairs OP cited. But it ain't my money . . .
This is a big decision. Either you will make this investment, which will be the beginning of many more, you mention some paint and upholstery repairs, or you wont. It sounds like an easy decision, but it's not. I know that you've been searching out the values for comparable cars and it's not reassuring. You are going to be underwater financially, but almost every car owner is in that position, even the new car buyer, due to depreciation and financing costs. At least with a new car you are pretty assured of getting reliable service from your vehicle.
The question of value is hard to put aside. I've got an XJS that needs work, and I humorously refer to it as a 3.500 dollar car that needs 10,000 dollars worth of work, that will only be worth 7,500 dollars when I'm finished. The actual numbers can be disputed or discussed but the sentiment remains the same. I guess one way of looking at things would be to ask yourself if you will be satisfied with the car afterwards, will you keep the car and use it for years to come? Will you be able to amortize the costs of these repairs.
Of course, there are costs inherent in owning any cars. I just had to replace one of my fleet with a late model used car. The cost of your transmission repair is around a half year's worth of car payments. To be honest, your car will require other repairs over time, just as my new to me, used car will eventually.
I'm moving very slowly with my own XJS, maybe too slowly, as I have lost any excitement that I once had at the prospect of bringing my car back to everyday usability. That's why these cars end up parked and forgotten. At least mine is well protected in my garage.
Good luck with the XJS, companies charge well into the 5 figures just to replace all the garbage bushings, electrical connectors and wires and other mechanical parts to make it run as it should. Interesting though that some ignition components from an 80's K5 Blazer will fit the V12. Jaguar did source components from GM at that time though. That said it's a beautiful car.
Should I fix it?
