Hello All,

Though I am new to this forum, I'm not new to Jaguar cars, as I've owned a 1994 XJS for a few years and have learned to love it. Yes, even after the brakes gave out on a highway, there's still love.

I recently picked up a very different breed of cat. 1976 XJ12C, 71,000 miles (26k of them on a chevy small block 400 with a 350 turbo transmission). Original paint and interior in nice enough shape (i'm hoping they will last me a few years). I brought it to my mechanic and asked him to go through it and give me some estimates on what's needed. I'm posting his comments/estimates below. I appreciate any feedback at all, any red flags you may notice, and any advice you may have for me as a new owner of this unusual vehicle.

Thank you all for your attention and input. I'm happy to have found this forum. It has already been a treasure trove of information and good stories.

MECHANIC'S NOTES:



Our shop labor rate is $108 per hour. The above quote does not include parts and is for labor only. If you would like several items addressed at once I can work with you as far as total cost. Let me know what you would like us to look at and I will source and quote parts.
Belts 1 hour


The above items I would recommend addressing first and I know the exhaust leaks were on your list. The additional items below are items that the technician noticed but do not necessarily need to be addressed right away. Perhaps they will become more serious over time or should be addressed if you wish to have the car in absolutely perfect condition.



Front crank seal and small leak at the timing cover seal. 2 hrs

Sway bar link bushings are worn out and need to be replaced. .75 hrs

All 4 axle joints look to be original and will soon need to be replaced. Do this while doing brake job to save on labor. Extra .5 per joint to install (x4)

Rear differential is leak and should have a new seal installed and fluid changed. 1 hour

Rear shocks look to be original and should be replaced. 1 hour

The rear main seal is leaking oil and should be replaced. Just watch this.
If this is a crate 350 motor, this should not be leaking.Technician recommends and engine wash and dye process. The dye is put into the engine oil and then observed under a black light to pinpoint oil leaks. Wash and dye 1hr

 

Replace the air filter and all bulbs yourself. Brake light switch may be bad as well. Its simple to replace and takes about 15 minutes to do. If you're savvy you may even be able to crack the switch open and clean the contacts. I did and its working ok now, but I do plan on replacing it soon.

Changing diff oil and cover gasket is easy. Do it yourself

Go to a regular old mechanic to address your engine issues. He'll be cheaper.

Go to a cheap muffler shop on the edgy side of town and have your exhaust leaks taken care of.

 

$30.00 to replace 1 light bulb? A pair of lightbulbs costs around $3.00 at any autoparts store. Surely you have a phillips screwdriver around the house and you can turn 4 phillips screws counterclockwise to remove them? While you're at it, replace all the bulbs and get another mechanic.

 

Seriously. For $108 an hour I would at least expect to get a happy ending

 

OTOH some of the labor time quotes seem suspciously low.

If he'll replace rear brakes AND rotors for 4.0 hours labor, jump on it ! Same for replacing rear wheel bearings on both sides for 2.0 hours. I seriously doubt you'll ever find anyone who will charge less.

I suspect this guy is just pulling numbers out of his *^*^.



Cheers
DD

 

Thanks for the advice. Will let you know how these things play out. I'm on the opposite side of the country, which cuts down on my options. But I like these guys, so I'll see if they're willing to bargain at all.