Hey everyone,

New here and here's my problem. My uncle just recently sold his garage and my dad's old Jaguar is still there and were not sure what we want to do with it. Its a 84 Vanden Plas V12 and its been parked there for at least 2 years. Last time we started it, it was running okay. Needed a tune up and maybe a few things here and there.

Now here's my problem; We don't have anywhere to park this thing and I don't have a clue about these cars and they're reliability. Are these things expensive to run and maintain and are they reliable?? Because so far if I don't end up keeping it, it'll go to the scrap yard.

I'd honestly love to keep it but given the fact that we don't really have a place to make it sit and I don't want to end up with a money pit, I'm not sure if its gonna be worth the hassle. Honestly, if I could make it run reliably like a honda, she's definitely a keeper.

Give me your inputs guys!

 

Hi there,

Being a later series 3 these are probably the most reliable of the classic jaguars. more so then the xj40 in my experience as they have far less to go wrong and far more appeal anyway. the v12, like the xk motor is notorious for its advanced design and refinement. Its only really got two issues, Lucas electrics, which are no where near as bad as the earlier cars, and the cooling system. Here in australia we need to keep our v12's cooling systems in tip top shape for the 40C + days we get in summer but maybe you dont experience heat like that in canada? my neighbors v12 xjs survives fine on 45C days because it has a good radiator, new hoses and a good thermostat. its not rocket science!
your next battle will be electrical connections. its normally only a matter of spending a day with some contact cleaner and sandpaper going over every connection you can fine in the engine bay, fuse boxes and all the ground points. Otherwise the series 3 body's are fantastic, they last forever and ride like nothing else. sure trim bits fall off every now and the like but its nothing major.

The trick is give it a MAJOR going over before you think about driving it. drain and flush the fuel system first as these are a massive trap for moisture even if stored inside. after its running replace all the ignition bits, filters and oil in the car, drain and flush the tanks again and clean all those previously mentioned connections then fix the cooling system and start off with short, local drives. once you build up some confidence and miles you will know exactly what you need to do. The v12 donk is a bit expensive to maintain parts wise but if you keep them cool and keep the oil fresh they will last a lifetime. I know someone who got 600,000 out of the engine with not much more then regular consumables like water pumps, hoses and the like. they never need rebuilding if cared for. It all depends on the level of service your going to give it. Dont expect to throw a battrey in and drive it. It should be a HE model so economy will be much better then the non HE and probably not much worse then my 4.2.

Parts overall are no more expensive than any other car and probably cheaper then allot as they were a car sold all over the world and there is plenty of aftermarket support.

Im sure others will have more to say but this at least gives you a grounding.

One last thing, change the brake fluid!

Regards,
Jay

 

^thanks a lot for your input. Definitely reassures me more about taking it. I really want to take it and start putting it to good use but everyone tells me its gonna be a nightmare.

You're input definitely makes me want to give her a try.

 

In one of the sticky threads there's a buyers guide that you might wanna read.

Good remarks from Aussie.

Ser IIIs are great cars but be prepared for some work to get everything up to snuff, as Aussie mentioned. If you're a decent DIY mechanic it might be a lot of fun. If you have to pay retail labor rates for repairs it's gonna get expensive.

Look for body rust and be aware that gast tank rust is pretty common on these cars when they sit unused.

Cheers
DD

 

Doesnt matter what year it is...V12's are a labor of love for the enthusiast who knows what to expect.

One could argue the older carburated models are more reliable and safer than the fuel injection models which frequently have engine fires because the fuel injection hoses leak and fuel collects near the distributor which just happens to be a great ignition source.

Sell it to someone who can appreciate and care for it. Try ebay with lots of pictures.