Hi,

I have a "survivor" 1983 XJ6 with 41,000 actual miles on it. I've been trying to sell it for several months through eBay and I'm not getting anywhere due to fake bidding. The car runs perfectly, has a little body rust and is in need of new seat covers. Does anyone have any ideas where I might be able to sell her? The car's located in East Brunswick NJ.

I'm not looking for much money, just need her gone.

Thanks!

ANSWER: ebay on Nov-25-16 10:25:33 PST for $1,225.00 (GGG)

 

Here's a picture:

 

Try your local Craigs List.

Most people I know are a bit suspicious of eBay motors, although some have got real deals from there.

I hear (and have) more success stories from Craig's list, especially if you list in a couple of close by areas.
(';')

 

it is best to sell locally, I agree with Elinor, however, be aware also of scam artists in Craigslist.

1) do not reply to e-mail inquiries. State in your ad: "Please send your phone number if interested, I will call you back, cannot reply by e-mail". This will eliminate deadbeats and scammers who just want your e-mail address to sell it forward.

2) do not show your address on the ad: Uncheck "show in maps".

3) if someone sends you an e-mail without a phone number, asking for more pictures or info., YOU KNOW it's a scammer, do not reply!!

4) if they offer to pay with a Certified Check, YOU KNOW it's a scammer, do not reply!! or tell them on the phone: "No Thank you, Cash Only".

5) if you have a nearby Police Dept., tell them you will meet them at the Police Dept. where you keep the car. If it is a serious buyer, they will have no problem, if it is a scammer, they will not show up.

Since you already have experience with eBay scammers, now you need to protect yourself from the Craigslist scammers. Don't look desperate to sell, and don't give the keys to anyone without you and a friend going with them to test drive the car.

Good luck.

 

1983 Jaguar XJ6 4 door sedan | eBay

I found the listing on ebay and had a look. You list it as "Paint remarkable good" and "minor rust" but the pictures of rust at the base and sides of the windscreen, fenders and doors is serious. Seem like the car was improperly prepared and re-painted and then rusted..


There are major rips in every seat too.

This is a parts car at best and 1983 isn't considered a great year. MAYBE if it was an 1986 someone would buy it for the engine.

Sell it as a parts car. Accentuate the positive. How are the gas tanks? How is the dash pad? How are the Wheels tires? Battery?

 

Story ended, car sold. Good deal if seller and buyer are pleased. Seems so. That price for any car that runs is decent.


Hey, what is wrong with the 83 Model? I've one. A base car at that, not fancy VDP. Usual Jaguar stuff, no more, no less. And one teeny rust patch that has not progressed since 2001, when it came here.... And, it's supposedly problemsome Thermoplastic paint still shines up quite well. Imperfect, but draws compliments.
Grosvenor brown and a buckskin interior not a usual park lot find.


Carl

 

83 thru 85 are some of the best years for Jaguar, thanks to John Egan and his quality controls.

Carl, mine is Grosvenor brown too.

 

It's fairly well accepted that early 80's jags are prone to head gasket failures and cracks in the block between the cylinder bores. I believe this is how Carl's Jag ended up with a lump. The early 80's Thermoplastic paint is also widely condemned. It cracks and lets in moisture.

I've dismantled many many sedans over the years. The quality didn't really ramp up until 86.

If one really wants to study build quality compare a late 80's XJS to a mid 90's XJS when Ford owned them. Night and Day difference, hardly believable its the same car. I could just imagine the Ford engineers shaking their heads and saying.... "Are you kiddign me with this!" Everything from the quality of the metal used for stamping, to the fasteners, and wiring is vastly improved.

 

Looks like a good deal at $1200, especially if motor/trans are fine. If handy, could make a good driver perhaps.

I really think anything 83 on for a series III was pretty decent in terms of reliability/build quality. Back at our old shop, we felt they were robust cars with routine maintenance. 86 and 87 were particularly good, but again, no real problems on the earlier ones either.

 

Which years were better? This far down the road it doesn't really matter. The oldest Series IIIs are 37 years old, the youngest are 24 years old. ** Present day condition **, which is a direct reflection of the care the car has received over the decades, far eclipses any variances in build quality during the course of Series III production 25-30-35 years ago. A clapped out, rusted, and abused '87 will not be a better purchase than a cherished and pampered '80. And vice versa.



Cheers
DD

 

I just relisted her for $800 on eBay, trying one more time...

 

ISO, to this day, I do not know why my DOHC failed. Heat related because of coolant loss, a strong clue. it was doing great at 115,000. I went on a business trip in hot weather in CA's central valley. AC doing great. Temp guage OK. First call done. On to the next. Stockton. Did my job. Time to go home. Tanked up the fuel. All was well.
SB on I5. 70mph, easily done. Guages fine. Oh he..., Temp went for right. Engine burped, smoke out the back. No more fire. Coated off. Cool down. No crank. Added coolant. the crank, but no fire. Home on a flat bed. A day or two later, began diagnostics. Compression test. 0 in all holes !!! Intake cam turned. Exhaust, I dunno.


Much thinking and research. Resolution reached. LT1 and 4L60E.


WAG: Vernier on a cam end stripped out. Probably 12 bent valves!!!


Carl

 

Have noticed (over the years) that a lot of Jaguars (not all) seem to suffer major engine/head gasket problems at around 110,000 to 120,000 miles on the car.
I guess we may have passed that mark with the remaining cars by now, and most either were lumped or scrapped, or have become parts cars.

Mine made it to 119.000 and the car had been babied. Mostly highway miles. Had at least 3 head gasket failure "events." before I pulled the plug.

Being rust free and a late model VDP, made it an ideal candidate for a V8 conversion which it now is, best thing that could have happened to the car.

Now I think the focus has shifted to finding rust free late cars that would be suitable V8 conversion candidates.

 

That's been the typical experience, yes.

I know a lot of focus and blame is placed on the slotted blocks but my understanding is it was really a design problem with the head gaskets. Payen, the OEM supplier to Jaguar, redesigned the gasket decades ago....perhaps to improve its function/compatibility when used on the slotted blocks?

Some continue a long life after replacing the head gasket, others don't. I think in many cases the gasket is replaced without checking/straightening/surfacing the cylinder head...which leads to repeat failures.

Cheers
DD

 

I suspect that some of the failures are a direct result of poor maintenance with the cooling system..

I am in the process of re-building my 4.2 after sourcing a new block as my old one was shot to hell due to what i am sure was neglect of my cooling system, the car only had 84000 miles on it.

 

Yes I agree ...poor cooling system maintenance which causes the long head studs to corrode at their bottoms and lose the ability to hold the torque that is needed to keep the head from leaking at the head to block joint.