I am 18 years old and very hardworking. I have earned $30,000 and am obsessed with the classic Jags. I really like the XJ12 from 1994. I am able to buy one for $11,000 with 60,000 miles on it. The car is in excellent condition. Like perfect. It just seems a bit over priced to me. I know that I am young, but I am in a position where I can afford my dream car and don't know if I will be able to ever again in the future. Let me know if I should pursue at my age, thoughts on the model, and also how I should negotiate the price! Thank you so much if you have gotten this far! I would really appreciate the help.

 

I haven't watched market pricing on this model in a long time so I might be talking out of my hat but, IMO, for $11000 it better be much much better than others on the market in all respects and include all service records

Have you done much shopping around?

Don't get me wrong, seeking out (and paying for) an exceptional example is usually money well spent. But this might be a bit too much.

Others will chime in.

You should repost in the "XJ40" section to get answers from those most familiar with the model in question

Cheers, welcome aboard, and good luck

Doug

 

I have been looking around. Nothing is in as good of shape from what I have seen. I will of course keep looking! Thank you!

 

Crazzy... You can't expect a 25 years old car to be perfect. You need to find somebody with lots of love keeping the car in a perfect conditions during all that time. Otherwise the car needs to be restore in some way. 11000$ is what cost my upholstery only....

 

IF it really is as good as it looks. & that will require a thorough inspection, on a hoist, by a knowledgable Jag Mechanic to ascertain. $11K isn't too much to pay. These cars are notorious money pits & buying one without problems will be worth every cent you pay for it. This is your first car. Your dream car! You want it to be the happiest memories of your life. Not some cautionary tale you warn your Grandkids about "Don't buy a Jag Kids!". So just remember the golden rule when buying anything, Caveat Emptor (Buyer Beware) & do as many checks on the car as it takes for you to be happy that this the right car for you, which should be far more important to you than the asking price.

 

This is not the forum for the XJ40-based V12 cars, (is there a forum for such cars ?). These were 6 litre V12s and very few were made. The editor of the Jaguar Enthusiasts Club magazine had one a while back and liked it a lot, but I think the fuel consumption overwhelmed him in the end, this being Britain with its monstrous taxation on fuel.

The car needs to be in exceptional condition to justify that money, so a detailed inspection of the car and the service and repair records is essential. Definitely not a car to buy sight-unseen off the internet !!

 

Patience. They were a limited production car so you wont have much of a selection over the short run. $11,000 seems excessive for a driver. I just purchased a 1995 for 600$. The interior is worn in some areas and the paint is peeling but it's mechanically an excellent driver.

I have noticed prices on very solid XJ40 examples have recently skyrocketed. I call this the princess Diana effect. She is often shown climbing out of a dark Xj40 in news and highlight clips. I can not explain it anyother way. No reason for a run of the mill 4 door to have spiked in prices especially since the XJ40 is one of Jaguar's least loved sedans.

For that kind of money I'd look into a later XJR. As a young punter you may appreciate it more. The later 2002/2003 models are reliable and can be had for a song, The next generation started in 2004 and are reliable too. the XJR is more practical, much faster and better fuel economy too.

Buy an XJR and with the money you have left over wait for the right V12 to come along.

A good way to not over pay is to bid on ebay. This way you will know someone was willing to pay slightly less then you assuring you may not have over paid. As a youthful private buyer... an experienced seller will have a field day with a young enthusiastic buyer.

I've driven an XJ40 v12. Not a great driving car. The chassis is totally overwhelmed by the heft of the V12. Can you say cowl shake? The X305 is a different matter, that chassis handles the heft much better.

 

I'm not sure how much you want the V12. But if I were you, I'd be looking at the last of the XJ line, the X350, with it's aluminium body & improved driving dynamics. I'm not up on current US prices. But with the savage depreciation you guys have over there, I'd be surprised if you couldn't find a decent one for $11K, maybe even one of the supercharged V8 models, the XJR, which would blow the doors off a V12. & would be worth adding a few more grand to your budget to secure a good one. In fact that really is the bottom line. Whatever you buy, make sure it's the very best one you can find. It's worth the extra money upfront to avoid expensive repairs later.

 

My 2cents is not aimed at this car's real VALUE to you . . . the top end of Australia's market for classic Jaguars is dominated by a few modest mileage, pristine examples at horrifying prices. Don't be distracted by the loving pampering . . . perfection is much more . . . a complete and detailed history that includes not only routine services, but itemized receipts for all work . . . doors that close with a "snick" rather than "clunk" . . . panel gaps that are close fitting and absolutely parallel and uniform across the entire car . . . and above all else, that impossible to fake aroma of a brand new Jag . . . its soft, unmarked plush leather exuding a statement few 20 yo cars can emulate.

Of my current 4 Jags, I have 2 such close-to-perfect examples (XK8 & S-Type) and $11,000 would not have bought much more than the boot (trunk) on either. However, I paid a tad less for the Series III XJ6 (very, very good condition but not perfect) . . . and a miserly $1,800 for an XJ-S I lovingly call my "bucket of bolts" (Look Mum; no floors!). My excuse is I need something to tinker!

IMHO, and taking a somewhat different tack to most, how you negotiate against an asking price will depend on your estimate not of the car's value to you (because that is just your "entry fee") . . . but real negotiation should be set against the cost of bringing any areas of "non perfection" up to snuff, and that can be pricey for some items or dealer paid work on these cars.

I admire you . . . any young fella smart enough to accumulate the cash to join the party deserves all our help and encouragement. My love affair with Jaguar bit not long after the start of my love affair with wife, Chris. Together, and across some dozens of different models, we figured that our earlier years were wasted without each other and without our Jags. Mushy? . . . but true!

Let's say this Jag you have found IS the bee's knees . . . yet you have shared with the seller your detailed notes of what is not perfect (and how much each little quibble will cost) . . . and let's further assume you massage the final price down to $10K. So far, so good. Take your "new Jag" to the country for a long, lonely weekend away. Enjoy it. Get to really "know" it. Now, set aside a further $2-3K in a maintenance fund . . . and budget on a full year to bring your chosen Jag to the state of perfection you aspire to.

Luke . . . let the Force surround you!

Best wishes,

Ken

 

Ah, the intrinsic value!

It's often the apparent conflict between a passion fulfilled and the $'s involved to achieve it that others may define as madness.

I agree with Ken, do the due diligence and then absorb yourself in the pure enjoyment of your Jag ownership.