All you veteran XJ6 owners out there - does anyone have any suggestions on how to arrive at an estimate of a cars worth? other than a "gut" feeling? Kelly blue book is no help. Here is an example of what I'm looking at -

Jaguar : XJ6 | eBay

Any opinions? Thanks for your help.

 

Kelly Blue Book as similar are not of much use on cars like this, IMHO, because there are so many "gotcha" aspects that dramatically change the value....at least to someone who knows the ins-n-outs of old Jags. There is SO much that you can't tell from pictures. Small rust bubbles at the corner of the windshield, rear brakes needing overhaul, or an inoperative climate control, or leaky head gasket for instance, devalue the car quite a bit in my book.

The car in question looks pretty decent. Not mint, but a nice car. A big plus is the paint. If it is as nice as it looks there's $4000-$5000 you won't have to spend after pruchase. Assuming no serious problems I'd probably pay $4000 or so for it. Maybe more if some key repair items have been recently addressed.

A truly mint Ser III can fetch $7000-$8000 if the right buyer comes along. A clapped out parts car will be $200. Everything inbetween is, well, inbetween.

I was on Craigslist today and saw a couple Ser IIIs that "look" to be in about the same condition as this car. Both were about $3000. But, again, a few pictures don't tell the whole story. They could be clunkers for all I know.

Cheers
DD

 

Thanks Doug; exactly the kind of input I was looking for; I need to ask the dealer some questions.

 

The car looks pretty decent and unspoilt to me looking at the photos, but buying "sight unseen" off the internet is very, nay, extremely, risky. The internet is good for searching as you have done, but if I was buying this car, I would want to see it and test drive it. It certainly looks in very good shape bodywise, and that is a big plus as Doug has said. If I was in the market for a Series 3, I would put this one on my list to go and see

Be aware that the XK engine goes back to 1948; it is not a modern engine, but a very nice one. However, with cars then and up until well into the 70s, high mileage was around 85 thousand, the days when cars could go to Mars and back had not yet arrived. So good as it is, there is likely a job or two that will need doing.

 

New here and buying my first Jag tomorrow but have restored a few cars. How I judge value of a car is, initial cost of vehicle + cost to restore(or fix) = value of car..
So if blue book say 5000, they want 3000 but will cost 4000 to fix, paint or whatever then that puts me 2000 bucks upside down into the car plus not counting the time i spent fixing it. Now you might find someone that is willing to pay the 7000 but like you alot of people just look at the NADA or KBB..But if it is a car that I dont plan on reselling ever then that all goes out the window. Just kinda how I price a vehicle

 

Good methodology, but where do you get the book value on a 1985 car? I've looked at KBB (haven't tried NADA) and they don't seem to go back that far.

 

Responded too quickly; Just answered my own question. Got some values from NADA; KBB seems to only go back to 1991. Maybe I'm missing something.

 

Jaguar did a lot of changes to improve reliability and quality of the Series 3s starting in about 1981, and this continued almost until they left production in 1985. What did NOT get done was any real improvement to the body finishing; it is a 70s car with 70s paintwork and rust prevention. These are very expensive areas to put right, so if the body and paint is in good order, the car is probably OK. I am assuming a test run proves the mechanical order.