Hello All,

I am looking at a 1988 XJS with 65k miles being sold by an old lady. The car looks great but she just reported that within the last few days it will not consistently shifting into reverse, it takes 4 or 5 attempts for it to latch on (no idea if third gear works). Is this a common issue? is it an adjustment or a rebuild? If it is a rebuild, by home much should i adjust my offer. I live out of state but plan to get it inspected by Jag shop familiar with the older ones.. If it check out i would like to fly out and drive it home.

Thanks!

Alex

 

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Not a common issue. It could just be lack of use, old fluid, cable adjustment a bit out. The box is a GM 400 and is very strong and straightforward design (by autobox standards!). If it has to be, it can be rebuilt by any autotrans place in the USA pretty inexpensively, nothing Jaguar-special about it in principle. Ask a shop how much to rebuild a GM400 to get an idea of cost.
Greg

 

Looks like the issue has resolved!

Spoke with the seller this afternoon and found out some interesting things about the car. Sounds like she bought the XJS a few months ago when her Mercedes was getting fixed. The previous owner kept it in storage for the last 12 years (until he passed and the car was left to his 14 year old grandson, that did not fly with the parents so...).

Sounds like it may need a new transmission mount, fuel sending unit, bushings. I am going to talk with her mechanic on Monday.

So its a 1988 with 65K for $5500 than might need a grand put in it.. Good deal?

 

Always a good deal.

The list after 12 years will be very long, but I would do it ONCE, do it RIGHT, and really enjoy that machine for 20+ years.

The "grazing" approach will drive you to drink, and bad temper.

If you are relying on a "mechanis" be very careful, as there are very few these days that really understand these beasts, and even less that will listen to those that know, when advice is needed.

They are SIMPLE cars, and a good dose of dirty hands on your behalf will sort it easily and quickly. Add to that the utter enjoyment of resurrecting that car as a daily driver, would be priceless.

 

Spoke with a Jaguar mechanic that looked at the car about a month ago. Sounds like it is in good shape but has a lot of deferred maintenance. First thing he asked me was how i plan to use the car and what i knew about v12's. He wanted me to understand that these are not cheap cars to work on.

Needs:
New fan and clutch
Fuel sending unit
Throttle Bushings
Transmission Mount
Cruise control disconnected
Front undercarriage bushing
Vacuum advance actuator for ignition (if i remember correctly).

It might be tipping the scales of reason (and my budget), but it does look like a beautiful car. The lady is firm at $5500 and it probably needs 2-3k in it to make the drive back home 1000 miles..

 

Then add to that:

Radiator out and pro clean, and/or recore.

ALL and I mean ALL the coolant hoses.

Thermostats X 2.

AAV possibly jammed anywhere from open to closed, or between the 2, and will cause all sorts of engine stability issues until sorted.

Spark plugs, all 12 of them, and about 4 hours to repalce them.

Brakes, who knows how old that fluid is?.

Not so bad if you are attending to it, but that mechanic is spot on, they will drain the bank if you rely on that 3rd party, no exceptions.

 

Grant is 100% correct, no surprise there. You will be well past 10,000 USD before you know it. If you cannot do the work yourself spend the money on a known well cared for car, and then gradually learn how to do the required maintenance yourself.
It is just about impossible to find a business-like garage that has the knowledge and attention to detail that these cars require. Do not think for a minute that the XJS is a "fix-once and forget" car. They are wonderful, but like many wonderful things they require constant attention to keep being wonderful.
Greg

 

Just because she paid too much doesn't mean you should! In NE Florida thats WAY too high for an XJS, good examples go regularly here for $2500 to $3500. Let her hold on to it for her firm price, when it doesn't move she'll come around.

 

Food for thought..
https://jacksonville.craigslist.org/cto/5329704563.html

 

This one is interesting because its a 1987 but has the 1988 centre console..

 

Thanks guys for the replies and advice! I am going to let this one go.. Unless she come down in her price its just not worth it. Plus, a 1988 just popped up on the local CL so I might luck out