Hey there all,
it’s been a while since I posted as I sold my xj8VP about 2 years ago. I’ve always had my eye out for a hard top XJS and one has become availability somewhat close to me. I’d love any input on this vehicle. It belonged to the seller’s father who passed away. It has been garaged and it shows. 89k miles with an asking price of $9k.
Let me know what to look for upon test driving as well as thoughts about the asking price.
thanks!

 

Hi,
I presume you have read the various online buying guides? Regarding what to look for on the test drive, its pretty much like any other 35yo car. Make sure all gauges and electrical components are working. Pay attention to the brakes as the Teves system can be $$ to fix. Don't be fooled by a well presented shiny car with cleaned engine bay. Thoroughly check the known rust areas, especially where the rear trailing arms attach to the floor.
unless service history is thorough and up to date, assume items like cooling system will need going over, really critical for the V12 which otherwise can have tendencies to overheat. Assume there will be issues and you will have to spend money to redress previous lacking servicing. Check for gas smell in trunk, as tanks commonly leak and can be a pain to diagnose. Personally I would not buy an XJS without a pre-purchase inspection, hopefully by someone who knows the cars well. Price and mileage seem reasonable. Note that general opinions are that low mileage V12's may not be best buying option, as the engine needs to be driven
Good luck!
Quentin

 

Thanks for the detailed response. I’ll do my best to assess the vehicle in person but a PPI might be infeasible due to its location. I believe the vehicle does have extensive service records so I will check out the cooling system and suspension.

 

Hello-
I've owned an 89 XJS for about 15 years now, here are some quick thoughts:
1) If you are not doing most of your own work you need to verify that you have a mechanic you trust. People who actually understand these cars are increasingly rare.
2) +1 on the cooling system comments. It works fine when properly maintained. There are 17-ish cooling hoses on this car.
3) 89 was a changeover year for ignition, the Lucas went away to be replaced by the Marelli. I personally like the Marelli, it is a more elegant solution, but the typical failure mode is that the rotor burns thru and you loose ignition on one bank, which means raw fuel is coming out the exhaust, which can lead to a catalytic fire. Make sure you inspect the cap and rotor, and replace as necessary. Replacements are hard to find and the aftermarket is poor quality. Lots of internet panic around this topic. Conversion back to Lucas is not overly difficult, should one desire.
4) 89 was a changeover year for brakes, the conventional vac-boosted went away to be replaced by Teves III antilock. There is a lot of internet hysteria around whether or not this is a "safe" system. You can do your own research, BUT, it is a fact that if it is not working right it is expensive to fix and some parts are NLA, particularly the master cylinder and solenoids. I personally converted my car back to vacuum assist and ditched the antilock when the Teves started to act up.
5) The fuel lines all need to be replaced every 5-10 years depending on how hot it is where you live. They might last 15 or even 20 but after about 10 you are on borrowed time.

Based on the limited info above this looks like a nice car at a good price. If I wanted one I would strongly consider it. Get somebody who knows these cars to inspect it and be prepared to invest in some maintenance catch up. If you really want to nerd out, Kirby Palms "Experience in a Book" is available free and is 700 pages of advice and anecdotal information on the XJS.

Good Luck!
Bob

 

I find it tremendously useful to bring an iPad Pro pre-loaded with videos specifically regarding PPI and any issues likely to leave you stranded. Prepare for those eventualities, and enjoy the road trip!! Never depend on signal.
😁👍🏿