Hi all,

I'm new here
I sent a mechanic to do an inspection on a 1986 Jaguar XJS V12 that I loved at first sight. The car is on hold until Friday..
In his PPI report, the mechanic wrote some lines that worried me and I am not sure how worry I should be and could definitely need some of your help.

Here's what he wrote:

"The power steering system was found operating as designed, however the power steering fluid was found low. The driver side tie rod boot shows signs of fluid residue build-up that may indicate an internal steering rack leak. Further diagnostic is suggested concerning this issue. The driver side outer tie rod end shows a torn boot. The coolant reservoir was found low. With no obvious signs of coolant leaks, the system should be topped off and pressure tested to ensure proper operation."

Thanks in advance for your help!!

 

A rebuilt steering rack, if that is what is needed, is not silly money; maybe 300 USD>
More serious is the fact that YOU must be prepared to work on this car if you want it to be reliable and fun. At this age many things, though working, will be completely worn out: suspension rubber parts; ALL coolant hoses must be changed; the radiator will need removing and the fins cleaning out at the very least; the brake system will need overhauling; many of the loom wires under the hood may well be crisp from heat damage and will need renewing; all fluids will need renewing.

So these are the things yo need to be prepared for. Having said that, these are WONDERFUL cars when right: fast, quiet, mile-eaters; perhaps the best GT car ever made.

 

RAAF, welcome to the Forums.

With Greg 100%.

My reading of what you state is:

Rack leaks, they happen, and mostly due to very stale fluid, it is a fluid that NEVER gets changed until something goes pear shaped and it runs out on the ground. Fresh fluid, then suck out and refill a week later, MAY sort that leak. Did so for me on all except 1 over the years.

Torn joint boots, just plain SLACK caretaking, and no apologies for that comment.

Coolant low, OOPS. Very slack caretaking of that car, sorry, but the facts are the facts.

Read my stickies at the top, digest what is there.

Also, as Greg mentioned, we are assuming YOU are the caretaker, and that is the BEST caretaker.
Mechanics scare the hell out of me with these cars, as the numbers still in the game that have ANY idea of the car, are countable on one hand, and probably not in your area.

If caring for it yourself, and they are SIMPLE cars, is not your intention, I would be very careful.

 

Unless you have boat load of disposable income and a GREAT relationship with a Jag specific mechanic, or do your own wrenching dont buy an 86. They are extremely fussy vehicles and you will find very quickly the time and money needed to keep one of these cars going can be intense. It's a commitment that can only be described as one sided. A power steering leak is just the tip of the iceberg, almost all of the early cars weep PS fluid from somewhere. Do you have any maintenance records for this car? When was the last time the brake fluid was changed? Were the fuel lines changed? Fuel filter? Fuel pump? Is the charging system outputting the right voltage under load? Bushings?...they are wear items and need to be replaced frequently. If this car has differed maintenance you're in for a surprise when it gets to a Jag mechanic.

Quality parts are now getting very hard to get and these cars have entered the exclusive realm of the dedicated hobbyist. Get an estimate of a PS rack replacement from your mechanic. It will be most likely north of $1000 parts and labor and after sitting a while it will leak again from somewhere soon . Better option is the 94-96 inline six cars. They were completely redesigned by Ford. Leave the early cars to the most dedicated among us. If you must proceed make sure you have a local and dedicated English car mechanic who has directed experience with XJS'. The type of guy who has lots of gray hair, shuffles about slower than you expect, and has spent some time on a Race track with a Jag back in the 70's.

Where in NY are you. It's a big state... I know a good Jag mechanic in Northern NJ. He's not cheap but very good. .

 

A steering rack leak is nothing on the scale of jobs on one of these cars - in fact it is pretty common since the rack on the right hand side gets cooked even with the heat shields in place especially the top seal, a complete refurb kit isn't that expensive.

I will however concur with others here and say that if you can't do most of the jobs yourself or aren't prepared to have a go you have better have significant funds and access to somebody that knows these cars. The modern 'mechanic' aren't up to the task, these cars are old school and require thought not a PC to diagnose them. There are many that claim to understand these cars and will happily take your dollar - and then commence to really screw the car up.

If you are prepared to get stuck in you can do this, there's enough support here to guide you through some of the BS you will certainly encounter, and if somebody in some garage some place claims to be a V12 expert - or even a Jaguar expert - don't be afraid to ask for proof.

I had a Jaguar trained expert (and he had the certs) tell me that my SV8 didn't have variable valve timing - well it absolutely does - hence we say do it yourself, it is better in the long run.

Buy it and get stuck in - help is here when you need it.

 

Hi all,
I have been recommended a mechanic specialized in Jaguars here in NJ and also in Queens Jamaica. I wouldn't do anything myself as I don't know cars (yet).
I'm attaching the full report, that might help understand the car.
Do you know how much it would/could cost monthly to have this car being taken care of at a specialized garage in order to be able to drive it (my goal..)
Thanks!

 

It's always good to see that there are new people that are interested in the XJS. They are pretty amazing cars. Just go into the experience with open eyes. These are all old cars, and low mileage doesn't always guarantee less problems. Better is a car that's been in constant service with a detailed folder containing receipts for maintenance and repair items. These are the type of cars that really suffer from deferred maintenance, and most examples suffer from that malady. The cost of the parts is not really prohibitive, but finding someone that is capable and willing to work on them is a huge problem. Many Indie Jag shops will say that they don't work on any cars older than ten years. Most Jag dealerships don't have mechanics that are familiar with these cars, and really prefer not to work on them. Many general repair shops will tell you up front that they won't even touch them, at lest they're honest. Other shops will take your car in and mess it up.

Just as an experiment try contacting your usual mechanic and ask them if they can wok on it. Then talk to some imdie shops and see if they would be available. This will give you a better idea if you can find a shop to handle the job.

Unless there is a record of the suspension/steering being rebuilt, the cooling system and fuel injection systems being maintained, there will be a lot of work to catch up on. It is possible to handle a lot of these tasks as DIY. Just be committed to investing a lot more money than you had anticipated! Trying to do things on a low buck schedule will cause the process to drag on and on and you might lose your enthusiasm for the project. That's where I find myself right now. I know that part of my problem is that I have too many cars and I would do better to just focus on one. Either way, good luck with your decision.

 

If you're going to take it to a mechanic, my guess is you're probably going to spend $2,500-$7,500 in the first year. This is assuming similar shop rates between New York and Chicago. I spent that much on mine and I turn my own wrenches.

I would budget $1,000 to $2,500 annually after that assuming nothing major goes boom.

These aren't cars for the faint of heart. It's not the kind of car you wake up one morning and say 'I really want a Jaguar V-12'. Just plan on opening your wallet frequently and you'll be OK!

 

Thanks guys. I sent the PPI report to the Jaguar specialist garage and they told me to "100% pass on this one"... I'm now looking for an XJS coupe 6 cylinder but they're rare on the market...
There're many XJS coupe 6 cylinder convertible but I'm not sure that would be the best decision while living in NY.. winters are long.

 

It is a question of maintenance backlog, and there will be lots of it. But once done, it is just oil and a bit of routine lubrication, and the petrol of course! But if you cannot do it yourself, i would forget it as a buy.

 

Update y'all:
I got myself a 100K miles 1994 XJS coupe, 6 cylinder inline. Should be much easier to maintain for a first Jag...

Thanks all for your advice and telling me to PASS! :smiley:

 

Congrats, you're in for a lot of fun. And there's a lot of great people here to help for when it isn't fun.

 

Glad to hear that you made the plunge! Enjoy, and let us know how things are going.

 

Hi guys, here are a few pics! The car is getting polished right now and will look even better in a few days 😍

 

I have an 94 convertible and have most of the troubleshooting manuals and such. happy to share them is you PM me with an email as some are too large to post. Started with a $2500 purchase and spent more than twice that to make it reliable enough for a daily driver. Still need paint and interior work on mine. Yours looks well taken care of and looks to be the same color as mine too.