Jaguar Forums - Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum - Help Paul(paulyling) find an XJS

Points to look for on an XJS. My views are as follows:

The early to late-mid 1980s, non ABS, non-catalyst models with Lucas ignition are the easiest to work on and the simplest to maintain.
any model of this age, unless maintained by an enthusiastic expert will require substantial mechanical work to function as designed and to be reliable
there is nothing an enthusiastic owner who (a) has a garage to work in, (b) likes mechanical work, (c) is prepared to buy decent tools and work patiently and methodically, and take the trouble to understand before tearing it apart, cannot do on these cars
the better the car to start with the cheaper the ownership will be
it will take a few years of patient work before the car is truly reliable
be prepared for a budget for parts of about 1000 UKP per year while you get it up to snuff. be prepeared to renew all calipers and flexibles, water hoses, suspension rubbers, power steering hoses, etc etc.
lots of people disagree with me, but IMO buying second hand mechanical and electrical parts for these cars is a false economy if you want a reliable vehicle
you will have to renew under bonnet looms and connectors, whatever they look like if they have never been renewed
ditto the fuel lines and tank will need renewing and the tank sealing if this has never been done
XJSs of this age will leak oil from the cam covers and the sump if these have never been attended to. Again can be fixed but it is a reasonably major job to do so (think 4 days in the garage with a mate to help at crucial moments. Oil leaks are more of an aesthetic problem than a danger from the reliability point of view.
BODYWORK: this is the XJSs really weak area. Check floorpans under the carpets, check the rear wheelarches and the body at the forward end of the rear wheelarch where the suspension forward facing radius arm attaches to the body. Check sills each end. serious rust on rear wheelarches themselves is a major bodywork job for an expert bodyshop, remove wwheels and check very carefully with a sharp object. Front wings unbolt and are easy to change and second hand ones are easily available (in the UK at least). Front upper and lower chassis rails and front inner wings where the shock absorber reinforcers attach must be very carefully checked. The front upper chassis rail (until the wings are off) can only be seen from the wheelarch as a square tube running along the inner wheelarch/wing 90° join. Poke this very hard. Lower chassis rails can be seen from below the car and also by removing the air boxes from the intakes. Rust bubbles around the base of the windscreen are potentially a major job, requiring screen out and front wings off to see the full extent of the problem. Check VERY carefully that the door hinges are solidly attached to the A pillar, this pillar can literally disappear. Any other rust on unboltable bits (eg boot lid, doors, bonnet) will be treatable or such items are relatively easily replaced;
AIRCON: if the aircon is not working 100% properly (and if it is you will be COLD on a low temp setting) means expense and possibly major work. To renew the compressor, condensor, expansion valve, dryer and pipes will set you back 600 UKP at least. If there is a problem in the dash unit electronic parts are NLA and a leak is a dash out job which is a VERY big job - though quite doable for the owner with the above listed necessary characteristics!

Like marriage, look for a good one!

Greg