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WD40 and spray liberally everywhere, I grew up on the beach so salt was always an issue and my fathers cars rusted in a few years until he started regularly spraying with WD40.
A top car guy I knew told me that if you are prepared to spray old engine oil into all the box sections every year, and paint it onto all underside surfaces, like wheelarches, etc etc, a car will never rust. WD 40 would smell better though!
Last edited by Greg in France; Dec 20, 2017 at 03:22 AM.
OK. This post isn't entirely serious. I just pulled out my 1988 XJS and drove it in the snow. Half my life is over and half the year is almost winter, winter and still winter in Minnesota. So only driving my Jaguars in the summer is not an option. I can't drive boring cars for six months straight. Sorry Saturn.
Did anyone own a Jaguar XJS long enough to know how fast it rusts out? In the 1980s my dad owned a new Talbot Simca 1308 GLS that rusted out in three years. When you stood next to it quietly, you could hear it rust. My old 2001 Dodge Neon on the other hand had the exact same rust spots for four years and they hardly grew at all.
I would like to get at least ten years of fun out of my salvage title XJS before the driver seat falls through. I bought it as my winter Jaguar so my other Jaguars could remain summer cars. On days when it actually snows and the salt trucks are out I will still drive my Saturn.
Get some snow tires on it an I bet it would be fun as hell! I have an 88 and has zero rust. I want to keep it that way. Is there any way to rust proof the underside?
OK. This post isn't entirely serious. I just pulled out my 1988 XJS and drove it in the snow. Half my life is over and half the year is almost winter, winter and still winter in Minnesota. So only driving my Jaguars in the summer is not an option. I can't drive boring cars for six months straight. Sorry Saturn.
Did anyone own a Jaguar XJS long enough to know how fast it rusts out? In the 1980s my dad owned a new Talbot Simca 1308 GLS that rusted out in three years. When you stood next to it quietly, you could hear it rust. My old 2001 Dodge Neon on the other hand had the exact same rust spots for four years and they hardly grew at all.
I would like to get at least ten years of fun out of my salvage title XJS before the driver seat falls through. I bought it as my winter Jaguar so my other Jaguars could remain summer cars. On days when it actually snows and the salt trucks are out I will still drive my Saturn.
Hi, I bought an 1988 XJS Convertible in 2001, so it was then around 13 years old. I knew it was a bit rusty, but ended up discovering it needed new subframe, floors, sills, shock mount areas and work to the chassis legs from the front back to about halfway along the floors, and work to the tunnel. That’s all done now, but it’s taken 20 years!
I still will need to tackle the windshield legs (or whatever that area in the lower corner of the windscreen surround, behind the chrome) is called) at some point.
So, under British conditions, which probably means salty winter roads, the car took around 13 years to go properly rustic.
I would say though after all this time and the heartache over bills and dilemmas, on balance I’m happy I’ve kept the car, but there was a period of around 5 years starting just after the initial spend that I was fed up with it and had it just sitting in storage.
To me, these cars are full of character and they carry some nostalgia of all that was great about the ‘70s and ‘80s. They’re not really good for cabin space, fuel economy, speed or practicality in other ways, but somehow that doesn’t seem to matter much when it comes to enjoying the car.
I would say that if you've got even the slightest rust bubble appearing just in front of the chrome edge at the lower corner of the windscreen, then you really need to tackle it right now!
A tiny bubble there is indicative of rust in the windscreen flange. It creeps unseen gradually rotting out the flange. The real problem is that it also progresses unseen under the deck panel in front of the screen, into the plenum chamber, into the upper corner of the inner wing and then starts rotting out the A-panel.
We always say that if you can see a small bubble, you possibly have a big problem. And even if you can't see a bubble, you still might have a problem!
I had the smallest bubble and I was very lucky compared to many that I've seen
So, get those chromes off (carefully, as they distort very easily!). And see what you've got underneath.
OK. This post isn't entirely serious. I just pulled out my 1988 XJS and drove it in the snow. Half my life is over and half the year is almost winter, winter and still winter in Minnesota. So only driving my Jaguars in the summer is not an option. I can't drive boring cars for six months straight. Sorry Saturn.
Did anyone own a Jaguar XJS long enough to know how fast it rusts out? In the 1980s my dad owned a new Talbot Simca 1308 GLS that rusted out in three years. When you stood next to it quietly, you could hear it rust. My old 2001 Dodge Neon on the other hand had the exact same rust spots for four years and they hardly grew at all.
I would like to get at least ten years of fun out of my salvage title XJS before the driver seat falls through. I bought it as my winter Jaguar so my other Jaguars could remain summer cars. On days when it actually snows and the salt trucks are out I will still drive my Saturn.
The XJS gets a 9 out of 10 for speedy rusting, I would say. Just drive home over a little salt in Winter and wait over night for a good rust by morning, like proving dough to make a good loaf, I’d say it takes just a few hours.
It started "rusting on the show room floor" ie: Garth Coomer Jaguar World Mag. This subject has been brought up from time to time. All you have to do is check some old editions of the restoration/repair editions of JWM. The floors (what was left) and suspension were a mess at best. IMO XJ-S bodies are a shade better than an 55 to 57 Chevy or the XKE in regard to rust undercoated or not.
One way to answer your question is fine someone who has used their XJS in Minneapolis winters and go from there. You my be lucky & it will look like a Texas car after 5 winters of use.
I was scrapping out rusty Minnesota Jaguars in the late 80’s through 90’s. They weren’t all rusted to the point of danger but had notable, visible rust. The floor pans could have survived more years with some sheet metal pop riveted in place and a little bodge work around the rear drag link. The plate itself is substantial and a few bolts through the floorboards into a plate on top of the rear floorboards would likely give 3-5 more years. Before it all became a crumbly mess.
The brake lines are the real danger area. When one rusts through suddenly no stop. You can’t count on the parking brake either. Or it might give you one juddering stop before it freezes full on and a tow truck is the only way it will move after that.
Funny that this post is still visible after four years.
I just bought a 1979 pre-HE XJ-S, got it completely undercoated, and cavity-sealed ('Waxoyled'), and will drive it all year.
Obviously it will stay home on snow, slush, and salt days. But when the roads are halfway dry I will be driving my Jaguar.
Life is too short to drive a winter beater for six months of the year.
An older gentleman in the UK told me that with proper care his XJ-S took 13 years to rust out.
So by 2034 it might need some serious bodywork which is fine with me.
(Don't tell me I am crazy. I already know that.)
The big issue with cars built in this era is that they were not dipped (unless you bought an audi or porsche) at the factory so all of the box sections were completely unprotected from rust from the inside. I remember seeing Austin Rover cars from the 80's with their bumpers removed and they didnt even have paint behind them, just primer.
By the time you notice the rust on the external painted surface, it's already a lot worse than you can imagine as the cancer is on the inside of the box sections.. As others have suggested, if you use a cavity wax (waxoyl, fluid film etc), it will help slow things down but you won't stop it. It's better to move to North Texas and buy one that has lived all it's life here. Bring yours with you as it will have nicer interior to swap over.
By the time you notice the rust on the external painted surface, it's already a lot worse than you can imagine as the cancer is on the inside of the box sections.. As others have suggested, if you use a cavity wax (waxoyl, fluid film etc), it will help slow things down but you won't stop it. It's better to move to North Texas and buy one that has lived all it's life here. Bring yours with you as it will have nicer interior to swap over.
That is true, but not the bit about not stopping it: the key is layers. When I was in the UK my car rusted badly, as you say in spite of waxoyling it everywhere including the box sections. This is what made me do my major refurb including repairing the shell.
However, I found stuff called AquaSteel and it is fantastically effective. I have done three XJSs with it, mine and for friends. You spary the AquqSteel into the box sections, and very important, you send the spray probe up through the rrear wing double skin the from the boot to the cabin behind the doors, spraying all the way.
Then, when it has dried you do the same with some rust resistant paint, then when that has dried you waxoyl over the lot. In 12 years no rust at all, sills and box sections perfect.
Another point: the floors rust through more from the inside out than from below. I used a product on the floors inside called Rust Bullet (I think like PoR 15 which is better known maybe). This completely seals the floor against all moisture, so the inevitable damp carpets from wet feet do not end up rusting the floor through. I also used this product on the vulnerable external steelwork like the rear wheel arch seams, on top of the aquaSteel, and again no rust.
This layered treatment works, no question. https://aquasteel.co.uk/
That is true, but not the bit about not stopping it: the key is layers.
you can protect what you can get to but you can't get everywhere. Hopefully the moisture won't get where you can't get but in my experience from chopping cars up into little pieces , there's always more rust than you know about and the best treatment is to avoid driving them anywhere where they salt the roads.
you can protect what you can get to but you can't get everywhere. Hopefully the moisture won't get where you can't get but in my experience from chopping cars up into little pieces , there's always more rust than you know about and the best treatment is to avoid driving them anywhere where they salt the roads.
Completely agree about salt; but in an XJS, while you do have to drill holes, use a compressed-air pressure sprayer and remove stone guards, you actually can get everywhere. Chassis rails, under the rear seat, sills, double skinned rear wheelarches, A and B pillars, scuttle sides under the bolt on front wings, headlight nacelles, can all be got at. Mind you, you do need to be prepared to spend the time and to remove trim and stuff here and there!
