So I went to look at that 88 XJ-S V12 today. I had stated in my other thread a day or two ago that he says it has sluggish acceleration and some of you guys helped me out with some good ideas of potential issues. He also said it has a frozen or stuck right rear caliper, so obviously the rear would need to come down. Of course it'd be best to just replace the calipers, rotors, lines and any bushings back there while it was down so it wouldn't have to come down again for a looooooong time.

Anyways, when I went to look at it, I walked around and visually inspected it. It has a very clean body, everything looks straight. There is some dust on it but wiping it away with your finger shows the paint to be in great condition with the pinstripes intact. I got down on my back and looked at the entire rocker panel area, everything had a nice satisfying metal thud to it when I was tapping on it with my knuckles. The frame rails looked pretty good too and they had a nice sound to them as well. The trunk area looked fantastic, I could see original green paint in there as well that looked good. The gas cap area, aside from some dust and dirt, looked clean and solid as well. The hood opened nicely and everything in the engine bay looked good too. The doors had a nice satisfying closing sound as well. I just used the experience of rust prone areas from the 83 XJ6 I had to look for rust in this car. I saw no bubbling at the bottom corners of the chrome trim around the front windshield and everything looked solid in the drain channel or whatever you call it over the tops of the doors between the roof and the chrome trim itself. The rear areas looked good at the corners of chrome trim piece as well. I saw no rust in the door area where the door hinge bolts to the frame. Since there was no floor carpet in the interior, at least in the front, the floor pans looked solid. The sound deadening hadn't started cracking or peeling, no evidence of rust or water having been in the car. If there was in the past, it was cleaned up right away. The wheels were in great shape too with new rear tires and lots of miles left on the fronts.

The interior needs a little work. The headliner looks fine, didn't look like it was sagging anywhere and no sunroof. Didn't notice any staining or rips or anything like that. The lacquer or whatever over the wood trim is chipped/cracked like most any old car with wood in it. The switches and knobs all seemed to be there, but he did point out the passenger side window didn't work with the switch, so either the switch is bad or maybe the motor, he didn't know. The cigarette lighter or whatever wasn't secured to the console so I don't know if it works or not. The vinyl or whatever that trims the console was peeling from the edges. The leather in both front seats has seen either some sun, or just sitting in a garage with very little attention paid to them in the ways of leather cleaner/conditioner treatments so there is a little bit of stitching that has given up the ghost and a couple cracks/tears exposing the foam underneath. The rears didn't look like they had any cracks or rips that I remember, but I don't think any amount of leather cleaner and conditioner would make them soft and plush again. The tan trim panels around the transmission tunnel could probably use a good cleaning and that'd probably restore their luster but the original owner, I'm guessing, had a wireless phone put in the car at one point. The phone cable attachment was poking out from behind the radio area and attached to one of the leather panels on the transmission tunnel as well as 4 screw holes in one of the panel pieces where the phone mount used to be. There were also a couple small speakers placed at the top of the a-pillars by the headliner for a speakerphone option too.

The engine fired right up, though maybe the battery is just old and in need of a good charging or replacement. It idled great, I didn't check the tach for the RPM but it sounded like it idled like any other car would. There weren't any funky smells going on or anything like that. I didn't notice any smoke rising up from the engine from where oil might have been dripping on a hot pipe.

The car has 53,704, something like that. He's only had it a short while, drove it to Atlanta (2 hours from here) a couple times and back, and aside from the sluggish acceleration, it cruised just fine on the interstates. Then the caliper froze up on him so it isn't really moving super great so he has it parked in his garage. He did just sink $1700 he said into the gas tank and fuel pump system, and the tank definitely looked new to me as it was staring me in the face when he had the trunk open. The guy he got it from bought it at an estate sale and had it for a while and I guess decided to sell it himself. From the looks of it and the low miles, it was likely some old man's car that he drove around town on weekends or on vacation trips or something like that. The current owner sunk the money into the fuel system and that didn't fix the issue of acceleration, then the caliper froze up so he just wants to sell it as he doesn't have the time to really fool with it or sink into it as he has a daily driver. He said it was also tuned up at a Euro shop in Atlanta. I'm guessing a previous owner did it as he didn't know what all exactly was done, I'm guessing spark plugs and wires and that may be it, maybe a cap and rotor.

The only spot of rust I could find, other than just surface rust where a bolt that tightens something down had scratched off the paint under and right next to the head of the bolt, was one little spot about the size of the tip of my thumb by the passenger side rear fender well. Could probably be easily remedied and patched and re-sprayed. At such a low position on the car, it'd be harder to see the spot that was painted.

Anyways, as it looks now, the only thing it needs (the best I can tell) to be driveable is the rear brake system overhauled. Then, the sluggish acceleration issue would need to be fixed, but it'd at least be able to move around the neighborhood or driven if I absolutely had to. I could do it at my leisure as I have a daily driver as well. From what you guys have told me it seems to be likely the distributor's vacuum advance, a worn torque converter, which I'm guessing isn't too bad since it's essentially a good ol' GM transmission, or a clogged catalytic converter. If I can narrow it down, it doesn't seem like any of those are terribly expensive. Once that's resolved, then it could be put into service and the small things could be addressed as I get to them, no real rush.

He's asking $3000 obo for the car, but needs to move it since his friend is building a house on the property very close to his garage, so he would need the space in the garage. He's not going to give it away, but he is negotiable. I asked if he was interested in a trade for my Audi S4 that I'm asking $5500 for if he added some cash and he's interested, but I don't think he's wanting to add $2000 or so to get the Audi, so I'm not even sure if a trade would happen. Even if I took the wheels off my car and put factories back on, I'd still have to have about $4200-4500 and not sure he wants to add that much cash, that is assuming his car is actually worth $3000....but I wanted to ask you guys what YOU think the car is worth judging from the pics I'm going to post and the description. Depending on what you guys think it's worth, if I choose to go ahead with it, I can come up with a cash price he'd had to come up with.

Sorry for the long post but I wanted to try and be thorough to get some good accurate opinions. The pics are his that he snapped, from his ad. The rust bubble is what I took today, because that's the only rust I could find.

 

I think the price is "ok" but there's a lot of interior work there, never mind the engine. Steering wheel, ski slope finish and stereo are all non-original. You can replace all of it if you want to throw the bucks at it. Distributor seems to be missing the vent system. Plug wires have an original look to them. I'd bet on replacing most of the ignition system (cap, rotor, wires, TPS, plugs etc) .

 

What is the ski slope finish you're referring to? Unfamiliar with most things Jag as well as terms.

 

Ski slope is the center console plate which is normally finished with wood veneer. Price looks fair. Since I'm not a body man the rust spot would be my major concern.

 

Hi Matt

$2000 Cash, no PX or be prepared to walk away

These Cars can turn into Cash Cows, faster than you can blink

Had it been the 88 Hess and Eisenhardt Convertible, that could have been a very different story!

 

Looking at that cruise control bellows I'd be surprised if that's working also...

 

Fully operational climate control with cold A/C would be a real 'plus'. Repairs here can be expensive and/or frustrating.

$3000 doesn't sound entirely UNreasonable. Less would be better :-). It's a difficult condition/price range. Better than many; not a total disaster. A really nice example will be twice that amount of money, and might well save you money in the long run, but even twice the money is no guarantee that everything is up-to-snuff. If cosmetics are important to you I can just about promise it'll be cheaper to buy a pristine car as opposed to bring an average example up to the same standard.

If you really want everything to be right you'll be spending a few thou on this car.....but that's just the way it is with old XJSs. Worth the time, money, and effort, IMO.

Cheers
DD

 

At least some of the fuel hoses in the engine bay look original. Those will need replacing. This is very important.

Cheers
DD

 

The ski slope finish is factory. The wood finish did not come until later model years.
That bubbling on the front corner of the rear wheel arch is potentially serious, and not that easy to repair nicely. Pull up the carpets inside the car and take a very good look at the floorpans.
Can you do the refurb work yourself and do you have a covered space to do it in? You will have about $3000 worth of mechanical parts to get this car right and lots of work: New suspension rubbers all round, new shock s, full fluid change, new tyres, renew brakes, renew fuel system rubbers throughout, full fluid changes throughout, lots of electrical ground and connector plug cleaning, full ignition system refurb (dizzy internals, vac capsule, vac tubes, plugs HT leads, etc etc).
I think the inside looks good, and the paint, and if no rust apart from the wheelarch (and you can attack and fix this yourself) and your long term hobby is going to be looking after this car, then somewhere around the $2000/2500 mark is reasonable. But do not be under any illusions, these cars are wonderful but need constant looking after!

 

Assume looking car, take the advice and then go on gut feel. Its the only way.
This is coming from someone that just brought an XJS un-seen and still has a month before pick up and then needs to drive it 1200km home...LOL.
I pray every night! and tell the wife everything will be OK....
Mean while I have joined the AA (brake down service, plus.... gets the car home and provides a rental car..)
Oh did i add that includes a 4hr ferry ride... cheap option and non refundable, including flights!
What could go wrong ....LOL

But hay... life is nothing but a journey and I like the fun option!
And then join the real AA

 

Hi Matt

I wouldn't want to pay any more than $2000 max for that Car, for as nice as she may look to you there are better Cars out there (there is always a better Car out there!) that may be a bit more expensive but doesn't need any more work at least short term

So in my view it is better to spend a bit more now, on a Car that you can use and enjoy and also improve on when time and money allow, or else you could just end up throwing money at it

As tempting as it may be, it seldom pays to buy the first one you see, unless of course you are looking for a long term project but as for me I think I'd walk away and look elsewhere

 

 

A bit off topic, I know, but my 1987 came with original wood finish..

 

It changed with the interior changes (new Recaro type seats, Delanaire III aircon, etc), sometime in 1987. My 1985 has the same skislope as the OP's.

 

I would look at the dizzy and ignition for the sluggishness. The line is missing from the top of the dizzy cap and the plastic piece has clearly broken off of it. This piece broke on mine, the plastic fell inside, and bent the rotor. This caused a no start. Could be an issue with the advance not working, as the vacuum unit can fail or become disconnected, and the mechanical advance can become stuck.

 

Alright, Ive come to a deal with the guy. Im going to be giving him my Audi with the original and aftermarket wheels in exchange for his Jaguar and $1950 cash. I can rent a parking spot in a fenced storage unit complex for a few weeks until I can get a set of rebuilt brake calipers, rotors, and lines and do a full brake job. Also, while the rear is down Im going to replace any bushings back there as well as put some new shocks and springs on. That way I wont have to drop it again for quite a while. I'll probably order the rear KYB shocks from Rock Auto as the various Sachs, Boge, Bilstein, etc are prohibitively expensive since I have to buy 4 shocks for the rear.

Anyways, I have a friend who can help me drop the rear end, then I should be able to fit the parts myself. I have a friend who used to be an Air Force plane mechanic so he can show me how to safety wire any bolts back there that need it, then we can put it back in. Then, with fresh suspension, brakes, and brake fluid, I can at least drive around in it some while I do other maintenance jobs on it to narrow down and fix the sluggish acceleration issue...and with having an automatic and what I've discovered is a 2.88 final drive, it may not have any issue at all other than having a sluggish 2.88 final drive lol

 

I'd be wanting to change the cooling fan and clutch too. The fan blade looks original and they are prone to cracking.

 

Well sir, I am certain all are happy that you found a Jaguar that you want to "get up to speed". (no pun intended)
There are many suggestions on things you may wish to do, however just take your time and enjoy it. The X308
styling and overall look is second only to the XKE in my book and I am positively sure you will be both exasperated
by some things and exhilarated by others.

 

MUST DO FIRST!! Safety is paramount.

1. Replace the fuel line hoses on the fuel rail, and the intake and outflow lines. Engine fires due to fuel leaks in old hoses are a REAL thing with these cars.

When you are working on the rear end replace the rubber hoses back there as well.

2. Replace all belts and fan. Original fan blades are known to break part and damage the radiator and or hood.

3. Complete re-do of entire brake system. Flush and fill with new fluid. Make sure calipers actually work. New pads. Check for leaks.

Use this forum liberally for 'how to' advice. There is so much expertise here.

BTW....ski slope appears to be correct year ('88) but has had wood veneer stripped off and recovered in black leather like pre - '88's.