found a 1987 Jaguar XJS v12 coupe for sale. Wondering if it is a good car to purchase

80,000 miles
no rust at all, originally from florida- never seen a winter
automatic
current owner has had it for 8 years and maintained very well with no major problems experienced.

needs a new starter fitting and they already have the part for it. sounds like minor fix

asking $3000

I was just wondering if this is a good deal for an XJS. I don't know a whole lot about jags. Any major problems with these models? Any problems i can expect down the road mechanically or electrically? How hard is it to get things repaired? The car looks beautiful but I know jags can be pretty expensive.

I plan on reading up a lot and learning how to maintain it myself.
Would this be a good purchase?

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

 

You might wanna read the XJS buyer's guide for some basic background info. Go to the sticky thread at the top of this section.

In a very brief nutshell these are fabulous cars but they can be a challenge to own. Count on spending a chunk of cash (and time) after the purchase to get everything sorted out and periodic TLC to get it up-to-snuff. How much money and labor, initially, depends on the condition of the car at present. How much money and labor in the future depends on how well you take care of it. It will never be a drive-it-and-forget-it car.

DIY repairs are the order of the day on these cars. It's difficult to find a shop to work on them and if you do it is very expensive. I don't know your experience level but a V12 Jag isn't the best car to learn the basics on. If a 1970 Chevy is "Autoshop 101" then a V12 Jag is probably "Autoshop 108", if you get what I mean. On the plus side there is tons of info and knowledge on these cars out there so you'll never be alone.

What "starter fitting" is in question here? The starter itself is a toughie to replace...several hours labor.

Cheers
DD

 

This starter thing worries me. Is the starter not working at all?, can you get the car started to hear the engine run. If it needs a starter and it's an automatic, you can't hear it run. You really are not able to get a true idea of the condition of the engine.(oil burning, engine knock, lifter problems, overheating, etc.) If I can't hear the engine running on a car I'm considering buying, I always look at that car as having a problem with the engine. That way, you don't get any surprises when you finally do put the new starter in and you adjust the purchase price accordingly. Any major engine work on a Jag is very expensive and could easily cost more then the cost of the car. Just my 2 cents

 

The car starts fine and is driveable, but she describes the existing starter as "tempermental". She said the engines idles a little high too. I've had a starter replaced on the last car I had which wasn't too bad but then again it wasn't a jag with a v12 engine.

Also I have yet to be out to look at it because it is still in storage at the moment but hopefully soon. I just don't know what to look for or listen for when deciding on a car like this.

 

I found one on the XJS and I read into it a little bit but I would like to buy the car first or at least be sure I am going to buy it before committing myself to read a 700+ page manual.

 

Found....what?






Well, here's the short version:

1) If the engine hasn't been overheated and runs cool, it's probably OK.

2) I can almost promise that the car needs LOTS of repairs. That's just the way it is with 24 year old, $3000 Jags.



Cheers
DD

 

Here's my two cents after owning three of these cars. I highly doubt the previous owner kept up maint on the car to what it should be. You should read the book before buying the car. It gives you an idea of what you're getting into. It helped me a lot on mine. If not, you're gonna sink 3k in the car and then find out it will take another 3k to keep her going. In my experience in Alabama, storage on these cars doesn't sit well. So with them telling you things about what was wrong before storage, that doesn't mean a whole crap load is not wrong now after sitting a while. If you're a good mechanic and can fix things yourself, buying a Jaguar will be ok. There are a lot of folks on here willing to help out and can narrow down problems. If you do decide to buy it, have some patience with it. Mine were like my old lady, you ignore it and it bites you in the butt.

 

A test drive of around 20-25 miles is essential. This will tell you whether you want the car or not. It's long enough to show if the engine is running OK when warm, and you can assess how it goes and rides. Offer to pay the fuel as a goodwill gesture, as it will use nearly 2 gallons for this distance. Also ask for evidence of servicing including records and invoices. Are the tyres all good and recent, you dont want tyres from the early 90s on the car. XJS body shells from the 80s were not well made or painted, and rust can be a problem, but a Florida car should not have this unless it has been beside the seaside for all that time. Sun and heat tends to damage the paint and window rubbers, (the UV light does it).

Remember these cars are not economy cars, they drink fuel compared to modern cars with comparable size engines.

Temperamental starter motors are nothing new to me, I had one on my Series 3 4.2 a contemporary car to the XJS you're looking at, it may even be the same part number. What happens is the brushes wear out and/or the commutator gets all in a mess, and the only answer is to replace it or rebuild it. That is where the problem is on the XJS V12, because it is so buried away it is quite a few hours labour to replace it.

Having said all that, a good one will make you feel good and very relaxed.

 

I probably should have specified a little more about my situation..

I'm 18 almost 19 and away at school right now but I'm looking for a car to drive while I'm home during the summer. I'm also interested in learning a lot more about cars so I can maintain and fix up my own cars and hopefully take on restoration projects in the future. I'm getting a sense that a jaguar might be a little to much to start with due to cost of parts and repairs as well as how complicated these cars can be, but I feel like this one could be worth the risk. With only 80,000 miles I feel like I could drive it for a few years with no major issues if it is maintained and stored properly.

The body looks immaculate and would be a big head turner. And I could probably sell it after a few years without the value depreciating too much i hope

I'm not worried about mpg so much as I would sacrifice a little extra cash to be driving around a v12 jag.

It's up in the air right now...

 

You are really lucky being in the US because here in the UK you would never, ever. get a car like that insured for a person of your age, so buy and enjoy !

 

A V12 jag can be very rewarding as far as car education goes. You want to start off with a good car though. Buying a project jag and bringing it "up to snuff" will cost much more than if you put a little more money up front for a goo "specimen". Make sure this car is in good shape mechanically because any major problems will cost you much time and money (as many others have already said lol). But I'm talking it down too much. I have seen jags go for a very long time without any problems. My dad has an xjs too and it has been running problem free for over a year. Bottom line, If you like a challenge, an xjs will be an enjoyable experience.

 

Jagster,

A lot of sound advice above and it sounds like you are taking it aboard.
Don't let your heart rule your head.
It doesn't sound like this car will be sold out from under you quickly, so take your time and make sure you are ready for the challenge.
Good luck and let us know what you decide.

 

I bought an 85 tha wouldn't crank for 500.00. The fuel pump relay was bad and I drove it for 3 years with no problems. But I was just learning things then and once everything caught up with it, I parted it out. The next one had an engine fire, which is very common for these cars. Fixed it with parts from the other car and drove it for 3 years till it run hot and sold it. The next was a Euro car. Great car but the ECM went bad in it and of course it's different than an US version because I tried them. I had it fixed and had it three years. These are great cars but require some upkeep and attention. As Norri said, don't let your heart rule your head.

 

i've been driving my xjs for about 3 years. It requires LOTS of attention. It has 113k on the clock and still needs a lot of work. The list gets longer every time I start it up. All this without the v12 (I swapped over a small block chevy).

I'm not trying to scare you off but, as others have said, It's not a drive it and forget it car.

All that said, I daily drive mine... as much as I (sometimes) hate it... I don't think i'll ever be able to let it go. They're really cool cars!