Greetings all I have stumbled upon an 1988 XJS for $3500 perfect body and paint condition original rims and all. Only problem is seats are meh and there is a gas leak. I'm getting more info on it as we speak so I'll drop more when I know but basically I have a 2004 X-type I'm not super fond of anymore bc it's not like the old one I used to have so I'm thinking of selling it and grabbing this. How hard or expensive or common are these gas leaks on this car typically? Is it a steal? Also thinking it only has 63k original miles on it

edit: sorry for anyone baited by title I should have wrote "buying"

 

Gas leaks - age of car costly unless it has had the system refurbed recently.

Every single rubber hose including the injectors will need replacing - you don't specify which engine so hard to be specific but on a v12 it is a lot of stuff to do. If the rear window has been leaking the fuel tank may need attention. You don't want to be buying fuel hose for one of these off E-Bay or any other similar site - you need reputable name brand hose - R9 spec minimum and there is a LOT of fake R9 out there so if you don't want to attend a roadside barbeque do not cheap out on the hose. You don't necessarily need to stick to the crimped hoses - remove the hose and crimp without damaging the fitting and then use Oetiker or similar clamps where crimps were and fuel hose clamps elsewhere.

Expensive - depends on your definition of expensive - and how deep you want to go - there is no limit to the amount you can pour into one of these things and it depends on just how well you scored with this purchase.

 

Unless you can do everything yourself, (brakes, suspension, engine service, fuel system, electrics, etc) and enjoy such tasks, do not buy it.

 

seemingly in almost perfect condition however so how soon would I be needing to service electrics and things? However I do enjoy such tasks on my pesky x-type. I've serviced xj8 fuel system, x-type electrics + suspension + brakes, and some engine. Is it worth it? The x-type is a notirously known bitch, and I'm more so curious how much of a pain most would see the XJS.

 

It is no pain at all, the car is more than rewarding if cared for appropriately, personally I'd get stuck into little jobs and inspections the day it hit the driveway. The learning can be fun, the sense of achievement when you get it done is very rewarding, some jobs though have beer and cuss ratings, they will test you - but if you're a committed Jag owner it is more of a challenge than a hassle.

I have thought about selling many times - the second I drive the car those thoughts vanish really quickly - there's an experience few other cars provide, especially the modern wind tunnel emissions crippled garbage pumped out today - compared to an old cat modern cars have no soul, no personality.

To me my cats are no pain at all but I'm psychologically challenged when it comes to cats both the metal ones and the furry ones and therefore biased.

 

Is this a v12 or an i6? Big difference.

If you this is a v12, you may need a garage to help buy you some time to work on this car. With the support you'll find here, there isn't much you won't be able to handle yourself....but the amount of room the v12 takes up prolongs much of any job due to access. There are rare exceptions.

The 6 cylinder is fairly easy to get around and access parts for replacement, or troubleshooting.

 

Highly agree with you with the rewarding feelings of driving such cars. No modern car really compares to the way they drive and look. Thank you for the outlook and the very great reply as it's definitely how I feel and have loved that car for a long time so when I go to see it if its all in order and doesnt stress me out too much from the curve in difference in age then I'll probably jump and grab it.

Yes so sorry I didn't clarify totally thought I did. It's the V12 oops so that's why I'm little weary.

 

Didn't see this at first. Understood about the hoses, did you have someone do the work for oyu or did you do them yourself? Swapping hoses seems easy enough in theory I just wouldnt be sure if I would have all the tools to test vacuum and odd things like that afterwards. Thank you for the words on the fake hoses out there too.

 

I do all my own work on my classics, I bought a pre made kit of parts for the injectors from Mr Injector here in the UK. Fuel hose I have Cohline 2240 but I'm not sure if that is available in the US. Another I'd recommend is Gates Barricade 4219BF. Don't be put off getting stuck in, be patient and methodical somebody here will have whatever answer you seek (about Jaguars) it helps to have a car to fall back on while you get it into a solid and known condition.

Keep your expectations realistic, if you try to make everything perfect you will spend significantly and the time will be measured in months or years .. a lot of 'projects' fail because the enthusiasm quickly gives way to apathy (or bankrupcy) - one thing at a time is the best way to tackle these cars. Make sure you get a solid start, I'd say the only reason to walk away would be an engine that overheats or corrosion - be very very thorough in your inspection of front inner wings (they are hard to see) - they should be mostly flat especially behind the dampers, check thoroughly the sills (rocker panels) inner and outer, look at the jacking points and feel around for 'crunchy' - you'll know it if you feel it, look at where the frame passes under the radiator too - this likes to fall apart. None of these items are showstoppers but they each add to the complexity and would be a tough call if you're not comfortable in your abilities to fix or to afford somebody else to fix.

Consider that 3500 isn't a lot for one of these so eyes open and you just may be getting a real bargain.

 

Hi Vegang

That Car won't be an easy sell for the Vendor and those who don't know what its all about would probably run away, as a Shop would likely want to charge a fortune to sort it out

So point out all that's wrong with it and if it were me, then I would go in with a Low Ball offer of $1,000 and also have that Cash in my hand, especially in these Credit Crunch Times, where no one has any money to spend even on things like Gas

New Fuel Tanks are available for about $500 and 'Not a lot of people know that' as Michael Cain might say, so if you buy it don't faff about just go and buy a New Tank

 

Is this going to be your only car? If so you do not want to do this.

 

Is it a steal? Possibly, but unlikely to make any financial sense in terms of cost per mile or likely return in the future - its like owning a boat if you know what I mean. Most likely the $3500 is the start of a long list of bills. I bought my '87 V12 a few years ago. It wasn't expensive to buy, and drove well at the time. But as expected for a 30 year old car, I've needed to renew most of the wear items - all new rubber (lines, hoses, bushes, gearbox mount), new ball joints and tie rod ends, new plugs, rotor, cap and leads. Fuel injector clean and renew the little rubber tubes, distributor service, rebuilt wiper mechanism. Also some other parts new heater core, new blower motor, new radiator, new headliner. I do most of the mechanical work myself and enjoy it (although it's in the shop right now for a new power steering rack). I've only a couple of minor niggles left to deal with - the mirror electrics work, but the driver mirror only moves side-to-side and doesn't move up & down. But it never fails to start, it drives great, doesn't leak (once the new rack is installed), it looks gorgeous and I love it! Smiles all day after a drive. I've learned that genuine Jaguar parts or OEM supplier (Bosch etc.) is the only way to go. Also - regular servicing and inspection is essential. MPG is about the same as my Wife's Chevy Tahoe. Would I buy one again? Yes - in a heartbeat!

 

Anyone buying an old Jaguar thinking it is an investment or a financially sound decision never owned one - at least a roadworthy one, a lot of Jaguars become failed projects once the reality sets in - it isn't that they don't want to continue but they flat out can't afford to. Any car is a money pit even if not obvious, older cars need more maintenance than newer ones but my last new car was costing me 10k a year in depreciation, add that to main dealer charges for servicing etc to maintain warranty. my Jaguar is cheap by comparison - never bought a new car since, never will again. Like yourself Dave would I buy another geriatric Jaguar - in a heartbeat - always got my eyes open.

 

just got a 88 v12 convert. not as handy with British cars as I need to be. best quote I got is the XJS is cheap to buy but expensive to own. Tune up estimate I got is $2100 in Northeast. still a worthwhile car. PS it has 54K miles and it was a gift from someone who paid $3500 two years ago and he just let it sit.

 

there are lots of "seemingly perfect condition" XJS's out there. Mainly because for the past 20yrs they have been rarely driven, or sat in storage. Low mileage no indicator of fewer potential problems. Common consensus is the V12 needs to be exercised regularly or problems arise. As others have indicated, you will likely need to address X years of missed / poorly done maintenance. You can expect to spend a thou to several thou to get it running properly depending on how much you do yourself. If you are going to restore the seats, then $$. They are fantastic cars, but you need to go into it realizing that financially it won't make sense.