Good morning all,
In the first place forgave my English.
I introduce myself: Jean, 33 years old, I live in France and I am passionate about cars and more particularly about English and the Jaguar brand. I owned a S-Type an xj8 x358 and currently an xfr. I've been eyeing xjs for a long time and that's where I need your advice.
In the xjs, this is the last phase that I find the most beautiful (after 1993, with the bumper color cash).
The use I would like to do, ride at least twice a week with. I would do most of the mechanics myself on it. Only I do not know where to turn the V12 or the l6. I want a car that starts and takes me everywhere without worries. I also understood that after the purchase an upgrade will be necessary to make the car more reliable.
In short, with her engine I will go the furthest with a respected maintenance?
If V12 should we do after the purchase for a upgrade, and make the engine more reliable? Same question with l6?
What light upgrade is it possible to make the car more reliable?
In spite of all this I have a slight preference for the V12 for the unique sides of the engine, but how long can we expect for the engine?
Thanks for reading me...

 

In terms of overall engine life, either engine will last a very long time. Assuming good care, 200,000 miles (321000 km) shouldn't be a problem. Many owners report even more.

How many repairs you'll have to make along the way is another story....and impossible to accurately predict.

Cheers
DD

 

As long as you have a covered s[ace to work in, and as long a s you do the work yourself, and as long as you work methodically and patiently, you can make the car reliable and good to drive.
The simplest cars to work on are the 6 cylinder cars, and I suggest you look for one of those.

 

Both engines are very long lived, I would pick the best car you can find, with a documented maintenance history, rather than worry about V12 or 6. The newest car is now 23 years old, so how it has been treated since it was built is now of more importance than which one was more reliable when new.

If you pick a good example that has been cherished it will be reliable. Off the top of my head, I can't think of anything for either engine that is a "must repair", aside from anything you would do for any used car that age that is unknown to you, such as changing all fluids.

 

If you want a reliable late car, definitely go for the AJ16-engined 4 litre. VIN 194775 onwards. It's difficult enough to find a good 6 litre big bumper car and the 4 litre engine is much easier to maintain.

Good luck

Paul

 

This all just depends on how involved you want to be with the cars maintenance or if your resources to have someone do it for you.

Even a late straight 6 car will require lots of owner involvement, but when you take other factors like the space up front, the relative ease to work on etc, its more likely that even someone who is not mechanically inclined will end up doing most of the work himself.

For the 12, you will “really” have to be more mechanically inclined to tackle some things.

The cars can all be made reliable. The question is more about what you are willing or wanting to do and spend.

 

Thank you for your answers.
Regarding what I want to do on the car, the most maintenance that I can do alone without needing a garage. Mechanics is a hobby that for me: "take care of your hands and release the spirit".
For my other car, I already do basic maintenance; soon on my XFR I plan for example to do, guibo, support box and mitigate transmission. I also have a Quickjack to lift my cars.
I wonder about the v12, because there is for sale certe a little expensive, a beautiful xjs red cut 6.0l in 1993, with a maintenance that seems made and followed. The owner must provide me the history done on it.
I also have in mind a green Xjs coupe (I like less than red) with the L6 in manual box and sunroof original jaguar 1993, relatively rare model with its options.

 

If you get a chance, drive both the V12 and L6 and see what you prefer. I love the power of the V12, but it does use more fuel. I have a friend with a 1994 L6 with the manual gearbox and I have a 1994 V12. We drove to a car show together and over 400km I used 53L of fuel, he used 43L. Mini trip report here: https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...report-221262/

 

Both engines are solid but a V12 is a V12, I drive mine every day now that its sorted and things are up to date its fine, some people here have clocked well over 500,000km on the same car.