They say "Never Buy A Car Over The Internet". I call B.S. on that. Check out all the pictures, zoom in!, read the entire description in the ad, call the seller more than once, ask a million questions, ask about all issues (if there are none, the seller is lying), ask for more pictures (to verify that the seller actually has the car), run a basic background check on the seller (doesn't cost that much), and most importantly, manage your own expectations.

Ask yourself, if you saw the car in person and found a few extra imperfections or some extra rust, would you buy it anyway (cuz you have to have it)? And don't expect a 30 or 40-year unrestored old car to look and run like a new F-Type. Once you realize that you would probably buy the car anyway, that you will find a few extra issues (its a Jag!) and that something will need work, you got a 9 out of 10 chance of not getting screwed over. I.e. if you bought ten cars, nine of them would turn out to match your now lowered realistic expectations and one of them would not (or be a complete piece of junk). No risk no fun.

I just bought this pre-launch 1975 Jaguar XJ-S from Tucson, AZ. Pre-launch meaning it was built before September 10th 1975 (verified by the Jaguar Heritage Trust). I did all the above and am quite happy with her. She was just delivered this morning and probably saw her first (and likely last) snow today. The next time she sees daylight, it will be warm and sunny May.

This is the third black bumper Jaguar XJ-S I bought off a Craigslist ad. The other two were $750 each. One of them didn't even have pictures (grandpa had a clam shell flip phone). This one was the first that cost actual money.

So don't believe the "Never Buy A Car Over The Internet" scare. (But don't blame me if you get screwed :-)). The deals are out there!

Having said that, I did find my own Jaguar XJ-S on eBay before. Just that the seller was not me and I wasn't actually selling it at the time. Took a whole day to convince eBay that it was a fraudster that had stolen the pictures and description off Hemmings and priced it just below the FBI limit of $5,000.

 

Love it!

 

Yes got a great deal on a Land Rover Discovery on EBay. Would do it again. Just have to be careful, check out the seller, vehicle history report, and so on.

 

Bought my 96 XJS sight unseen on Craigslist and went as smooth as could be. Had to ship from Indiana to DC.

 

BTW: Shipping a car within the lower 48 states is super easy nowadays. And you don't even have to talk to anyone. www.uship.com

 

Bascially bought my XJ-S unseen through eBay Motors. Phoned the owner, seemed honest. And he decribed the car in a worse condition than it was. Bought it and drove it home.

 

Very nice. What color is this newest one?

 

Rhodium Silver. Looks better with more sun and less snow around it.

 

Again, Let the buyer beware. Do your homework. For an expensive car i would go see it before committing myself. I think you are right that managing your expectations is very important. Enjoy your new XJS.

 

I would agree - this is a great site with interesting cars https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1994-jaguar-xjs-9/

unique color combination 94 XJS up for auction right now

 

Agreed. Above a certain amount it makes sense to fly out there and inspect a car in person. For now my slush fund is empty and my garage is full. Now I just have to build my wife a walk-in closet ...

 

Well done and advised.

I have done just that for years, before computers even, and only got one sting since 1968.

Good luck with the closet, and make sure there is room in the back corner for JAG STUFF.

 

Nice find. At least it didn't look like this one.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/jaguar-X...IAAOSw9V1adrS4

 

There is a black bumper project car on Craigslist in Kansas. I just don't know why there is a 1 in front of the $995.
https://wichita.craigslist.org/cto/d...452046890.html

 

I wound up buying a 68 Mustang a few years ago on ebay, but I went and looked at it first. But there was one I was really glad I went to see first. I'd already asked the seller to send me a bunch of extra pictures of all sorts of details and was excited that it might be "the one". As I pulled up in the seller's driveway, I was deflated. From 50 feet away I was thinking something's not right. The seller had advertised it as a fresh paint job in the "original dark moss green". It looked right in the pictures, but it sure wasn't in person. Upon seeing the car and asking about it, the seller then admitted that he had taken some "liberties" and asked his painter to put in a little larger metal flake to make it "pop" a little more he said. That did NOT show in any of the pictures he sent and so it didn't trigger me to ask. I declined to buy the car and left as it wasn't what I wanted.

Its probably less risk to buy an "unrestored" car sight-unseen, because both parties understand what it means to be factory original. But when you get into restored cars, things start to get subjective and many sins can be covered up by a fresh coat of paint.

If you're not spending a whole lot of money on the car too, then I could see taking the chance, but there's probably a price threshold for everyone where you just aren't going to be comfortable without seeing it. If you're about to spend a half a years salary or more on a collector car, then a $500 round-trip ticket and a Saturday out of your schedule is probably money and time well-spent.

 

Clarke's link has gone now here's a couple of pics from Andreas's before it disappears, it's a dog right enough!

 

For $750 this would make a fun parts car. I would love to cut one apart with an angle grinder (my neighbors would looove me). Plus a spare pre-H.E. engine wouldn't hurt either. Too bad the Kent wheels are gone.

Good that my garage is packed full.

 

It's still there today Norri, maybe link didnt work. Bids are going through the roof.



https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/jaguar-X...278?rmvSB=true

 

Still won't work for me Clarke, it say's it's not available or has been removed maybe it's a regional thing.

 

Must be a regional thing Norri, I just used the link from the above post & it works. At least I put a couple of pics of it up.. see date at bottom of pic.