Hi All, Just joined the forum this morning.

Finding myself without a hobby for the first time in a long time, I have been wondering what to do next. I was just thinking I'd like to own a V12 something. A google search brought me to the XJS. At first I was surprised by how affordable they seemed to be, then reading about them I realized there are some reasons for that. I'm not one to shy away from a mechanical challenge, having read quite a bit over the last few weeks it looks as if that is a good thing if you want to own a XJS.

A couple of cars have my interest, both around 50,000 miles. One is local, and the other couldn't be farther away- San Diego. The local one is a 1985 coupe, pictures aren't that great. Hoping to go look at it this weekend. This is the local one. The dealer has good reviews, and I'm sure will be my go to guys as they are close enough, about 30 minutes.



This is the one in San Diego. From the photos alone, I like this one better. 1990 coupe. Seems cleaner, inside and out. Made some calls about getting an inspection done and spoke with the seller. Can't seem to get any reviews about him or his business, Motorcarcompany.com. I did find a place nearby, https://www.griffinsautorepair.com/ that could do a pre purchase inspection, while they seemed friendly and accommodating, I'm not sure he understood the depth of inspection I would like to get.



Purchasing a car that far away isn't something I would normally consider, but I haven't seen many this color and I like it.

I've decided that I will spend up to about 16K, hoping to find a reasonably low mileage well loved example.

Chap

 

Low mileage can be a problem in itself, a car that sits will have issues as much or more so than a battle hardened Jag.

The blue one has nice colour/rims, anything 89+ is a bonus I know alot of people here prefer the previous cars and their lucas ignition system but generally speaking they simply got better over time with 1995/6 6.0L Jags being the pinnacle of their reliability and performance, if you can tolerate the awful rear tail lights (sorry SomeDay lol)

The thing to keep in mind is that these cars are brutally simple and any man with half a brain can do MOST repair jobs himself - with help from the forum - they look intimidating but the engine is mostly covered in useless hoses and nonsense that can be deleted anyway, generally cleaning electrical plugs and renewing all rubber bits (hoses bushings etc) is all they need - the V12 engine itself is bulletproof provided your cooling system is functional. Critical there as they will get hot and once all sorted you'll never drive anything else.

Interestingly enough the fuel mileage isn't terrible either I'm up to 17mpg which is comparable to a similar weighted ford 4cly SUV. My XJS is the daily driver.

 

That blue one looks like a real beauty!

Cheers
DD

 

That blue is definitely a nice colour - I may be biased though!

You should obviously drive the green one regardless, even if only to see whether you like the XJ-S experience. They have a low seating position and a low roof, and I've seen a lot for sale because their ageing owners are finding it difficult to get in and out. They're a GT car, so they're relatively quiet and not fast off the line. I believe the V12s will even short-shift from 1st to 2nd at 4000rpm if left in Drive, despite a redline of over 6000rpm. If the standard non-sportpack style of steering rack bushes are still in place, you can also expect an inconsistent steering response. There may be minor electrical issues like the gauges reading too low or the windscreen wipers stopping in the middle of the screen.

If you're looking at cars which have found their way into normal non-specialist dealerships, I wouldn't expect the dealers to have any particular knowledge of the XJ-S. They may not necessarily know what's a common minor issue vs a serious XJ-S red flag, so I'd try to get the major stuff checked regardless of the dealers' reputations.

 

CHAP here is one , low miles since major restore, less than 5000 on engine trans(4 speed overdrive auto). original miles 24850!
runs and drives great, many mods! RHD


1978 XJS roadster V12

complete rebuild HI-performance V12

 

I like the Blue one. Just my thoughts.

Jack

 

Avoid Rust like the plague. You can spend a fortune repairing rust and still never get it all.
This is a car that if you have some tools and a fair amount of knowledge how cars work you will love owning. This is a great site for help when you’re over your head. One other thing you’ll want to do is download the Kirby Palm book (600 pages) it’s free and very helpful.
Don’t be afraid of high mileage. Be afraid of low usage. Sitting kills more cars than driving ever will.
I’ve pulled plenty of engines apart and at 100,000 you can usually see the original hone marks in the cylinders.
The engine is rock solid. Rare they need rebuilding. A lot are torn apart because people want to dig into them not for any real reason. It’s made with great quality parts.
The fuel injection looks very scary. However there is a 3 part series on U Tube that does a wonderful job of explaining everything. Watch it a few times and if issues come up you’ll know how to deal with it. It’s really pretty basic.

The best quality ones are the last ones. Once Ford bought them the quality control really went up.
However if you want to race them the first ones (1971- 1980) can make a lot more power ( and are lighter) than the later HE ones (1981 and newer)

Most V12’s had GM automatic transmissions that are reliable as heck ( just a different case like Buick Olds, Cadillac etc all had different cases. The rear end is a Dana 44 ( or the Salisbury version) and they are really bullet proof.

Rubber hoses should be replaced every 5 years. Especially on the fuel injection. Time not mileage. In fact time should determine when work is called for.
There are a few tricks to learn. Like if something electrical isn’t reliable instead of getting a new one just check the black ground wire. Clean it, tighten it and chances are it will be very reliable from there on.
oil your distributor. Yeh! But it’s in the owners manual and just assume it hasn’t been done lately.

 

With a 12 grand budget you can and should be very picky.

 

I don't recommend buying any XJS as an "only" car. While it is true that the cars are somewhat simple in function they are complicated in execution. That is, they are very cramped and crowded to work on. Sometimes disassembly is required to get at other components, such as spark plugs. It is better if you have a daily driver and a place to work on, and store the Jag so that you can take your time when working on the car. Buy the best car that you can. I've had my XJS for years but I've only driven it steadily for about a month. It still needs a lot of work and money before I would consider it a Daily Driver. I wish that I could have afforded to buy a well maintained, good running car that I could have enjoyed for a couple of years before the work started. My XJ6 was a good runner that I drove daily for a couple of years of enjoyment. Now it needs work, but at least I have the memories!

 

Thanks for all the info and support! I think I am going to spring for an inspection. In the rest of the pictures the blue one looks extremely clean. The seller also sent me some service receipts, and I am going to call that shop today and see if they remember or would do an inspection. The Carfax is nothing special, other than possibly 3 previous owners. Only 1 service record at a Jaguar dealer, and that was about 2 years ago. The green one I am still hoping to see/drive Saturday. Will let you all know how it goes!

Thanks, Chap

 

Hi Chap

Looks like the 'Green one' has 16 inch Wheels, which could give you a wider choice of Tyres but the 'Leaper' on the Bonnet/Hood would be a deal breaker for me

As for the Arctic Blue one with the Lattice Alloys and the 15 inch Wheels, I've got one that Colour, which looks so Jaw Droppingly Gorgeous that its a real head turner or at least She was until I took the IRS Cage out! so do make sure that the Rotors at the rear are in A1 Condition or a Shop could charge you a fortune to replace them

And that is only one of the things to look out for!

Having said that don't be tempted to buy the first one you see, as with the kind of money that you are thinking of spending, you should be able to find yourself a real 'Cream Puff' but as for me I much prefer the 'Pre Facelift' with the 'Gothic Rear Tail Lights'

 

Here is my Storm Silver 1995 6.0 V12 coupe. I searched for two years to find one this good. This colour is rare as hens teeth and has blue hue through it which is absolutely gorgeous. Coupled with a perfect blue/grey leather interior I love just sitting and looking at it! That and my Jaguar XKSS recreation which I have owned for 13 years and took 10 years to find! They are both a joy to own! My advice, don't just rush in to a purchase, take your time and get the best possible car you can. You won't be disappointed!


H

 

I’m a sucker for BRG, so that would be my choice. As others have said be wary of low mileage. It may be fine, it may not. My personal take on it is that once a car gets to be 15 or so years old, condition matters more than mileage. With young cars mileage is analogous to condition, if it’s been driven a lot it will be more worn out, but as cars get older this is a less reliable metric. An extreme example, a car that’s put away new and after 35 years has 2000 miles is going to need a lot of work before it’s a reliable driver, whereas a car with 200000 miles is much more likely to run reliably and to be maintained, it wouldn’t have that mileage if it wasn’t.
I’m not trying to scare you off these cars, but go in with your eyes open. I’d want proof that the fuel hoses and coolant system have been replaced. Those are both areas that can cause catastrophic failures and aren’t mileage dependant. The short fuel hoses from the fuel rail to the injector shouldn’t be hard, if they are they need to be replaced. They will spay gas on the hot engine, then you won’t have a car. With a dealer like that CT one that specialises in Jaguars, they should know this and it should be addressed, hopefully it already has been, but don’t assume that.

 

i have a very nice 1990 black convertible for 10,000 if interested.

 

You should get off dealer sites and on to craigslist every day and bag a deal. I bought a 92 XJS with 80k on the clock for $4750 in VT last year. The seller bought it ten+ years earlier from that same CT dealer Motorcars for something like $15,000. They can be hard to sell so sometime a fed up seller will take almost anything.

https://westernmass.craigslist.org/c...125419667.html

https://westernmass.craigslist.org/c...120958364.html (ad says will take $4000 to get it out of my yard!)

https://worcester.craigslist.org/ctd...122772460.html

https://longisland.craigslist.org/ct...125752122.html

 

there was one in Miami FL. for $1500. bucks, says runs good! somwhere on this site JF.

 

Thanks for all the continued info. Had an interesting day.

I called the dealer in plainville, CT an spoke to Joe. He said the car I am interested in, the green one, just had the fuel pump go and it won't start at the moment but I was welcome to come see it. He said it had been repainted and that they had sunk about 4-5K into it. Couldn't tell me much about the history of it either, I think he said they picked it up at auction. He has a couple of others, so hopefully I can take a drive in one of those anyway. I'm going to see it tomorrow.

I also called Eli's European car repair in San Diego. The seller of the blue car had had it serviced there in 2018-2019. Eli couldn't remember the particular car, but he made it clear he is NOT a V-12 XJS fan. Said he wouldn't take one for free. He liked the 6 cylinder XJS though. Very friendly and quite chatty. Would be more than happy to do a pre buy inspection, but for that car with the V12 it would be about $500, and a lot of that would be removing the spark plugs to do a compression check. He went on at great length about how the V12's ran hot and everything under the hood gets cooked. Hoses, lines, and the electrical system.

Jagsandmgs, thanks for sharing those ads. I have been looking on Craigslist, but have been shying away from the higher mileage ones or project type cars, at least so far. Like anything else the more you learn about something, the more you realize there is a lot still yet to learn. I'm not chomping at the bit to get a car immediately, but would like to enjoy part of the summer in one. For me the big draw is the V12. I love engines, and the XJS has one and is in my budget. The more I look at the XJS's , the more I like the car itself as well.
How would you guys rate the importance of service records? One or two owner vs many?
Lots more questions to come.....

Chap

 

A generic rule for Jaguars is to buy one with good cosmetics. Paint and interiors are very expensive to put right if they are bad. Mechanical is relatively cheap and easy in comparison.

These cars are all 25+ years old now, so the number of owners is far less important than the quality of care they have received. A car that may have had multiple club owners that has been cherished by each of them is much better than a one owner car that has had indifferent maintenance. I'd judge the car based on what it is and what you see, rather than any backstory or anecdotes.

Don't be shy of the V12, they are amazing cars for very little money. If you are mechanically inclined they are actually relatively easy to work on, but some things like the spark plugs are a lengthy job. Not that difficult, just time consuming. It's more a state of mind to be methodical and it takes as long as it takes, rather than rushing.

Many mechanics are scared of the V12 and can't be bothered to learn it's quirks, so it has a bad reputation. Undeserved in my opinion. A V12 in proper condition will not run hot, but neglected ones certainly can. The fixes are actually very simple, a clean radiator and proper thermostats, but most mechanics never get that far before condemning it because it's too hard to figure out.

The beauty of the XJS is that it has been around for so long that all the problems are known and they are no surprises. Everything has happened before and we can help you through it.

If you want a V12 ( And you should! Everybody needs to drive a V12 once in their lives) I'd suggest looking at a late car with the 6.0. More power, better fuel economy with the 4 speed transmission and very nice interiors. They are not common, but often can be bought for less than a 6 cylinder because so many people are scared of the V12.

 

Ha. Both styles have their good and bad points. I actually prefer the original in terms of how the lights integrate with the rear curve, though those fussy chrome strips are a bit much. The facelift style is simple and clean. But the reason I chose the facelift was because it's had all that money from Ford pord (er...) into it, making it simpler and (theoretically) more reliable.

 

Went to see the green one in person today. the sales guy I talked to yesterday just ran out to go to the bank when I arrived. So I looked over the exterior of the car and peered through the windows. This is the listed condition of the car on their website;

• Good Interior
• Good Carpets
• Good Seats
• Good Dashboard
• Good Panels / Headliner
• Good Exterior
• Good Original Paint
• Good Trim Condition
• Good Glass Condition
• No Visible Rust
• No Known Accidents
• No Known Bodywork
• Fully Detailed

No known bodywork- I would consider being repainted bodywork. There was a rubber strip, like for protection in a parking lot. That was painted green too. Seats- the leather was cracking to the point of breaking open in spots, and it was worse in the back. There was a small area on the front bumper that the chrome had flaked off and was rusty. I think I would rate the condition as fair, with the seats being poor. They are asking $11,900. I left after about 10 minutes, not waiting for him to return. This is not the car I want.

I pass a XJS twice a day on my way back and forth to work. It's been parked on the side of the road with a for sale sign on it. I never stopped because it looked pretty rough from a distance while driving by at 60 mph. Today I had time, so I stopped. It's a 1990 coupe, red, and the paint is really bad. It's sat outside a lot. The interior was as bad as the paint. The lattice wheels were corroded. There was a sign on the dash-"California car, only 50,000 miles. $6500." I don't think it is worth much at all in that condition. Maybe as a parts car if it had something you needed.

I guess everyone has their own opinion as to the definition of condition, with the word good I was expecting more.
I've always felt it's better to err on the side of rating something lower, that way any prospective buyer would be pleased rather than disappointed.