Looking at buying an 1986 XJS V-12 all original. Interior is 8/10, exterior is 7/10 (clearcoat is peeling)

It currently has a coolant leak somewhere.

It currently does not hold a charge - something keeps draining the battery

Car doesn't have any oil or tranny fluid leaks

Was driven daily until the coolant started leaking.

87k original miles

I'm pretty mechanically inclined...what do you think the problem is on these? Obviously the coolant leak could be anything. I need to check the injector hoses...don't know how brittle they are. Don't know when the distributor cap and rotor was changed last.

Need to get an assessment as soon as possible - I could get it for less than 2000$.

Thanks guys!

 

How important are cosmetics to you? If you're goal is 9.5/10 then it'll cost ya big money

Coolant leak and battery drain....might be something fairly simple. But, there are almost certainly other issues that need attention as well. Most used XJSs of this vintage have quite a few.

Does the climate control work?

Will it start and run? How does the engine sound?

Cheers
DD

 

First reply thanks - Doug is the man. I haven't heard it start yet and I don't know about the climate control yet. He says it will start if you charge the battery and runs fine after that. You just can't let it sit because it will drain the battery over night. He used to have to disconnect the battery cables every day after he drove it so he could start it the next day

 

Anyone else with any thoughts on this car? I am thinking I could do the unthinkable with this car and keep it long enough to get it running and sell it. At 1,800 would it be worth it?

 

For $1,800, I'd say its worth the gamble. Absolute worst case scenario, you could part it out and get your money back.

Doug's point about cosmetics is very important though. You're easily looking at $3k for an interior overhaul, another few grand for paint- and most likely more for rust repair. So that's just something to take into account.

 

The coolant expansion tank is notorious for rusting out, or overheated and headgasket leaks coolant into combustion chamber. Went through both with my '91 XJS V12
snowball

 

the drain is a straight forward process checking fuses.

the coolant is probably just a hose losing its edge of the water pump, which is a bit a of a pain but isn't at all an expensive job

 

I guess to me it all depends on what you are aiming to do. I see a lot of these TV shows where they buy a car and 'get it running' in order to flip. You have to take it with a grain of salt as it is entertainment but even in that make believe world the amount of profit they make is often paltry.

In this case buying an 86 for $1,800 with the idea of a quick flip doesn't seem practical to me. Even in excellent condition the car would only fetch maybe $5,000-6,000. In this case it doesn't seem anywhere near that condition cosmetically and who knows mechanically, after all it is an almost 30 year old car.

A halfway decent paint job is going to cost $2-3k minimum. Interior? who knows but it's not hard to spend a grand plus in a hurry. So not including any mechanical work/parts or rust issues (and there will surely be a some), it's hard to see any return. It's all well and good saying you could recoup your money by parting it out. But that takes a LOT of time and effort and ties up your capital.

Now if you want an XJS as a project to restore, use and enjoy, then this may be a great car for you.

Just because a car is cheap, doesn't make it a good buy!

 

More info on this...AC compressor has no belt on it. Have to assume it is bad. Inside is pretty decent, aftermarket stereo, new tires. Needs paint job for sure.

Guy won't go below 1800. I'm guessing a minimum of 1000 in this to paint it and get the AC back online along with an inside detail and engine detail.

With the paint job...can you sell this thing for. 3,800 or better?

 

*Always* be suspicious of new tires on a car for sale! Always! Especially if they're new radial tires. It's a clear indication of an attempt to cover up front end/handling problems which may be quite severe and cost you a bundle to fix.

Don't ask me how I know that.
(';')

 

As stated, if you're buying it to enjoy the car, and you can do most of the labor yourself, go for it. If not, as they say on the 928 forum: you're about $10k away from having a $5k car.

 

Priceless

Cheers
DD

 

coolant leak could be a blown HG. common on these V12's

 

Doug, it's the fookin' truth, and the Porsche 928 guys have it just as badly as we do. So do the BMW 850, Mercedes CL600, and Ferrari 456 guys:

- you saw one when you were younger
- you grow up and see another, rekindling the memory
- you test drive it
- you fall in love
- you pay $relative_pittance thinking it's a bargain

I don't have to fill in the rest.

 

heustler, would I pay $3k for an '86 with problems? $1.8k??

NO.

an 89.5 in pristine cosmetic condition with mechanical issues?

YES.

 

And the entertaining TV shows where they flip exotics? I've yet to see one where they honestly factor in the cost of parts and the mechanic's expertise. If they did, they would never turn a profit.

$80 - $100 hourly eats up a purchase price pretty quickly.