Prospective New Owner...
#1
08-31-2011, 11:16 PM
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Prospective New Owner...
I've recently been getting bored of my 89 bmw 635csi and after seeing one drive by, i'm interested in an xjs.
the mid to late eighties model is the one i like best, as i'm not a huge fan of the later taillights. also, the v12 is much more appealing to me than the 6cyl motor.
theres just something about the allure of a big british eighties coupe with a massive V12 up front...
i've got a few questions. i did a few searches and i wasn't able to find what i was looking for.
firstly, is the V12 really as unreliable as it's rumored to be? i'll be sure to check for signs of overheating when i look at ones for sale but i'm planning to drive the car regularly(if not daily). If the V12 is really as finicky as people say i'm probably going to look for the 6cyl instead. the poor gas mileage doesn't scare me though(the 6er gets about the same...10-14 around town, and closer the twenty highway), so it's not a factor.
secondly, i've been looking at the price of parts and it seems that the exterior/trim/etc is whats truly expensive. i haven't really seen any mechanical parts like rotors/tie rods/hoses/whatever that are any more expensive than bmw equivalents. i'm a little concerned about the rumored lucas electrics but everyone says old bmw's have terribly unreliable electronics, yet i've never had a problem. how expensive is it to maintain one of these cars?(once it's up to speed) also, how hard is to to source parts? seems like there are lots of good dealers online but i also don't know what commonly needs replacing on these cars.
lastly, coilovers and a tranny swap. i've looked and looked but the only thing i can find about tranny swaps are full kits costing 5k. is there no way to swap these cars to manual without paying an arm and leg? i've also looked and found very little on how to go about lowering these cars. i'd like to put in an adjustable setup with ride height and dampening control, but i've found NOTHING online.
thanks in advance, and sorry for all the questions!
the mid to late eighties model is the one i like best, as i'm not a huge fan of the later taillights. also, the v12 is much more appealing to me than the 6cyl motor.
theres just something about the allure of a big british eighties coupe with a massive V12 up front...
i've got a few questions. i did a few searches and i wasn't able to find what i was looking for.
firstly, is the V12 really as unreliable as it's rumored to be? i'll be sure to check for signs of overheating when i look at ones for sale but i'm planning to drive the car regularly(if not daily). If the V12 is really as finicky as people say i'm probably going to look for the 6cyl instead. the poor gas mileage doesn't scare me though(the 6er gets about the same...10-14 around town, and closer the twenty highway), so it's not a factor.
secondly, i've been looking at the price of parts and it seems that the exterior/trim/etc is whats truly expensive. i haven't really seen any mechanical parts like rotors/tie rods/hoses/whatever that are any more expensive than bmw equivalents. i'm a little concerned about the rumored lucas electrics but everyone says old bmw's have terribly unreliable electronics, yet i've never had a problem. how expensive is it to maintain one of these cars?(once it's up to speed) also, how hard is to to source parts? seems like there are lots of good dealers online but i also don't know what commonly needs replacing on these cars.
lastly, coilovers and a tranny swap. i've looked and looked but the only thing i can find about tranny swaps are full kits costing 5k. is there no way to swap these cars to manual without paying an arm and leg? i've also looked and found very little on how to go about lowering these cars. i'd like to put in an adjustable setup with ride height and dampening control, but i've found NOTHING online.
thanks in advance, and sorry for all the questions!
#2
09-01-2011, 12:28 AM
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In the "FAQ Quick Link" thread at the top of the XJS section is a buyers guide that might help
Yes.
No.
The egine itself is like a BMW engine: will go forever if cared for and, as you know, not overheated.
As for everything bolted TO the engine, and the entire rest of the car, your ownership experience will depend greatly on the care the car has rec'd over the years. Unless you find (and pay for) an exceptional example I can all but promise that you'll be dumping money into it.
With some care and effort a V12 XJS can be reliable.
Right
The Lucas rumors are true. They're also over blown. You'll probably have some problems. They probably won't be major. Dirty/loose/corroded connections and grounds account for 90% of the Lucas horror stories.
Assuming DIY labor, not bad at all. If you'll be paying shop labor....well...it's gonna get expensive in a hurry, if you can find someone to work on it.
Generally no problems at all. Lots of aftermarket support, lots of used stuff.
Cheers
DD
No.
The egine itself is like a BMW engine: will go forever if cared for and, as you know, not overheated.
As for everything bolted TO the engine, and the entire rest of the car, your ownership experience will depend greatly on the care the car has rec'd over the years. Unless you find (and pay for) an exceptional example I can all but promise that you'll be dumping money into it.
With some care and effort a V12 XJS can be reliable.
secondly, i've been looking at the price of parts and it seems that the exterior/trim/etc is whats truly expensive. i haven't really seen any mechanical parts like rotors/tie rods/hoses/whatever that are any more expensive than bmw equivalents.
Right
i'm a little concerned about the rumored lucas electrics but everyone says old bmw's have terribly unreliable electronics, yet i've never had a problem.
The Lucas rumors are true. They're also over blown. You'll probably have some problems. They probably won't be major. Dirty/loose/corroded connections and grounds account for 90% of the Lucas horror stories.
how expensive is it to maintain one of these cars?(once it's up to speed)
Assuming DIY labor, not bad at all. If you'll be paying shop labor....well...it's gonna get expensive in a hurry, if you can find someone to work on it.
also, how hard is to to source parts?
Generally no problems at all. Lots of aftermarket support, lots of used stuff.
Cheers
DD
#3
09-01-2011, 03:20 PM
Impossible to advise 12 cylinder or 6. Iv'e had them both and they are completely different.The V12 in its standard form drives a little like a luxury saloon car in a party frock. Turbine like and silky smooth and powerful but over 200lb heavier up front than the 6.
My current car is the 1990 pre facelift 3.6 with the Getrag 5 speed manual and up to 70 MPH keeps up easily with a V12. i.e 0-60MPH in 7.1 secs. My car has the sportspack with tighter springs and definately feels sportier than a standard V12. The AJ6 6cylinder cars are reputed to be the most reliable engine ever produced by Jaguar and can comfortably be tuned to
300 BHP +.
Saying that, everyone should own the V12 once in a lifetime - Just for the hell of it. You are lucky gas is so cheap in the States. My 5.3 HE used to average 13 - 14 MPG on a run. The 3.6 averages 22 and cruising in 5th returns 29 mpg. In my case this is the difference between using the car for special occasions only and driving it regularly just for fun.
In fact I just got back from a 50 mile trip and took these snaps.
Double click the image and double click the larger image for full page pic.
Good luck with your search.
My current car is the 1990 pre facelift 3.6 with the Getrag 5 speed manual and up to 70 MPH keeps up easily with a V12. i.e 0-60MPH in 7.1 secs. My car has the sportspack with tighter springs and definately feels sportier than a standard V12. The AJ6 6cylinder cars are reputed to be the most reliable engine ever produced by Jaguar and can comfortably be tuned to
300 BHP +.
Saying that, everyone should own the V12 once in a lifetime - Just for the hell of it. You are lucky gas is so cheap in the States. My 5.3 HE used to average 13 - 14 MPG on a run. The 3.6 averages 22 and cruising in 5th returns 29 mpg. In my case this is the difference between using the car for special occasions only and driving it regularly just for fun.
In fact I just got back from a 50 mile trip and took these snaps.
Double click the image and double click the larger image for full page pic.
Good luck with your search.
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