Slight Bump In The Classic Car Market NOBODY PANIC

It's uncanny how they picked the XJS as one of the two examples showing drop in classic car values.

<li data-textannotation-id="49fbbc961ad5d34dd0e62da4f68913d9">Jaguar XJ-S - average sale price dropped 15% year-over-year and percent selling above insured value fell from 40% to 4%
Ouch. But we should probably note that the old Cougar and XJ-S probably appeal to certain markets, those being the Old Muscle Car Bros and Old Weirdos With Too Much Time On Their Hands to Repair Things, respectively, and maybe they’ve all been croaking all at once, or something.

 

I saw that article too.

I did not appreciate the crack about "Too Much Time On Their Hands to Repair Things" but I'm ok with the "Old Weirdo" description.

Mark

 

See, now I went completely opposite of you. I took offense to the "Old Weirdo" description, but kinda nodded my head regarding the "Too Much Time On Their Hands to Repair Things" comment...

 

I agree with you but the other way was more funny.

Mark

 

Maybe we're weirdos with too much time on our hands

 

ah in ten years when the government wants every one to buy electric Smart cars, these old classics will be at a premium

 

When I first read the article I thought to myself, "why do they pick on the XJS to illustrate diminished values?".

But now I'm thinking that the choosing of the XJS was a good thing because it shows that some people are considering an XJS as a potential future investment car.

Hard as it is to believe considering the cost of the cars in the US at the moment.

I have conflicting opinions about the future value of the XJS. I think the values will rise in the next 10 years but it will be moderate.

The XJS will never be as desirable as the E-Type. Most folks in the US did not grow up with a Jaguar. They had Mustang's, Camaro's and Corvette's. The Baby-boomers are currently driving the values of those cars up but that will begin to fade as the boomers age out of the market.

Those coming after the boomers don't have much to be nostalgic about. Most Japanese imports have little appeal and a lot of the offerings from the US tended to be unattractive and underpowered.

The XJS, as with most any Jaguar will have value mostly with people who have a specific interest in Jaguar or British cars. There will always be some interest and a small market but nothing to drive prices up to current muscle car levels.

Our only hope for increased values is if the BBC creates a new TV show called "The Dukes of Coventry" and begins jumping XJS's over hedgerows and outrunning the local constabulary.

Mark

 

Poorly written article with little value... Well maintained lower mileage XJS's in original condition will maintain value and most likely appreciate over the years. Its a beautiful car and not really any harder to maintain then some others that I have owned.

 

According to this article, the XJS is starting to appreciate rapidly:


https://ca.autos.yahoo.com/photos/th...587173563.html

 

I'd watch that!👏👏👏

 

Could be Jeremy Clarkson's new project.

 

That one was written by Haggerty in early February 2015. The article I posted was more recent. Perhaps situations have changed. Perhaps thats why Haggerty used the XJS as an example. The other cars on the first list are mostly Ferrari's, so they are probably shielded from the pending bursted bubble...

In any case, it was pleasant to see the XJS mentioned.

 

That article also mentions the skyrocketing Porsche 911 prices. What the hell happened to those while I wasn't paying attention in the last few years? Given the production numbers of the 911 is it too much to ask for the XJS to see a dramatic bump in value.

 

I think it is worth mentioning that some posts of jalopnik appear alongside posts made by actual journalists, so the ideas conveyed and grammar used can sometimes be fairly trivial.

Anyway, I take offense to both, as I have had my XJS as a daily driver for the past five years and I am entering my second year of college, so I don't have time on my hands and I consider myself pretty normal.

I think the XJS still suffers from the "too young to be a classic, too old for anyone to care..." thing, but it is starting to get better. I think the thing that affects our cars most if that many people no little about them, I have encountered tons of people who had no idea what my car was.

So its supply and demand. The XJS would demand a higher price if more people wanted them, and I don't think it is because people don't want them, people just don't know of them. This agitates itself, because people who do encounter them and then perhaps want one, are greeted a smaller parts market and knowledge base compared to buying an old mustang or something.

Then there are jaguar fans who do really want an old jag. Well they really want an XKE, so why bother with an XJS?

So there are a number of factors. However, as they age, the XJS looks better and better. Most people who have never seen mine always assume it is a '60 something and when you look at all the other older cars around town, it just stands out. I think it will take a really long time for it to be anything like the XKE, but it will get there one day.

Another note I have on the subject relates to all of us. I'm not sure of the number of people that are buying to collect or paid a lot for their XJS, but I haven't done either. While I really do want my car to only increase in value, I am pretty okay with it only being worth $10k or so. I bought it for $1k and have been driving the absolute **** out of it on a daily basis, and I for one am glad that I could replace it relatively easily if anything bad happened to it. That is the catch, we want our things to appreciate, but you also have to appreciate that you can drive a great looking car that is fun to drive on a budget. You can get into an XJS or MGB and drive it halfway around the world. XKEs live sad lives behind literal closed doors because people are afraid of them.
My uncle has a 911 the same year as my XJS and it rots in his garage because he is afraid of driving it and having something happen to it. F that.

 

I have seen this year an increase in the asking price at least for the lower mileage well kept examples of the XJS'.

I like the fact that you do not see them very often and if you know what you are looking for can still find some great buys. Will they reach the place of what the E-type is fetching-my educated guess is no way but they are being pulled up in value to some extent by the older Jag sports cars .

The word is getting out about the last few years reliability and improvements and I am seeing many starting to seek these out. Good time to find one of these gems before they get out of reach.

 

Asking prices do seem to be up...how about the selling price? I have not noticed an increase in the selling prices on these cars...at least from what I can glean from eBay.

Most of the cars with a higher selling price do not seem to move. I admit, I only focus on the 95-96 models.

 

I was offered 18K cash a few week ago from a friend who has been in my car. Of course, I said no. LOL... Maybe next year. LOL.

 

Having been looking and dreaming this year about buying a 94-96 4.0 XJS convertible the asking prices and the actual selling prices I have seen on Ebay are miles apart. I have seen a ton of sellers quoting NADA at $14.5k nice to $8.5k good and not a lot seem to sell. You can get a sense of age/mileage/condition sale comps on Ebay and they seem to be $10.5K nice to $6.5K good. There was a bit of a bump this Spring. Even a decent one with AC and a window not working and it is in the $5K range if it sells. Ebay might be low and NADA high, local variations on supply and demand, condition and seller motovation are huge factors. V12s for sale outnumber six bangers at least three to one and can they really languish in the adds. A large number of 97-2000 XK8s on the market are not helping the XJS sellers. If you wat a classic investment then spend some more and go to a pre 89 V8 Mercedes SL. There is a market going up. The XJS is just not as popular but I still like them. I must be weird.

 

Keira Knightley in Daisy Dukes! Tally-HO! Good show ole chap! By Jov, I bet the local Barrister is a bit dodgy though. Where can I get a horn that plays Rule, Britannia!

 

Now that's an item I would buy!

Let me give Google a whirl and see if such a thing exist.

Mark