For me, it was NOT an easy choice. I have always liked the Jaguar looks. I have had two XJ6's in the past, but wanted to venture into the V12 world. There was one for sale that I pass on the way to work each day. A good looking '91 XJS H&E conversion. I test drove it. The first thing I noticed was how LOW it sit to the ground. Then I took off. The first gear is so HIGH ratioed that the V12 seemed kinda whimpy.

The Search was on. The XJS was nice and a CONVERTIBLE. Great wood work. Such a smooth engine. Comfortable seating for two and ONLY two. This is the type of car you want to pick up a pretty woman in and just cruise around the countryside. I am a single man, and adding a high speed touring machine to my fleet seemed like a good thing to do.

Picking up a date in a convertible Jaguar has its advantages too. "What kind of girl would like me for my car?" You ask? My answer is simple. "The kind of girl I WANT right now."

Now it is your turn. Share with me WHY you chose the XJS to dump your money into.

David L Thies
1988 XJS H&E Conversion 53k miles

 

I traded for a 944 I had. I fell in love with the look, and the idea of owning a v12. I enjoy and am constantly frustrated with the car. I love the fact that some of the car is state of the art for 1986, and some of it might have been made by blacksmiths

 

The XJS is just a unique car. I prefer the coupes, but have never owned one. I love the wings coming off the rear window. One day I will find a later model coupe with the 4.0 engine. What a dream car.

David, the v12 cars are not light to light racers. Get them up to speed and nothing but a corvette or an RX7 can keep up over 100mph.

 

Like the E-Type, the XJS hasintoxicating styling!

 

I had one for years. Actually, I was looking for a TR6 when I bought the XJS. I never really cared for the XJS styling but then all of the sudden something clicked and I had to have one. The fact that they are twice the car for half the money as a TR6 helped, too.

Anyhow, at the time I was taking a lot of 300-600 miles weekend trips and used the XJS as my highway car and my XJ6 as the daily driver. The XJS is very well suited to highway use.

I think what I liked most was that it was definately different. Porsches, Bimmers, etc are almost commonplace but the XJS is unique.

It was also the most challenging car I've owned in terms of repairs. I spent about a year taking care of all the things the previous owners had neglected....and there were plenty.After that it required very little work and never once skipped a beat. Although I never had theoportunity I woulda jumped in the XJS for a coast to coast trip and never given it a second thought.

Eventually I bought an XJR and sold both the XJS and XJ6. The XJR has it all in one package.

Cheers
DD

 

I totally agree about the XJR! I LOVEmy XJRas a daily driver - and seriously thinking of buying a low-mileage "spare". I have owned a LOT of cars, but the2000 - 2003 XJR is in a class all it's own! Granted, the 04+ XJR may have a little more "oomph" - but therestyling killed it for me [:@].

But the XJS is just plain sexxaayy !!

-Kent


(I wish I could figure out how to post a dadgum photo in this forum [:@])

 

There is no other car that you can buy for 10-16k that even comes close to the XJS. The car is a bargain and easy to work on,(once you get the hang of it). I was going to do a resto mod on a early Camaro and after driving that scrap, I went back and bought a 1994 S.

Now I have a great looking car that handles and is fast enough with its LT-1 and 6 speed manual trans.. The only other car that I would trade it for is a DB-7 maby...

 

I always wanted one as a teenager in the early 80s. Then in the early 90s an estate agent took me out in his.

Had my first Jagaur (XJ40) at 29 and first XJS at 30.

 

I saw one in my hometown a few years ago... not too many "high end" autos around these parts. Ifell forthe look right there... even beforeIsaw the V12 badge on the rear. Then I did a little more research and discovered that nice examples wereactually affordable. I looked for awhile andbought mine relatively locally a few weeks ago.

 

I have wanted one since they first came out. I could not afford one as I was very young and had no money. I just found the color combination I have always wanted, British Racing green convertible with tan interior and tan top. I got a very good deal on it and it needs a few things (mostly all electrical) to make it fully functional. I love the styling with the looong hood and low stance.

 

Old thread but had to reply.

1986 is the year that I forst wanted an XJS. I used to do a paer round in a relatively high class estate and one of the houses had a TWR XJR-S iin red outside. Since them I have always wanted one, but family and hosues come along and I could never justify the cost. However after lots of searching I have found a mint 3.6 with 61k miles (1986 plate ironically), for less then most small second hand hatchbacks. I love it.
Small detaling work and odd-jobs which I love doing will make this a car that I can give to my son on 10 years time.

 

My story is at once similar to the rest but with an interesting explanation. My wife inherited some money from her mom and I had a small lump available to me so by having a friend in the repo business and used car sales business, he was summoned to look for a candidate car for me to work on, (to keep and always be a no lose investment). One day he calls me and says he's found a xke for me and I've got to get over there quick. Now my collector car was a 66 olds toronado and I knew nothing of foreign cars Long story short. The car was running. complete,recent bodywork but, respectable looking. The engine clattered and smoked a little. But what doe's this have to do with an xjs you might ask? Bear with me, a good story can be fun and interesting.It was a 2+2 69 Replaced the engine and quite a number of other things along the restoration way. I had it to some shows. My first jag and yes I was gaa gaa, me working on and owning an xke? Yeah! Now the letdown.. Yeah it's an xke but I find it's the least valuable, and least sought after model of them all. but I also find in time that it's still an xke and THAT's what really matters as there were only 60k of these made in all and only 5000 of mine. I Didn't know a thing about jags at this time but bought the shop manual so I could work on the car. At about this time my repo friend calls me again and tells me he just bought a 76 xjs with 40k that some tractor trailor backed into and crushed the fender. He says "come on over and tell me what you think, so I go over to find an imaculate xjs with this bent fender.My friend asks me if I might be interested in the job to fix it and I say yes. While I'm doing the bodywork and I'm sanding the contours of the body lines, and sitting inside ,behind the wheel admiring this models accoutrements, the want for another beauty is nurturing so I say to my friend .Listen if you ever come across another deal like this again you gotta let me have that one, I love these cars and I want one (This was a coupe, and the first year model). He said he'd keep his eyes out and so time went on ....until..one....day...he finds this 82 HE Coupe " It's not running but this guy swears that it was running perfect when he parked it. My friend said he believed him and the cost was $800. I said go for it. Remember I'm a novice.
Now first it's a jaguar, Quality (as I always assumed) semi hand built (Exclusive) and all those other fancy names.Now mind you the xke has it's curvacious lines and gorgeous styling and also achieved iconic stature but there was something about the new xjs that had something, Yeah a V12 engine but that new shape. the E type is stunning on it's own, but this car was also..stunning (and newer). But it still had something different...it was simply gorgeous...a different kind of sexy It had lines that went smoothly from front to back. A pointy hood to a cut off rear bonnet like a knife. But before I send you away with boredom let me get back to the topic of why I picked an xj. Aside from the looks and I know many will agree they took this course, cost. There simply is no other car of this caliber that can be obtained at the current market price. DOWNRIGHT CHEAP, this attracts many to buy and then you learn you can only hope to afford the repair and maintainance of these vehicles. My 82 xjs cost me an unrecoverable amount of hours to rebuild .and as I progressed and invested more and more parts and refurbishments I began to realize I'll never be able to sell this car for what I'm spending. This car is now repainted,new chrome bumpers and keep on going to 95% replaced and restored so in light of the loss of investment...I will keep it and stare with a smile.but it's for sale. Now my repo friend finds a 1991 convertible advertised at 45k miles for 2k and says to me let's just go look at it. So we do. We come upon a car that was sitting out in the elements with a rip clear across the roof side to side. The floors were flooded and the seat bottoms were completely blown apart at the seams. The car had 64k miles and showed it otherwise. there was no rust NO RUST. It must have been a garaged car until this gas station guy got a hold of it and left it outside to soak.I needed to refurbish a number of interior items and put a new headliner and top but did so and have added many more upgrades including reupholstered seat bottoms. I got it for $1,800 Now this is my everyday driver, a bit hard to get into and out but we'll do anything for love. My bet is that a person owning a 2013 Mercedes E350 4matic won't get ANY woman taking their time out of their day to tell them "I really like your car" Only... in an XJS truly a modern day classic. But most of all... a car that is not GLUED!!! to the Dealer. If you got this far... Thanks everyone..... XJS If it attaches it's over! Bud P.S It's now my every day car and I'm in love Bud Oh yeah!! Don't forget ...The yellow one is for sale bud





























4

 

When i was working at autozone, a guy came in with a 90 XJS rouge.

that was the first time i had ever seen one. everything about just blew my mind. i put a battery in it and he left.

when i saw what they were going for on craigslist, i had to have one.

 

I didn't know there were other makes until I saw the red one. One is for serious motoring and the other is for fun.

Dave

 

[QUOTE=Doug;82972


Although I never had the oportunity I woulda jumped in the XJS for a coast to coast trip and never given it a second thought.



Cheers
DD[/QUOTE]

This posting is from 5 years ago, do you still feel the same way? Just curious is all.

 

i can remember the moment like yesterday!

year 1979, Palm Beach FL.we were going to a fancy marina resturant, walked by this parked car,LOW AND LONG HOOD,i said what kind of car is this?

went to rear and it said V12 Jaguar, yes that stuck in my mind for a few yrs, when finally one came 78 RHD xjsc modded in England by Aston Martin Tickford shop, still got it and a complete resto done.

i get so emotionally involved with some cars, but the charismatic appeal of XJS is sometimes difficult to explain!

Yeah, i know E-Types are kool but the dont turn me on like XJSs.

different strokes for different folks!

 

It's swoopy and I like swoopy cars.

 

First time I saw one it made me stare. I was on the 101 fwy here in LA, and it simply look gorgeous. That was back in 1982 when I was a kid, but it wasn't till High School when a white vert facelift model drove past me with Pam Anderson at the wheel. I was blown away by the combo. But the facelift coupe really got my attention in 2000 when I was working at the House of Blues on Sunset and a Burgundy Coupe pulled up and I just couldn't get over how sexy that car looked. It was a real man's car by all means. Screw ergonomics. This car is sex and sometimes it can be a contortionists game. Enjoy em while they're affordable. I'm sure the day will come when I'll have to cash out due to being priced out.

 

My ex father in law tricked me into buying this pile of crap 12 years ago for $1500. It has been sitting in our house for 8 years, until my wife questioned my manhood and ability to get it to run properly, the rest is here...
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