The trouble with them becoming collectors items is that the prices will go up, we'll be tempted to sell them and then we won't have one.
So we'll have to buy another one which will be more expensive which will in turn drive up the prices more which will deter us lot who can only afford basket cases from setting foot on the ladder in the first place.
Keep the prices down and then more of us can enjoy (or hate!) them.

 

More speciifically, AM used the Jaguar XJS chassis/platform.....at a time, as I recall, when Jaguar was getting ready to *stop* using it! And, also as I recall, they took a fair bit of criticism for using something so old rather than designing something new.....although, in fairness, the old XJS platform stands the test of time pretty darn well in the grand scheme of things.

But, yes, the XJS (and used Jags in general) is a great bargain. Seldom can you find more car for less money!

Cheers
DD

 

Scoupe89 , the DB7 AM did use the platform and frt/rear suspensions from the XJS, but the AM V12 was completely different, it was a 12 cylinder version of Fords V6 duratec engine.

altho newer AMs are finally completely reengineered, and why not Jags frt/rr suspensions go back to the 1960s in the XJ series cars.

which goes to show how far ahead they were in comparision to say USA cars, of that era.

 

Yes this is a collector car, you have collected one and I have collected one and I am sure there are a few here that have collected at least one. There is a following for just about every car out there. This is not an investment it is a love affair.

 

sounds fine with me! or is it possesion.

 

I'm not so sure; can you only have one item in a collection? Surely you have to have at least two?

 

great replys every car bought by me .lots of old mopars i lost money. i hope my low mile 1989 XJS v-12 convert goes up. its a toss up. i bought one because where i work every body and there sister has mustang or chevy hotrod. plain janes made so many they all look the same just different paint and wheels. the car i have now attacts crowds and lookers. its to me my love for style and ride with true road racing background. quiet more glid long hood cat on the hunt with great curves and real chrome with mix of some modern materials mixed in.comfort instead of harsh jarring ride. i will be happy behind the wheel in what was a high dollar car for a 10th of what they paid for it. and i dare to be different often go with the more open minded free spirt people. i wa:icon_greednt the car to climb up worth wize but not as high as you would like or as fast. for your time till then is dont let bother you , theres plenty smiles per mile and thunbs up for now and well into the future

 

Well Jag Zilla since you used my quote I will respond directly to your comments. First my statement was in direct response to the statement from Greg in France that said " V12s undoubtedly will be the most valuable. "

What I was pointing out was that the XJS was not even available as a true factory convertible for 13 years and almost all the early XJS' were only made with the V12. If the V12 were undoubtedly going to be the most valuable then this trend would already be seen in the pricing (value ) of the XJS.

A items value is in direct relation to demand. You could build one of something but if no one wanted it then what would it's value be-scrap?
The reason why an older mustang or camaro that was produced in such large numbers is perceived as being valuable is because there are enough people standing in line waiting to buy one when one becomes available. If no one looks or bids on a item that is for sale the price will either drop to sell the item or the item will not be purchased. If only one person is looking at a item for sale the price is not going to go up and most likely will drop because that is a buyers market.

So when it comes to the older XJS coupe you simply do not have a high demand at this time. I should point out that since I live in the USA I am basing this observation on our market and not on any other market. So my statement of " large number produced " was to say that there are still more older XJS coupes available in the USA then demand. This is why in the USA you are not seeing an appreciable uptick in value on this vehicle.


To say a vehicle or object is collectible does not necessarily mean it will be more valuable and therefore command more money. I can for example collect old farm implements like a hoe simply because I like the look of them on my shop wall but if no one else shares that passion or if a hoe that I like to collect for $ 1.00 now is $ 5.00, will then I might just find it not so collectible any more. I find it laughable when someone advertises an XJS by saying it is collectible or rare and then throws a high price on it only to not get any calls on it. You can ask any price you want to on a car like the XJS but in the end you will end up selling it for what the market will bare at that time.

This is why I started my comments by saying the XJS is already collectible but then went on to say in a nice way the value is not going up on some models like older 5.3L V12's because there were enough produced that right now there are more available vs. demand. I went on to give my prediction of demand and therefore value based on what we are already seeing happen in the XJS market in the USA.

 

i read that the XK8 was derived from the XJS platform, i never seen one on a lift to examine!

 

This is a nice XJS:


DANIEL SCHMITT & CO CLASSIC CAR GALLERY PRESENTS: 1991 JAGUAR XJS COLLECTOR SERIES CONVERTIBLE for Sale in St. Louis, Missouri

 

Without reading every post in detail and to simply answer the question, Yes they will become very valuable at some stage, as more of them get trashed or simply rust into oblivion while others are butchered by adding, dare I say it, heart transplants from other manufacturers, which totally I encourage, as the more of you that do it the more mines worth!

 

would we consider this car rare?
only 200 were made, for world wide sales.
1981-1983 Isuzu DIESEL 5 spd, fastback coupe.

many 4dr sedans, with automatic, very slow performance and small cars did not sell well in that era.
especially in USA, we were still into big tanks.

anyway a very rare car,but that doesnt make it valuable.

i drive around and have never talked with anyone that even knows what it is,(GM OPEL,Germany designed). 50MPG diesel.

been trying to find a website for it, 8yrs nothing, lot of opel Kadett but petrol only.

 

Name the car, it has a website dedicated to it. They even have super dedicated members that swear its the best car for the money you can buy.

Ford Taurus. check.
Honda Pilot check.

Those are two pretty damn common cars and the following is every bit as feverish as it is here.

Go visit a more rare site, the Mercury Marauder. Same following for that car as you have here. I'm sure there's a poster just like you swearing that the Marauder will someday be super valuable because there weren't many made.

I doubt it will ever be any more valuable than the XJS.

I agree that the demand will someday go up, but not to the point where collectors will be willing to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to have it sit next to their old Posches and Ferraris in a climate controlled garage where it only gets driven 3 miles a month to "maintain" it.

That's what I think of when I hear collectible. I don't think the XJS has ever commanded that type of interest.

Should the XJS ever hit collectibility status, I believe only the XJS-R would be considered.

That's my opinion.

Now we wait for the spring, where the convertible demand increases and people on these boards start pointing out how the value of the XJS is clearly on the upswing...

 

By mid production of the 1966 Mustang over 1,000,000 mustangs had been sold and by 68 they hit the 2,000,000 milestone. The 66 Sprint 200 mustang was to recognize the 1,000,000th achievement. The Mercury cougar started in 67 and sold less than 1/3 the number of cougars as compared to the mustang and yet the mustang commands more money. I will go out on a limb and say the 68 XR7 cougar was a much better car than the equivalent model mustang. They promoted the European style, instrument panel (compliments of the XKE) Leather seating and quiet ride (compliments of the XJS). As far as American cars went…a true GT.

 

The XJS is not a good investment from a monetary stand point. I as well as most on this forum did not purchase the XJS thinking we would make money in the future.

What the XJS represents is a great value for those seeking a rare, refined GT. We are very lucky that the XJS was produced over a 20 year period because we have a large span of models to choose from.

Take my 1995 convertible for example as a comparison. If you were entering the market looking for a fairly rare ( you are lucky to see one of these even in America being driven once or twice a year ) that has the refinement, styling, heritage, reliability etc. all in the price range the XJS is available at, you would be hard pressed to match it.

This is true through out the XJS range. So to me I could not find a better value then the XJS when I was looking that hit all my marks. The fact that it garners so much more attention by far then say a 1995 Corvette or 1995 Mercedes SL is simply icing on the cake.

It is my opinion that we would be lucky if after having a car like this say for a 20 year period, could just break even monetarily. Those that bought the car either new or fairly new would not even come close. But if you purchased yours at the right time for a great amount you might-just might come close. That in my opinion is really about the best you can hope for.

Most of us were drawn to the XJS because of its entry level price but we end up becoming so passionate about the car for everything it gives back.

 

I agree with LmXJS. I also think there is a confusion on this thread between (i) 'getting more valuable as time goes by' and (ii) 'is a good investment'.

The cars will IMO become, as in (i) above, much more valuable as they get progressively rarer, and their rarity will rocket IMO when the current generation of 60 somethings drop off the twig.

However as an investment (ie ii above) to make a profit if you were to buy one now, or have already bought one, do it up properly and maintain it for 20 years, taking into account all the costs involved, an XJS is most unlikely to "wipe its nose" as we say in the trade, let alone make a profit.

Buy it, drive it, enjoy it, and if you live long enough or your children are into it, the selling price of a good one will be quite a bit higher in 20 years, I believe. But a profitable investment, most unlikely.
Greg

 

Well, it is like this,
even at my work a colonel told me it was their dream car... and said they were wondering who had bought one and was driving it to work....


so yes and in 5 to ten years...

 

Unless you keep it in a cocoon for the next 20 years it won't make a huge amount of money and personally I wouldn't want to do that anyway; it's a Jag and it is meant to be driven.
Plenty of us will have spent far too much keeping the damn thing running to ever make a profit anyway!
We know what we have and it is a trade off between bargain super car cost and the ever growing pile of bills.
If they go up, they go up; if they go down we still have a great car. I would hate to see them skyrocket like E Types because then I would feel pressured into selling it, then I would miss it and then I wouldn't be able to afford another one.

 

^^^ This sums it up

I do see the possibility of the XJ Coupe in V12 form being collectible. Here's proof, Id imagine this auction closing at around $30k
http://m.ebay.com/itm/141474155128

 

Well if the XJS was someone's dream car and doesn't buy it now, who the hell is going to want it if prices ever go up?

Basically the colonel has dreamt of owning this car, but hasn't been willing to drop $10k on one, yet you think values will go up in 5 - 10 years?

I'm pretty sure you'll find similar posts 5-10 years ago saying the same thing.