Says the guy that has a parts donor car. You don't see too many six owners owning a spare car for parts.

Hey, I'd love the 12 as well, but the six at about 18mpg is already costing more than I'd like at the pump. The 12 would practically double my fuel budget. I drive my car everyday. I'd be filling it up twice a week!

I also don't own a garage, so something as simple as swapping spark plugs ends up being a weekend project! I like the fact that everything is easily accessible for the six. That has to be part of the discussion as well.

The 12 is something to own, for sure, but there's more to consider before jumping in.

 

I agree with Vee; the six is a lot easier to live with. If time and money are primary considerations then choose the six.

 

Haha.
The "donor" status of that car refers to it being the donor vehicle for a ton of rare, expensive, and unique performance parts for my JagZilla project. It was an amazing car, cut down in it's prime by a drunk driver, and I was very fortunate to have been in the right place at the right time when it's PO needed money. Nearly every performance item listed for JagZilla in my signature came straight from that donor car.
Much the same way that, because of their outstanding physical condition, an Olympic athlete, if tragically killed in an avalanche, would be a highly desirable organ donor for every other human on the planet.

 

Okay, which one would last on the Autobahn for an extended 3 hour run at 160KPH (95+MPH)?

 

I bought an XJS because it spoke to me in ways most other cars can't. I was fortunate to find a great 95 example and added my own touches. Computer in place of the clock, added the front fog lights with all the correct parts, the valet switch, replaced the telephone console lid with a standard lid, installed the factory wheels and center caps. It is a 4.0 coupe which is solid and quiet, maybe a little too quiet, that fix will come later. Yes I would like some more "off the line" acceleration but do I really need it... It is my daily driver, 33 miles round trip to work every day. Even the people driving the new high end cars give me a once over when I pull up next to them. There's always a conversation at the gas pumps.


Good hunting

 

Both cars would be very happy cruising at 95+mph for 3 hours. On my AJ6 the tach would only be registering about 3200rpm at 95mph a very quiet comfortable cruise. The standard 5.3L would be running a little over 3600rpm a those speeds, still very comfortable. Both cars would be able to run all day in quiet comfort.

Of course you would be seeing about 24mpg at those speeds with the 6 and about 14 or 15mpg with the 12 so the 6 would definitely last longer

 

You may as well ask me which one would do better on the moon, since my car has an equal chance of making that trip as well.

I don't even bother with the z-rated tires, since there really isn't anyplace around the DC market where I can even get it to 120. I have gotten it close though...one time. I got pulled over, and managed to get my first ever warning.

 

Al,
We V12 guys and straight 6 guys can bust each other's chops over this for all eternity, because it's just that kind of great, friendly, family rivalry. But, the truth is that you wouldn't go wrong with either choice. There simply is nothing else on wheels quite like an XJS, be it a 6 or a 12.

 

Hear hear. At least we're not arguing about which car to buy :-)

 

XJS=V12... It is a no brainer. LOL.

 

I have had 3.6s, 5.3 V12s and 4.0....... I had nothing but grief with the V12s all 3 of them but the straight 6 engines were smooth and simple and I really did not notice that much difference in power, the V12 is a lazy cruiser of an engine made for smoothness until they go wrong and when they do it is royal........ Heaven forbid it is anything bigger than your typical electrical problem, you try and find a new oil pump for less than a small Islands deficit. Always use to make me laugh when you had the trip computer set to actual mpg's and then accelerate hard and watch it go down to zero, it is then you realise you have gone into gpm (gallons per mile) territory, of course if you want the car as a toy mpg's are irrelevant

The straight 6 is a much easier and cheaper animal to maintain, more tuneable, a lot cheaper than a V12 to tune in a serious way.

I have an ex Sultan of Brunei XJS in my work shop at the moment, the V12 engine was recently rebuilt by David Marks, however the customer wants more power and better economy as he wants to drive from the UK to the continent on a regular-ish basis, so I bought a X308 XJR, I will pull the engine, rads and anything else I need, pull the V12 and drop the V8 in with a manual box, I will give him 500 BHP and a economy map which should return 30 mpg's (he won't have 500 BHP on that map!), it's still Jaguar

But even with all my rambling if you asked me what XJS I would have? A 96 6.0 Celebration with of course a V12...... I know I must be mad...... Go figure!

 

Grant,

Haha, you are right!
Actually, some guys in Japan including me have boasted via blog how wonderful XJS V12s are, then many shops started to bring up the prices. That was a big mistake of us, but fortunately I had already got mine before the prices were high

 

bought my V12 XJS last July. Still sorting out some of the normal things because of it sitting for sometime, but did have it out on a few weekend cruises and love how it PPUUrrrs. I will say it is one smooth running engine and car for the age. Even better riding than my 2006 chevy. I can't wait for spring to go on some more weekend runs with it.

 

I am persuaded.
It shall be a twelve

I was running the 'null hypothesis' - I wanted to be told why not to get a V12, and I haven't been. And you have all confirmed the good reasons to own a V12.

I live in an area with two small cities 12miles apart. One has a great Jag mechanic who loves V12s and maintains my X300 beautifully.
The other town has Blue Dorward of TWR fame, who built the racers in about 83-84, and ran the Bathurst campaign, so I am spoilt for choice.

I drove a convertible in 1994, but it had marginal headroom for me (6'3"), so I want a coupe, hoping there is an inch more headroom. I also want a metal lid for speed. I have my father's 1928 Alvis tourer with no roof, so I know the joy of wind in the hair, and I prefer fast cars to have some head protection. Plus I like the coupe profile, and I don't like the bulky folded-down hood of the convertible XJSes, and I hate any scuttle shake.

I don't really like the facelift taillights although I could live with them. My ideal XJS is BRG with the old taillights, and lots of power. I need to drive a couple.

I have a set of unused 18" Asteroid wheels which I think would go well on an XJS

thanks for all the advice

 

I agree that the only thing that matters is that it is an XJS.
Maybe to be sure, you should have one of each, a 6 and a 12.

These Transportation Marvels are representations of Universal Beauty and should be treated as such. Grease Spots and all.
-Still in Love with Our 94 XJS-

 

I love these 6 vs. 12 threads, and this one didn't disappoint

Sarc is damn skippy re: the V12 starter noise. I would recognize that whine any time, any place. 'tis music.

Fuel economy - always amuses me when people bring this up. I suppose it's a consideration, but it has to be so far down on the list as to be... practically inconsequential.

I'm not a fan of the facelift cars, but I can see the appeal. Personally, I'd go for another GT (928, 456, 8 series, CL) before owning a facelift, but it's still an XJS.

The maintenance nightmare stories are so easily avoidable. Read Kirby's book and this forum. Do all the preventive stuff. Hell, do some of it yourself. I am the furthest thing from a mechanic, and have surprised myself by performing maintenance and repairs I used to get bled for (to the tune of thousand$$$).

Even though both of mine are (were) daily drivers, I agree it's not the ideal city car, but even if I owned a Civic or whatever, I would still drive the XJS every day. One adapts. I have a truck for the occasional haul. The shortfalls?

- even though a V12 in good tune will squeal the tires all day off the line, acceleration from rest is leisurely compared to modern vehicles. I hear a 4 speed transmission upgrade remedies this nicely.

- the nose is long when creeping into intersections and parking spaces

- visibility is poor any direction except straight down the bonnet (and what a gorgeous view it is)

- ground clearance? there's a reason so many XJSs don't have the chin spoiler - driveways, parking garages, speed bumps - it will scrape often and you will cringe each and every time

- no such thing as a quick fill up at the gas station. people will want to stop and talk about it.

Anyway, we are splitting hairs. Think of it this way... if the XJS forum were further subdivided into I6 and V12, and you asked in each one what to buy, the hairs would be further split - either by color or convertible / coupe, with proponents on either side. Just find a good example, catch up on the deferred maintenance, and enjoy the hell out of it. Life is short.

 

Then perhaps that's my issue. I live in a city, so the 6 just makes a ton more sense.

The fact that I don't have a garage to work in, also helped dictate my decision.

I have said before, I would love a 6.0 v12, but I just don't have a lifestyle that allows for it. It's like if you love big dogs, but live in a studio apartment...it just sucks for the dog.

 

Don't see how living in the city makes a difference. If anything, that's a plus - you should be able to find a good independent mechanic with reasonable rates.

I have no garage. Work on the car in the daytime in the parking lot - if I could get a parking spot close enough underground, would run a long extension cord to power a work light.

Just buy a V12

 

Flint, if you keep waffling, I'm going to pour syrup on you!

I went with your quote about it not being an ideal city car. Driving around DC I can manage maybe 16 mpg? I would assume the 12 would take me into single digits easily.

My city highway mix gets me to an average of 18-19. I think the 12 would be lucky to see 12mpg?

Not having a garage would worry me about leaving half finished projects, out in the open. Light, rain, temperature all plays a role in how you can handle even the someday tasks on a 12. I can swap out a set of plugs in 20 minutes. It would be an all day job outside.

I can't dismiss the context when deciding between the two.

 

I have 3 Jaguars: the XJS AJ16 ,E type v12, and the daily driver X type V6. Cars live in a underground common garage under my building. Out of the 3 the easiest car to work on is without doubt the XJS AJ16. I am not "technically" supposed to do car work in the garage (because oils and fluids that can hurt my neighbors, understandable), and yet I have managed to do things like changing spark plugs, coils, fan clutches, entire fan cowls, all sorts of sensors, thermostat, MAF, TPS, etc, etc all literally in under an hour in my XJS because it's so easy to work on. There is absolutely no way in hell that I could do that kind of work on my v12 E or X type without it taking hours and being caught by the condo association. Just impossible. Those cats have to go to the shop for things I can handle in the XJS in 1 hour

I love all my cars and the engines that each one has , so I have no axe to grind, but the easiest car to maintain and live with is the AJ6 or AJ16-as a matter of fact it is the easiest vehicle to work in that I have ever come across.