Here’s something that bothers me simply because it shouldn’t be a mystery, yet, I can’t put my finger on it, plus the fact that I continue to assess it as a totally unfair phenomenon. Say what?

OK, I realize that the subject of the XJS poor value has come up previously, but I feel like I’m still far from understanding what’s really taking place that generates this absurdity: It’s about how the world sees a Jaguar XJS sold for peanuts in the widely watched car auctions on TV and how every time a Jaguar XJS comes to the block I feel like hiding or going to the bathroom to spare me the embarrassment. That people can get so much car for just an average $5K to $7K tops, compared to getting an ugly mid eighties Mustang with its mediocre front suspension and steering and with nothing special that will sell for at least twice as much as a super handling by comparison, shiny and decent miles XJS. I realize that cars tend to be sold for less money at auctions, but, then, the auction affects all cars similarly, not just the XJS. Even the hosts comments tend to make justice recognizing how beautiful and impressive both, exterior and interior are and how the XJS presents itself at the block and then they’re surprised at how cheaply they end up getting fetched. What pushes the XJS price down so much? Some may say “because it’s a Jaguar and Jaguars don’t keep their price” and I would tend to agree with that, since X300's and X308's don't fetch better prices than equal vintage XJS' at the auction. So, this would mean that an E-Type is not necessarily categorized as "a Jaguar" but rather as a special car based on how much more value than an XJS or X300 they're worth. I just saw a ’61 blue OTS go for $160,000 in “What’s my car worth?” In fact, this car’s owner thought his blue E-Type was worth $200,000. And that wasn’t the only E-Type fetching a great sales price. I know that the E is a special car, but isn’t it a Jaguar, too?

The only way I see an XJS selling for a decent price is when the car has ridiculously low miles, otherwise, they won’t keep good value in the manner that other apparently less deserving cars do. We have many members here from whom I’ve read excellent input in regards to vehicles market value subjects and some input here would be much appreciated.

Finally, is this subject actually contributing for you to keeping your XJS for much longer than you would have, otherwise? Would you have already sold it if its value wasn't so disappointing?

Cheers,

 

Heh, heh. Poor value? Not at all!

It's a great car for a low price. That equals a superb 'value' in my book. I wish it would stay that way, to be honest. Others have different notions.





Why be embarrassed? You have a great car. That fact that so few people know how great they are, thus keeping the price down, leaves you on the inside track of a nice little secret. You should be smiling all the way !


Cheers
DD

 

Yes, Doug, you're using the word "value" correctly and I was using it as in "Dollars that the car is worth in comparison to other cars in the market". From your point the car is, indeed, a great value for what you get. From my point the "$$ value" is too small for what the car is actually worth to me, so I have no choice but to keep (enjoying) it....

Well, a friend may call you and say "Hey, Doug, I just saw your Jag being sold at this auction for absolute peanuts"..."I didn't know that these cars were worth so little in the market" (Now, that would be a so-so friend, of course...LOL)

But my original point was not necessarily a complaint about the low price, but rather asking if anybody has a good explanation as to why this happens, why such wonderful car is worth so much less than other so-so cars. I can't say is discrimination to foreign cars because of how high the E-Type value is.

Cheers

 

I don't know the answer. But I do know this: there are scores of other really great cars with low values. Maybe there's comfort in that.

Rather than ask why the XJS has such low market value it might be better to ask why some are so high.

The E-type, for example, absolutely turned the automotive world on its ear. It was a star car back in the day. A smash hit, so to speak. Universally admired. It is a true icon. The XJS is not universally admired, didn't set the automotive world on its ear, and isn't an icon. [shrug]

Same for Mustangs and musclecars. They were smash hits. People loved 'em. And still do.

Nowadays some rather plain jane cars, station wagons, etc from the 60s and 70s are climbing in value. People have decided they're sorta cool and, if nothing else, they are still affordable so people on a small budget can get into the car hobby.

I dunno. I can't really explain it. I doubt that any of us can. It's not like there's a magic answer.

Cheers
DD

 

Yes, Doug, you're using the word "value" correctly and I was using it as in "Dollars that the car is worth in comparison to other cars in the market". From your point the car is, indeed, a great value for what you get. From my point the "$$ value" is too small for what the car is actually worth to me, so I have no choice but to keep (enjoying) it....

Well, a friend may call you and say "Hey, Doug, I just saw your Jag being sold at this auction for absolute peanuts"..."I didn't know that these cars were worth so little in the market" (Now, that would be a so-so friend, of course...LOL)

But my original point was not necessarily a complaint about the low price, but rather asking if anybody has a good explanation as to why this happens, why such wonderful car is worth so much less than other so-so cars. I can't say is discrimination to foreign cars because of how high the E-Type value is.

Cheers

 

Reinaldo,

I understand your frustration. Hard to fathom how a mid 80's pony car can fetch more then a finely crafted Jaguar XJS.

I guess I have a bit of a different take on all this. Here it is in a nut shell- The E-type when it came out set the automotive world on fire. It was one of the sexiest cars ever made and if it had been produced in as limited numbers as a Aston Martin or Ferrari was back then it would fetch a great deal more then it does now. The E-type began to loose it's luster as it got bigger and heavier.

When I set out to buy a special car 5 years ago, I wanted a fairly rare-low mileage-reliable-excellent condition convertible that was at a entry level price of $ 10K or less. I researched every convertible at the $10K price range and in the end the late XJS 4.0L convertible met all the criteria and then some.

When I set out to buy a special car I honestly had seen so many poor reviews on the reliability of the early XJS' that I did not think I would be looking at them seriously but I put it on my list to give it a fair chance with all other candidates that met my criteria. As time went on my research uncovered how refined the late XJS convertible was and that was when the XJS quickly went to the top of the list.

So why do I bring all of this up-simply to say cars by and large are a terrible investment. I bought the car that fit my criteria and it has exceeded my expectations on all fronts. I set a entry level price point of $10K or less because I knew that if the market went up over time I might just break even but if it tanked I would not stand to loose much monetarily.

After doing my research I did feel that the late XJS convertible would in fact start to go up in price over time and I can see this trend starting to happen. The problem with the car auctions is you have a large group of buyers who to be frank are basing their buying on prior selling price trends only and continue to group the XJS into the bag of " least desirable Jaguar sports car ".

I am confident that the automotive world will continue to appreciate and value what we already know to be true- The XJS is a very special car in it's own right. It will continue to exceed expectations and put big smiles on the faces of those that are lucky enough to have one to drive and enjoy.

 

I don't, frankly. I just don't see what there is to be frustrated about.




They are fun to drive, easy to own,and capture the hearts of many. And, for some, it's a matter of recapturing the past....as 'the 80s' has now become a fond memory rather than merely recent history



That's all that counts. They're great cars. Just enjoy 'em. Quit worrying about why they don't fetch higher prices.

Older Ferraris are on fire right now. If you want something that's sure appreciate in price, buy a 50s-60s Ferrari !

Cheers
DD

 

There was a time when E types didn't sell for very much. I remember back in the early 70s when a fair 10 year old convertible sold for around a grand. This was about twice what an ordinary 65-67 Mustang was going for. The buzz about E types were that they were unreliable, hard to work on, and parts were hard to find and expensive. I'll bet when the supply of affordable 120s and 150s dried up then attention was turned more towards the Es. However as has been noted the XKE was universally desired since it's introduction. I was in third grade ( 1962) when I built a model of the XKE and I thought that this was a beautiful car. It, along with the original Corvette Stingray were the most desirable cars in the world. How many people grew up wanting one of these cars and how many are willing to pay whatever price to own one? Obviously quite a few. The XJS, although in many ways a superior car to the E never set the world on fire at it's introduction. The demand for the XKE no doubt fueled the success of the XK8. Jaguars that followed the XK8 have been well received, all the way up to the current F type. There are still a lot of XJSs around, and their low price has kept them "under the radar" of the kind of buyers willing to spend big bucks on restoration. Now that Es are pretty much unavailable, except to the rich, whats next in line ? The XJS. It seems that interest in the car is strong and growing in Britain and Europe, probably to spread to the US. The biggest factor in it's favor is that it is the last Jaguar to be equipped with the twelve cylinder motor. Not a minor note of distinction. Still, how many of us bought these intriguing cars because the buy in price was low? I know I did. When the price of certain American pony cars went through the roof I decided that the value was no longer there. I had always been interested in the XJS and felt I was getting much more for my money. I feel the XJS is worthy of my passion as an automotive enthusiast.

 

My problem with the XJS I own is the computer control of everything. The I 6 engine is reliable enough and fairly easy to fix but the heat and AC system is a nightmare to get into to fix even if parts are available.
I love driving my 2+2 and will more than likely keep it for a few more years, partly because it won't bring much on the used car market. People say to me, 'what a beautiful car', most every time I am out in town with it.
RagJag

 

I have always viewed my Jags as an integral part of my lifestyle, rather than an investment. I have no intention of ever selling either of mine (passing them down to the next generation in the unlikely event that I should ever die), and, I might even buy more. So, I hope their market value never increases. If the market value rises, so will the cost of the already expensive parts needed to maintain them.


They are, after all, cars...meant to be driven, tinkered with, and openly enjoyed in a manner I call "seat-of-the-pants-appreciation". They're not stocks, bonds, and securities, which are intended to be locked away, in hopes of financial appreciation.

 

[QUOTE=Doug;1368817]I don't, frankly. I just don't see what there is to be frustrated about.

I think it is natural to get frustrated when you are passionate about something like the XJS and you see it get dismissed at the big auctions here in the U.S. I am not losing sleep over it and do not really care one way or the other since I bought my XJS' to enjoy and as I said it was the best bang for the buck by far at the time I purchased them.



They are fun to drive, easy to own,and capture the hearts of many. And, for some, it's a matter of recapturing the past....as 'the 80s' has now become a fond memory rather than merely recent history

I have driven many 80's Mustang and have owned 3 of the 90's. IMHO the 80's were not very well built and a real lousy driving car overall so yes I find it odd that people would spend more on a 80's Mustang then a well made XJS.


That's all that counts. They're great cars. Just enjoy 'em. Quit worrying about why they don't fetch higher prices.

Older Ferraris are on fire right now. If you want something that's sure appreciate in price, buy a 50s-60s Ferrari !

Well I am not worrying at all about why the XJS does not fetch higher prices-is it a bit bewildering at times of course but mine just keep appreciating so I am not worried in the least.

Doug, I wonder what I can get for $ 10K when it comes to a 50s to 60s Ferrari-maybe a door and a hood in maybe repairable shape-LOL!!!

 

RagJag,

If you think your XJS is overly computer controlled you need to spend some time on the XK8 site or better yet go spend some time on the 90's Mercedes SL sites and you will find out how simple and reliable our late XJS' are. You have not lived until you are told your transmission or brake light is caused by a faulty module and that will be $2500.00 thank you very much!!!!! This is one of the main reasons I chose a '95 4.0L XJS over a early XK8 for the same purchase price.

 

You do make valid points, LovmyXJS. I have not experienced any other Jag and if they are more loaded with modules, I won't.
RagJag

 

I think part of the appeal of the E type is that it's such a beautiful car. Just my opinion, but I as far as looks goes I don't think you could improve much on a xke convertible. Also, even though their timelines almost overlap, the xke is much more a car of a different time - it looks classic all over, inside and out. And as some others said already, it was "The Car" back when a lot of us were young. I'm saying this sort of from a distance, as I never drove an xke, the few I looked at in my price range back when were pretty much basket cases, too much for me to tackle at the time.

So, love my xjs, but would probably have a xke if I could afford it.

And as for value, we got more when we sold my wifes 11 year old Camry than I have in the xjs, I still can't believe they are that cheap. I think a lot of that may be the reputation for unreliability - not deserved in my experience - but I've heard that over and over from a lot of different people so it's a common belief. My xjs is far from perfect, there are a lot of things I want to fix or improve, but it still looks and drives great, and I'm smiling every time I drive it. I've got a lot more fun value out of it than I put cash into it.

 

Smiles per mile is what counts, thinking of anything else just wastes brain capacity.

 

The appalling build quality from when the car was announced in the mid 70s right up to when Ford instigated improvements has a lot to do with the value put on the cars now. Too many first owners of the car had too much trouble so the cars got a bad reputation, as did the XJ saloons too. The restyled model from around 1994 put things right, but then it was too late. All this plus appalling rusting. I have actually seen the car bodies being assembled at Castle Bromwich in the 80s, and have to say I was not impressed.

 

XJS values for clean good condition cars are only going one way; Up, Up, and Up!!!

 

I saw a 1967 XKE in Richmond, VA for sale for $2,700 around 1970. Wish I had bought it now.

 

I hope the prices stay low. It keeps the parts affordable and excessable.
I'm happy to keep the value of the XJS to myself.
Try to find cheap parts for an E type

 

It is all about market demographics and perception. Where are the 35 to say 50 year old males with cash to buy the nice XJS cars the numerous retiring or retired baby boomers have for sale? They are watching the TV car shows and falling in love with American MUSCLE! So go for a 5.0 Mustang, still affordable and total junk yet I can remember my fraternity brother driving one. Jags at that time were way out of our league, just pipe smoking, tweed coat wearing rich guys had them. Zoom forward to today and why would you want a much derided mark like an XJS V12 on the TV car shows and internet videos? Heck, even Jay Leno blasts them. Wayne Carini laments the up and down nature of the true high end Classic Jag market, and I never see an XJS outside his shop on TV. Top Gear episodes in India or on British railroad tracks don't help the image of the XJS. Then there are the Draguar and other internet review videos. Just a bad rap from the early 70's on. No Jag excitement or hype for Gen X. A big GT car with a 3 speed auto gear box? Yes, run and hide if it is coming up for auction. I am waiting to see some HOT MOPAR action on the old tele!

Well, I still like the XJS and will get one in the future, but I don't have any fairy tale or lollipop visions of a good investment. A very very nice, two owner '94 4.0 XJS convertible with 49K miles just sold on EBAY for just under $9K. Other decent face lift 4.0's go from $5-$7.5K. I like it as a potential buyer of good, relatively cheap convertible fun.