I own a 1985 BMW 635csi. I've put lots of money into, and i am somewhat of a DIY'er. A 1998 Jaguar XJR caught my attention. I was thinking about selling my car and buying one?

Any tips? If I have very little money, should I just keep my Bimmer? I like the idea of having a fast and luxurious car. I have always loved the Jaguar sedans, (Pre-Ford)...

I appreciate any input or advice.

-SGTCrowley (Former Army SGT)

My Bimmer parked near a Jag!

 

Welcome Sgtcrowley to an awesome Jaguar forum site.
Check out the link below for what to look for when buying a XJR.
Also where is it located?
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...k-links-20090/
This link is also one of the "Sticky's" at the top of the page.

 

Thanks, I am in Phoenix, and there are several for sale here, from $4K to $11K.

 

Welcome SgtCrowley
Beautiful 635csi you have there! I have had many BMWs and am on my second Jaguar, the first was a 1975 XJ6. I currently have a 2001 XJR which I have owned a little more than a year. I will tell you that I like the XJR better than most of my BMWs, not necessarily all for technical reasons, but some for emotional reasons. This may sound strange coming from a rational, logical, non-emotional, technical guy like me. There is just something about the Jag - I call it soul, and all of the English cars I have owned have had it whereas only one of the German cars did.

Technically, I believe the Jaguar to be as good as what Germany offered (they are now 10+ years old), although the interpretation for you might take some getting used to. You mentioned a preference for pre-Ford model years. Why is that? I looked for the ones that were Ford. There seems to be no argument that Ford did alot for Jaguar's quality control without changing the premise of the car. I read the posts here on the Forum, and my car doesn't seem to have any of the problems the earlier x308s have. I believe (along with many members here) that the best x308s are 2001 to 2003 models. Related to BMW, I would much rather have your 635CSI than an early '77 630i. Everyone has their preferences, but the absolute rule of thumb is to take your time in selection, educate yourself with help from everyone on the Forum, and buy the absolute BEST car you can find because when it comes to these cars it is better to pay a higher up front cost now than to pay the much higher cost to get it fixed later.
Good Luck and have Fun!

 

I owned a 1999 XJR, and I absolutely LOVED it! I miss it horribly! But I will admit, and agree with smtguy, the 2001-2003 will be my next one if I go there again. I like the idea of the aluminum body, and most of the engine issues worked out. I also like gadgetry, so the upgraded entertainment center, etc is nice.

My 99 was ALMOST flawless the whole time I owned it. Previous owner had already taken care of the Throttle Body, Tensionors, Thermo Housing, etc... I did the Fuel Pumps (PAIN), but in the few years I had it, that was a small price to pay for the "Emotional" feeling it gave me every time I drove it. It's hard to describe.

 

buy yourself a jag man had a 97 7series beema will stay with jags now just LOVE them 1998 4.0 sov long wheelbase at mo

 

Nice Bimmer. Always liked the E24 - probably my first dream car. However, when I decided to buy myself something cool about a year ago, I ended up with a 2001 XJR. The only preventive maintenance I did was to replace the secondary timing chain tensioners. It's a beautiful car inside and out. Extremely fast for its weight of 2 tons (that's a lot of structure around you) and very distinctive. Less maintenance that you would encounter in an E38 and forget the E65. Best years IMO are 2001-2003. Lowest price usually will not equate to a better deal. you may end up paying for that deferred maintenance much more than you initially saved. Do your due diligence - make sure the car has solid service history, check on condition (a reprint will detract from the value, just like with German high end steel) and be sure to do a pre purchase inspection. My inspection not only gave me a piece of mind but also allowed me to negotiate a much better deal due to necessity to replace tensioners. Good luck

 

Do it.

 

I converted from a 740i Sport to my XJR.. it was worth it!

 

Thanks for the note.. I understand the "Soul" thing. My e24 doesn't have much of that ...I did some research on Jaguar. I don't really know what I am talking about. Seems like the best years to buy a Jag are the years Ford owned the company. I love the handmade XJ12 and XJ6 of the 80's, but just looking at pics of those engines scares the crap out of me! The V8's look way cleaner and sensible. Do you know who designed the Jag V8? Is that a Ford design?

I like the idea of an XJR, but I really, really like the Vanden Plas V8 model! Those rear trays are cool. I would just sit in the back seat and have dinner with the wife! LOL!

I am leaning towards a Vanden Plas...but i need to sell my e24 first. My e24 on Ebay

 

I want to buy your XJR BIG TIME!!

 

Last night was watching Top Gear { love that show} and saw the episode of
07-02-12 {on BBC Channel 180} on that show reviewing older Jags Jerremy Clarkson drove a 2003 XJR . His purpose was to see how far he could drive the XJR without getting bored . He drove it the length of England to John of Groats
tip of Scotland and back . Loved the XJR . However as much as he liked the aluminium body he said he preferred " the earlier one because he "disliked" the air suspension system preferring the stiffer ride of the steel bodied jag . Ex 2001 /2002 MY.
Very interesting show a must for 308 owners . In case you were not aware of it the XJR was Hanibal Lectre's car of choice > Hmmmm.
Any way I agree with Tire Friar the 2001 XJR is a great car and fun to drive .

 

I saw this on YouTube! It's pretty funny. He didn't like the handling of the Jag, though...

 

I LOVE this video. They beat the heck out of the cars...

And, what's REALLY interesting is that the 5.0 Litre [EDIT]500HP[EDIT] 400HP BMW cannot shake the 4.0 Litre 370HP Jag. Identical 0-60 MPH 5.3 sec, and 155 MPH top speeds.

 

It's actually a 4.9 L with 400 hp.

 

Ah, my mistake. I don't know where I got the 500HP from (AIR). The 5 Litre I got from 4:35 in the video. I was not reading as much as listening. Not sure how I missed those details so badly.

 

I'd remove the Hela driving lamps, makes the car look goofy imo. Clean and original.

I had a 633 Alpina low line a very long time ago, a smart car, but the XJ is in another class.

Whatever you decide R v VDP you'll be happy. The main thing is you're on the forum, asking the questions, a big time&$$$$ saver to a potential owner.

 

I was going for this look... I am kinda of a goofy guy.

 

I am considering this one, because I will have $6K if my e24 sells. He says the guides and tensioners have been changed.

Beautiful, Luxurious, and very Fast Jaguar XJR Sports Sedan

 

I don't know. Maybe he is on here? It just looks a little grubby, smudges on the motor and interior.