Today was an interesting day! I made a purchase on a rare car which leads me confused as to what to do next.

I got a 2002 Jaguar XJR-100 with 190,000kms or 118,000 Miles. I am aware of the rarity of this car but it isn't without its issues.

The car was abandoned in a back yard for the last few years. I didn't get to much history out of the seller apart from he was in Jail for a few years, yes that's right and it was parked at his dad's house. Skeptical of the story and history I bought a full carfax to understand what was going on.

Once I pulled the carfax, I found it had a rebuilt title. From a rear end impact that declared the vehicle salvage! However this was 8 years ago and the car didnt appear to have any damage issues. Apart from the small alignment issues in back door is very slightly off.

The reason the previous owner was in jail was due to distribution of drugs! No Kidding! Let's say he was locked away for 8 years. Once he get out in 2016 im guessing he had excess cash. As the vehicle comes with $20,000 worth of receipts to make the car mechanically perfect. However being parked up for the last couple of years there are Issues.

Issues

1. Salvage, now rebuilt title. Rear end damage. Insurance est. Was 6500 USD.
2. Once I got home a warning message came up 'High Gearbox Temparture, and well appears oil on my drive.'
HELP WITH THIS ONE
3. Knock Sensor as well as another code I cannot remember.
4. Traction Control and ABS not working due to a front sensor on the wheel apparently.
5. Rust on the wheel well corners. Quite normal on the X308.
6. Low Brake Fluid warning
7. REBUILT TITLE
8. Timing Chains? Cant see that they have been done.
9. Dont have OEM Wheels.

Positives as follows.
1. Lots of maintenance and engine work done.
2. A very rare car.
3. Engine runs very smooth.
4. Low ish Miles
​​​​​5. Clean Interior overall for a 20 Year old car.
6. New $3000 Coventry Rims and Tires.

Now i have three options. I already have a few Jaguars.
2005 XJR, 2005 SUPER V8, 1994 XJS, 1970 E TYPE. I Have had many other x350 XJR AND X308 XJ8, X306 XJR and other Jags.

Option 1.
Drive as is until it dies.
Option 2.
Find a new buyer
Option 3.
Restore and make it perfect again. But would it be worth it with the rebuild title?

I don't know.....

I only paid $4500 Canadian, or $3800 USD.

Thanks Karl



Most corners like this, but this is the worse.

 

#2 probably indicates a need to change or add transmission fluid

 

Shame the original wheels are gone, that's a lot of the value in an XJR100. With the bad title, rust issues, and mechanical issues I doubt you'd make any money flipping it on. As far as full restoration that's fine if you intend to keep it. You will have way more into it than its worth and with the dirty title and high mileage it won't be worth a lot. Considering what you paid, your best option would be to drive it.

Check the trans connector, they can leak and cause that issue.

Real shame what he did to that car...hope it works out for you.

 

You'll likely not make anything reselling it, might even lose a bit honestly.

I'd wrench on it a bit, get it so its up to your personal "good enough" standard and drive it till it gives you more trouble than its worth, then part it out, which is where you'll probably make the best return on your investment.

You paid short money for a running/driving XJR...enjoy it, have fun with it and let it go when it tells you its had enough.

 

I do consider the car very low miles, also I have contacts for paint and body. I feel the car all in fixed I would into it about 7500 USD That's with paint.

 

I wouldn't consider 118k very low mileage, but its not crazy high either. Definitely not a selling point though. $7500 is a stretch when fixed with a bad title and the wrong wheels for a 100, how much would it cost to fix the body? Can't really get a decent paint job (materials alone) for under $1-2k these days, and that's with free labor. Tha'ts not even including the body work, there's always more rust than you can see...

Not trying to be nagative, just realistic. I absolutely love the XJR100 and will own one some day, and as someone who's purchased another XJR in the past month I can say even if fixed it would be a real stretch to get 7500. If it had the proper wheels maybe, but even then I think its a stretch. I wish you the best either way, still cool that its a real XJR100. Awesome cars.

 

If those wheels are really like-new and worth $3000, that's essentially the majority of the vehicle value. Personally, I don't like the black painted wheels, so since they're anyway aftermarket, I'd sell them, replace them with something inexpensive that fits the look and recover a few grand - now the car will be closer to being free.

With a salvage title it'll never be worth much in resale, even if it is an XJR100 - but if you recover some funds and treat it like a near free gift to enjoy, that'll yield much more fun from the experience.

Alternatively, you could get another XJR from the same year with a clean title and swap the interior. The XJR100 was only a difference of interior trim (red stitching, shifter knob and different piping) and trunk badge plus larger wheels with lower profile tires.

 

[QUOTE=

Alternatively, you could get another XJR from the same year with a clean title and swap the interior. The XJR100 was only a difference of interior trim (red stitching, shifter knob and different piping) and trunk badge plus larger wheels with lower profile tires.[/QUOTE]

Black window trim was another XJR100-only feature in the States. Love the black window trim...

 

Have you pulled the back seat and door panels and looked for hidden cash (and hopefully not hidden drugs)?

 

Before I put much into the body rust you can see while the car is on the ground I'd pick it up in the air and check everything underneath.
I've seen some very rusty Jags from this era and the rust in your picture could just be the tip of the iceberg.
Of course when you look underneath you might not find anything scary and you'll just have some touch up body work to deal with.
These cars don't do well with being neglected though so I'd be going over it with a fie toothed comb.
Looking at your list it looks as if the supercharger might need to come off for the knock sensor (coolant hose make sense to change while you're already up to your elbows here as well as supercharger oil), trans plug (fluid & filter as well since you don't know the car was cared for), and brakes since that fluid must be leaving from somewhere (could be worn pads but my XJR showed up without piston seals...Texas sun?).
Good luck, it could be a real steal but you won't know until you dive in!

 

Everybody approaches things a bit differently, however rusting bodywork never sleeps. My first concern would be to correct that, or discern the cost to be out of range.

 

Those wheel bolts on the Coventry wheels are just for show. They don't hold the wheel center in place. So, I don't see how they're worth $3k. I'm not talking about the lug nuts. Montreals on the other hand, yes, those are worth $3k if in nice shape.

 

Exactly. Those wheels can be bought new for a lot less than $3k, they're not worth nearly what a set of Montreals or any other Jag-spec 3-piece BBS wheel is worth. If that car had the original wheels it would be a completely different story.

 

Thanks for everyone's response. The wheels cost the owner with tires $3000 1 year ago.

I don't think I would get more than $1500 now.

The car also came with a set of blacked out Jaguar XKR 175 Rims for free from a 11. And a bunch of extra parts. If i sell them i think they would worth a little bit!

So once I sell the extra parts. With the parts I bought for fixing the car up mechanically. Sensor, oil change, transmission seals etc i think my total cost in would be $4000 Cad, or $2900 USD.

One of my neighbors is a mechanic works on Jags and Land Rovers who will work after hours in his home garage for me, and one of my other neighbors owns a body shop.

He thinks for me he could do a full paint job and rust repair for $4000 Cash, normally a $6000-$7000 Job. My other neighbor after hours thinks he can get my car all fixed up mechanically for $1500. Yes that's around $5000 worth of dealer work!

So question is, interior is mint. Would the car be worth putting a total all in $10,000 Cad, which is $8000 USD Total. New paint and mechanically mint! Yes, neighbor connections make this all possible.

Remember, the car had 20k worth of mechanical work done in the last 5 years. Just need things from sitting for 2 years.

So. Is it worth a clean Mechanical and cleaned up body being into it for $8000 USD?

OR I am currently into it $4000, sell the interior for $2000, Sell the wheels for $1200, and have nearly a free car, throw in some bucket seats, rip as much weight out and make it a racer. But is that a waste of a XJR 100 Even if it has a rebuilt title. I'm torn.....

 

 

In my opinion it comes down to this - If you put the money into fixing it (which sounds like a decent deal all around) then keep it. If you're going to sell it or part it don't put the money into it and you could do OK. Problem is invariably something will come up during the mechanical or body work that will blow the budget, always does. With $8kUSD into it, that's about the max you'd get out of the car so it would be a break-even proposition anyway.

If you decide to keep it then it could be a great car for the investment, and it is an XJR100 which is very cool. Good luck with whatever you decide, wish I had the problem of deciding what to do with a 100

 

Doesn't seem like there's much upside potential in restoration. The cloud on the title severely limits the longer-term investment potential too as high-end collectors want a car with provenance, i.e. lower mileage, few or one owner and clean records. I'd say maybe fix just the mechanical/electrical problems and drive it as-is, a fun, comfortable car that you can park up front at Walmart and not fuss over washing and waxing every weekend.

 

Project cars almost invariably remain project cars. If you are motivated by a constant challenge, then by all means, dive in. In my experience, the better deal is to locate a Jaguar that needs little, fix that, and restore only that which breaks down over time. If one desires a “parts” car, then acquiring one of the same year and model is the most advisable.

 

Shame about the salvage title. At the time of the accident it should have been challenged as the value of a 100 at time was probably more than the repair. It’s annoying that there are thousands of restored older cars that were rebuilt from rust buckets or wrecks that were not necessarily safety inspected and have no history baggage such as salvage or Carfax; but our cars fall into the disposal class.
Anothe poster mentioned you need to source a set of Montreals. What happened with the originals?
Could well be a great car to own until you decide to pass it on at a discount. And it’s another saved from rape or the crusher.

 

From what I have seen, most people only care about getting the most they can from the insurance company. The moment an adjuster says the word “totaled”, the insured usually is looking for another ride. A more discerning client who has emotional attachment may challenge the estimate.