Hey there,

First time car buyer here. I have always been interested in older cars and my dad recently purchased a Jaguar (2021 E-Pace) and it drives like an absolute gem. The first car I ever had was a 1998 Mercedes E320 and that thing lasted through 3 teenage boys and to 265,000 miles. I recently saw a 1986 XJ6 on FB Marketplace and I am in love. It has 136,000 miles on it and the owner is selling it for $1,900, which is right in my price range.

I have a few questions, if anyone can help. What should I be looking for when I am examining the car? The interior looks like it is in pristine condition and the body looks great as well. I love in Brooklyn, NY, so another question is are they good city cars or more rural? I need it because I am constantly going back and forth to NJ, so I need it to be reliable on the Highway as well. What should I expect upkeep to be on a yearly basis?

Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated!
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There are some useful links at the top of the page including this buyer’s guide.

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/a...ries-1-2-3.pdf


a well sorted XJ6 is good for both city and highway but they are not known for great gas mileage. They can be daily driven but would likely need a fair amount of catch up maintenance neglected by previous owners. If you found a running one with no rust and good paint and interior that could be a good deal.

 

for that kind of money you can't demand a lot of car.

If it is pristine as you say, buy it and fix whatever it needs. What the heck if it leaves you stranded call a tow truck. It is no different than any old car. and it might be more reliable than other European cars. Just make sure it runs and shifts. In other words, DRIVE IT and see what happens.

 

^^+1!
I agree with Jose. Buy it and Drive it until something breaks.
Then Fix it and DRIVE it some more!
And, you'll have job security for a while as you deal with all the stuff they "forgot" to tell you about.
If it Moves at all you'll have a deal!
(';')

 

After you fix everything that the previous owners didn't fix? Or before?

Are you a DIY mechanic? If so, repairs can often be done for surprisingly little.

I used a Series III XJ6 as a daily driver for many years and it was very reliable. I remember long intervals of use with nothing but simple routine services required. I bought the car when it was 11-12 years old. You're buying a 35 year old car at the very low end of the price range. These are great cars, I love 'em, but at this point they're to be considered hobby cars....with all the good and bad that goes along with that category.

Cheers
DD