Greetings all,
My 1997 XK8 Coupe [X100] recently met its demise in a front end collision. No one hurt but bent front frame members made insurer deem it irreparable. I'm ok with the settlement offer and and now on the search for a replacement.
I'm not committed to another X100 although did enjoy driving it and always got compliments on its styling.

My local British shop mentioned another client is selling a 1993 XJS Coupe [6 cyl]. Owner is a helicopter pilot so comment form shop is the maintenance had been meticulous.

Curious anyone thoughts on a X27 vs X100 Coupe for driving, owner enjoyment, maintenance [DIY or professional], costs to expect, etc.

Thanks,
Chris

 

XJS is a vastly different car to your XK8. Maintenance will be cheaper on the XJS and everything is DIY compared to XK8. XJS is all mechanical, when on XK8 you cant do much without plugging an OBD.
I would strongly recommend a test drive, especially if you never driven/owned a classic before but if you did, you'll probably enjoy it more than the XK8. In short, XK8 is a modern car, XJS is somewhere between an older classic and a modern car.
As always, the better the car initially, the less work you'll need to do later. I'd only recommend XJS to someone that can do their own DIY though, especially if its not a mint example.

 

Katar is right.

The XJS design goes back to the 70s. It won't feel like a modern or even modern-ish car. That's not a bad thing, necessarily. A well-sorted XJS is a fabulous car to drive.

Cheers
DD

 

It will need more frequent maintenance, and however good the previous owner, if various components have not been renewed in the last (say) ten years, there will be a list of things to work through and replace to get the car back to its best.

 

1. ALWAYS consider a used car is ALWAYS a used car. That said, ALWAYS do your homework on any model car as any ALWAYS have quirks specific to model and year.
2. 15years driving my 93 6cyl convt has been a pleasure for 220K+. Sure, I have had maintenance and repairs, but mostly expected, and yes some not. All have been overridden by the pleasure of driving and constant compliments at gas stations, stores and traffic lights. It is the last year before "facelift" plastic front and rear treatments, so still a classic look.
3. 2 troubling areas are A/C and C/C operation. Most 93's were R12 freon A/C systems, but most likely been converted to R134 since R12 is no longer available. Problem with the conversion is the factory condenser is not built to adequately "cool" the R134. You will not get the "cold" you did from your modern car. There is no remedy to my knowledge. If you need the system serviced, find a shop that is willing to recover the R12 and put it back when done. Good luck on that! The C/C system seems simple but will drive you nuts. Too much to discuss here. Refer to other posts, manuals, etc if it goes non-op.

 

Short reply on point 3, although never done in my Jags, I did exchange my twin 8 Amp pusher AC condenser fans in my Bentley for a much more efficient straight blade Spal after swapping to universal AC gas. The effect is simply (in that car) surprisingly good in particular in city driving and in jams. They are noisier (but only outside). Just to say that improving the airflow in the condenser may also be for the xj-s an option after a r134 swap.

 

About 3 or 4 years ago I evacuated my 1993 A/C system R12 and replaced the system with Enviro-Safe (No other changes) . The system work perfectly and gave the same cooling as the R12, maybe a little better. It is still in the car and I have had no A/C problems. Unfortunately EPA ruled that Enviro-Safe did meet compliance. I looked up Enviro-Save and found it is now sold on eBay as Enviro-Safe Prodry for R12 systems 4 oz can #2075a-R12. I know nothing about this product, but you might look it up for your info.