Hi all, I have been reading up a lot on this car, and was looking for some input.

It sounds like it's fairly reliable; I keep hearing about how unreliable older Jags are supposed to be, but it doesn't sound like this car/engine is THAT problematic. I did some reading about modifying the electric fan to stay on for a while after the car is off to keep the engine bay from baking.

If I get this car, it will be essentially a daily driver, but I only average about 6k miles/year, so it's not getting run into the ground.

The one I found seems like a pretty good deal, but I and my wife are both riding the fence on it a bit just due to the Jag reliability stigma and the age. It's not in a perfect, collectible, kind of condition, which is actually good because I don't think I'll feel too bad about driving it to work in winter. We have a Jeep for the family, so its winter driving will be my roughly 1 mile commute to work.

I'll give a rundown on the one that's come my way:
1990 V12 Convertible
47,000 miles
Has lived in a shed for about the last decade under a cover.
Brakes are near non-existent; it will stop, but not in a hurry.
Engine sounds like the ones I have seen on YouTube, a bit wheezy, but it seems like they just sound like that.
2 small (less than 1 inch) cuts/tears in the convertible top on the driver's side in the lower corner (look like they should be easily patchable)
A few noticeable scratches in the paint, but the metal isn't creased. Almost like a few key scratches.
No rust that I can see really.
No convertible top boot to cover it when it's down
No manual
Power roof switch is stuck; doesn't rock at all, so unknown status of power roof function.
Power windows are working, seat heaters are working
A/C doesn't blow very cool, current owner said it is set up to work with the newer R-22 fluid and was blowing cold when he ran it last year....so hopefully the compressor and such are ok and it just needs fluid.
Rubber fuel line between the rail and engine look good; didn't see any cracks or anything, would still plan to replace them as part of the necessary maint before I start driving it.
Guy's asking $7500

It seems pretty reasonable. Any car at this age with that kind of miles I am going to assume has sat a lot and is going to need all the fluids changed. The brakes I'm sure are original and either need bled or just cleaned up. The in-board rear rotors in this car look like they would be a huge chore to do anything but pad changing and bleeding, so I'm hoping those are all it would need.

So, given all that, what do you guys think? It's not in "collectible" kind of condition, which is good for me since It's not going to be a summer-weekend only kind of car to me. And it's not at a "collectible" kind of price.

 

Well, on the a/c fluid he said it was setup to work with the "current stuff" which I guess is R134a

 

So you have to ask yourself... what do you want from the car? If you want a convertible and the convertible experience primarily, get a newer 6 cylinder, they are reliable. Nothing is more embarrassing than being left stranded in a convert as is likey to happen with almost any 20 year v12 exotic old car. Especially if you're out with your person of interest. If you want the v12 experience get a coupe...they are lighter, and a bit simpler to work on. If you want a project that will occupy your time go for it but at a far lower price. To do the rear brakes the cage should come out. The parts, new calipers front and rear, rotors, master cylinder etc are all reasonably priced and all can be had for about 600$. Its the time and labor that is the expense in dollars or in time if you DIY. Keep in mind...Right now is convertible season and people as asking top dollar. It's all most silly the prices I've seen lately for converts.

 

If you're looking for a project, you found it !

These old XJSs virtually always need a lot more rehab work than initially meets the eye....and 10 years of dead storage doesn't help.

If you're a good DIYer and enjoy the work then go for it. Most everyone agrees that a sorted out XJS is worth the effort. And an XJS CAN be reliable....but it takes some effort to make one that way and keep it that way. These are owner involvement cars, not 'drive it and forget it' cars

Cheers
DD

 

i think the problem is that the car is very problematic and has pattern failures. the hardcore UKDM guys convince themselves that theyre actually reliable given yall the necessary maintenance is done and the cars have been well kept.

problem is that the V12 is an avalanche of problems waiting for a few years in storage or a negligent owner to allow it to rear its ugly head.
would i ever buy another V12 XJS? noooooooooooooo nohoho no.

but i would love to have an AJ6 car to boost.

 

Well, I'm a moderate DIY'er. I've done brakes on several cars, air intakes, some exhaust work, radio swaps and the like. I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty, but I don't have a lift an a full set of pro mechanic tools, either.

Looking at the brake job issues, that it's probably kissing my limit of what I could do in my garage, but it looks like the rear end comes off pretty easily. So likely something I could do in a weekend I'd imagine.

It sounds like some tweaking is always necessary; like the swap to electric fans, but I'm fairly comfortable with electric work as long as it's not some wiring harness buried in the body somewhere or something.

I'm kind of excited to have a V12 while it's still something that's possible to do; In the few mile trip I drove it I really liked it...

For the $7500 it seems like it's hard to find anything comparable that isn't massively higher mileage. Even if I had to put $1000 into it to do the brakes, fluids, etc, at $8500 it seems like it's hard to touch for a convertible performance vehicle. And then at least I know those things HAVE been done.

 

The only thing this XJS has going for it is the 47,000 miles.
The only way to properly service this engine now is to pull it from the car for a complete rehab, IMO. And then...


You're probably going to spend $10K to $12/15K, if not more, to get this car up and running. Then you'll have $17K to $22K into a car that's probably worth $10K to $12/14K. I'd offer $3/3.5K, maybe... A straight cash offer and you'll take the car off his hands - no muss no fuss. He's out from under it and the $$ bath you'll take may not be that bad. The car as described isn't worth $7500 and may be more of a parts car at this stage (IMO).


Properly maintained Jaguars are reliable, durable cars and those who say they aren't have a serious lack of knowledge of their subject.


V12 XJSs are terrific, reliable cars but they can be expensive as hell to run on a daily basis. I rarely advise newcomers to XJS ownership to buy and attempt to restore neglected cars that have sat idle for a period of time. There is just no upside to these cars in most cases for the average beginner. If you have the cash to make him a real LOW cash offer and he accepts and you have the $$ resources and technical skill to bring it back you may be better advised to pass on this car.


The advice to buy a 6 cylinder XJS is spot on and prices for nice ones are reasonable. I'm not trying to **** on your parade but just give you the best and most honest advise I can.

 

Wow, you really think that bad? Since it was running and driving fine, I was thinking it'd just be some new belts and hoses and whatnot...

Not really prepared for a full engine pull and rebuild. Something to tinker with on the weekend, sure...but yeish, that's bad.

 

Neglected XJSs are not cheap. V12s that sit may leak oil like a sieve - particularly the rear main seal so a complete reseal is a good idea and replace the starter motor while the engine is out of the car and maybe the steering rack as well. V12s "sludge up" if they aren't frequently run and at highway speeds; another problem. Has the car been overheated (probably) then the valve seats WILL fall out. IMO, the only fool-proof way to check is to pull the heads and have a look - much easier with the engine out of the car. These cars generally overheat from poor cooling system maintenance, which in addition to dropped valve seats, causes aluminum oxide "silt" in the coolant passages that must be cleaned out and if it's bad enough will ruin the block. I can go on and on. There are very expensive reasons why this car was pushed into a corner of a garage and covered up. If you can buy this car cheap enough and are committed to do a complete re-commission then it may be reliable and enjoyable. Otherwise you'll be chasing problems for the duration of your ownership and not getting the full pleasure of a really great car. And it's not worth $7,500!

 

Buy the nicest XJS that you can afford.


Not all XJS's have been neglected and those are the ones you should be looking for. I paid more for mine because it was clean and had all the service records. It helps because I have collected cars for many years and do know what to look for when considering older vehicles. I also did not want one that had a lot of issues and was willing to pay more. Take your time and good luck in your quest...


Almost forgot, Solent Blue XJS's are known to be the best looking, most valuable and extremely reliable. LOL...

 

That's why the mechanic has had my car longer than I have!

 

I'll have to check with him how much he's driven it. I got the impression that it has been pulled out and driven every so often. I don't think it's just been completely sitting. I just don't think he's driven it much. Like a few nice days a year sort of thing. It had some papers and a notebook in it, and even a mcdonalds coffee cup sitting on the center console, so it gave the impression that it had been driven semi-recently.

If totally sitting vs a hundred or two miles per year makes that much of a difference with these things i'll ask him about it.

I know the floor where it was sitting didn't have any drips on it, and after driving it for a handful of miles I stopped it on some pavement, checked some things out, and then moved it and didn't see any drips there, either.

I'm not totally committed to this car or anything, but it didn't seem like it was anywhere near falling apart.

 

In my humble opinion the car is overpriced, given that it needs brake, a/c, and convertible top work at a minimum. The low mileage doesn't justify the premium price. These cars are not that hard to find, although rust free examples may be harder to come by in Michigan. I would try to drive at least 4 or 5 before choosing one. Or offer a low figure to this seller and see of he is calling you in a few weeks because no one is offering close to his asking price. Just my 2 cents.

Good luck.

 

You need a new mechanic! LOL...

 

Thanks for all the input guys, I really appreciate it.

I think I'll give the guy a call tonight and see how locked he is to the 7500 price tag. If I can get a couple K off I think I might go for it. It's a bit of a gamble. Looking through auto trader in a 200 mile radius it looks like a nicer example with maint records and such is running in the 15k range. So I can roll the dice with this one say around 5000, and if I have to rebuild the engine, I'm not really much/any worse off, and if I don't I'm money ahead.

If he's locked to the price I guess I'll keep looking at other options. I was originally looking at an early 2000s 330Ci convertible or maybe an early thousands Boxster; but when I heard about this Jag I got kind of excited, and after driving it I really liked it. Wish the seat went down a bit (6'4", my head comes pretty close to brushing the roof most of the time), but it was still a really nice ride and feel.

I'll try to post again when i know if I'm getting it.

 

Jaguar XJS Base Convertible 2 Door | eBay


For example...why buy a 5000$ project when you can have a runner more in keeping with your mechanical skills. Make an 7500$ offer on this one and see were it goes. Far better off than the science project you're looking for. You're better off buying a high mileage runner than a low mileage project.


Act fast on this one.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Jaguar-XJS-2...US_Cars_Trucks

 

The price seems high due to the maintenance you KNOW it needs, but if that's all it needs maybe you don't need to write it off yet. No disrespect intended to Roger but I don't think you need to assume that you'll need to pull the engine for a full rebuild. I'd have to guess you may have to do more than you know now though, but it's all really speculating since we haven't seen the car. If it's actually pretty rust free that;'s a plus, especially in the midwest. If the interior is good, another plus, that stuff is costly, unless you don't mind it being rough inside.

One thing to consider - it sounds like you are looking for a year round commuting vehicle, and it's up to you but if it were me an xjs convertible isn't what I'd be looking for to fill that need. I live in probably a similar climate to you and I'd hate to take my Jag out in the snow, cold and salt. Like you, I don't really drive that much, I live close to my workplace, but the Jag stays in the garage till the salt is gone.

Without seeing it, I'd have to say price seems high, good chance you may have to do more work than you anticipate, in the end it's your choice though. Not trying to talk you out of it because they are great cars but I'd really try to think about if it's a car that will work for you as a year round daily driver.

Hope this helps, Eric

 

I never said the motor needs a full rebuild. In my experience I have found that V12s that have sat unused, unloved and or poorly maintained generally need so much remedial service it's just easier to pull the motor, put it on a stand, do what needs to be done and put it back in the car.

 

Don't be fooled. Just doing the rear brakes on these cars can be almost as much work as a engine rebuild on a older muscle car to me. And replacing the convertible top?? Ask me. I bought my current XJS convertible of eBay for 2600.00. Its a pretty nice car. The top was terrific looking until I got it working. The putting it up and down shredded it due to dry rot. I now have the exhaust manifolds off of it. Took me 5 nights. Might take me 10 to put them back, lol. There cars are a labor of love. You gotta love turning wrenches.......

 

Won't be getting it. Apparently the owner had someone out a day or two before me that seemed to be a very knowledgeable Jag guy and offered $7k on it. Hope he has fun with it.

As for the roof, supercharged, I did actually put the roof up and down, but with no switch it was a by-hand situation.

I've done some looking at closed listings on ebay and 5k seems to be pretty fair for what he had. 7500 seems like it would get you a much nicer one.

Oh well. Won't need a car for a year + anyway. We'll see what I end up with.