XJS: is it a wise purchase?
#61
02-09-2021, 10:04 AM
Hi Mike. There are quite a few for sale in the US. Not much in Canada. And the price may vary a lot because of condition. I just bought that one from US. And among about 30 cars for sale, I picked this one because it as always been weel maintained, CarFax Ok. Bought from a Lotus dealer. So he had no interest losing is name for a 20K car when selling over 100K cars...
I had a very good experience buying that even though it's the first time I buy a car without tring it...
Of course, I paid a good price, but I think I also bought the peace of mind.
By the way, would you speek french?
I had a very good experience buying that even though it's the first time I buy a car without tring it...
Of course, I paid a good price, but I think I also bought the peace of mind.
By the way, would you speek french?
Regarding US cars there are few in good condition, just 4/5 in my opinion (Vegas, Florida, NY, MA...) And a very possible scam of a convertible 93 Xjs-R in Red.
Good thing is, I have plenty of time to find the right one.
cheers!
#62
02-09-2021, 04:11 PM
Senior Member
#63
01-21-2023, 12:14 PM
FYI, just got an article from Hagerty (big insurance company in the US for the rare/collector car market) yesterday talking about British cars to hang onto or ditch. Much to my delight, the XJS V12 (properly it's an XJ-S V12) is considered a buy. Apparently values have risen 15% or so in the last year. Some of this was credited as being because an XJ-S V12 is one of the cheapest ways to get into a V12 of any make. Maybe the younger crowd is starting to think about fun vs. economy???
Apparently, the six is not so attractive a purchase if you are looking at "investment" value. I can understand that. Six cylinder engines never seem hard to find, and given that the XJ-S is a heavy car, I think that the six will just give mediocre performance. On the other hand, I would think it's much easier to work on/take care of. Having said all that, I've only owned the 5.3 V-12, so my firsthand knowledge of the six is zero (and I expect, and rightfully so, to get flamed for that very fact).
But look at it this way...in any case any XJ-S is better than no XJ-S at all!!!
John
1987 XJ-S V12
Apparently, the six is not so attractive a purchase if you are looking at "investment" value. I can understand that. Six cylinder engines never seem hard to find, and given that the XJ-S is a heavy car, I think that the six will just give mediocre performance. On the other hand, I would think it's much easier to work on/take care of. Having said all that, I've only owned the 5.3 V-12, so my firsthand knowledge of the six is zero (and I expect, and rightfully so, to get flamed for that very fact).
But look at it this way...in any case any XJ-S is better than no XJ-S at all!!!
John
1987 XJ-S V12
First it’s close to 400 pounds lighter than the V12 ( which I prefer, I too love a V12 ) and comes remarkably close to the V12 in performance due to its lighter weight and 4 valve head.
A racer I know has taken the 4.0 six cylinder and with nothing more than a cheap (-$150) Amazon turbocharger and E85 made over 500 wheel horsepower on a stone stock junkyard 150,000 mile unopened engine.
Last edited by Mguar; 01-21-2023 at 12:30 PM.
#64
01-21-2023, 12:27 PM
If the discussion is between a V12 and a 6 there is no doubt a V12 has a terrible reputation that as the car matured got better and better.
But the 6 cylinder never was cursed with that EFI original development. By the time the Six came out all Jaguars were massively better than the older ones. So foolish people spread the word the the six was reliable and by inference the V12 wasn’t? ( not true)
Once they both got OBD2 and mechanics no longer had to figure out the EFI on their own they were both reliable.
Few mechanics, very few, really understand EFI and they need help from OBD2 to figure things out.
Potentially the V12 is going to last a lot longer That short (2&3/4) stroke does not wear as much as the 4” stroke on the 4.0 six cylinder (the 3.6 is shorter but not as short as the V12 )
But the 6 cylinder never was cursed with that EFI original development. By the time the Six came out all Jaguars were massively better than the older ones. So foolish people spread the word the the six was reliable and by inference the V12 wasn’t? ( not true)
Once they both got OBD2 and mechanics no longer had to figure out the EFI on their own they were both reliable.
Few mechanics, very few, really understand EFI and they need help from OBD2 to figure things out.
Potentially the V12 is going to last a lot longer That short (2&3/4) stroke does not wear as much as the 4” stroke on the 4.0 six cylinder (the 3.6 is shorter but not as short as the V12 )
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