A cheap Jag XJS - Am I barmy?

[Humper]

joscal said:

That looks really lovely, what wheels are they?

XKR 17's, need spacers made for the front due to the hub nut on the XJS(which cost around the same as the wheels.... )

[LewG]

Only slightly barmy, when I bought mine aged 20 I went straight down the pub for several pints asking myself 'what have I done?!' as I'd heard all the horror stories. The car was far from that, it was a joy to own and nothing comes close to the effortless class of a good XJS. Check out 'a V12 sized gamble' thread if you get the chance. Good for a few laughs if nothing else.

[joscal]

[quote=Humper]

XKR 17's, need spacers made for the front due to the hub nut on the XJS(which cost around the same as the wheels.... )

Thanks looks great. I really love the XJS an old uncle of mine had an XJS V12 back in the day and I have such fond memories of it. I can distinctly remember the whoosh..would love to get one sometime.

[bomma220]

LewG said:

Only slightly barmy, when I bought mine aged 20 I went straight down the pub for several pints asking myself 'what have I done?!' as I'd heard all the horror stories. The car was far from that, it was a joy to own and nothing comes close to the effortless class of a good XJS. Check out 'a V12 sized gamble' thread if you get the chance. Good for a few laughs if nothing else.

Good man, that's the spirit! The world's running out of chaps like us...

[C70R]

Thanks everyone - very much appreciated.

Unfortunately I think budget might be the killer for me here, based on trawling classified sites and looking at EBay completed listings.
I fancy owning something a bit unusual and uncommon, with a bit of character, but I feel like I'll be pushing it to get an XJS in usable nick for this kind of cash. I simply don't have the time/space to undertake a massive resto project, and I could do without a car that is going to spend extended periods with garages. Perhaps I should turn my attention to something a bit more readily available, like a W124 coupe?

[tog]

C70R said:

Are there any other classics that I should be considering at this sort of price? Ideally an auto, with potentially a bit of poke, preferably with 4 seats (2+2 ideal), and that can accommodate me at 6ft3.
A Rover P6 3500 popped up on my usual Ebay trawl, which opened my eyes to the possibility.

I'd love an XJS, but a better P6 would be in your budget. P6s are great cars, go and have a look at one. I'm also about 6'3" and have had mine over 20 years now, only a 2200 though.

[300bhp/ton]

C70R said:

Thanks everyone - very much appreciated.

Unfortunately I think budget might be the killer for me here, based on trawling classified sites and looking at EBay completed listings.
I fancy owning something a bit unusual and uncommon, with a bit of character, but I feel like I'll be pushing it to get an XJS in usable nick for this kind of cash. I simply don't have the time/space to undertake a massive resto project, and I could do without a car that is going to spend extended periods with garages. Perhaps I should turn my attention to something a bit more readily available, like a W124 coupe?

Depends what sort of car you are after and why. Personally I have no interest in the W124. I can respect them, but wouldn't want to own one.

If you want to do the Jaguar thing, then there are other Jags that might be more available.

If you want the wood and leather thing, then there are options.

If it's about a British Vee powered car, then there are options.

If it's about a coupe, then there are options.

That said, any classic ownership, and especially of this budget, should come with the expectation of doing work on them from time to time. So if you are wanting something without any risk of work, then a classic probably isn't for you.

[Humper]

300bhp/ton said:

That said, any classic ownership, and especially of this budget, should come with the expectation of doing work on them from time to time. So if you are wanting something without any risk of work, then a classic probably isn't for you.

Mine has it's own little whiteboard(all my stuff does) as I wipe off one job I usually add another.

[C70R]

Humper said:

300bhp/ton said:

That said, any classic ownership, and especially of this budget, should come with the expectation of doing work on them from time to time. So if you are wanting something without any risk of work, then a classic probably isn't for you.

Mine has it's own little whiteboard(all my stuff does) as I wipe off one job I usually add another.

I couldn't agree more. Part of the rationale of parting company with a relatively complex, modern V8 is to enjoy a bit of 'tinkering' time. What I can't abide by, given it's a car that I won't be using very often anyway, is buying the kind of car that needs constant specialist attention. I don't have the time/facilities to do big overhaul projects, so cars that need this kind of work periodically might not be for me.

I also stumbled across the Porsche 944 in this price bracket, which piqued my interest. It might be relatively chalk/cheese with the C124 in essence, but it fits a lot of my needs (auto, modest performance, comfortable ride, modicum of practicality/reliability). I think it might represent the sensible alternative to a cheap XJS.

Any other suggestions that meet the below criteria are welcome:
- 4 seats (2+2 ideal)
- Automatic
- Reasonable amount of poke
- Interesting/Psuedo-classic
- Not temperamental/high-maintenance

Something to stop me caving and buying a modern coupe, in essence.

[300bhp/ton]

CL500:
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/m...


Although not really a classic like the XJ-S, due to be a much newer generation of car. The XJ-S was launched in 1975, so even late models still have the same classic appeal.

Also, while I like the Merc and I'm sure it's a brilliant car, every Merc I've been in, has always been the same pretty much. Very German, almost clinical. Technically very good and capable, but lacking the charm and character.


Porsche 924.


Not speedy, but a lot more fun than many others. Still not 100% convinced on the "charm" thing. But I think they will have more than a 1990's Merc.


Maybe an older Rover or Jag XJ might suit.

[Itsallicanafford]

XJS anybody?

3 years into our ownership and its been spot on reliable for a late 70's car.

[Lowtimer]

You're not going to get a good one of those these days for the OP's £3k budget.

[Pickled]

C70R said:

Any other suggestions that meet the below criteria are welcome:
- 4 seats (2+2 ideal)
- Automatic
- Reasonable amount of poke
- Interesting/Psuedo-classic
- Not temperamental/high-maintenance

Something to stop me caving and buying a modern coupe, in essence.

380/420/500 SEC Merc?

[Humper]

Don't get me wrong, my whiteboard list has mostly trivial jobs to make it minty, just now it contains changing the transmission fluid/filter and doing the rear mount, not really major surgery? Many XJS's are advertised for strong money, but there are good cars for your budget, you just need to shop around. Mine actually came through a wanted ad, and it wasn't even what the ad was for! Girl emailed me to say her dad was selling his XJR(what I was looking for) and hey, what do you know, I bought an XJS.
I'm still looking for an XJR but I'm keeping the XJS

[C70R]

Thanks all. I don't think a big Merc is quite going to hit the spot, although I had considered a 'mid-sized' C124 because of 'tinkerability'. A 6-series BMW would be ideal, but a tad unrealistic in budget.

The 924 is a tiny bit too basic for me (perhaps lacking a bit of the 'interesting' factor), but getting towards the right neck of the woods. I think I might explore the 944 in a bit more detail. I appreciate that the 'automatic' aspect probably limits my potential targets, but it's a non-negotiable for me.

[SpeckledJim]

You can easily 'shed' an XJS. I do.

They are tough and simple. No harder to run than an 80's BMW.

What you cannot easily do on a tight budget is improve one.

The cars are diverging now, you can see it in the prices. There are keepers, runners, and scrappers.

It costs a lot to move a car leftwards through that order, and it's sad to let a car move rightwards. But keeping a car in the column it started in is not a difficult or expensive thing to do.

[P2DJX]

I owned an XJS about 1995. It was an F reg V12, so roughly 6 years old.
At that point the bulbs in the dashboard never worked , well id get the odd one light up now and again.
The fuel gauge was like playing Russian Roulette.
Everytime I washed it, it seemed to sprout more rust bubbles.
The headlining was already sagging and the car smelled of damp.
The car just gave me the fear.

Kept it about 3 months and chopped it in for a 2 year old Mercedes C Class.

Heard through the grapevine the next owner had it about 5 weeks and the oil pump packed in. Engine gubbed and a few days outside the dealers warranty.

[Lowtimer]

Ah, if you need it to be automatic don't bother with the 944, the autos are pretty woeful and only available with the weakest engines. 4-speed 968 is okay but a decent one will be out of budget.

[ZiggyNiva]

I was gutted to miss out on a v12 with 12 months MOT last year for 1k. There was just no way of me collecting it when the seller wanted me to

So..... have you bought one yet?


How about now?

[300bhp/ton]

C70R said:

Thanks all. I don't think a big Merc is quite going to hit the spot, although I had considered a 'mid-sized' C124 because of 'tinkerability'. A 6-series BMW would be ideal, but a tad unrealistic in budget.

The 924 is a tiny bit too basic for me (perhaps lacking a bit of the 'interesting' factor), but getting towards the right neck of the woods. I think I might explore the 944 in a bit more detail. I appreciate that the 'automatic' aspect probably limits my potential targets, but it's a non-negotiable for me.

I've not really kept up with prices for XJ-S's, but I think it must be doable on your budget.

They really aren't hard to work on or maintain. Not if you don't mind tinkering.

If you still want the Jag experience, then an XJ40 is probably a good bet and a future classic for sure. The 3.6 or 4.0 litre ones share the same engine and drivetrain with the XJ-S, even the floor pan to an extent and the suspension. It's really just the body that looks different.

These are most definitely in budget. You might even get a 6.0 litre V12, although I think their prices have started to rocket.