RE: PH Heroes: Jaguar XJR-S

RE: PH Heroes: Jaguar XJR-S

Author
Discussion

Digga

40,206 posts

282 months

Tuesday 25th August 2015
quotequote all
Nice to hear back from an owner. All this brings back happy memories of borrowing Digga snrs (standard, 6 cyl) XJSs.

0llie said:
The gearbox is a GM400 3 speed (yes, really!), but thanks to the torque and well spaced ratios for all but really fast acceleration in 1st, you really don't need anymore.
I was pondering this the other day; with a big enough engine, 3 ratios did work incredibly well.

0llie said:
Despite having stiffer suspension over the standard XJ-S, the ride quality is still supreme. If you need proof that we have lost the art of body control and ride quality, then this car serves to confirm it. Combined with the snug cabin, effortless powertrain and excellent high speed stability, it makes for a superb long distance cruiser. Before the first breakdown, whilst cruising at outside lane motorway speeds down to Goodwood, the OBC was showing 23mpg. A big boot too, meaning it's a Grand Tourer in the truest sense of the word.
Nothing wafts along quite like an XJS and they're surprisingly easy and rewarding to make progress with on British A and B roads. I bet the 6 litre V12 is even more so!

0llie

3,006 posts

195 months

Tuesday 25th August 2015
quotequote all
Digga said:
Nothing wafts along quite like an XJS and they're surprisingly easy and rewarding to make progress with on British A and B roads. I bet the 6 litre V12 is even more so!
It's not a sports car, but it does make surprisingly swift progress when you try and make time on a twisty B road. The V12 is certainly a help rather than a hindrance smile

johnxjsc1985

15,948 posts

163 months

Tuesday 25th August 2015
quotequote all
I hate this thread as it just reminds me that I should never have sold my 93 xjs 6.0l.
I just loved those first few seconds turning over before it fired into life. I must have been lucky because I have had 4 XJS and never had any mechanical problems ie breaking down etc. If you get a good one use it as often as possible they dont seem to enjoy being left on the drive

Digga

40,206 posts

282 months

Wednesday 26th August 2015
quotequote all
johnxjsc1985 said:
I hate this thread as it just reminds me that I should never have sold my 93 xjs 6.0l.
I just loved those first few seconds turning over before it fired into life. I must have been lucky because I have had 4 XJS and never had any mechanical problems ie breaking down etc. If you get a good one use it as often as possible they dont seem to enjoy being left on the drive
My Dad had three, from E-reg onwards, and they were pretty good.

He only had one breakdown; sat in stationary traffic running the aircon for 15 mins on M6 southbound (jct 9, by gas regulators) he ran the battery flat. Doh! Him and my sister had to push it to the hard shoulder, which was no mean feat on a hot summer's day. hehe

GoodOlBoy

528 posts

102 months

Wednesday 11th November 2015
quotequote all
0llie said:
Holy thread resurrection etc. but I thought I'd share a few thoughts on a recent purchase in the family, a 1991 6.0 XJR-S. The car belongs to my father, but very kindly, he has given me access to use it wherever/whenever I wish smile I have done a few hundred miles in it so far, some of those more memorable than others...


I hope to get it to some more events this year (if it doesn't through another fit at the side of the road!), as well as getting some more pictures, especially of the cabin. Maybe if I can trust it enough next year, take it down to Monaco for a proper Grand Tour a la Harry Metcalfe a couple of months ago in Octane?

Here's the Harry Metcalfe trip, got me looking at XJS's again !!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIMQGk4xQqM

Cacatous

3,157 posts

272 months

Monday 23rd November 2015
quotequote all
0llie said:
Holy thread resurrection etc. but I thought I'd share a few thoughts on a recent purchase in the family, a 1991 6.0 XJR-S. The car belongs to my father, but very kindly, he has given me access to use it wherever/whenever I wish smile I have done a few hundred miles in it so far, some of those more memorable than others...

A brief history of this car; it was delivered new to the Isle of Man, where it stayed for around 2 years (it was registered in the UK in 1993, hence the K plate that you see below). It then came back to the mainland, and was used very regularly for a few years whilst bearing the registration number '1 KEN'. It then passed into the hands of a private collector who owns somewhere in the region of 30 cars, where despite being serviced once a year, it traveled a grand total of 200 miles in around 10 years.

My father then purchased it at the beginning of this year after many months of umming and arring. The first trip for the car was to the local Jaguar specialist who carried out some recommissioning to get the car fit for the road (new tyres, AC regas, all fluids changed, discs/pads etc). We were pleased to see that in the past someone has had the car properly undersealed, so underneath was absolutely perfect smile

We want to use the car, so wasted no time in getting some miles under its belt. Sadly, the first trip I took to Goodwood ended prematurely when the coil died rolleyes



It was then subsequently recovered and a new coil fitted. A few weeks later, I went down to Goodwood again, then guess what? It failed again! This time right on a blind bend off of a busy sliproad on the A3.

I try not to keep reflecting on the bad though (difficult not to in the circumstances!), because the car itself is in fact something quite special.

The engine. Wow. What a thing! It's not blessed with the outright power and torque figures of some modern GT cars, but there is something very captivating about the way it sends you up the road. It never feels really fast, but the relentless charge of the speedo needle beyond 120mph is very enjoyable.

The gearbox is a GM400 3 speed (yes, really!), but thanks to the torque and well spaced ratios for all but really fast acceleration in 1st, you really don't need anymore.

The cabin is very Jaguar. It's hard to believe that a land-yacht can have less space inside it than a MINI, but they've certainly achieved it. The rear seats are truly useless for people, but dead useful for extra bags. I'm 5ft 6, but I have to have the drivers seat all the way back, and I still wish it would go back further still. However, the way it makes you feel is something you have to experience to believe, it's something I can't really describe. I can only say that the only other car that makes me feel the same way is my Range Rover, also of 1991 vintage.

Despite having stiffer suspension over the standard XJ-S, the ride quality is still supreme. If you need proof that we have lost the art of body control and ride quality, then this car serves to confirm it. Combined with the snug cabin, effortless powertrain and excellent high speed stability, it makes for a superb long distance cruiser. Before the first breakdown, whilst cruising at outside lane motorway speeds down to Goodwood, the OBC was showing 23mpg. A big boot too, meaning it's a Grand Tourer in the truest sense of the word.

I hope to get it to some more events this year (if it doesn't through another fit at the side of the road!), as well as getting some more pictures, especially of the cabin. Maybe if I can trust it enough next year, take it down to Monaco for a proper Grand Tour a la Harry Metcalfe a couple of months ago in Octane?

Similar one for sale here!

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/j...