RE: Shed of the Week: Jaguar XJ
Discussion
EnglishTony said:
I had one of these, bought in Germany for the (British) plate. Trailered it to the UK got an mot, sold it and kept the plate. Drove it about 45 mins in total. Felt like a Jag, which was good.
Strangely enough, I was tempted to do similar a while back. An XJ6 with A1 XXW on it which struck me as a nice cover plate. Still on the car according to DVLA.
I did worry that I might want to keep the car as well!
Great shed! Had the v8 version of this a few years ago and it was one of the nicest cars I've owned costing a fraction of the price of some of them. Big lazy engine which actually packed a punch once rolling and an interior which felt like it was from a car 15 years newer! It did like a drink but if you are gentle they're not too bad.
PistonBroker said:
EnglishTony said:
I had one of these, bought in Germany for the (British) plate. Trailered it to the UK got an mot, sold it and kept the plate. Drove it about 45 mins in total. Felt like a Jag, which was good.
Strangely enough, I was tempted to do similar a while back. An XJ6 with A1 XXW on it which struck me as a nice cover plate. Still on the car according to DVLA.
I did worry that I might want to keep the car as well!
No, it's not for sale.
2 GKC said:
Amazed by how many people seem surprised that a 20 year old jag with galactic mileage and a thirst like Oliver Reed can be had for a grand.
True -it's been going on for every XJ since Day 1 -although they can be much younger than 20yrs old and still be had for less than a bag of sandAs much as I like the XJ Sport 'Dimple' wheels on this one (they're 255/55R16 as it happens), I wanted LWB, and the cruise control and proper walnut you get on a Sov. Luckily I found Sov with the 'sport' suspension option ticked on the order sheet - meaning you get the Sport wheels to match.
Don't confuse it with the V8. That's basically a different car wearing the same body, and if you ever turn one off without letting it warm up first, it'll refuse to start again.
Don't confuse it with the V8. That's basically a different car wearing the same body, and if you ever turn one off without letting it warm up first, it'll refuse to start again.
The V8 will also flood if you switch it off whilst it's cold. I always let it run for a few minutes first. The only time it ever caught me out was when it stalled outside an MOT garage after not being driven for a week (the battery wasn't great). I had to rev the b
ks off it to clear it after a lot of cranking.
ks off it to clear it after a lot of cranking.A lot of waftable metal for the money.
I've never driven this specific model, but I always found other XJ saloons a bit of a handful around town. Awkward to park and in tight spaces in the UK. Also need to bear in mind this is 20 years old. The likelihood of failing hoses, belts and seals would worry me even more than the electrics.
(I remember my father buying a 10 year old Daimler Double Six with very low mileage for 3K. Fuel bills aside, it was great for about another 20,000 miles over 4 years and then things rapidly went south).
I've never driven this specific model, but I always found other XJ saloons a bit of a handful around town. Awkward to park and in tight spaces in the UK. Also need to bear in mind this is 20 years old. The likelihood of failing hoses, belts and seals would worry me even more than the electrics.
(I remember my father buying a 10 year old Daimler Double Six with very low mileage for 3K. Fuel bills aside, it was great for about another 20,000 miles over 4 years and then things rapidly went south).
I find my Jag (an XJ40 - but basically the same car underneath) quite easy to drive in town because of its excellent all-round visibility which coupled with decent performance off the line, makes changing lanes very easy for example. I also find people let me out far more readily when I am driving it than I do in other cars - it isn't a myth in my experience. It isn't an easy thing to park though, since it is a long car without parking sensors and has a poor turning circle.
The X300 has much better electrics than the Series III - as does the later XJ40. Rust is the big problem with the X300.
The X300 has much better electrics than the Series III - as does the later XJ40. Rust is the big problem with the X300.
I had a 1996 XJ Sport a rare manual about ten years ago, it had 90k miles and I paid the bargain price of £1800 for it. It had half cream leather with some very strange pattern down the centre.
It wafted along nicely but it went through batteries for some reason. Which actually came good one night when some scumbag tried to steal it by breaking a window and ripped the ignition and wiring to shreds trying to get it started. I'd actually taken the battery out to charge it in my garage.
Deemed not economical to repair because the insurance company quoted £8500 to fix it
It wafted along nicely but it went through batteries for some reason. Which actually came good one night when some scumbag tried to steal it by breaking a window and ripped the ignition and wiring to shreds trying to get it started. I'd actually taken the battery out to charge it in my garage.
Deemed not economical to repair because the insurance company quoted £8500 to fix it
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