Hold on to your XJS

[cardigankid]

LewG said:

I've more or less completely refurbished mine underneath so far, bit of welding and completely rebuilt the rear IRS to better than factory standard. The front subframe is in line for some care now with new springs, shocks, bushes the lot. Going to strip the front end off over the next few months and do engine valve clearances, belts, thermostats, hoses etc.

This is what puts people off buying and that in turn is what keeps prices low. If you can't do it yourself, which most of us can't, and have to employ a garage, frankly it would be cheaper and better to do an HP deal on a new F-Type than get into the car restoration game.

[johnxjsc1985]

cardigankid said:

This is what puts people off buying and that in turn is what keeps prices low. If you can't do it yourself, which most of us can't, and have to employ a garage, frankly it would be cheaper and better to do an HP deal on a new F-Type than get into the car restoration game.

they are now anything upto nearly 40 years old all classics are like this and the prices for good condition cars like all good condition classics are rising.
Owning and looking after a Classic is very rewarding but if you cant do the work yourself then a classic is not the car for you unless you are rich.

[alastaircm]

I'd never sell either of mine to much fun driving or just seeing it parked, although I wouldn't expect to ever turn a good profit on an XJS without either very good luck or finding a real bargin. Even with doing all the maintanance work myself.

I wouldn't necessarily want prices to rise. Its great being able to enjoy a car that the rest of the market doesn't deem unnecessarily expensive and so encourages a steady supply of reasonably priced spares from scrappers. I'd hate all the hassle of wanting to run/own an E type given where prices for them are, I'm glad my brain seems to be wired up the opposite way round to most of the rest of society in that I'm not really keen on E types.

You also get the benefit of most of the clubs being filled with like minded enthusuasts.

Love it!

[Domf]

Saw 2 late xjs 93 & 94 4.0 go through auction before Christmas and neither reached 3k, didn't look scruffy but dealers aren't interested in 20 year old jags, unless they specialise in Jags.

[Jimbeaux]

I believe people, even those supposedly in the know, fail to grasp that a 91-96 XJS is a far far better car than the 15 previous model years. Their loss IMO.

[cardigankid]

johnxjsc1985 said:

cardigankid said:

This is what puts people off buying and that in turn is what keeps prices low. If you can't do it yourself, which most of us can't, and have to employ a garage, frankly it would be cheaper and better to do an HP deal on a new F-Type than get into the car restoration game.

they are now anything up to nearly 40 years old all classics are like this and the prices for good condition cars like all good condition classics are rising.
Owning and looking after a Classic is very rewarding but if you cant do the work yourself then a classic is not the car for you unless you are rich.

I entirely agree. People look at prices and think, that is a cheap Jag. In fact it's not. It's a serious project requiring huge amounts of skilled input. As you say, it's a game for good motor engineers or the seriously rich. My point is that ultimately, this has a bearing on values. I think classic car values have done well, but like all investments, values can fall as well as rise, and the upkeep compared with some other investments is high. A KWE XJS makes sense at £35k but is only an investment if it is kep wrapped in the proverbial cotton wool. Much more than that then you a much better off in a current Jag which is faster, more comfortable, handles better, has more tech, uses less fuel, is safer, etc, etc.

The sky high prices currently seen for Ferraris, Astons and some others is imho nuts, and I would expect that to fall as people realise the cost of maintaining a personal car museum. I was a vociferous advocate of buying DB's or E Types when they were cheap, but at their current price levels they are not for me. A 61 3.8 E Type simply isn't worth 130k - no way. - think what you could buy for the money.

Further down the food chain, a 3k rot box XJS is still going to be a 3k rot box in 5 years time.

[crispian22]

Thinking of looking at this,look's like it's had a pampered life.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121451004484?_trksid=p20...

[cardigankid]

I would go so far as to say I think a lot of the highly priced cars you see advertised are 'kites' hoping to find suckers and the real values a a lot lower.

[mpire]

Jimbeaux said:

I believe people, even those supposedly in the know, fail to grasp that a 91-96 XJS is a far far better car than the 15 previous model years. Their loss IMO.

I sent my last one to the scrapman with terminal tinworm ... 1994
facelift 4.0 coupe.Galvanised corrosion protection on these is vastly overrated IMO.
Read KWE'S advice on finding a good one here in the UK, they don't recommend buying a car that's been run much North of London due to roadsalt.

Loved looking at it and enjoyed driving it but it was not a well built car, from the rust pov.
Terrible scuttle rust and no front bulkhead left in places and water retention down onto the front floorpans removed them from the equation entirely.

My car had rust issues in all the places KWE suggest be checked carefully.
I might try again, but I'll be a lot more circumspect next time. I envy you in the US though.
Based there, I'd be looking in Arizona or Southern California for a solid car.

Edited by mpire on Saturday 10th January 15:45

[deadslow]

mpire said:

Jimbeaux said:

I believe people, even those supposedly in the know, fail to grasp that a 91-96 XJS is a far far better car than the 15 previous model years. Their loss IMO.

I sent my last one to the scrapman with terminal tinworm ... 1994
facelift 4.0 coupe.Galvanised corrosion protection on these is vastly overrated IMO.
Read KWE'S advice on finding a good one here in the UK, they don't recommend buying a car that's been run much North of London due to roadsalt.

Loved looking at it and enjoyed driving it but it was not a well built car, from the rust pov.
Terrible scuttle rust and no front bulkhead left in places and water retention down onto the front floorpans removed them from the equation entirely.

My car had rust issues in all the places KWE suggest be checked carefully.
I might try again, but I'll be a lot more circumspect next time. I envy you in the US though.
Based there, I'd be looking in Arizona or Southern California for a solid car.

Edited by mpire on Saturday 10th January 15:45

You've just got to be super-careful when buying. Rot is the enemy of all old Jags, but there are good ones out there. When I sold my old XJS (6.0 1993) it didn't have a spec of rust anywhere. It had been truly cherished by me and the previous owners. You'd probably need to walk away from a fifty cars to find one as good. But it can be done.

[johnxjsc1985]

I loved my old 6.0l XJS I also regret not keeping it.Lets be honest you can pay £5k for a modern car that will fall apart in months so why should an XJS be any different.
The good thing about the rust on an XJS is its fairly easy to spot and its usually the same on all of them.
its on Ebay at the moment for about £7k reg l444xjs. I did quite aq bit on it and I know the present owner has done quite a bit and it was virtually rust free,When I had the windscreen replaced the surround was perfect and that's a well know rust area

Edited by johnxjsc1985 on Saturday 10th January 20:19

[Jimbeaux]

mpire said:

Jimbeaux said:

I believe people, even those supposedly in the know, fail to grasp that a 91-96 XJS is a far far better car than the 15 previous model years. Their loss IMO.

I sent my last one to the scrapman with terminal tinworm ... 1994
facelift 4.0 coupe.Galvanised corrosion protection on these is vastly overrated IMO.
Read KWE'S advice on finding a good one here in the UK, they don't recommend buying a car that's been run much North of London due to roadsalt.

Loved looking at it and enjoyed driving it but it was not a well built car, from the rust pov.
Terrible scuttle rust and no front bulkhead left in places and water retention down onto the front floorpans removed them from the equation entirely.

My car had rust issues in all the places KWE suggest be checked carefully.
I might try again, but I'll be a lot more circumspect next time. I envy you in the US though.
Based there, I'd be looking in Arizona or Southern California for a solid car.

Edited by mpire on Saturday 10th January 15:45

It is humid here but no salt as we rarely freeze. Far enough away from the coast that no salt in the air. My 1995 has no rust, thank goodness. Right at 100k miles.

[johnxjsc1985]

my last two were a 96 celebration 4.0l and a 93 6.0l both had no issues of rust. careful owners can help a great deal but winters can be brutal on these cars if not properly cared for

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/1992-JAGUAR-XJR-S-6...
this looks like a bargain

Edited by johnxjsc1985 on Monday 12th January 12:03

[johnxjsc1985]

Not to blow my own trumpet but have you seen the price of some XJS now.
Pity I didnt take some of my own advice
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/jaguar-xjs-4-0-liter-con...

Edited by johnxjsc1985 on Tuesday 24th March 17:27

[9mm]

johnxjsc1985 said:

Not to blow my own trumpet but have you seen the price of some XJS now.
Pity I didnt take some of my own advice
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/jaguar-xjs-4-0-liter-con...

Edited by johnxjsc1985 on Tuesday 24th March 17:27

Laughable.

I'd also put money on the car being dodgy/mis-described in some way. The quality of the ad (liter, etc) isn't confidence inspiring.

Still, some mug may pay it.

[johnxjsc1985]

9mm said:

Laughable.

I'd also put money on the car being dodgy/mis-described in some way. The quality of the ad (liter, etc) isn't confidence inspiring.

Still, some mug may pay it.

maybe so but XJS's are really taking off now.

[Mopar440]

johnxjsc1985 said:

maybe so but XJS's are really taking off now.

No they're not.

[johnxjsc1985]

Mopar440 said:

No they're not.

yes they are
your turn
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/Cars-/9801/i.html?_from=...

Edited by johnxjsc1985 on Tuesday 24th March 20:35

[Mopar440]

johnxjsc1985 said:

Mopar440 said:

No they're not.

yes they are
your turn
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/Cars-/9801/i.html?_from=...

Edited by johnxjsc1985 on Tuesday 24th March 20:35

I raise you:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/JAGUAR-XJS-4-0-COUPE-RED...

(From your own post!)

[johnxjsc1985]

Mopar440 said:

I raise you:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/JAGUAR-XJS-4-0-COUPE-RED...

(From your own post!)

you have actually proved it for me thankyou.
That Car has done 165000 miles you could have given it away two or three years ago.