Shed of the Week: Jaguar XJ

Why an X300 XJ is most definitely still worth a punt, even at nearly 190,000 miles

Shed is a country boy at heart. Well, 'boy' might be stretching it a bit, but there's no doubting his affection for simple animals and the ancient, clanking steam powered tools that are still used on farms down his way.

Ooh, now this does look smart

He attended a county fair the other day. Walking towards the main showground from the car park, Shed could immediately hear the plaintive lowing so typical of the lumbering beasts of the field.

Naturally, things quietened down considerably once Mrs Shed began chowing down on her first 12-inch hot dog of the day. While she was admiring the meaty lads in the caber competition and considering tossing a couple herself, Shed caught sight of a Harley-Davidson sidecar hearse. An interesting conversation with the owner ensued, with some whispered talk of quick-release sidecar mechanisms and outings to Beachy Head.

Now Shed has found this sumptuous black Jag XJ, a car that could easily serve as funereal transport for members of Mrs Shed's family (at a suitably lucrative rental rate of course), with Shed behind the wheel, struggling to suppress a smile.

Not smiling might be his biggest problem, because these XJs are a lovely drive. And despite what you might think, not necessarily an expensive one. They'll return mpg figures in the mid to high 20s on an easy run. Get yourself into a Jag owners' club and your classic insurance premium will be low.

Let's hope that dash stays unlit

Mechanically, six-cylinder X300s with the AJ16 engine are as tough as old boots. There may be a whiff of diff whine when the car's warmed up but there'll be none of that 'sealed for life gearbox' nonsense that compromised the eight-pot X308 model. Complex electronics shouldn't be an issue either, as they're not, though you may see some warning lights now and then. Seat memory and heater elements fritz out, the clock goes dim, the J-gate lighting goes and the auto-dim mirrors can leak.

Suspension bushes top and bottom fail (wishbone failure being marked by uneven front tyre wear) but top bush replacement is easy and cheap. Not sure how big the alloys are on this one, but finding cheap tyres for wheels bigger than 16-inch diameter wheels might not be as easy. Boot locks can seize up. DIY servicing is perfectly feasible with a plentiful supply of cheap parts on t'net.

Rust is your major nemesis, especially on the sills, wheelarches, bottom edges of the wings and doors and around the windows. In your favour here is the fact that the pre-'95 cars were worse than later ones, and this is a '96er.

Bet this has seen some sights in 189K miles

The car is now based in Cheshire. If the car lived most of its life there, it's entirely possible that at least one of its four owners lavished a fair chunk of attention on it. It's also possible that at least one didn't, as the service history is only partial. You'd like to hope that the part of the car's life it covers is the most recent part. The X300 is a car you buy on condition, not miles, and this one looks good to Shed.

Once you settle down into that creamy leather (which is either beige or grey, the vendor doesn't seem sure), fire up the six, slot her into D and experience the full majesty of the XJ ride, you'll wonder why you put up with anything less and possibly kick yourself for wasting all these Jagless years. Many X300 fans prefer the manual, but for loping indolence you can't whack the auto.

Like the winsome sheep that fluttered its eyelashes at Shed at the county show, some things exert a powerful attraction. Old Jaguars fall into that category. A German exec will demand your respect, but a Jaguar exec will earn your love.

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FULL GREY HEATED LEATHER SEATS ALLOY WHEELS PARKING SENSORS RADIO CD SPARE KEYS AND FOB GOOD DRIVER, Next MOT due 25/11/2016, Part service history, Beige Full leather interior, 5 seats, Sapphire Black.