Cat, or Dog? Cheapo 1992 Jaguar XJS 4.0
Discussion
Now that I am old enough to own a Rover, I must also be old enough to own a Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaag. Naturally enough, this Jag should be some old knacker bought for a suspiciously low amount from some dude on the internet. Thanks to the wonders of crappy mobile phone photography, it can look good, but, of course, once you get close to the thing you can see the vile grot that lurks in arches and wings. Hence the low price (I hope so, anyway, and not lots of other stuff). The engine, autobox, electrics and interior all seem pretty good. Everything works. The headlining is a bit tat.
I did not want the complexity and OMG MPG of a V12, and am currently having a big thing for straight sixes, so this four litre version of Jag's smooth, relaxed six cylinder engine was the one I wanted. Delightfully low stressed most of the time, but it will roar a bit if you kick it. The car lopes along, a bit like it was some sort of, oh I don't know, some sort of large cat perhaps? Four speed autobox with working Sporty mode (hooligan button). Assorted modern devilry such as ABS, fuel injection and electronic blah of various kinds. Being a bloke from the land of carburettors and drum brakes, I iz AFEARED of such magickes, but I hope that they won't all conspire against me at once.
Plan: smoke about in it for a bit, then go on holiday and leave it with some bloke to tackle the worst of the rot. This could be ker-ching, and I may just have bought cheaply into a whole world of expensive trouble. But, hey, a life of peace is a life that's dull.
Gaga? Baby, when it's love if it's not rough it isn't fun.
I did not want the complexity and OMG MPG of a V12, and am currently having a big thing for straight sixes, so this four litre version of Jag's smooth, relaxed six cylinder engine was the one I wanted. Delightfully low stressed most of the time, but it will roar a bit if you kick it. The car lopes along, a bit like it was some sort of, oh I don't know, some sort of large cat perhaps? Four speed autobox with working Sporty mode (hooligan button). Assorted modern devilry such as ABS, fuel injection and electronic blah of various kinds. Being a bloke from the land of carburettors and drum brakes, I iz AFEARED of such magickes, but I hope that they won't all conspire against me at once.
Plan: smoke about in it for a bit, then go on holiday and leave it with some bloke to tackle the worst of the rot. This could be ker-ching, and I may just have bought cheaply into a whole world of expensive trouble. But, hey, a life of peace is a life that's dull.
Gaga? Baby, when it's love if it's not rough it isn't fun.
Cheap means well under 2500 quid. I expect to spaff a modest chunk sorting the rot, but hope it won't be a crazy bill.
I now have five old sheds (1975 Dolomite Sprint, 1976 Series 3 Landy 88, 1983 Rover 2600, 1983 Lotus Excel, 1992 Jag XJS, and also a 1977 Yamaha FS1e moped). I have no modern cars, but could borrow my wife's 2000 Pug 206 CC or my mum's 2009 Fiesta if I needed to.
NO more! (except maybe one more old motorbike, maybe).
Meanwhile, the two pics below show the ideal of XJS life, and the reality....
I now have five old sheds (1975 Dolomite Sprint, 1976 Series 3 Landy 88, 1983 Rover 2600, 1983 Lotus Excel, 1992 Jag XJS, and also a 1977 Yamaha FS1e moped). I have no modern cars, but could borrow my wife's 2000 Pug 206 CC or my mum's 2009 Fiesta if I needed to.
NO more! (except maybe one more old motorbike, maybe).
Meanwhile, the two pics below show the ideal of XJS life, and the reality....
To be honest, I couldn't have an Aston or similar, and do not think that I would want one. I had a rather expensive divorce fairly recently, have school fees and what not to pay, and my practice, although fine, isn't as shiny as it used to be (I am old and lazy). Thus I have several fun and actually inexpensive (to buy) cars instead of one or two expensive newer cars. Tax and insurance costs for these old things are modest. I do have lots of maintenance and repair bills and spend a lot on petrol, but at least I don't get bored. I just find modern cars intensely tedious, and often ugly as well.
I like old Brit cars, partly because of my dad's career in BL etc (I grew up in the West Midlands in the 60s and 70s), and partly because many of the cars were great designs with often splendid engineering ideas (amongst the factory bodges and accountant/shareholder driven budget fixes), even though the cars were badly built sometimes. I also like old Italian cars a lot, and some old French ones. Old German and Japanese cars hardly ever press my buttons. I can see that many of them are good, but they don't often engage my interest.
I like old Brit cars, partly because of my dad's career in BL etc (I grew up in the West Midlands in the 60s and 70s), and partly because many of the cars were great designs with often splendid engineering ideas (amongst the factory bodges and accountant/shareholder driven budget fixes), even though the cars were badly built sometimes. I also like old Italian cars a lot, and some old French ones. Old German and Japanese cars hardly ever press my buttons. I can see that many of them are good, but they don't often engage my interest.
Top bombing! Buy more!
As for the rotten floors, they seem to be unrotten, but the front valance is lamentable, the arches dire, and one of the front wings looks suspect. Roof, scuttle, and flying buttresses seem OK, but who knows?
One knob missing from the panel (knob in driver's seat still present). Ventilation a bit iffy, but windows go down and up. Modern ish stereo a bit over complicated. Everything else seems to be working, so far....
As for the rotten floors, they seem to be unrotten, but the front valance is lamentable, the arches dire, and one of the front wings looks suspect. Roof, scuttle, and flying buttresses seem OK, but who knows?
One knob missing from the panel (knob in driver's seat still present). Ventilation a bit iffy, but windows go down and up. Modern ish stereo a bit over complicated. Everything else seems to be working, so far....
williamp said:
Strong bonnets, too..
By they way, did you know if you collect the whole BL fleet you get a certificate presented a actual BL motor show girl like the one above!!
(Her grandchildren might want a ride, however!!)
No wonder mine has a dent on the bonnet (it really does). By they way, did you know if you collect the whole BL fleet you get a certificate presented a actual BL motor show girl like the one above!!
(Her grandchildren might want a ride, however!!)
Knowing my luck, my BL girl would be Nora from accounts at Lode Lane. My dad (BL industrial engineering, various divisions, 1970s and 80s) still talks of her in hushed tones.
In my experience all old cars go Harry s
t if you leave them sitting for a while, and they all benefit from being used.
Mrs BV really likes the Jag, which she describes as a slinky beast, so it's sort of her car really.
Now for some Horror House of Hammer. Reality much worse than these photos suggest:
t if you leave them sitting for a while, and they all benefit from being used. Mrs BV really likes the Jag, which she describes as a slinky beast, so it's sort of her car really.
Now for some Horror House of Hammer. Reality much worse than these photos suggest:
No way! If she were to find out that I had been posting pics of her in some dodgy car forum, she would use her extensive east European contacts to have me extensively killed, and not in a good way. Think of January Jones playing Emma Frost in X Men, only hotter, and that should give you the idea.
The car is still going very well, and is a hoot to drive. I think that the car may have, if not a dicky alternator, the wrong battery in it. The battery looks too small. I have not yet checked the numbers and the book. The car tends to run a bit short on volts when electrical services are in use. The heater is still playing up. The main beams sometimes come on when asked to, but mostly don't, so that may be a wiring problem or summat. The oil pressure gauge sometimes reads low, but I have been told that under reading on the gauge is a common fault with the XJS. Sometimes the needle does not move at all, but it flicks into life when the guage is tapped sharply with a finger. The car is doing about 26 MPG (No, I don't believe this either, but that is what the trip computer says). I have found a scrappy who can sell me whole wings to swap out for rusty ones.
Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 16th January 21:38
Buy now, Medic. An XJS can still be picked up for a bargalicious amount, but prices are moving northwards fairly briskly.
I have driven lots of sports and GT cars of various makes and eras, and think that the XJS is one of the best GTs I have ever driven. It fulfils its mission objectives so well, and these can include a trip to Tesco to buy a can of spam as well as a Warp Speed blast across Europe in search of the perfect Martini. I hate to say this, but the Jag kicks the arse of my much missed and well loved Jensen Interceptor as a GT machine, losing only on boot space and rarity.
I have driven lots of sports and GT cars of various makes and eras, and think that the XJS is one of the best GTs I have ever driven. It fulfils its mission objectives so well, and these can include a trip to Tesco to buy a can of spam as well as a Warp Speed blast across Europe in search of the perfect Martini. I hate to say this, but the Jag kicks the arse of my much missed and well loved Jensen Interceptor as a GT machine, losing only on boot space and rarity.
The XJS looked great from the start, IMO, and in any event has aged very well. Now that people accept it as not being the E-Type for the mid to late 70s and beyond, it can be seen as a great car in its own right. The Panamera has always looked like a vulgar monstrosity, again IMO. The blue Panamera above may the only one in the universe without some knobbish vanity number plate on it. It is owned by a colleague, who is a decent chap, but has a blind spot about cars.
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