help me understand e-type pricing
Discussion
There is a huge difference in the desirability of models, 2+2s are much less desirable (unless you are the young Mum doing the school run in one, I saw this afternoon), autos are also going to be cheaper. Then there is a huge difference in the quality of what's on offer. Re-building a E can be hugely expensive. I'm sure someone with more experience of E's than me will be along soon. You could also try asking in the Classic Car section.
From stuff I've read (but don't take this as gospel), series 1 and 1 1/2 may be the most expensive, then series 2 and series 3 falling behind in that order. (3.8 and 4.2 more expensive than V12?? History means a lot, matching engine, chassis and gearbox numbers denote originality. History again as in was it a particularly well known car for some reason? Previous work and the standard of work. Roadsters most expensive and desirable then coupe and 2+2. UK RHD might be more 'original' than USA LHD cars converted to RHD (although when you consider how much new metal might end up in the 'original' UK car.....?????
Absolute minefield buying an E type...or so I've read. Prices have shot up recently too. I think if the OP seriously wants one he needs to get friendly with many experienced owners/restorers and do your homework. Good luck
Absolute minefield buying an E type...or so I've read. Prices have shot up recently too. I think if the OP seriously wants one he needs to get friendly with many experienced owners/restorers and do your homework. Good luck
figure out exactly what you want i.e. an original or upgraded car, a driver or a trailer queen because converting them between each other can be really expensive
the series 1 is considered the most original and the prettiest but the earlier the car the less usable it is in standard form
the market is really thin so be prepared to take a time looking for one, talk to other owners because there will be as many people thinking of selling as actually selling, this gives you a chance to get them before they go on the open market
if you need help, drop me a line
paul
the series 1 is considered the most original and the prettiest but the earlier the car the less usable it is in standard form
the market is really thin so be prepared to take a time looking for one, talk to other owners because there will be as many people thinking of selling as actually selling, this gives you a chance to get them before they go on the open market
if you need help, drop me a line
paul
If you are seriously considering buying, with the greatest respect, you should'nt really be asking questions like that unless you like taking a gamble.
Do as much personal research as possible
Get the £10.99 magazine from Siths - 50 years of the E Type. Get Jaguar World and see what books are available and the specialists that may be near you.
Search Amazon for model and restoration guides. Join an E type club - visit a meet and check out the forums.
At the very most that would cost you £200. A bad car can cost you £20,000 to put right.
Do as much personal research as possible
Get the £10.99 magazine from Siths - 50 years of the E Type. Get Jaguar World and see what books are available and the specialists that may be near you.
Search Amazon for model and restoration guides. Join an E type club - visit a meet and check out the forums.
At the very most that would cost you £200. A bad car can cost you £20,000 to put right.
Whatever you do get a professional examination done before you buy, however many books you have read. And read the small ads and get a feel for the market. See as many as you can to get a feel for what you like, and if you see one with problems bodged up, run a mile - don't even think about it.There are people who sell tatty ones for quite serious money. Upgraded ones can be well into six figures, and people are paying heavily for a name like Eagle, certainly at the moment, and even Eagle E-Types will get old one day.
I would also say that E-Type prices have fluctuated up and down over the years, there is no guarantee they will always go up. There are a lot of cars out there, and a lot more to come out of the woodwork for restoration if prices get high enough. At the moment, I would say they are getting quite expensive.
Personally, I think that there is no E to touch an S.3 V12 Roadster. it is also spacious and comfortable. So if that is cheap, and you like it, you might take advantage of the fact that they are (relatively) cheap.
I would also say that E-Type prices have fluctuated up and down over the years, there is no guarantee they will always go up. There are a lot of cars out there, and a lot more to come out of the woodwork for restoration if prices get high enough. At the moment, I would say they are getting quite expensive.
Personally, I think that there is no E to touch an S.3 V12 Roadster. it is also spacious and comfortable. So if that is cheap, and you like it, you might take advantage of the fact that they are (relatively) cheap.
There is an aweful lot of rubbish out there being palmed off as good and the unsuspecting buyer can come unstuck.
I met a guy recently that bought a 3.8 rdstr for 45k and it was an absolute shed and in real terms no better than a 20k shell and a box of bits
For some tall people the S3 is the only option with its longer wheelbase. Its a cruiser whereas a 6cyl car is a car you can grab by the scuff and drive enthusiastically.
Good V12's seem to be commanding good money now but are few and far between
I met a guy recently that bought a 3.8 rdstr for 45k and it was an absolute shed and in real terms no better than a 20k shell and a box of bits
For some tall people the S3 is the only option with its longer wheelbase. Its a cruiser whereas a 6cyl car is a car you can grab by the scuff and drive enthusiastically.
Good V12's seem to be commanding good money now but are few and far between
Yes, I would say this is a time to be selling E Types not buying them.
What I would buy is a nice (and you have to be careful here too) X100, XK8 or XKR. In my opinion, which I accept many don't share, you get much more modern, E-Type derived, looks, modern standards of equipment and comfort, some real pace, and all at a far, far lower price. To me an XK convertible has an awful lot of the character of the S3 V12, the space, the turbine delivery, the curvy view over the bonnet, the heat haze louvres, right down to the right hand mounted fly off handbrake.
I appreciate that this just won't do if you must have 'an E-Type, dahling', but if so I think you need to ask yourself exactly why you are wanting to make this purchase.
What I would buy is a nice (and you have to be careful here too) X100, XK8 or XKR. In my opinion, which I accept many don't share, you get much more modern, E-Type derived, looks, modern standards of equipment and comfort, some real pace, and all at a far, far lower price. To me an XK convertible has an awful lot of the character of the S3 V12, the space, the turbine delivery, the curvy view over the bonnet, the heat haze louvres, right down to the right hand mounted fly off handbrake.
I appreciate that this just won't do if you must have 'an E-Type, dahling', but if so I think you need to ask yourself exactly why you are wanting to make this purchase.
The E-type favourite of the month changes, but at the moment the scales are weighted towards the Series 1 4.2 litre from 1964 (September) to 1968 when the S2 came out. At the end of the 80's the V12 S3 was very much in favour but I'm gauranteed to put my foot in it in saying that the V12 is unlikely to come back strongly because of fuel consumption. They'll now become the flavour of the month again!
In the early cars, the 3.8 has the recalcitrant Moss gearbox, which personally I love since it takes effort to get the changes right, but the market has changed and more and more people want a classic car but with modern conveniences, so the 4.2 S1 has the lovely Jaguar box with synchro that works. The very early cars are fine for midgets like me, since if you are over 5' 8" your head will touch the roof if it is a converible and your legs will be uncomfortable. Shoes over size 8 will make working the pedals tough too. Also the 3.8 cars have bucket seats that get uncomfortable on a long journey.
From June 1962 the shell was changed to give more leg room (dropped floor) and you could push the seat back further due to a sculpted rear bulkhead, which carries on in the 4.2 of course. Lovely cars and one to tour in if a fixed head since there is plenty of luggage space.
The most unloved model - and therefore the cheapest - is without doubt the S2 2+2 since the early sculpted lines have changed, with sidelights under the heavier bumpers and no headlamp nascelles, but conversely it is a better car in many ways than the earlier ones, having better brakes and cooling. Even the roadsters are seriously cheaper than the S1 cars, but just as much fun; just not as pretty, that's all.
The S3 cars are the V12 ones, which rather like the difference between an XK120 and 150 has got bigger and more bloated. The roadster is 8 inches longer, has more room inside, has flared wheel arches and power steering that robs the car of feel.
You pays your money and you takes your choice, but as regards the time to sell and not to buy a cautionary word is needed. Several years back we feted the 60th anniversary of the XK and prices rose. We expected them to fall or at least level out afterwards, but they've kept on rising, and Octane this month propositions that E-type prices are set to keep on rising. According to the DVLA, there are but 500 roadsters of all series in the UK, which makes them a rareish car.
In the early cars, the 3.8 has the recalcitrant Moss gearbox, which personally I love since it takes effort to get the changes right, but the market has changed and more and more people want a classic car but with modern conveniences, so the 4.2 S1 has the lovely Jaguar box with synchro that works. The very early cars are fine for midgets like me, since if you are over 5' 8" your head will touch the roof if it is a converible and your legs will be uncomfortable. Shoes over size 8 will make working the pedals tough too. Also the 3.8 cars have bucket seats that get uncomfortable on a long journey.
From June 1962 the shell was changed to give more leg room (dropped floor) and you could push the seat back further due to a sculpted rear bulkhead, which carries on in the 4.2 of course. Lovely cars and one to tour in if a fixed head since there is plenty of luggage space.
The most unloved model - and therefore the cheapest - is without doubt the S2 2+2 since the early sculpted lines have changed, with sidelights under the heavier bumpers and no headlamp nascelles, but conversely it is a better car in many ways than the earlier ones, having better brakes and cooling. Even the roadsters are seriously cheaper than the S1 cars, but just as much fun; just not as pretty, that's all.
The S3 cars are the V12 ones, which rather like the difference between an XK120 and 150 has got bigger and more bloated. The roadster is 8 inches longer, has more room inside, has flared wheel arches and power steering that robs the car of feel.
You pays your money and you takes your choice, but as regards the time to sell and not to buy a cautionary word is needed. Several years back we feted the 60th anniversary of the XK and prices rose. We expected them to fall or at least level out afterwards, but they've kept on rising, and Octane this month propositions that E-type prices are set to keep on rising. According to the DVLA, there are but 500 roadsters of all series in the UK, which makes them a rareish car.
cardigankid said:
Yes, I would say this is a time to be selling E Types not buying them.
What I would buy is a nice (and you have to be careful here too) X100, XK8 or XKR. In my opinion, which I accept many don't share, you get much more modern, E-Type derived, looks, modern standards of equipment and comfort, some real pace, and all at a far, far lower price. To me an XK convertible has an awful lot of the character of the S3 V12, the space, the turbine delivery, the curvy view over the bonnet, the heat haze louvres, right down to the right hand mounted fly off handbrake.
I appreciate that this just won't do if you must have 'an E-Type, dahling', but if so I think you need to ask yourself exactly why you are wanting to make this purchase.
This is IMHO excellent advice.What I would buy is a nice (and you have to be careful here too) X100, XK8 or XKR. In my opinion, which I accept many don't share, you get much more modern, E-Type derived, looks, modern standards of equipment and comfort, some real pace, and all at a far, far lower price. To me an XK convertible has an awful lot of the character of the S3 V12, the space, the turbine delivery, the curvy view over the bonnet, the heat haze louvres, right down to the right hand mounted fly off handbrake.
I appreciate that this just won't do if you must have 'an E-Type, dahling', but if so I think you need to ask yourself exactly why you are wanting to make this purchase.
OP, it is worth considering that a perfect, original example of the X100 will be half the price of a poor example of the E-type, and running costs will be much lower too.
It is obviously a very different car, but should be considered if you are in the market for a classic Jaguar sports car, rather than an E-type specifically. I believe it has good investment potential too. I have no doubt that the X100 will be considered a classic 10 years hence.
The XJ-S should also be considered as a half way house between the E-type and X100. Decent ones are becoming sought after, but even the very best examples (late model cabriolets with FSH and in perfect condition) can be had for 15K.
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