Should I buy a Jaguar XJS?

[rider]

I've found an 86 with 110k miles for 2.5k.

Surely, there is something wrong with it, but hell, it runs and drives, and the body is still in good condition!

I know that these XJSs are big, unreliably, and handle slightly like a boat, but damn, it's one of the best looking cars, it's reasonably quick in a straight line, and it's comfortable. Did I mention that it's incredibly sexy? Yeah. It's really sexy.

It doesen't have a radio, and it needs a new fabric headliner (What the hell is a fabric headliner?).

Thoughts?

[PROJECT PAT]

$2500 is way too cheap for a car like that. Sounds too good to be true.

[rider]

$2500 is way too cheap for a car like that. Sounds too good to be true.

That's what I was thinking.

[HLC]

I've passed more than one XJS sitting on the side of the road with a tow truck backing up to it.

[rider]

I've passed more than one XJS sitting on the side of the road with a tow truck backing up to it.

Funny, usually it's the XJ8s that are being towed.

[Kwinnie Bogan]

I've found an 86 with 110k miles for 2.5k.

Surely, there is something wrong with it, but hell, it runs and drives, and the body is still in good condition!

I know that these XJSs are big, unreliably, and handle slightly like a boat, but damn, it's one of the best looking cars, it's reasonably quick in a straight line, and it's comfortable. Did I mention that it's incredibly sexy? Yeah. It's really sexy.

It doesen't have a radio, and it needs a new fabric headliner (What the hell is a fabric headliner?).

Thoughts?

110k miles is a hell of a lot for any jag from '86. Most of them spend their entire lives in a workshop, and as such don't have much chance to rack that many up. Fabric headliner is the material above your head on the inside, that lines the ceiling. You're getting ripped off.

[MediumD]

Yeah, buy it. There are swap kits out there for both small and big block Chevy and big block Cadillac engines. You know, so it'll actually run. And be fast, an LS1 or Cad 500 will get all 2 tons down the road..

Nothing against Jaguar (my next car purchase is going to be a 98+ XJR,) but man the 80s weren't a good time for them

[ComradeAsh]

I've found an 86 with 110k miles for 2.5k.

Surely, there is something wrong with it, but hell, it runs and drives, and the body is still in good condition!

I know that these XJSs are big, unreliably, and handle slightly like a boat, but damn, it's one of the best looking cars, it's reasonably quick in a straight line, and it's comfortable. Did I mention that it's incredibly sexy? Yeah. It's really sexy.

It doesen't have a radio, and it needs a new fabric headliner (What the hell is a fabric headliner?).

Thoughts?

Liar.

[whocares123]

i once saw an ad on craigslist for a...hmm...i wanna say 1982 jaguar xjs, for $2800. some baptist minister was selling it and had a pretty extensive description and pictures, so it seemed good.

but man, i imagine maintenance on a car like that would be a son of a BITCH. would be a better idea to buy one that doesn't run anymore and turn it into a bed.

[Kwinnie Bogan]

Yeah, buy it. There are swap kits out there for both small and big block Chevy and big block Cadillac engines. You know, so it'll actually run. And be fast, an LS1 or Cad 500 will get all 2 tons down the road..

Nothing against Jaguar (my next car purchase is going to be a 98+ XJR,) but man the 80s weren't a good time for them

For something different, it's be cool to drop a lysholm blown Pontiac 400ci into it, with long tube to sideys w/ cut outs.

[MasterYoda210]

As much as I love my British Leyland, that car was built by a bunch of Communists.

There is a guy down the road from me has one. It has a nice looking engine. Know how I know? Because he always has the bonnet open with his head buried in it.

Although if it is running, and you can keep it running, I imagine being an old Jaguar, it will be a pleasure to drive. The Jaguar V12 is possibly the smoothest engine ever built. Give it the 'penny test'. Rest a penny on the engine, start it up and rev the nuts off it, and note how the penny stays immobile.

Personally, I'm not too familiar with Jaguars, but being part of BL at the time, and knowing how 80's Rovers run, as long as it has been maintained, even at that mileage, I'd imagine the engine (mechanically anyway) shouldn't give masses of trouble (as I say, as long as maintainance was done). Only thing was, 80's BL cars have horrific electronics and wiring problems, so the low price inclines me to suggest there is either one major, or many, many minor electrical gremlins lurking in it.

[rider]

Personally, I'm not too familiar with Jaguars, but being part of BL at the time, and knowing how 80's Rovers run, as long as it has been maintained, even at that mileage, I'd imagine the engine (mechanically anyway) shouldn't give masses of trouble (as I say, as long as maintainance was done). Only thing was, 80's BL cars have horrific electronics and wiring problems, so the low price inclines me to suggest there is either one major, or many, many minor electrical gremlins lurking in it.

I've heard of companies that can "modernize" the XJS, which pretty much fixes most of the reliability problems. They go through and re-do all the electrics with connectors and wires that weren't made my Communists.

Also, does anyone know what the smoothest small block is? I was thinking an LT1, although it is not that smooth, it's probably much smoother then a 305 or 350, and definitely a 383.

[whocares123]

is there something i'm missing here with the reference to communists making jaguars? are you kidding that they were trying to sabotage the british automobile industry or something? :confused:

[MasterYoda210]

British Leyland at the time the XJS was made, was so massively unionised with production quotas, and workforce assignment planned out and the like, it was like one of Stalins 5-year plans.

One of the many reasons it went bust.

Really, that's what all of Britain was like in the early 80's under Thatcher. 3 day weeks, constant strikes, unions up in arms. It's a wonder British industry produced anything at all in the 80's.

EDIT: Of course, me being born in 1987, I'm not fully privy to all that went on, but when old people mention it, I think I get the gist of what went on back then.

[rider]

\kidding that they were trying to sabotage the british automobile industry

This.

[Dr rocker]

If its the V12, the engine is quite complex and a little thirsty. The trailing arms will need replaced if it has been thrashed. Buy it and keep it going for six month, them sell it on. If its sound, it wont loose money.

[Township Rebellion]

I've heard of companies that can "modernize" the XJS, which pretty much fixes most of the reliability problems. They go through and re-do all the electrics with connectors and wires that weren't made my Communists.

Also, does anyone know what the smoothest small block is? I was thinking an LT1, although it is not that smooth, it's probably much smoother then a 305 or 350, and definitely a 383.

Normally I would criticize the idea of putting american muscle into any european car, but a Jaguar from the 80's might be better off, despite the possible degradation in smoothness. At least an american engine won't break all the time. And you could get a lot more power.

However, I have also heard there are some companies who will rebuild your jaguar with a little bit of competence, but I don't know if any of them reside in America. Last I heard they're all in england.

Make sure you've got a lot of cash in reserve.

[The English Gentleman]

Apparently my dad went through 2 e-type jags a year for nearly half a decade. The gear boxes and engines he told me died after 20,000 miles...

However if you are driving it lightly, then I think it will bring you alot of joy.

[kirby]

Don't get it; it's a money pit.

8mpg, shitty transmission and it's going to leave you stranded.

If it was an Xj8, it's the above while playing russian rolluete.

[ratfrink]

Hmm...

I personally would buy it, if I had the money and a garage to put it in.

As usual, The English Gentleman is talking shit. The E-Type doesn't have the same gearbox as the XJS anyway (has either a manual Moss or a Borg-Warner auto). Also, I have driven an E-type, and it was shit (boaty suspension, uncomfortable, indicator stalk stabbed me in one leg and the other leg was set on fire by the heat from the engine)

The engine will go on forever so long as it's well maintained. The V12 was in production for nearly 30 years with basically no changes (and it was based on the straight six that was in production for nearly 50 years). The transmission is a GM TH400 and is basically unbreakable so long as it's maintained well.

The 86 will be a Series 1, and therefore not terribly well built and with more complicated rear brakes. It does look better though.

Don't buy it if:
1. You want a reliable, economical car (buy a Honda Civic instead)
2. You are put off by maintenance and spending a lot of time on it (and money too, unless you are good with the spanners)
3. You don't have somewhere to put it (i.e. a garage (and I'd purchase a dehumidifier too)
4. You aren't willing to sort out the electrical gremlins
5. You want to drive it every day (because, basically, you either won't be able to afford the fuel or parts for it, or you won't be able to keep up the maintenance).

The people who overhaul XJSs are called Knowles-Wilkin Engineering
http://www.kwecars.com/index.php

I wouldn't put a V8 in it, it would take all the character away from it (unless you were going for a street sleeper with 600hp, in which case, you'd have to make the V8 pretty quiet because you'd give the game away otherwise)

[rider]

Apparently my dad went through 2 e-type jags a year for nearly half a decade. The gear boxes and engines he told me died after 20,000 miles...

However if you are driving it lightly, then I think it will bring you alot of joy.

You have too much money.

[PROJECT PAT]

You have too much money.

clearly you've never heard of a warranty

[rider]

clearly you've never heard of a warranty

Have you seen his other posts?

[Rocko]

Don't even go near it unless you're committed to an engine/trans swap. At least.

[Angry Pig Fetus]

All together it's a piece of shit, my neighbor had one since my dad talked him into getting it. He thought it was the coolest thing until the hood flew up in on the freeway going 80mph and put a nasty crack in the windshield then it started to fall apart rather quickly. Jaguars aren't built too well. They are quick and will get you some where, but most of the time that somewhere will be in the middle of nowhere on the side of the road or sitting in an mechanics garage.

as for the engine swap for the cad 500, I have a cad 472 and the thing is such a bitch.

[MediumD]

as for the engine swap for the cad 500, I have a cad 472 and the thing is such a bitch.

What does that even mean?

[Maddo]

My mother owns a Jag Xj6 from the late 70's and it really is not worth the hassle. She bought a $1000 BMW just so she didn't have to warm it up for an hour just to drive 5 minutes down the shop and back.

She's also spent more on repairing it than its original price.

Reliability? Don't go jag.
Style and comfort? Jag all the way, baby.

[The English Gentleman]

You have too much money.

Actually my parents do/did, I dont have enough.

[MasterYoda210]

He thought it was the coolest thing until the hood flew up in on the freeway going 80mph and put a nasty crack in the windshield then it started to fall apart rather quickly. Jaguars aren't built too well.

That seriously must have taken a fair bit of effort then, considering the bonnet is hinged at the front near the lights as opposed to the windscreen.

But I feel I should re-iterate my points, most of the people on here are the types that have got hold of a stereotype and run with it. A Jaguar is not inherently badly built. It is however, a rather complex machine with thousands of moving parts that needs proper maintenance. Like any complex mechanical thing, take care of it and it will take care of you. The one you were on about will likely be a bit crap for that price, but if you are set on buying one and can find a slightly more expensive one with a full service history, I imagine it will still run tight as a nut.
I had my car on a rolling road, and you know why my BL product (same people that made that Jaguar) has only lost 2 bhp and 3 lb-ft in 12 years? Because it has been maintained!

Just so I can use the new smiley I've just noticed: [/rant]:rant:

[Kwinnie Bogan]

They are (were) inherently fucked up. Their electrical systems were complete rat shit. Claiming that other people on here don't know what they're talking about doesn't changes things.

I don't think you've ever even owned anything reliable, have you?

[MasterYoda210]

I said the electrics were balls in my first post, that is an inescapable fact, but mechnically it is no less reliable than anything else from the 80's with proper maintenance

All my cars I've owned have been reliable, I sold my '91 Polo to my dad and that is still running fine at 140,000 miles.

My '94 214 only broke because the garage nigger-rigged the wrong clutch onto it and broke the gearbox. The engine was in such good condition that it still had the factory 9 second 0-60, 135,000 miles and 14 years later.

This '97 Rover Coupe I'm currently driving, because the ECU tends to avoid giving maximum cam lift until over 4500rpm's, it's been thrased to buggery, about 80% of its working life with me running between 4500rpm and 7200rpm, and it is still keeping up with brand new Civic Type R's and mechanically sound.

Rovers are stereotyped as the most unreliable cars in the world, yet with proper maintenance and because of my fanboyism and resultant fairly extensive knowledge of BL, I know a lot of their cars aren't unreliable, just driven by people who think "Eh! A car needs oil?!"

[ratfrink]

^ I absolutely agree.

The electrics are bollocks yes. But everything else is fantastic.

But the Jag V12 engine is one of the best engines ever made, and the transmission is a GM TH400 which is bulletproof. The mechanical bits are excellent.

Jag's build quality dropped in the mid 1970s, it's true, and never really recovered until the late 1990s (and still has a bad reputation). The panel gaps might not be perfect, the paint might be a bit iffy in places, the chrome wasn't absolutely mirror-shiny, but it's still absolutely miles ahead anything else from the same period. It's still an incredibly well made car, just not as well made as the 1960s Jags were.

Furthermore, they are incredibly cheap these days. Say your average XJS costs 5,000. What other 1970s coupes can you buy for the same money? An MGB-GT? A good Scirocco? A *snorts with laughter* Ford Capri?

If you are willing to fix the electrics what you end up with is a fast, well-handling, spacious comfortable and unbelieveably cool car for a very small amount of money.

[RoadSideGlory]

^ I absolutely agree.

The electrics are bollocks yes. But everything else is fantastic.

But the Jag V12 engine is one of the best engines ever made, and the transmission is a GM TH400 which is bulletproof. The mechanical bits are excellent.

Jag's build quality dropped in the mid 1970s, it's true, and never really recovered until the late 1990s (and still has a bad reputation). The panel gaps might not be perfect, the paint might be a bit iffy in places, the chrome wasn't absolutely mirror-shiny, but it's still absolutely miles ahead anything else from the same period. It's still an incredibly well made car, just not as well made as the 1960s Jags were.

Furthermore, they are incredibly cheap these days. Say your average XJS costs 5,000. What other 1970s coupes can you buy for the same money? An MGB-GT? A good Scirocco? A *snorts with laughter* Ford Capri?

If you are willing to fix the electrics what you end up with is a fast, well-handling, spacious comfortable and unbelieveably cool car for a very small amount of money.

The problem is buying a car like an XJS seems like a monumental risk. I've been looking at the classifies of tidy looking V12s for just £1000 and imagine wafting around London without a care in the world while a beautiful V12 engine burbles away infront of be through straight pipes... and then I imagine being stuck on the side of the road in a cloud of steam waiting for the AA to turn up... again, or franticly spannering away in the cold and dark street at 11PM on a sunday night because I need the car to actually work to get me to work in the morning.

I think it's a matter of Get a good one and you're laughing (until you get the petrol bill!), get a bad one and you've got a facepalm on wheels.

It is bloody tempting though - Somehow a V12 XJS would be £500 cheaper to insure than my 205 XS (all 1360cc and 85hp of it) when I pass (17, SE London) :facepalm:.

BTW, nice to see you over from Retro Rides!

[ratfrink]

BTW, nice to see you over from Retro Rides!

What's your username on there? I don't recall seeing roadsideglory

Also, Zonko from here is Doireman on RR.

Are you on No Skool Just Cool and Autoshite too?

Whereabouts in London are you? I used to live in Lewisham then in Romford.

[Township Rebellion]

I said the electrics were balls in my first post, that is an inescapable fact, but mechnically it is no less reliable than anything else from the 80's with proper maintenance

All my cars I've owned have been reliable, I sold my '91 Polo to my dad and that is still running fine at 140,000 miles.

My '94 214 only broke because the garage nigger-rigged the wrong clutch onto it and broke the gearbox. The engine was in such good condition that it still had the factory 9 second 0-60, 135,000 miles and 14 years later.

This '97 Rover Coupe I'm currently driving, because the ECU tends to avoid giving maximum cam lift until over 4500rpm's, it's been thrased to buggery, about 80% of its working life with me running between 4500rpm and 7200rpm, and it is still keeping up with brand new Civic Type R's and mechanically sound.

Rovers are stereotyped as the most unreliable cars in the world, yet with proper maintenance and because of my fanboyism and resultant fairly extensive knowledge of BL, I know a lot of their cars aren't unreliable, just driven by people who think "Eh! A car needs oil?!"

This is generally absolutely true, and not just for BL products. Some cars truly did have design flaws or weren't built correctly, but honestly, With some cars you can't just put gas in it and drive it, expecting it never to die. It just doesn't work that way. These are human-built machines, thusly they aren't perfect and do require maintenance. For a car with lots of intricate bits like a Jag, this is doubly true.

As a fan of German cars and the owner of a wasserboxer, I can attest to this theory being not theory but fact. Take care of your car. Learn its foibles and learn to fix what needs fixing. If you aren't up to it, buy a corolla.

[Kwinnie Bogan]

"Proper Maintenance" is the biggest cop out ever though.

[RoadSideGlory]

What's your username on there? I don't recall seeing roadsideglory

Also, Zonko from here is Doireman on RR.

Are you on No Skool Just Cool and Autoshite too?

Whereabouts in London are you? I used to live in Lewisham then in Romford.

Go by the name "Joshy" everywhere else, although I very rarely post. I'll sign up to those sites you mentioned now!

I got lost in Lewisham lastnight. God awful place :D. I'm in West Norwood myself.

[ratfrink]

"Proper Maintenance" is the biggest cop out ever though.

An XJS is a 30 year old british GT car, would you expect it to run without proper maintenance? It was never designed as an everyday car, it was designed to be owned by wealthy people who could afford to keep it running properly.

That's the problem with old Rollers, old Ferraris etc. They only cost £10k to buy these days, so pretty much anyone could get one, but you still have to be fucking rich to keep them going.