Thinkin' about one as a Sunday afternoon cruiser. Any first hand experience with these?.... what to watch out for when buying...or what should one buy instead? Beev
We think alike, Beev! I was looking for a change of scene in my daily driver. The Mini is a great car that has been virtually trouble-free. But, it would be nice to have a car that wasn't so sporty for the daily grind (yes, I'm getting older ) and I like cars with character. I saw an XJS and was amazed at how well the car has aged. It looks better than ever compared to a lot of plastic covered, bland-designed new stuff for sale these days. This thread says it all: http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=265161 Let me know if you follow through.
I think the XJS is the beginning of a history of butt ugly Jaguars. The only good view of an XJS is 20 feet behind it. How on earth could they follow a run like the XKE with this mutt?
Whoa now! I agree with you that the E-type is a prettier car. Many, in fact, consider it to be the most sublime automobile ever designed. But I think it would be a mistake to compare it to the XJS. And I think the XJS is gorgeous to look at plus can be used as a daily driver.
Your right of course, but I still think the car marks the end of the line for Jaguar being a sports car. As for the XJS being a daily driver I don't know about that. I used my last XKE as a daily and if there was any snow on the ground you just plain did nothing but slide around in a circle. Also the Jaguar V12 is one smooth running engine but it totally lacks torque and is not even comparable to a real sports car with a V12. I'll take a E Type with 4.2 any day of the week. In fact I'll take a Mark2 with manual over any Jaguar after 1974. I have a 66 S Type that I currently use as a daily driver. Other than a heater that doesn't blow any hot air I love it.
Having owned a couple (a H.E v12 and a 3.6 manual) i can say they held up pretty well as daily drivers. The V12 was thirsty, and initially i had some electrical issues, including the lucas "prince of darkness" headlights, a faulty coil, a burnt out wiper motor and a faulty central locking actuator, but once i had these sorted it was great to drive, especially on a long run. I found the 3.6 more rewarding because i really wanted a manual, it was a later car than the V12 with less miles, and i found it drove much better. I used it daily for three years, only encountering a leaking water pump and a failed a/c compressor, which considering i was doing a daily commute of around 45 miles, i think is pretty good for an old car! Comparing it to an E-Type would really be like comparing a supermodel to Margret Thatcher, not really a fair comparison. Although the critics were shocked when it was launched after the E-type, i think its looks are far more acceptable now. If you are really serious about buying one, look at as many as you can, i looked for 10 months before finding my second one, many have had cheap poor repairs done because their values remained so low for so long, they fell into the wrong hands. Corrosion on the Xjs is it's biggest killer, and costly to put right. It doesn't just effect the body, but also the front cross member and even the fuel tank. Take someone who knows these cars well to inspect it for you. The 3.6's can suffer with head gasket issues but it's not a particularly expensive job and parts are cheap. The V12's often suffer from neglect, even if it's down on compression on one or two cylinders it can be difficult to notice; once again, someone who is knowledgable on these cars should pick it up. Check the A/C on any of them, the bits can be pricey, and avoid the pre-H.E V12's unless you have shares in a gas station. They also suffer with valve failure and have lower compression than later models. Find a good one and it's a really enjoyable car. If the import duty wasn't so high out here in Cyprus i would bring another over for myself. Good luck with your search!
I have had two XJSs, both '89 V12 coupes. Both were fantastic cars on long trips; supremely comfortable with that classic Jaguar magic carpet ride and surprisingly, all controls fell easily to hand (you'd never think of them as being 'ergonomic'). My daily driver is an '85 XJ6 and although it doesn't have the V12 cachet, it's still a great car even after 25 years...and IMHO, there hasn't been a more beautiful saloon car before or after the Series III XJ6 Cheers, Aaron
