I have a 1994 Audi 90 CS, 145k, automatic, in nice shape and a friend has a 1986 Jaguar XJS that he is looking to sell. I've lusted after XJS's since the 80s and have wanted one. My dad had one when I was a teenager so I know a bit about them . Anyways, my friend is looking for an older but nice car to use for commuting, so I proposed we do an even trade and he accepted! His car has 97,000 miles and is in nice shape, no rust, new brakes, new tires, three owner, flawless paint finish, interior is nice except for a couple small blemishes on the seats. Only problems with it I can see is it has been driven only a few hundred miles in the summer for the last few years, it has almost no service history, the tranny slips a little on shifts during hard acceleration, needs an alignment, steering feels loose and vague on the highway (might be normal?) ...other than that a mechanic checked it out last summer and said everything else was ok with the car. It doesn't run hot! Soo my question is, should I make the trade? I realize that I won't get any better fuel economy than a large SUV, that repairs are expensive, and it will break down sooner rather than later...but I adore the cars and think they're works of art. I have another car I could drive daily so if the Jag was down it wouldn't kill me. I think i'd be kicking myself if I didn't do it, like I said to myself...I can always find another cheap Audi to roll around in, but a chance to get a XJS like this will probably never come again. Any thoughts or opinions?
Friend of mine has one about that same year with around the same number of miles. He spends $3,000-5,000 per year to keep it running. But he does not care he loves the car. I just sold him my 2003 XJR. It was a great car but I won't buy another one. Matt
Since I've owned an 85 for 9 years I suppose I could help a bit here. Since it's a simple GM transmission tranny repairs should be "domestic" in price. Don't let a tranny shop pull anything on you. No, not normal at all. I have a Momo wheel on mine (a must!) and it is totally tight. Probably needs typical front end pieces. Not necessarily. You should start phoning around for a private or specialty car mechanic. Ask them if they source all their parts from Jaguar, or if they get them from other suppliers. Ask them how many Jags they work on. I think you'll get a feel pretty quick if he knows where the cheap parts are. Find other Jag owners, ask them who they use. Word-of-mouth is what it's all about. There are many rebuilt parts suppliers at your disposal, and knowledge is the key. An experienced Jag mechanic can solve problems quicker than an amateur fishing around. I've had those years for a while where it was $3-4000 per year, but the last two or three have been probably less than $1000 each. Once you get it sorted you CAN get on top of the situation. Here are some sites of interest, but again, your local Foriegn Car supplier can supply many of the parts as well like hood struts and tune up kits. WELSH ENTERPRISES http://www.welshent.com/index.htm?SID=1& CONVERTY WEST http://coventrywest.com/ Aftermarket wheels (to me) are super important in completing the look, but in any case, an XJS can fill so many needs. It's sporty enough so it looks cool, it's low key so it makes a great daily driver, and the trunk is actually quite big, so you really can do anything with these cars. Hope that helps! Wes Image Unavailable, Please Login
