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Anybody ever handle an XJS-12 HE before?
Hey guys,
I was coasting around today in the beautiful weather on my new beautifully functioning rear suspension, and I come across a rather stunning example of an XJS-12 for sale on the side of a drive-in eatery. Common occurrence with me stopping to check out vintage cars that are for sale, my passengers roll their eyes and let me check it out. It's a bronzy brown color, which is okay I guess, but there is not a speck of rust ANYWHERE on the car. I check the odometer, and it has 88,000 miles on it, and it's an '84. As I'm looking at it, an older fellow comes out and starts talking to me about the car. Turns out he's a friend of the owner, and let him park it outside his place for higher traffic viewing. Here's the run down on work that has been done in 2010: -New tie rods and steering rack -All new brakes (caliper, rotor, pads) -Transmission fluid and filter -coolant and oil change -new front seat skins Also has new paint as of 2006. The car is also running on some high performance Pirelli's. Now... I researched the car a bit, and most people seem to like them, but I can't find any common issues as per the electronics (Lucas... Reminds me of a joke a member at the club used to tell me: "Hey kid, you know why the Brits make a beer you drink room temp?" "Because Lucas makes refrigerators!" But has anyone had one of these/used it as a 2nd car? He's asking 6500, but offered it for 5250. I think I'll offer 4750 if I go for it. They look cool, but Jaguars make me scared reliability wise. My car has never left me on the side of the road the 50,000 miles I've driven it. If I keep up on it maintenance wise, what can I expect? Thanks guys, Carlen P.S. pics in the next post; they're on my phone.
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_______________________________________________ 1987 560SEL (210,000 miles) |
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This thread is useless without pics!
Forgot to add that the radiator has also been changed out.
All in all, I wouldn't use this as an everyday car; especially after all the blood and sweat equity I've put into my 560SEL, but it would make a cool second car I think. I just want reliability and something somewhat easy to work on; like my 560 The three speed auto sounds like a bore... But the 5.3L V12 doesn't. I dunno, talk me into or out of it! Thanks, Carlen
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_______________________________________________ 1987 560SEL (210,000 miles) |
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I used to work in a shop that serviced quite a few Jags. From a RAM-D* perspective, they are doubleplus ungood. I had occasion to drive a few, and I was utterly unimpressed, but the ones I drove were all newer models. If you like the car and are okay with the possibility that you may spend more time working on it than driving it, then go for it.
RAM-D=Reliability, Availability, Maintainability, and Durability. I used to test vehicles for these characteristics when I was in the automotive testing business. Edit: James May picked one like that up cheap on one of the Top Gear challenges. When it was running, it was capable of 140 mph. Operative words being "when it was running".
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Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar. 83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 400,xxx miles 08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles 88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress. |
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Beautiful ride. I think you should buy it and start a thread here chronicling each and every penny of money you spend on it.
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You're a daisy if you do. __________________________________ 84 Euro 240D 4spd. 220.5k sold 04 Honda Element AWD 1985 F150 XLT 4x4, 351W with 270k miles, hay hauler 1997 Suzuki Sidekick 4x4 1993 Toyota 4wd Pickup 226K and counting |
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Alabasi is familiar with these, hopefully he'll check in.
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'07 Yukon 2500 '13 Subaru Outback 3.6R '13 Orbea Carpe 9-speed Currently Benzless Formerly: 300TD, S600, E55, 560SEL ---= The forest breathes, listen. -Native American elder |
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Powerpig as well.
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Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort.... 1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket. 1980 300D now parts car 800k miles 1984 300D 500k miles 1987 250td 160k miles English import 2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles 1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo. 1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion. Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving |
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inb4 "nothing is more expensive than a cheap Jag V12"
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1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi |
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Superlative "Ride" Characteristics...
Everything else is:
"Run Away Screaming" before your Pocketbook/Wallet becomes captive. Reliability: -25 (out of 1-10) Ease of Repair: -45(out of 1-12) Cost of Bloody Parts: -50 (out of 1-5) "Purty" and Rides like the "Queens Own" , BUT the "Boot"(Trunk) is for Two fully certified Jaguar Mechanics to ride in... to be able to comfortably run down to the corner store for a six pack.
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'84 300SD sold 124.128 |
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Quote:
At least the M117 is a bomb proof engine if maintained; like I said, the Jag V12 is a scary thought in its entirety.
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_______________________________________________ 1987 560SEL (210,000 miles) |
#11
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Quote:
Plus it only has 88,000 miles on it... But the serviceability of the car is a must. I can barely afford the 560 doing it all myself, and I'm sure Jag parts are laughably expensive (Not that the 456 dollar sunroof lift arms weren't a joke either)...
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_______________________________________________ 1987 560SEL (210,000 miles) |
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Unfortunately there's just a lot going on under there and thus alot to go wrong. I've had opportunities to buy them but passed on them because the laundry list was pages long, even on nice examples. Even if they were reliable $5000 opens up so many doors to so many great convertibles I'd rather have.
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1985 500SL Euro w/ AMG bits 130k 1984 300SD Turbodiesel 192k 1980 240D Stick China 188k 2001 CLK55 AMG 101k 2007 S600 Biturbo 149k Overheated Project, IT'S ALIVE!!! |
#13
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Quote:
And you're 100% right about other convertibled I'd rather have, like an early R129... My time will come.
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_______________________________________________ 1987 560SEL (210,000 miles) |
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We owned a 92 XJS V12 convertible years ago...35K miles, beautiful car, just off of a lease.
Put 12K on it before we traded it for a 95 500SL. It liked to "eat" lambda sensors. Ford had purchased Jag by then, so the telltale "Lucas" anomalies were replaced by "Delco" issues...I guess the electrical curses lingered for a few years! Jaguar decided it needed 2 cats, 2 resonators and 2 mufflers! Shuddered at the thought of having to replace those! V12 was powerful, but it was also pretty dang heavy, so it was more of a touring car than a performance sports car. A/C was a nightmare, and all in all we sunk $6K into that car! I did read that if you let that engine overheat, the valve seats would fail and the valves would drop into the combustion chambers! Now THAT'S expensive!
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2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle 2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car 2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver 2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car |
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My Mom's ex-boss had a V-12, S-type. In the shop at least once a month. She wrote out the checks to the shop and they were never less than $1000 each. 11-13 mpg max. but the HE makes slightly better mileage. The V-12 engine is a beautiful motor, but the electronics "let down the side."
Very much a touring car. Not even close to a sports car. |
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