I really like the look of these cars, but I know they're are proned to failure. Any years worth actually looking at, wthin the 80's and 90's. Thanks!

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1989 300E 144K

I've heard bad stuf about all the cars up until about 91...not bad engine wise, but other stuff like electricals. The Jaguar twin cam inline six is one of my favorite engines, and it's quite powerful at 245HP. Unlike with Benz, try to get the years right before they switched to the XJ8..I believe 96 or so. As a rule of thumb on the XJ's, I've heard anything from 91 on is pretty decent. Transmission is also I think a Ford/Borg Warner product, so fairly reliable. Good luck!

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http://www.betten.mercedescenter.com...n_banner_1.jpg
1976 300D
190,000 Miles
Colorado Beige

1975 300D
Parts Car
78,000 Miles
Rustbucket
Also Colorado Beige

1984 190D 2.2 (Dad's)
156,000 miles
Champagne Metallic Clearcoat

I have heard nothing much good about them in the years fro 1973 till the Ford Motor Company took them over, in about 1998 - then quality improved.

I remember taking a test drive in a new XJ6 with a salesman back in Sacramento, and then seeing an identical model broken down by the side of the road as we drove by - the expression on the salesman's face was priceless.

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

Beware of the v12 , used till around 1995 or so in the xjs model, and the xj12 sedan. They are great motors when maintained, when they are neglected they have issues with low oil pressure and running hot. The v12 uses a TH400 GM trans. from 1977 onwards. Most models have inboard rear disk brakes, if the pads go to metal, the labor to replace the rotors is quite high.

In short, a ppi is very important, as are complete service records.

I'm a DIYer. Will this be the car for a person with moderate mechanical skills?

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1989 300E 144K

G-Benz had one--might give a hail call to him. I believe recently he was relaying a key-nightmare-debacle.......

My 94 XJ6 VDP was like dating a bi-polar girl...never knew what was going to happen....

When she started , she ran like a sleek cat from 60-120 but if it rained I would have to be prepared to stay in. Also the hydraulics system that controlled EVERYTHING really was frustrating. I probably own half of the Lucas company by now.

All in all, I'll stick with my benz that starts and runs like a clock

never owned one.

love the xk 120s though. roadster and fixed head coupes too.

also the xke coupe. one of the top few designs imho.

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

If you get a chance drive one of the newer XJ8 supercharged. Corners flat quiet and smokes the tires all with elegant styling. If I could afford one I would.

As a recovering British Car nut beware of 70s thru late 80s. The Brits are a nation of tinkers so no 2years are the same or cars for that matter. Where our German cars are over enginered and then left alone ...not so with a Jag. you will find yourself wondering WTF a lot. Jags are sexy as Hell cars and sweet to drive. Very high maintance. Try this site www.jag-lovers.com .

Regards

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2dieseljohn
1979 300sd (283,000+) Road Trips
1983 240D 4-speed (350,000+) Daily Driver
1967 E-TypeS1 in bits and pieces

....and reading the factory service manual can be amusing, unless you are trying to figure out why something is broken. The running changes can be daunting to keep up with. As a aside, I once had the battery go dead repeatedly in the XJS. Checking the draw reavealed a less than 100ma draw. The battery continued to go dead. I kept scatching my head until I got home one night and saw a light fladhing on and off in the garage. Thinking, wtf, I opened the door to find the headlights bliking on and off by themselves. The culprit was a defectice headlight relay that had a mind of it's own and was turning the headlights on and off, and it wasn't made by Lucas. It was made by Bosch, in Germany.

I will give credit to Jaguar for having self-diagnostics with trouble codes readable without a scanner back in 1992.