thoughts on 80's Jags.... I'm not kidding.

[Brezzi]

So Jags depreciate like crazy xj6's and other 80's & 90's models can be had for less than 3 grand on craigslist nowadays. I used to work in a european car shop, I'm not certified or anything it was a summer job during college and briefly afterwards. From what I saw they weren't the worst cars in the world generally the ones coming in the shop were well taken care of though. Does anyone have a lot of experience with them? horror stories? I'm in between cars right now and I've debated buying some kind of cheap daily and an e30 as a fun car that i mod and mostly drive on the weekends.

I know I know, "if you want something reliable and comfy to daily get a e28"

I'm looking out side the bimmer realm, just for a little.

said sub 3k jags:

http://newjersey.craigslist.org/cto/3811991499.html

http://hudsonvalley.craigslist.org/cto/3837812989.html

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/ctd/3795861069.html

http://newjersey.craigslist.org/cto/3777865237.html

http://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/cto/3860188226.html

[E30SPDFRK]

Just because you can afford to buy it doesn't mean you can afford to drive it. If you get one that has been maintained perfectly it's whole life they're great cars, but if it's not in perfect shape it's going to Nickel and Dime the shit out of you. I work at a British repair shop, trust me.

[Herr Faust Schinken]

For the most part I would say they are well made with the exception of the electronics, coolingand the v12 jags have a very stupid fuel delivery system that causes allot of starting issues, the 6s through are pretty strong motors

[Brezzi]

Just because you can afford to buy it doesn't mean you can afford to drive it. If you get one that has been maintained perfectly it's whole life they're great cars, but if it's not in perfect shape it's going to Nickel and Dime the shit out of you. I work at a British repair shop, trust me.

exactly the kind of qualified insight I was looking for. Thanks, mainly the one in the first link is the one I have my eye the guy sounds desperate to sell and hes only asking 1,300. Do they have any catastrophic design flaws other than being made by the english who care more about looks than reliability?

[Brezzi]

For the most part I would say they are well made with the exception of the electronics, coolingand the v12 jags have a very stupid fuel delivery system that causes allot of starting issues, the 6s through are pretty strong motors

This is what I thought never had a jag with a straight six in the shop with major issues. the v12s on the other hand...

[bimmer2288]

Just because you can afford to buy it doesn't mean you can afford to drive it. If you get one that has been maintained perfectly it's whole life they're great cars, but if it's not in perfect shape it's going to Nickel and Dime the shit out of you. I work at a British repair shop, trust me.

I don't have any experience with these cars at all, but I love the styling. I would tend to agree with the above quote because of all those other things you hear like "you get what you pay for". If you're looking for info, hit up a jag forum, I'm sure they have buyers guides to these cars...

[E30SPDFRK]

It goes without saying to stay away from the v12s

Honestly that first one looks junky, and it says in the ad that it has been sitting. I'd stay away.

Why don't you look newer? They're about the same price up until 2000ish and newer means less time for stuff to go wrong.

This one looks worth checking out

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/cto/3788464874.html

Problems to watch for with xj8's are timing chains (dead every 60k unless you upgrade), cooling systems (plastic parts), oil leaks (everywhere) and I've started seeing rear ends dieing.

[CrusherCurtis]

^edit: The never ones are much better thanks to ford, but the AJ-V8 is still junk. I have a toasted low mileage one sitting in my backyard.


Cool cars and strong motors, but every thing around it is junk. Not fun to drive or particularly fuel efficent. Forget about it.

That said
XJ-C's are the shit. Just add Chevy small block:

[CrusherCurtis]

Just add Chevy small block

Like this one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Jaguar-xj-Coupe-/140992899931?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item20d3d4eb5b#ht_500wt_1184

[Brezzi]

yea I basically had a wave of rebel come over me, back to scanning the interwebz for bimmers.

That black Jag in the first picture is teh shex tho.

[BDSax]

Sadly they are rust buckets

[willworkfore30s]

Worked on these cars when I was in high school. The mid-80's models have a reputation for pitiful build quality and reliability

[ELVA164]

Please, please don't do this to yourself. One of the guys who does our tire work here is a longtime Jaguar expert and he likes literally nothing about these cars. Doesn't like the performance, doesn't like ANYTHING about working on them, doesn't like the price and availability of parts, doesn't like how often they need parts, doesn't like the rust issues...there is no upside except driving a Jaaaaaaaag.

[george graves]

There's a reason why you never see an 80's 90's jag on the road.

Almost all of them have been crushed.

I've drove a few when I was a valet in college - not a fan.

Would make for a good hipster car though - if your into that kind of thing.

[slammin.e28]

+1 one on adding a SBC. There was one FS here a while back for $800 with a SBC....I passed because it was in redneck territory and it was $800.

Friend of mine has a 77-ish XJS with a built built built BBC and Lister body kit. It's ridiculous.

Fantastic looking cars, but they're reliability....well....yeah, they'll drive you mad.