New Member - Buying Advice

[iant100265]

Hello

I have just signed up having recently been bitten by the Jag bug. I have yet to make my first purchase and was hoping for a few gems of wisdom, from those more experienced, to steer me in the right direction. If you could go back to the time of your first purchase but with the knowledge you now have what would you do differently?

I would like to find a decent XJ6 4.2 series 1 or 2. I don't have sufficient mechanical knowledge to buy wisely on my own so was intending on using the services of a professional vehicle examiner. Assuming that they do a good job and I buy at around £15,000 what can I expect going forwards in terms maintenance bills bearing in mind that I will need to use the services of a professional for most jobs.

Is there a particular time of year that more cars come on the market than another?

I've seen quite a few adverts for RHD imported cars. Are there any particular reasons to avoid these cars? I guess the history is always going to be more difficult to verify. A common theme in such ads for Japanese imports seems to be that they have fewer problems with rust. But as far as I am aware heat, humidity and rust are great friends.

Look forward to hearing from some of you.

Ian

[mike020150]

Rust is the biggest enemy of any series 1 or 2 XJ, albeit the XJ is certainly no worse than other cars of the era. Their mechanicals are pretty simple (by modern standards) and robust. To restore the body alone of a driveable but rusty car with an MoT, could easily cost more than the purchase price you are considering. Consequently, it will be important to pay particular attention to rust content. That task is made more difficult on cars which have had recent shiny paintwork and may be hiding a multitude of sins. Whether you would be better off with an imported RHD car of this age is difficult to say. Any 40 to 50 year old car which has been driven rather than stored in a museum will have rust of some description. As you say, a pre-purchase inspection is vital if you are not fully confident in your own abilities. Why not contact the JEC office for information about the JEC approved inspection company?
Similarly, maintenance costs will be like the proverbial length of string. They will depend upon the standard to which you want the car maintained. At the very least, the car should be serviced once a year (oils changed, suspension greased & a safety inspection) which will cost a few hundred pounds. Add in occasional sets of brake pads, biannual changes of antifreeze, tuning, plus a few tyres and costs some years for a good car should still only be a little higher. However, if repainting is required, costs will begin to escalate rapidly into the £thousands.
Think carefully about what you want from the car to help you choose the right spec. If it's speed, you will want to consider V12s or manual 4.2 litre cars. If it's local wafting ability, an auto 2.8 or 3.4 litre model might be more suitable. There's a good range to choose from along with varying prices from those of an auto 2.8 litre 4 door Series 1 to a Series 2 V12 2 door Coupe, condition being the prime factor driving price.
The best time to buy is when the car in the best possible condition matching your desired specification comes onto the market! Good luck with the search. Mike.

[JimMann]

Hi Ian, as mentioned by Mike, the best time to buy a car is when you find THE ONE! That said, never buy a car:
a) without seeing it and its owner at the home location (if buying privately)
b) in the rain
c) without having a test drive of sufficient length and complexity as to test the car in various situations, preferably alongside someone who understands what the various knocks, squeaks and rattles might be telling you
d) from a dealer who tells you it was used by 'old granny Jones to collect her pension once a week' - a car that has been driven regularly and on longer journeys is always going to be better fettled than one which only goes out for its MoT on an annual basis

The majority of the RHD imports, ex Japan, tend to be significantly more modern than the Series 1 or 2 that you are looking for, so a purchase from that source may not be a real option in any event.

Start by keeping an eye on the Classifieds at the JEC website, if you see something that catches your eye, speak to the JEC office about an inspection by a suitably knowledgeable source.

Good luck

Jim Mann

[edolecki237]

I am in a similar situation, looking for a Series 3. From 1987 or prior. When I was in Prep school, we had a neighbor who was a retired Rear Admiral in the U.S.N. He taught me how to cook, paint, make wine and champagne, etc. A true Renaissance man. His age prevented him from enjoying his XJ6 any longer and offered it to me. Being in high school, I didn’t have the funds for all of the necessary repairs. My parents offered to help but I wanted to have transportation without waiting for repairs and thus moved on from it. Not a week goes but that I don’t think about that wonderful man or his gorgeous car. So taking bonus money I am actively looking for the one for weekend trips. Perhaps more. Glad to be here. Will read all replies to the original poster’s questions as I too will rely on the services of a mechanic (which I have already found locally).

[mike020150]

Good luck with the search. The right car is out there somewhere, probably in the club's classifieds. Patience and diligence during the search will be rewarded in spades by the right car bringing back all those memories as well as being a delight to drive. Mike.