New owner Celebration

[milly2]

Hello
After 30 years I have finally got the car of my dreams in my garage and a celebration coupe 4.0 AJ16 at that.

I am a complete novice . She is in very good condition and apart from stone chips nothing obviously wrong. But these creatures can hide serious problems or so I am told.
I would welcome any advice about what to look for and what is likely to be wrong on a car thats done 102k. I would like advice on the head gasket which doesn't appear to be a problem but has never been changed and the drivers door hinge/pin. Do you really have to remove the wing to replace? My husband is looking to use controlled violence on the hinge but I am resisting.The door has only dropped a gnats whatsit
Thanks in anticipation
Milly

[poprivet]

Welcome Milly, I know little of the later xjs' but Im sure you will find a lot of help, not just here but within the whole JEC 'family'. You have exactly the right approach in actively looking for the problem areas before they happen. Running and maintaining such a car has to be seen as being the hobby, driving it is a bonus. The good thing is that every time something is repaired/replaced/found ok you will get to know a little more about the car, its a long term commitment which will greatly repay you in fun and satisfaction.
Pop

[dhdove]

Milly
Welcome to the XJS Bulletin Board and congratulations on being the proud owner of a great car.
Although I've had a few XJ-S over the years I got my "new" '95 4.0 Celebration Coupe on the road just a couple of weeks ago, so I know just how you feel, it's a beautiful car to own and drive.
I am not aware of any particular head gasket problems with this engine, in fact generally it's felt to be possibly the best "six" that Jaguar made. (Apologies to 3.6 owners). Don't worry about it
Re door hinge pins, my previous '89 coupe had a bit of drop in the drivers door, which never got any worse in the 3 1/2 years that I had it, so I wouldn't steam into this worry too quickly.
With regard to Pop's comments, I think you can run the car as a reliable daily driver but this requires regular maintenance and servicing. If you are paying someone else to do this it can be relatively expensive (although less than taking a new car to the dealers if you use yor local specialist). I prefer to think that driving the car is the pleasure and maintaining it is a neccessary hassle/learning curve/pastime/hobby (and expense!) to allow that.
Pop is quite right in saying that there is loads of support on the BB, just ask, and also in the wider JEC family.
Enjoy your big cat to the full.
Best Wishes
DH Dove
PS Check out planned meet at Cadwell Park July 2nd 06 elsewhere on the general thread.

[greeban]

Hi,

I also have a 95 celebration and love it - the kids call it Bobby because the gear lever bobs up and down. I was very worried intially as I thought it was the mounts but turned out to be the design - the end of the gearbox sits on a spring which drives it under the car in the event of an accident - cool!
I also have a sagging drivers door but it is slight so not worried.
I have done a small service changing the oil (8.5 litres!) and have some new plugs etc which I will fit soon. I am also going to get the injectors cleaned as the car has done 130,000 and it is not as smooth as it could be at low revs - I am sure it is the injectors, otherwise it goes like a rocket and returns 29 mpg on a run. I reakon if I were to drive it all day I would get over 30 from a tankfull - looking forward to trying one day.
I went to the XJS seminar last December and David Marks gave a very full overview of the car and I am confident that I can maintain it fairly easily - the mechanics are straightforward and easy to get at and I have an ODBII reader that can read the ECU e.g. can see how the lambda sensors are doing.
Also looking to get a stainless exhaust soon - talking to people at the seminar seems that you can lose the centre cats and car will still pass emissions. This affords better performance (as if I really need it!) and it sounds better. AJ6 engineering were recommended for the exhaust.

The only other thing I might mention is on mine the seatbelt reinforcing plate under the drivers side had rotted the floor - a c**p design. Cost a few hundred to get it repaired and now I make sure everything is covered in dinitrol to ensure the rust cannot come back.

Enjoy!!

[dhdove]

Graeme
My exhaust is blowing and MoT due in July. Checked out AJ6 website, full system apparently £770, plus fitting.........Do you know how much the gen. Jaguar system is and how do they compare?
I must admit I am a great believer in fitting genuine parts where possible, compared to aftermarket bits.
As my brother (ex Ford/Touring Cars mechanic) has often said,
"If Henry Ford had intended it to be like that he would have designed it like that in the first place."
I know this is an over-simplification, but, you know what I mean?
All the best
DH Dove.