I couldn't help myself when I saw this car come off the flat bed truck at my shop. It wasn't running and looked like it was just pulled out of a barn someplace. It had 4 flat tires and a layer of grime on it so thick you couldn't see through the windows. One look and I saw the diamond in the rough.
Three days later it looks like this....






It's a 1991 XJS Classic Convertable. The car had been sitting for quite a few years in a garage just around the corner from me. It wasn't running, the fuel had all turned to varnish and all four tires were completely dry rotted.
I drained the fuel system and blew the lines clean. A new fuel filter and a battery and it was up and running 1 hour after it was dropped off. Thats when I wrote the check. The rest was only cosmetic.

Here's the best part.... the odometer reads..... 18,600
Carfax verified what I already knew. It's a one owner car and the miles are correct. I have all the documentation that even follows it's low mileage life up till the day it was parked in the garage only to sit for many, many years.

The body is perfect, everything works in the car, the A/C (R12) even blows ice cold air. The interrior is beautifull, one piece of wood, the center concole has a crack. I guess it dried out over the years. Not a problem, I can get an OEM replacement piece from the UK for 160 bucks. Other then that it's like a new car.
The thing drives amazing, like a ton of bricks, planted to the road. The V12 is super quiet with gobs of power. Brakes are excellent as well, as they should be to stop 4500 lbs of car.

Now for the delema, should we get rid of the 99 Max with 110,000 miles or just keep this thing for a little fun for the summer and sell it? I really don't want to put any miles on the Jag, it's value will remain large if I keep the car under 20,000. As it stands now, my out of pocket to get into this car was 1/2 of what the book is. If I sell it now I stand to make a huge profit. But the thought of owning this beautifull machine for a while is very tempting.

Thoughts????

 

Beautiful Car!

So this is Car #3? Max,Bimmer,Jag?

Its quite a delima, you found a fantastic car in spectacular shape, with great value. Would you have the Jag as your weekend toy and move the Bimmer up to daily driver? You can into this car at a great time, winter is fading off and the warm and sunny weather is on the way (perfect for a convertable).

Which would you benefit from more. Having a sexy v12 convertable to cruise around in? or the Profit you would make from selling the car?

 

enjoy the car this summer and sell it while you can...

 

Yea, it's #3.

I'd benefit more from the profit, but owning a beauty like this is something to really think about. If I register and insure it, it's another expense that I really don't want to get into. I do have access to a dealer plate and I think I can get a 30 day temp tag for a few bucks which will buy me some time to have fun with it. I guess I'll make the decision in the weeks to come after I've driven it around for a bit. I will keep a for sale sign in it with a rediculous price on it. The dealer in back of my shop tells me to put it on ebay for $23 grand and let it ride for a bit. It was a $65,000 car new.

 

That car is dead sexy. I don't know what i'd do...

 

how much would it cost to purchase it?

 

Somewhere in the ball park of $20 grand.

 

Keep the Max as your DD.

btw, it's "bought" & "dilemma."

 

I was never any good in english class.

 

well, You should sell it, when you bought it, you were not sure if you wanted to keep it or sell it, but bought it anyway.... if you start driving over the summer the car could get minnor damages to it.
I say try to sell to collectors, try to find a bidding place that car collectors affictionados like to go.... to sell it.

My .02

P.S. my english sucks I just wanted to trow in some big words.

 

i'd go for it...definitely a weekend car. At a price like that, you shouldn't let it go. just my .03

 

I'ld park it, wait til the weather gets really good and you can make some plans for some nice top down motoring. Then when you know you'll have a chance to enjoy it in the sun put the temp tag on it. When it expires, you'll have had a chance to have some fun in it then you can park it again to sell.

My .02

 

Do you really need the money? IF not, DONT sell the beatutiful machine. You have something I'd kill for. Cars deserve to be driven and enjoyed, not parked and looked at, like alot of collectors do. I say, drop that top, turn up the radio and use that car for what it was meant for. Driving enjoyment......

 

Its not only needing the extra money, He'll have to get insurance for that car which I'm sure will be a pretty penny, plus maintaint the car. Imagine looking for brake pads or new calipers for that car should he happen to need it?

Its not like this will be his only car, Tom now has 3 cars. 3 cars to gas up, change spark plug on, get new tires, alignment for, etc.

If your not ready for that Tom, sadly sell the beautiful car.

 

Dont let that thing go... Keep it as summer and weekend car.

It will be worth way more in more time. I say keep it and enjoy it.

 

Sell it........

 

I would sell it.

 

As a huge Jaguar fan....I say keep it and the other two cars...this is a one of a kind find, and I think you know it. The condition is immaculate and people DREAM about finding a car like this.

 

Two trains of thought:

Keep that beauty! What a treasure. My hubby and I haul exotics and classic ladies. We do find them in 'barns around the corner' often. They are definately worth a mint. Can you maybe get some form of classic insurance for vintage auto's (Hagerty) or something that would allow you to pay lower premiums and still enjoy her? Fuel won't be an issue is she is your mistress on the weekend.

If you decide you need to sell her:

Run her through Barrett-Jackson at Palm Beach in July/August??? Maybe put a fat reserve on her? Will this Jag be something you regret selling once it is gone, regardless of how good a deal it was?

If it's paid for, I'd keep it. Imagine having a gorgeous car paid for with low miles and a sure to be 'desired' car of the future.....
My .085 Cents

 

If you don't mind me asking, how much did you buy if for?

 

post 8 FTW

 

I thought post 7 was more of a question asking how much he would be willing to sell it for. I could be wrong though.

 

I didn't even think of that...i thought he meant that was how much he would need to buy it.

 

Post #1


^^you're welcome

 

city 13, HWY 17...
just my .00000023467654 cents

 

i just work here.

 

if that's an original 12-cyl , work on a sheet aluminum fascia that will deflect all foreign objects the rather wide air intake that is negligentlly placed under the hood. IT LOOKS SWEET, AND THATS A REMARK AT CLEANLINESS.
some older cat will give you some loot for that car if you handle business, also make sure it's mechanically sound for a cruiser. word. good luck.
and p.s you know if you have to keep it if you love it, BIGUP!!!!

 

When the time comes, you'll know what you have to do.

 

Wow, that's some situation. I would buy it, get new tires, brake pads, plugs etc, cruise in it for the summer, and sell it for some money.....if you can stand to let go of it

 

Unless it is something you have always dreamed about owning, I say sell it.

It's not very often you get to make a pretty large profit on a vehicle.

 

beautiful car, V12 must sound heavenly, but seriously, just sell it, make some profit, and hook up the 330.

 

Enjoy it for awhile, but if it's not your dream car, sell it for a nice profit.

 

I paid 10 grand for it. The dealer in back of me told me to list it on ebay for 23.

 

Thanks for the comments guys.
Drove it around for a bit over the weekend, seems it develops a misfire in the upper RPM's after it's been running for about 20 minutes. I did a little research and it seems the ignition system in these cars are horrable. I found replacement systems with new timing rings and all for under 250 bucks. The car has 2 ignition coils, it's quite possible the "helper" coil is failing. I'm going to have a tech look at it first thing this morning when I get into work. That seems to be the only thing I can find wrong with the car.

It's a real head turner for sure. I can't tell you how many people come up to you say "hey nice car". It was fun driving it around town with the top down this weekend. We went for a cruise down the interstate, which is when we discovered the misfire, and all I can say is this is a serious cruiser. You don't feel anything on the road, the suspension is nothing short of awsome! What a pleasure to drive.

 

lemme start the bidding at Fi hun'ed dolla!

 

holy crap! Note the spotlessly beautiful white interior and MINT black paint!! Out of jealousy I hope you keep it and it depreciates rapidly! no wait, I hope you keep it and some senior citizen slams into it while it's parked. I'm kidding, but you should sell it.

 

park that baby in a barn for 30 years and then sell it...

 

that car has TANG written all over it!! its a keeper.

 

I say sell now ....sell like the wind before something expensive breaks. The XJ-S is a cool car but they have been know to be rather expensive to keep on the road. Extra clean low mileage car should convice someone that it's still like new and not going to break.

 

Id keep it. But you could put it up for sale on ebay and probably get one good deal for it. Id keep it though, its so well kept up. I think Im a sucker for very well kept up older cars.