Jaguar XJS

Many consider the Jaguar XJS - after of course the XKD and XKE - the most beautiful Jaguar ever. And that emotion had almost been spared us. Fortunately at that time there were people at the EdelkoETS manufacturer who saw a future for this predator cat. 

Introduction

If you consider that the idea came into existence in the late 1960s, the first one rolled off the band barely two years after the first energy crisis, parent company British Leyland was already preparing its suicide, even though it had come a long way… But remember , a Jaguar with partly 'plastic' bumpers, unbelievably large bumper rosettes, partly leather and partly vinyl upholstery, a rather dubious steering wheel, cheap-looking switches. Okay, the instruments, especially the 'clocks', looked great. The first public performance after the introduction, think of the TV series 'Return of the Saint' (for which Jaguar had made two copies available, of which 'star' Ian Ogilvy was on a 'driven' ride from Italy to Great Britain). beautiful V12 engine) and the 'New Avengers' ensured worldwide publicity and popularity. What also quickly became known was the poor quality, the many unclear 'bad luck', the dubious reliability, the high fuel consumption. Perhaps that is why global sales did not pass the four figures every year, and it was only in 1989 that a five-digit (11.207 unit) sales number could be recorded for the first time? In 1996 the curtain fell after 115.413 copies.

To buy? Some tips

In the classic world, a Jaguar XJS, regardless of the year of construction, is not really wanted. As a result, until recently, a nice and good specimen could be purchased for less than 5 mille in euros. That time is now behind us, the Jaguar XJS is becoming more expensive and more expensive. Maybe it's your dream car? We have some tips to pay attention to when purchasing. A Jaguar can also rust, rust very terribly. Therefore a good inspection of the sills, floor panels, fender edges, jacking points, boot lid. Perhaps some repairs (...) have already taken place. Check whether the work has been carried out properly. 'Overlapping' with images is not an option. Lack of maintenance or tinkering with 'specialists' is deadly for the V12 engine. Not much can be ruined on the later mounted AJ6 engine. Although? Low oil pressure, rattling, rattling of the tumblers or connecting rod bearings, blue clouds from the exhaust and caterventilation, leakage, indicate that - in both cases - there is 'something' empty with the heart of the predator cat. Will be an expensive repair. Wiring, in fact the complete electricity on board, from electric windows to the central door lock, the computer, can be a nightmare. Look carefully if everything 'works'. Repair means night work and is therefore pricey. A Jaguar XJS must steer like a razor and hover almost silently across the road. Clapping or 'accelerating' and 'taking back gas' when having to steer means that all (and there are many!) Suspension arm rubbers are worn out, shock absorbers and springs may have had their day. Recovery is a time-consuming and expensive job. The same applies to the brakes. With revision you spend a little longer than 'a few hours' ... 'Leaks' is also possible with a Jag. Especially with front and rear windows. That in turn creates 'rust' ... Rivals (...) from that time: the Mercedes-Benz 107 SL and SLC as well as the BMW M635 CSi. Both also cars that can rust horribly and actually have the same technical problems. If we were allowed to choose, we would know ... while you still ?!