jaguar xj6

mistletoe

I found a 1995 XJ6 with 56,000. It looks in excellent condition...however, from reviewing previous discussions here, believe I need to have a mechanic check it out. Please list specifically what I should mechanically check out and anything else I need to know. I am new to the jaguar world, but LOVE the car! I think the asking price is too high $21,999. It appears to be in excellent condition.
Thanks

Mr_Shiftright

Yes, you are correct...the asking price is way too high. You should be able to get a car like this in the $15,000-16000 range. Jaguar resale values are very low and will continue to drop, so be sure above all that you do not overpay for one.

As for checking the car out, your Jaguar specialist should know what to look for. Aside from the usual component checks, you want to make sure that all the electrical systems and climate controls are working perfectly. It would also be a good idea to get a CARFAX (www.carfax.com) check on the car to see if it has some dubious history. Carfax is not infallable, but might reveal a salvaged title or multiple registrations, neither of which is a very good sign. However, if carfax shows nothing, that doesn't mean there IS nothing. It just improves your odds for not very much money.

Last of all, insist on seeing all service records. A car like this without any service records is a factor in deciding to buy or not.

im_brentwood

Whoa..

$22K? Yow.. I've sold 97s for a lot less than that!

That being said, Jaguars have weakish resale.. unless... unless they have very low mileage and are in the right color, then they can bring quite a bit. What color combo is the car? And where is it located?

95s are wonderful, I've had my 95 Vanden Plas since it was new andhave over 127,000 VERY abusive miles on it without any real trouble.

Get me some more info on the car and I can help you a bit more, or click on my name.. My E-Mail is on the profile.

Bill
95 VDP
97 XJ6
99 XJ8

mvera

I have been looking at an XJ6, 1995, 4 door, British Racing Green. It is the car I have been wanting for years. They are going to sell it to me for $15K. I believe that it is a fair price with 74K miles. My husband works at the Jaguar dealership and had the mechanic check it out. They also have the service records on it. He says it is a good deal. I am just nervous about the cost of repairs to the vehicle down the road. I called one warranty Co. and they don't even cover Jaguars. I have not found out how much the dealership will sell one for but I wanted to look at a couple others before they sell me theirs. I know just an oil change (which my husband now does for me on our domestic cars) is $50. I am a little nervous about the purchase and what to expect in the future but I REALLY like it. I have signed nothing at this point, but would like to next week. Also, being I live in Minnesota I will probably not drive it in the winter except for a weekly startup to keep her happy. I am planning on keeping this car for a very long time, so resale value isn't going to affect my decision. Being new to the Jaguar world, can someone help me out or give me a little lip ? Anything is appreciated.

Mr_Shiftright

Well, if you are nervous about the cost of repairs, you shouldn't buy it, because the cost of repairs is very high. This is why warranty companies wont' touch the car. This is not to say you will have enormous repairs (presuming the car is nice and well cared for) but if it happens, it's going to hurt, so you might as well be realistic about upkeep.

Figure normal upkeep at $250 a month and any unusual repairs on top of that.

im_brentwood

Shoot...

I never spent anywhere near that on upkeep when I had my 95 VDP and my Wife (Now Ex, thankfully) was driving an S-Type.

Newer ones are a different breed... $3K a year? Last year on the VDP it was actually $8,200 I think.

$7,100 accident damage
$600 new tires
$500 servicing (Included the 120K)

This year its' been like $80 maintinence, $150 repairs (Blown heater hose.. included $30 in towing) and soon it'll need front brakes... maybe $250 there BC its going to need new rotors...

Bill

Mr_Shiftright

Well, I'll stick by my guns on that estimate. First of all, you are in the car business and you either cut good deals or avoid being oversold. Secondly, you may not in fact do all the maintenance required (you probably don't, few people do), and third, you might, with your car knowledge, be able to anticipate and avoid certain repairs with your vigilance. The above describes me, anyway, and I think we are alike in many ways regarding cars.

But for a "babe in the woods" with a Jaguar, I feel pretty certain around $250/month is what it will cost, by the time you average everything out over a few years time. In fact, I would say even more for a Jaguar.

Last of all, and totally irrelevant, am I the only one who thinks new Jaguars are looking more and more like Buicks?

rea98d

I thought it was the other way around! Buicks, especially from the rear, are beginning to remind me of Jaguars. In fact, my grandmother, knowing I'm a Jag fan, pointed at a let model Park Avenue once and asked me if it was a Jag. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, as they're both good looking cars. Still, the Jag has some features that make it a bit more desirable (at least to me) than a Buick, such as the availability of a V-8 engine, rear wheel drive, a much much much much much much nicer interior, a chromed kitty bolted onto the hood....Well, you get the picture.

Mr_Shiftright

yeah, but, you'd think the X sedan designers could come up with something better than copying GM.

im_brentwood

We have a bunch in my family's business as company cars, and a bunch of people have bought out their leases...

$250/mo? Not since the 80s. Not even close...

Really, the newer ones cost us roughly what we're paying for the following cars:

99 I30Touring
99 ES300
00 GS300

Bill

Mr_Shiftright

Yes, but those are still in warranty. I was thinking more along the lines of a '95 car well out of warranty and at the mileage where "expendables" are just kicking in....you know, 70K-80K.

valueinv

$250 a month is a reasonable estimation for the average maintenance cost for a Jaguar without warranty.

If you want to keep the car in excellent condition all the time, $250 a month may not be enough.

If you want to spend a lot less, you may be trading off performance, safety, enjoyment and the expected life of your Jaguar.

Just changing the brakes of the Jag can cost over $2,000. A minor job to deal with some rust could easily cost over a thousand dollar.

Yes, the oil change can be relatively cheap for the Jag. But many dealers just try to get you to their door by offering below-cost oil change. Don't be fooled by it.

I guess you have to be very lucky to do without some major repairs for an old Jag in few years time.

rea98d

Which car are we talking about again? An X300 is worlds away from a Series 3. I get the feeling this discussion is comapring apples to oranges.

Mr_Shiftright

Like I said, a 5-6 year old Jag with 60K on up on it. So whatever model fits into that category would be my guess for $250+ per month once you average it out.

mvera

OK Shifty, thanks for the lip but this babe is not going to be stuck in the "woods". I have a great mechanic and a love for the car. If you treat this car right and maintain it on a daily basis, you don't need to spend $250 a month on service. My vehicle is in great shape and will stay that way, and I don't forsee any major problems for quite a while. She had a great check-up at the Dr. I may be a woman, but not a dumb one ! Only peolple that don't make friends with their dealership mechanics pay the highest price. It is a woman's perogative to shoot for the very best. I mean that in a good way. You only receive royal treatment if you have given them the same. That of course unless you have deep pockets.

PS, I am not buying a warranty, too much for what they cover. I am banking the money I would have spent on one when she does have some repairs. Which I am sure will happen later on down the road.

im_brentwood

My 95 VDP hit 60K miles...shoot.. Spring of 98.

I havenever approached that. Do people with S2s and S3s? Yup. I'm sure they do. And when I drove myXKE 500-1K miles a month I was there or better.

Not on the newer cars... Remember, Right now the 2 newer Jags that we actually OWN here in FL (Aside from Inventory I own) are a 66K mile 1997 XJ6 and a 128K mile 95 VDP.

$2,000 for a brake job? Where? Ouch. I just got quoted like $600 to do pads and rotors on all 4 corners and flush the fluid and I thought that seemed highish..

Bill

mvera

I agree, I don't no where he has his work done but it is nowhere near what I had the mechanics quoting me for future "what to look for" pricing. Hell, if you know what you're doing (thats the operative word)anyone can change the oil on her for $15 to $20.

I am looking forward to having my XJ6 for a long time. She is so damn pretty ! God bless america.

FYI, I found out last nite when I went to do the final purchase that the Dealership will sell me a warranty for 2 years but they wanted close to $3400. I told them they could keep it. Maybe Shifty should buy one of these, it would save him money. (bumper to bumper)

Have a great week-end.

Mr_Shiftright

Well I wish you all good luck with your cars.

97vdpguy

Are you saying you're getting a '95 and the dealer was offering you a Jaguar "bumper-to-bumper" warranty as an option???

I bought a '97 that was just outside the Select Edition warranty window. The only option I was offered was an outside company (Warrantech) warranty. It's a 5-year/100,000 mile coverage. I paid $2,800 for it.

Just curious. If a Jag warranty was still possible on an out-of-date car.. What was the price?

Thx.

mvera

The warranty was sold from the dealership but was not a "jaguar" warranty. It was from their company they sell for which was I believe "Western". That is the company they use for warranties on their extended for domestic also. But they wanted almost $3400 for 2 yr/24K with my mileage & year. I have a 95 w/74K.

By the way, I checked alot of warranty companies out and I am banking my $. I know a mechanic at the dealership and he looked at some of them and says they have loop holes in alot of items. So buyer beware. Older models w/higher mileage will be taking a chance with them. AAA wanted $4500, and another co. wanted $1500, so go figure what they have up their sleeves !! I don't trust them as far as I can throw them. My car right now has a clean health ticket and I plan to keep her up to par, at lease preventive medicine helps the cause. My husband changes oil on our vehicles every 2K to 2500 miles.

I think you got a pretty good deal from Warranttech, They wouldn't cover me because of my miles, I think they only cover up to 60K. Oh well.

The best I found was Warranty Direct & 1Source. They had the best coverage for the money. But then again, they wouldn't cover me with my miles.

Trust me, You'll hear me crying when something major happens. Hopefully, not for a long while though. My engine is sound.

Have a great day,
Michelle

97vdpguy

Ever buy (or sell) a house and buy one of those "Home Protection Plans"?? If you read the fine print, you learn that it doesn't cover a blasted thing! If the item is no longer available (i.e., a 20-year old range), it's excluded. If the problem can be traced to a "pre-existing condition" that existed before you bought warranty, it's not covered. That covers about 90% of most homes!

The same is probably true of these fancy car warranties. I think on the XJ board someone (maybe even YOU!) said that unless you have a MAJOR problem, you're going to have to pay for the repair. And that fortunately these later Jags don't seem to have many MAJOR problems.

Just watch where you park and stay away from parking lot "headstones" with spikes sticking up. The damage inflicted to the underside of the car by the spike is NOT COVERED!!!

Cheers,
Ron

Mr_Shiftright

Some don't cover overheating either, and often deductibles are high.

mvera

When I got quotes for warranties I always had them with O deductible. Most of them only charge an extra $100 for $0 deduct. Some didn't cover overheating either, they really don't define it also.

VDP Guy; I thought about you the first couple of times I parked with the freindly headstones. I stayed back about a foot. The only problem is you have to be careful or your [non-permissible content removed] end sticks out too far.

My first week of ownership and I have fallen in love. I think my husband looks at her more than me. He says he has to take her to work Friday to clean her up, I think its his way of getting her for the day. What do you think !

97vdpguy

Michelle,

QUICK! Give the car a male name and start referring to it as HIM...

That ought to re-orient your husband back toward your direction!

Also, make sure seat memorys #1 and #2 are set to YOUR seat positions!

I don't have your problem. My wife just shrugs at me and says, "It's a car, but if it makes you happy..." I'm the one who keeps saying, "but it's not just a car... it's a JagUar..." !

Cheers!

mvera

I feel I should share in the love of the car, but your right, I think I'll name it with a male name. I am waiting for my new plates to come to see what the letters are on it. Then I will name it accordingly. Right now I call her "British Beauty", long story.... One good thing though, when I get it back tomorrow it will be clean & buffed !!

I did however, get back into my 99 Buick Regal this morning and everything felt wierd. I still love her too though, just in a little different way.

Happy as all get out here in sunny Minnesota ! Have a great week-end, I'm going cruising up north.

97vdpguy

I've had my VDP for 5 months now and I've put 5,000 miles on it.

So far, my maintenance has been pretty much nil.

I had the Jaguar dealer change the oil about a month and a half ago. That cost me $80.

I also replaced the front underbonnet that I ripped when I pulled too far forward in a parking space and ripped it on a spike sticking through the concrete "tombstone". That cost me $250 to repair.

Aside from that, I've not spent a penny on repairs! I keep the car washed and had it detailed once, but that is just my own vanity.

I plan to keep up the service history on this car, which includes minor maintenance charges every 6,000 miles or so, plus I'll have the oil changed every 3,000 miles. Next year, it may need tires and to have the brakes checked. But even then, I'd say that I'm well under $100/month on an annual basis, even given "major" purchases like brakes and tires.

I am finding it to be a very well-built and solid investment.

bubukitty

I have a '97 XJ-6 and purchased it in Oct 2000 with 22,000 miles on the odometer....now it has 35,000 miles on it and I love it. Nothing has gone wrong on the car. Had the 30k service done (ouch!) and replaced the front pads and rotors. Other than that, it drives beautifly and is totally dependable. It is a far cry from a 1986 XJ-6 I had that broke down every other month and cost me over $1,000 each time to get right. What a nightmare. Ford's purchase of Jag in the late '80's really changed things around.

Went to the dealer recently and saw the new x-type. Very nice looking I think, though the materials felt a little cheap inside. A little too small too. The thing that really surprised me, is that it had on one cup holder. Very strange in that all new cars generally have at least two. This kills any thought of getting one for me as my wife and I always seem to have a drink with us in the car.

97vdpguy

well, I suppose you could alternate taking sips of your drink in the X-type and share the cup holder!

I wasn't that impressed with the X-type either. I went to my local showroom during an open house. I decided to test drive two XK8's instead. If I were going to spend the money, I would get an S-type for the bells and whistles. However, I always wanted the classic Jaguar XJ body, so I don't think I'll be giving up my VDP anytime soon..

Mr_Shiftright

S-type hasn't had good reliability reviews thus far, so that's something to note.

Yep, the newer Jags seem more durable than the Series 1 through 3, but we'll know more as these cars build up their mileages and push out of warranty. That will tell the tale if Ford has really done much for Jaguar.

jfg81

Ok guys (and gals), I have a question. I have a series 3, and have had pretty good luck with it, well for a while it seems. My car now has a bad evaporator coil and needs to be replaced. Ouch. I knew problems were coming, just wish it could have waited a little longer to happen. So, I got an estimate to get it replaced at $1100. Does that seem like a fair price? Also, is this something that could wait to get fixed? Its getting much cooler down here now, and I don't even need the AC. But, it seems like I read somewhere many moons ago that these Jags needed the AC to work to prevent some other problems (like "vapor lock" or something). So, does this need to get fixed soon or could it wait till the spring? Oh, one other little question - to those that have series 3 - what temp does your car usually run? Mine seems to be running a little warmer than I would like it to. Thanks!

Mr_Shiftright

Yes, I believe the XJ does use the AC to cool the fuel lines, but this probably would be a factor only in the warmest weather. You might very well get away with it. I know my friend's Series 3 has been running for years without a/c, but he is in the San Fran Bay Area, which is a very temperate climate. I guess best thing to do is try and see what happens. $1100 for just the evaporator seems cruel and unusual--it must be mostly a labor charge? I've never tried to remove one, although I have worked on Series IIIs and find them very difficult for most jobs. Jaguar engineering of that time was wonderful in concept but the actual components are often rather clumsily installed and not well finished. (e.g., the gas tanks, the rear brake rotors, etc.)

jfg81

Yes, I thought it was a little high too, but was told that its mostly labor. Said it was a two day job and that they had to remove almost everything between the driver and the engine. This price was from the local British repair shop that is supposed to have good rates - I haven't even asked for an estimate from our local dealer. I am hoping to get away with it for now, especially since it only really gets driven at night right now, so its not extremely hot. If anyone else has had a similar problem or other advice, please let me know, especially if you know about what this should run.

rea98d

Go to jag-lovers.org and subscribe to the XJ mailing list (No affiliation, yadda yadda yadda). They can tell how what ti will cost to fix the evaporator, or how to DIY if you want. As far as temperature, I beleive the normal is between 88 and 90 degrees celcius. I beleive that comes out to 190.4 to 194 F. Seems like I read those numbers somewhere, but I could be wrong. Running hot is a fairly common problem on any Jaguar of that era, as Jaguar reccomended that a fibrous stop-leak stuff be added to the radiator on a regular basis. Naturally, the stuff built up in the radiator, and caused more problems than it fixed, and the reccomandation was eventually stopped. Still, there are a lot of XJ6's and XJS's out there that would run much cooler if the radiators were either rodded out (a simple flush and refill won't do), or simply replaced with new ones.

blazer8282

Could some one inform me at what milage intervels are front wheel bearings re-packed,or at all?
My 95 has no record of this ever being done.Maybe something you don't worry about?
Thanks:

oncman

Help! While driving over the hills and through the woods to the inlaws last evening, the check engine light came on in my previously flawless 93 XJ6. I followed the owners manual and the VCM revealed a Fuel 23 fault. What does this mean? The cars performance did not drop off at all and other then the annoyance of the check engine light, the car ran great. My question what is a fuel 23 fault? How is it repaired. Will the car be damaged if I attempt to drive it home (about 200 miles) after the Holiday. The inlaws live in the middle of nowhere and I would not trust anyone in that neck of the woods to attempt to fix it. I will be checking back prior to leaving on Friday 11/23 so if someone can help, that would be great!! Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving.

Mr_Shiftright

oncman---you should post this in the Maintenance and Repair topic, since this car is a modern car and not a classic. The Repair Board gets a lot more traffic and technicians check in there.

You can find that board by using the drop down window that appears in the upper left of this page, where it says "select topic".

Mr. Shiftright
Host

im_brentwood

A Fuel Fail 23 indicates a problem with the mixture (I.E. too rich).

Reset your trip computer.. cruising on the highway with the cruise on (70-80mphish) on flat terrain you ought to be getting around 23-24mpg on premium if the car is in good tune.

IOW, your car thinks it is running rich. High Miles? Mayebe you need a new Oxygen sensor.

The FUEL/FAIL codes are listed in the back of your owner's manual in the pinkish red pages.

That being said, unless youre getting 12-15mpg.. or it runs rough.. I'd go ahead and drive it if it were me. I doubt you'll do any damage.

But get it looked at either by a dealership, or a good Jaguar specialist (If youre in Orlando, I have a great guy.. long shot I know)

Good Luck! Probably not a big deal at all.

Bill

thomasmi

Can anyone tell me what they know re: crash testing,(if any have been done)etc. on the XJ-6,
mid-90's? I'm considering buying one about this era, but haven't been able to find anything on how they hold up.
Thanks for the input.

rea98d

Check out the archives for Edmund's long term test fleet. They performed a crash test on a '96 VDP.

speedshift

Have you given up British cars for French ones?

im_brentwood

Last stuff I saw...

According to the UK Ministry of Transport the XJ-Series Jags have the lowest death rate per miles driven in the UK.

Year in and Year out.

Bill

speedshift

But I think you have to look at the demographics. Who owns Jag sedans? Conservative, affluent people who drive carefully and don't live where rocketing through stop lights is the local sport. I took a statistics class once, you can tell ;-).

Mr_Shiftright

It's a pretty strong, well-built car. I've been under enough of 'em, I know. Even in the "old days" British cars were not tin pots like some imports that made it over here.

speedshift

In the UK Jags are probably some of the larger cars on the road. It would be interesting to see how they do here in the land of 5000 lb. SUVs. Of course the Mark Xs probably hold their own.

Then again, in the UK they do a lot of passing on two lane roads so maybe that evens things out. I wonder how their accident-per-mile statistics compare with ours?

im_brentwood

Roads in the UK are the safest in the Western World...

speedshift

Is it the drivers? I've never been to Britain. Italian drivers are excellent. No rules driving but they're alert so it works. I imagine the English are more conservative. And slower.

Mr_Shiftright

If you want to know the difference between British and Italian drivers, just watch how each nationality lines up in front of a movie theater.

rea98d

"Have you given up British cars for French ones? "

Do the French even have cars? (No, the 2CV doesn't count as a "car").
I just changed the flag for variety's sake, but the French tricolor was a bit, well, plain, so I found something a little more colorful. I'm still waiting for Edmunds to make a Texas flag an option.

Mr_Shiftright

Don't hold your breath