Mk IX

I have been offered a MK IX. Apparently th eonly set back is that the transmission has been replaced with a 3 speed XJ transmission. Other than that the car seems to be in a very good condition as far as I can judge. The car is in Johannesburg (900 miles away). I have seen photos and have received a report of the "best" Jag restorer in Johannesburg who has been working on this very car. According to him and another collector who had a look at her on my behalf the car is an immaculate condition.

Personally, I am a bit reluctant because of the not original transmission. On the other hand there are nearly no IX's in South Africa (there are plenty of VII's and VIII's) and I would prefer the IX.

What do you guys think?

BTW: Asking price is the equivalent of US$ 17,000.00

The trans would have to be considered an upgrade. The BW that it came with uhhh.....sucked. If you are worried about it not being original, just check to see if it was "Bolt in" or if the car was irreversably modified. That being said, the XJ6 trans will work better, be more reliable, and if it breaks, you can still get parts. And most likely find someone that actually has experience working on them.

Cape Towner, I agree with everything that jessebogan has said. The original transmission was not a good product when it was new. It was an adaptation of a BW Studebaker automatic that is so rare that it is impossible to get even a seal kit for it!! The XJ6 BW is a very good transmission that you can easily find spares for and may be rebuilt for reasonable cost. It is definitely an upgrade for a Mark IX. The $17K is a bit pricey for the US market but the Mark IX is a beautiful car that should appreciate in value. I think the final negotiating price is how good is the interior? The leather and wood should be very good for that price. The body should be immaculate. Best Regards, Jack Farrington

Thanks very much Jessebogan and John

From what I have seen sofar the car is indeed in immaculate condition. Everything has been restored (some two years ago, though) by a professional Jag restorer. I'll get some high quality pictures today. I'll see if I can post some for you to judge.

Pricewise, that's the price the VII's to IX's are going for here where it is a bit difficult to judge on IX's as there has not been one on the market for quite some time. I have been offered an VIII at the same price which I declined when I saw the first pic of the engine bay (I wasn't keen on a engine rebuilt and definitely not for this kind of money).

I'll keep you updated as soon as more information comes my way.

Capetonian,
I don't necessarily agree or disagree with the others regarding the transmission on these cars. Like everything else Jaguar, it is a matter of opinion. Whilst the DG250 tranny was not the best built, it is easy to repair and parts are READILY available to do a re-build. The XJ6 tranny is probably a step up in terms of use -- a step down in terms of value/originality.

The price of $17,000 for this car could be a great price, it could be a rip-off. It is hard to tell. I have a friend who is about to buy a Mark IX in Germany for $32,000USD so it is all relative.

I have another friend in Johannesburg who is WELL versed in Jaguars. He owns quite a few and does his own work. He might be willing to take a look-see at this one to give an opinion. E-mail me off-list and I will put you in contact.

Webserve

Thanks, Webserve. I have bought the car yesterday unseen by myself, though, but the dealer who I bought a 53' MG TD from also had a look and an extensive test drive and confirmed what I heard from the Jag specialist in Johannesburg that the car is mechanically sound and restored very nicely. The only set-back seems to be that on both rear doors the small corner chrome strip is missing. Fortunately, in South Africa you'll find a lot of articians that can stil manufacture these kind of items. The other thing is that the radio has been replaced with a more modern one which will be the first thing I am going to sort out.

By the end of next week, I'll know exactly what I bought (I am keeping my fingers crossed).

My car i spainted in Imperial Maroon. Apparently jag supplied them in Imperial Maroon over Cornish Grey as well. As I am quite keen on having the IX in duo tone which fits the car well, I am trying to find the colour codes for Cornish Grey. I have succeeded in finding one for Glasurit. The guys I use for these kind of jobs unfortunately don't work with Glasurit at all, anybody knows of other correspondnet codes?

Sorry, to be a nuissance. I hope I can return the favours one day.

Mk IX's are cool cars. Go for it.

Bruce