newbie

[craigfromiowa]

Hey all
Just wanted to say hi to everybody here. I love reading vehicle forums. There is so much info that I have gathered just by reading the posts. I have a 97 e320, but my next car will most likely be a Jag. I am not rich by any means, so I can't afford a new one. I certainly do love the XJ6 and XJ8 models. My budget would be in the $20,000 price range for a purchase of one of these cars. Based on what I have seen on ebay, I could probably get a 2000-2001 model. What are the problems associated with these years?

Thanks in advance

 

[Exotexs]

lots of problems amigo!, you want a REAL Jag or a Ford? We have been arguing the subject, check out the posting about "Squeaky Steering" in a 2000 S type. Anything after model year 1987 are not "real Jags" in a sense, so buyer beware. If you have a $20K kind of budget, get a pristine XJ-6/12 or XJ-S before the 1987 model year for less than $10k and save the rest as a downpayment for a house with 4 garages! Real Estate and Classic Cars are the only investments worth spending your money in. Mercedes are ok but it bothers me that they are used as taxis and used by terrorists in the Middle East and Europe, then they sell them as luxury cars in the USA. When was the last time you saw a Jaguar being used as a taxi or by a terrorist? Never! (unless we count the American spy that drove the burgundy red XJ-40 back in the 1990's, well at least he picked the rarest color, a gift from the Russians). By the way, forget about buying a car through eBay unless you can see it, touch it, and smell it in person. Never buy a car sight unseen. Your best bet is finding the car in your own city, one that has lived its life in the same place, not an import from the North or Salted Roads states. The best preserved Jags are in the South, Southwest, and West.
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[Steve]

Hi Craig, welcome to the forum. I happen to agree about the Series III XJ6, there's not much to fault on one of them. Are you looking for a daily driver? One of those would fit the bill, but I would be reluctant to drive one in the snow and salt that we get up here. Maybe buy a "minter" older car for the good weather, and an older car to drive through the winter?

If you are set on a newer car, then the XK8 is't bad, but I would buy a really nice older one through a good franchised dealership with the Jaguar-backed extended warranty. Best to be on the safe side. I have to agree that eBay is a minefield. This time of year most dealers will come down a lot on the sticker of one of their used cars just to get a sale.

 

[kennypinkerton]

Actually around here anyway... You gotta hagle with the used car dealers. It's the start of tax time, and all of them have some sort of "bring in your W-2 and drive away without your return" deal going on, and they do raise the prices too for those types of things! a month ago would have been best - here anyway.

 

[Exotexs]

I always prefer to buy a car from the owner, never from a dealer, for many more reasons than there are when buying from a dealer. There are pro's and con's and hurdles every step of the way when buying any used car from whoever, but in my experience, buying a car from the Owner always produces more history and information than from a dealer. When I bought my '84 XJ-6 in 1991, the owner produced Original Purchase, Service and Registration records, three sets of original keys, and an original, unused, Tool kit that he bought with the car and had stored away. In other words, he wanted to prove to me that the car had been cared for. Try that with a dealer, they just want to "move 'em refrigeraters". Talk about Tool kits, I never knew they even existed for the Series III XJ models until the owner called one evening to let me know "he had something for me", a month after I had purchased the car. You just don't get that kind of treatment anywhere else. Yes, I have the Tool Kit, still unused, it's a treasure!