2014-05-03 11:14:21 | Lofty writes:

35,400 Miles on 5/3/14

2022-09-03 05:32:48 | pauls writes:

Ebay item 9/3/22

www.ebay.com/itm/225144722289

Classified ad price $19,900, seller harwoodmotorsltd, 41k miles, car now in Macedonia, Ohio, previously Hudson, Ohio.

Seller's description:

41,220 original miles. Stunning color combination. Properly maintained with just two owners from new. Reliable 4.0-liter DOHC inline-6. Recent service, everything works, drives superbly. Jaguar luxury and performance for the price of a used Hyundai!

This XJS has been owned since new by just one family and shows only 41,220 original miles. It has always been lovingly maintained and never used in inclement weather, resulting in one of the finest examples we’ve seen in a very long time. By 1995, the XJS’s days were numbered, with an abbreviated 1996 being the final year. The beautiful Sapphire paint is entirely original and shines the way only a hand-rubbed paint job can, and it shows very few signs of use and age. Yes, if you look under the chin and along the rockers you might find a few small rock chips, but the overall impression is certainly not that of a 30-year-old used car. Lustrous chrome liberally applied on the bumpers, headlights, mirrors, and windshield all give the Jag a uniquely British look that’s traditional but sleek, and a simple pinstripe along the flanks accentuates the Jaguar’s length (this is not a small car).

Nobody does interiors better than the British, starting with supple leather, plus wool carpeting, and real burled walnut on the dash. There are always the magazine clichés about a “gentleman’s club on wheels” but you will surely find that you’ve never driven a car that feels this right when your fingertips glide over the various materials and surfaces. Everything works properly and it is obviously in fantastic shape with only light scuffing on the driver’s outer bolster and lower cushion. A matching blue canvas convertible top with heated glass rear window powers itself into a neat stack, where it’s hidden by a tan boot that contrasts nicely with the interior. Jaguar included a vestigial rear seat which is OK for children, but it’s probably better to think of it as a rather nicely upholstered package shelf. Of course, that’s in addition to the surprisingly spacious trunk, which includes a full-sized spare tire assembly as well as the battery box.

For many enthusiasts, the 4.0-liter DOHC inline-6 is the preferred powerplant. It gives up only a few horsepower to the V12 but in terms of reliability and ease of maintenance, the two aren’t even in the same league. The six is silky smooth and makes wonderful Jaguar mechanical sounds, and it’ll cost far less to keep it happy and healthy in the future. With just over 41,000 miles, you can rest assured that it is in excellent mechanical order and runs superbly. Turn the key and the unique-sounding starter fires the fuel-injected six with ease and it settles into an idle that you can hear but not feel. The purr from the twin tailpipes is unlike most cars you hear today and at 5000 RPM, we promise the hairs on the back of your neck will stand up. In normal driving, it’s effortless, silent, and completely competent in everything it does. It runs cool, there’s plenty of oil pressure, and it will completely re-write the things you think you know about Jaguars and reliability. Take care of it properly and it will run beautifully for decades to come. The 4-speed automatic transmission offers quick reflexes and a proper Jaguar personality—drive gently and you’ll hardly feel a shift, but prod the throttle and it clips down a gear and the six begins to sing its tenor wail. Out back, it has sporting 3.54 gears, making it a superlative highway cruiser that eats up miles without ruffling its occupants—exactly what it was designed to do. The all-independent suspension offers that incomparable Jaguar balance between nimble handling and a smooth ride and with 4-wheel disc brakes (inboard at the rear) braking power is still impressive. You can see just how clean this car really is underneath, with no signs of rust or rot and it’s even still carrying most of its original exhaust system. Factory alloy wheels are mostly unmarked and carry recent 225/60/16 Pirelli radials for a proper European feel.

Documentation includes all the original books and manuals.

We remain astounded by the amount of car you get for the money with an XJS. With new XK Jaguars (and their rather ordinary V8 engines) commanding six figures today, getting this one for less than 20% of that number has to be some kind of record.