Jaguar > XJS

1987 Jaguar Xjs Base Coupe 2-door 5.3l 97k Miles on 2040-cars

Year:1987 Mileage:97000 Color: Pewter Grey /
Two tone Tan/Blue

Location:

Keene, New Hampshire, United States

1987 Jaguar XJS Base Coupe 2-Door 5.3L 97K Miles, image 1

1987 Jaguar XJS Base Coupe 2-Door 5.3L 97K Miles, image 2

1987 Jaguar XJS Base Coupe 2-Door 5.3L 97K Miles, image 3

1987 Jaguar XJS Base Coupe 2-Door 5.3L 97K Miles, image 4

Transmission:Automatic
Body Type:Coupe
Vehicle Title:Clear
Engine:5.3L 5343CC V12 GAS SOHC Naturally Aspirated
Fuel Type:GAS
For Sale By:Private Seller

Condition:
Used
VIN (Vehicle Identification Number): SAJNV5843HC136758
Year: 1987
Number of Cylinders: 12
Make: Jaguar
Model: XJS
Trim: Base Coupe 2-Door
Options: Leather Seats, CD Player
Drive Type: RWD
Power Options: Air Conditioning, Cruise Control, Power Locks, Power Windows
Mileage: 97,000
Exterior Color: Pewter Grey
Interior Color: Two tone Tan/Blue
Warranty: Vehicle does NOT have an existing warranty

1987 Jaguar XJ-S, runs & drives very well. This will probably be the most complete listing for any car posted on ebay, though it may seem overwhelming to some. The reality is that this Jag needs very little to be returned to excellent condition (roughly $367). As this is an auction and it's often difficult to view the car in person, I prefer to let every one know about every little detail so there are no surprises. We purchased this car about a year and a half ago with the plan of restoring it to it's original glory. However, we have since moved on to a new project and need to make room. This car was originally from southern California before being brought to New England in 2011. As it was from southern California the body is in excellent condition, just by looking at it you would think the car was only a couple years old! I'll go over the work that has been done already:

(1) Radiator rodded, cleaned, and painted.

(2) New high performance 2200cfm electric fan installed

(3) Installed new wiper motor

(4) Cleaned and replaced fuses in engine controlling the lights

(5) Replaced various exterior lights and lens

(6) New horn push and components installed

(7) New gauges and tachometer installed - though will still need a new speedometer

(8) New Moog outer tie rods on both sides

(9) Wheels all balanced

(10) Various wiring within the engine compartment

(11) Adjusted emergency brake

(12) Started to remove old polyurethane from wood trim on dash in order to apply new poly

(13) New wires/plugs/oil change when first purchased

(14) Adjusted the brake stop switch [located at the base of the brake pedal]

Electrical components that are working:

(1) All of the exterior lights are functioning [the rear brake light is something new that just started about a month ago, was working fine before] including the license plate lights [though it is missing one lens covering, but the light stays in position even without the lens cover]

(2) Horn works, but there is currently only one [high E, could use the low E but not required to pass inspection]

(3) Cabin lights all work when the door is open

(4) There are four switches next to the dash computer - two control the interior lights which work fine, the rear defroster switch also works fine, but the hazard lights have stopped working [again, used to work but recently stopped - may be a fuse]

(5) The oil/battery/fuel/temp gauges and tachometer were all working, but also recently stopped [discovered it blew the fuse]

(6) Both power window switches work fine

(7) Trunk lights all work well

(8) Everything mechanical works [alternator, fuel pump, distributor, etc...]

(9) Directional switch works, but it sounds like it could use a new flasher [not really consistent, seems like it might be going - I may have one from the XJ6, otherwise they're generally under $10 at Autozone], and it will need a new instrument cluster light bulb for the right turn signal [I have just under a dozen bulbs that I will also include]

(10) The door hazard buzzer works fine [though I have the fuse currently removed as it's rather difficult working on the car with the constant buzzing sound]

(11) The third brake light works fine; however, the previous owner had removed it from the window when he was preparing to reupholster the interior. He never reupholstered the interior, so the third brake light is currently propped against the rear window. If you decided to purchase the car and reupholster the interior, the thrid brake light can be reattached to the rear window with an epoxy

Electrical components that are not working:

(1) I strongly suspect that the windshield washer motor is not working, but I haven't spent much time trying to figure out whether it's the motor or a fuse. I will include the washer motor and tank from the 85 XJ6.

(2) There is an issue where the car is so air tight that condensation was forming on the inside of the windshield. The condensation then dripped behind the dash which fouled up some of the electronics (though it didn't do any damage to the floors - which are solid). Initially I spent over $500 trying to get the leaking issue diagnosed, and the jag mechanic thought it was a plugged up pipe in the wiper cowl. It was only by happenstance when I noticed the condensation forming. I started to keep the window cracked slightly which fixed the problem. Because of the water leak into the cabin the instrument cluster had to be replaced as the wiring was rather corroded. I purchased a new cluster for $40, but it was the wrong one. The one I purchased had a cord running from the speedometer to the transmission, the one in this car is an electronic speedometer. So I swapped out the gauges and tachometer - which suddenly worked correctly, and kept the original speedometer - which is not working. So it will need either a replacement speedometer, or just purchase a new instrument cluster which has an electronic speedometer [easy to find on ebay or craigslist and right about $40].

(3) I do not know whether the speed control unit works as I have never used it.

(4) Kirby Palm wrote a book entitled "Experience in a book: Help for the Jaguar XJ-S owner." This is the bible for the XJ-S. It's a free document that you can download online, and is nearly 500 pages long of tips and techniques to keep these Jags running smoothly. One such tip was to have a connect the electric fan to a different relay than the one it's supposed to go to. In doing so, the electric fan is controlled manually whenever you turn on the fan switch on the console. The reason I mention this is that the electric fan turns on and off through the fan switch on the console; however, there is no heat being blown into the cabin. I know the switch works because of the electric fan, so I'm suspecting it's the blower motor itself that either needs a new fuse/relay, or replacement. I've installed a blower motor from the 85 XJ6, but the wiring setup is a bit different than the XJS. The motor works, but when plugged in it will constantly run

(5) The side view mirror switch was working, but has recently stopped. May just need a new fuse.

(6) It will need a new wiper switch which can be found on ebay or craigslist for under $50 [don't buy one over $50, I've seen some on craigslist on occasion for $30].

In order to pass inspection:

(1) Need to fix the rear brake light [one light was brighter than the other, with these cars it's generally a faulty ground somewhere; however, the problem recently stopped and now it's working fine]
(2) I suspect that it will need to have the wheel bearing on the front passenger wheel replaced [requires two of them, Autozone has Timken bearings for $12 a piece]. Worst case scenario is having to replace the ball joints, but it feels more like the wheel bearings. I always use Federal Moog for any suspension components. The upper ball joints through Moog (K9699) cost $60 [this would only need one for the passenger front], and the lower ball joint through Moog (K9700) also costs $60.

(3) It will need a new catalytic converter as the current one has recently clogged. I will include the cat from the 85 XJ6 which is the same style and was working fine before that car was taken off the road.

Other repairs to increase the value and performance:

(1) The seats are either torn in parts, or the seams are separating. The passenger seat backs is in fairly good shape, but the bottom of the seats are the problem area. They will either need to be reupholstered, install car seats, or can be used as is without any problems.
(2) It needs a new fabric for the ceiling liner [held off on installing one as we weren't sure what color we were going to do the interior], and the dash pad has a crack in the middle.
(3) The temperature gauge is reading high - but the mechanic believes there may be an air bubble in the system, a good flushing will fix this issue. If the weather warms I may be able to flush it before it sells.

(4) The passenger rear compartment light [mounted on the side] needs a new bulb.

(5) There is a 14"x2" rust spot with some rot on the upper rear valance behind the bumper. It has no structural impact, and can only be seen when lying on the ground looking straight up under the bumper [I put myself in that position as I was checking for rust on the undercarriage, this was the first time I noticed this spot in over a year]. Because it's really out of site it looks as though it could be simply sanded to remove the rust particles, and painted to prevent it from spreading any further. If you wanted to make this a show room car you could have a new piece of steel welded in place, but I don't think it needs to go to that extreme.

(6) On top of the brake fluid cover is a plastic cover with two electrical connections to tell you when the fluid level is low. The plastic cover was removed from the brake fluid cap by the previous owner [despite the wording of not to remove that cover]. I've found that a lot of people remove this cover, and it's a pain trying to put the connections back and the cover on at the same time. The connections are covered so it won't give a false low brake fluid level

(7) The brakes have recently been going lower to the floor. It may be getting to the point where it will need new brake pads [$18 at Autozone]

The water leak did very little in terms of damage, the most work it may need is to disconnect various electrical connections to clean if needed. I have lots of extra compatible parts from a 1985 XJ6 that I can include. By-the-by: Despite the pictures the XJ-S does have the grill, I just removed it as it was easier working on the engine by lifting the hood all the way up. All in all it is in great condition considering the year. NADA low book value is $5,850 with an average book value of $8,650. These cars are primarily for the hobbyist who enjoys tinkering on cars. Despite what people think parts for these cars are generally inexpensive.

So the cost to bring this Jag to a nice condition based on what problems are known is roughly $397 and some free time to tinker: $124 to replace upper/lower ball joints and wheel bearings on passenger front, $150 if you chose to purchase fitted seat covers found on ebay, $18 for front brake pads, $40 for a replacement instrument cluster, $5 for a replacement compartment light bulb [generally sells in a pack of two], $30 for the wiper switch, $15 for material and 3m adhesive spray to replace headliner, $5 for epoxy to reattach the 3rd brake light, and $10 for a can of polyurethane to fix the wood on the dash.

Overall this is a very nice Jaguar that requires someone who has time to put a little TLC into her. I've been busy with a '74 Roadrunner, and need room to pick-up a '48 Plymouth. I prefer the older american cars, but always wanted to work on the v12. One thing I noticed about the older Jaguars - parts are not that expensive. When people talk about how expensive it is to repair a Jaguar they are referring to the Jaguar mechanics who will rob you blind at rates of up to $100+ per hour. If you have time and are mechanically inclined you can work on this car yourself. I only brought this jag to a mechanic once to figure out the water leak issue, and even then I was the one that ultimately figured out the problem.

Please contact me at anytime should you have any additional questions or would like more pictures. This Jaguar will be sold as-is where-is, which is another reason why I included everything about the car. A $200 non-refundable deposit will be required at time of sale, with the balance paid within 7 days. Please contact me if you would like shipping estimates (this car is close to zip code 03431). Recently received an estimate for shipping from NH to OK at $839, and NH to TN for $710. This Jag will also be on craigslist, so I will reserve the right to end the auction early if it sells locally. Thanks!

Jaguar XJS for Sale

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