The opportunity has presented itself to buy a 1988 XJ6, for next to nothing. I know I'll be in for some repairs going in, but here's the question:

I am not familiar, at all, with the XJ40. The car supposedly is a 1988. I have not seen it yet, and the person who told me of the car is a relative to the seller. It may well be a 1987 and thus a Series III, and this whole discussion would be moot, since I'm familiar with the Series III.

I'm going to get my first look at the car next week. Since I never really considered buying an XJ40 before, I know very little about these particular years of production. The only thing I know is that there's some kind of issue with the door handles.

The car I'm looking at has "transmission issues," according to my contact. But it does run, and just completed a 250-mile trip in the last couple of weeks.

What should I look for, specifically? Our 1999 XJ8 has the potential Nikasil and timing chain tensioner problems, for instance. I'm looking for problem spots specific to these particular models.

Any help you guys can provide would be very appreciated.

Jess

1963 XKE (sold)
1976 XJ12L (dead)
1988 XJS (sold)
1999 XJ8

Submitted by peddlarbob@sym… on Fri, 03/17/2006 - 12:01

Jam. I have sent you a private e-mail covering what you have asked for. However I can tell you that the Mk1, MkII and the Sovereign are all restoration projects right now. The MkI is however almost complete, just waiting for the brakes kits to arrive, the Sovereign should be finished by the middle of the summer provided I can retrieve my modified engine from the shop were I was working on it. It will all be to late for Concours participation this year unfortunately and I am unsure about when I can get back to working on the MkII.

Bob.
92 Ser III V-12 VDP #31 Canadian Edition
87 Ser III V-12 VDP
86 Ser III AJ6/Soveriegn
85 Ser III XJ6/VDP
65 MkII 3.4 Automatic
59 MkI 3.4 Automatic.

Submitted by peddlarbob@sym… on Fri, 03/17/2006 - 10:09

Edited on 2006-03-17 10:18:40

Edited on 2006-03-17 10:17:31

The transmissions on these cars has an inner seal that is known to wear allowing under certain conditions for transmission fluid to leak past it. When this happens it locks up the forward located clutch effectively jamming the transmission. Remedy is to have the transmission rebuild and the seal changed. Also beside all the items that JMA has pointed out to you these car had a rusting problem in the rear panels between the rear door windows the rear screen. In addition to this you have the numerous places where Jaguar installed plastic plugs to fill holes in the bodywork. Rust starts at these places and rapidly spreads throughout the body.

I have to say however that the 3.6 ltr Turbo charged engine that the TWR versions of these cars were fitted with are one of the nicest driving and most responsive engines that Jaguar has ever produced.

Bob.
92 Ser III V-12 VDP #31 Canadian Edition
87 Ser III V-12 VDP
86 Ser III AJ6/Soveriegn
85 Ser III XJ6/VDP
65 MkII 3.4 Automatic
59 MkI 3.4 Automatic.

Submitted by jam@ispwest.com on Thu, 03/16/2006 - 23:41

Jess, not just the door handles, but the digital gauges dash pod has a chip that goes to "L" all the time, and the Rear self-leveling suspension collapses and a modification is done by owners which is not exactly affordable. Like you, I'm familiar with the Series III, but as I understand it, the 1988 XJ-40 is the one to avoid, very unfortunate because if you think about it, it's the first year of the Series IV and they are attractive cars. From 1989-on, I don't even know what's out there. If they told you the car has a transmission issue, well, you know what's coming. Give them $800.00 and tell them you'll tow their problem away, then you can justify the money pit. Me I prefer the simplicity of the old Jags, for a luxury ride, I have my Series III XJ-6.