As many of you know, I dig 80’s imports – and own a car like one of the ones featured here. It seems this garage or storage building in Western Massachusetts houses some leftovers of 1980’s excess, with numerous boats as well as a 1985 BMW 325E here on craigslist and a 1983 Jaguar XJ6, also found here on craigslist. While these aren’t the most desirable specimens of either car, they look surprisingly complete despite what is apparently years of quiet storage. The XJ6 is listed for $1,300; the BMW, for $2,450.
Both cars are sitting on extremely flat tires, indicating they weren’t locked up yesterday. The 1980s saw heavy use of restrictive emissions equipment, ugly DOT-mandated safety fixtures and questionable quality from numerous manufacturers. The XJ6 was not immune to any of this, making do with park bench-style bumpers, tacked on sidemarker lights and other additions in the name of safety. The seller says it can be viewed after 10/15, so it seems likely these cars (and the boats) are a part of an estate clean out.
The BMW is a lower-spec, economy-minded model (that’s what the “E” designation should tell you). Although mine is a higher-spec IS model with sport settings and a free-revving 2.5L inline six, this 325E at least has a manual transmission and the optional three-spoke steering wheel. In addition, those look like nicely maintained cardinal or oxblood leather seats, so it at least shows some good options and a pretty color combo. The seller’s price is a touch high at the moment, though.
Pictures of the Jaguar’s interior are not great, but the fact that the seller thinks it *may* run out of the garage under its own power is encouraging (but doubtful). Both cars will never be collector’s items and you’ll dump far more money into them then they’ll ever be worth. But for a garage seemingly frozen in time from the heydays of the late 1980’s, it would be fun to clean these up and stage them with a few boats – similar to the classic, “Justification for Higher Education” poster that graced many a dorm room wall back in the day.
On the Naples FL Craigslist, there was a Series III XJ6 that has always been garaged. Lots of new parts Has “fuel Injection electrical problems” and the leather is cracked. Leather is probably too far gone to save. Asking price $2900.
You could not restore the typical XJ6 body for $3000. However, leather is expensive. Many examples of nice drivers are available for $4000-$5000. This is a sad situation with XJ6’s and XJS’s. The restoration cost is not supported by market value. Lesson; buy the best you can afford.
Confession: I am a former XJ6 and XJS owner and Jaguar Concours Judge
Forget the cars, I want that garage space!
– John
I like the truck by the same seller: https://westernmass.craigslist.org/cto/d/1978-ford-flatbed-truckmiles/6338711686.html
Whoever this was had good taste at the time. The Kansas built Cobalt was an extremely well made and expensive boat when new. Always amazes me the stuff people just let sit around and fall apart. Toys are meant to be played with
$2450 for a 220K mile 325e. This is not a candidate for restoration unless you like throwing money away. Their least desirable motor and a four door to boot. The seller is rather optimistic.
The “e” suffix is, IIRC, the indicator that the car has the high fuel economy “eta” motor. To my knowledge, it does not indicate that the car is a price leader bare bones stripper or anything “economy.” This engine was also used on the 525e during the early/mid 1980s.
On the 525e wasn’t it bored/stroked to 2.7ltrs as it was in the EU? There’s been countless modified one’s with the better breathing top end?
Thank you Ben, excellent advice and I too am a former Jaguar owner , several models, loved them all.