This 1983 Jaguar XJS coupe is the second “High Efficiency” model that’s turned up in the last few days, and is also a nicely-preserved driver with low miles and presented as being in clean condition. The body looks to be in fine shape and the vintage 1984 California Olympic license plates confirm this fuel economy-minded coupe has been on the West Coast for quite some time. Don’t let the HE badge scare you off – it’s actually a pretty clever drivetrain if it’s been maintained. Find the Jaguar here on eBay with bids approaching $4K and located in Moreno Valley, California.
The seller promises that the body is in excellent shape, with the only noticeable issue being a bent antenna. The body does look tidy, and I’d be willing to bet it would pop even more with a proper detailing. The chrome on the bumpers still looks pretty fresh, as does the trim around the glass. The wheels show no signs of curb rash, and tires are noted as having 80% tread life left. While XJSs are generally available in decent quantity at any point on craigslist and eBay, finding a good one takes some work – so some mention of maintenance records would make this one even more tempting.
There are some signs of the Jaguar being someone’s personal pride and joy, however. The overall neatness of the car; the near-perfect body panels; the Union Jack vanity license plate up front; personalized floormats inside; and of course, that awesome Olympics license plate that has remained with the Jaguar since it was practically new. I realize these features aren’t nearly as valuable as maintenance records, but I look at them as anecdotes from the previous owner that at least implies they had fun with this XJS. The car we featured a few days ago was also equipped with the HE-specific V12, fitted with a unique cylinder head design that increased the compression ratio and fuel economy.
The interior is in very nice condition, with leather that looks largely undisturbed and an uncracked dashboard. The center console armrest and wood trim is certainly showing signs of age but nothing that can’t be freshened up. The seller indicates he has confirmed that the Jaguar was always stored indoors, and as a result, there’s no sun fade or other damage stemming from long-term outdoor exposure. While these cars will likely always be attainable, good ones are said to be perfectly competent classic drivers, and this one seems worthy of a bid given the no reserve listing and affordable price at the moment.
One of the cheapest ways to mark “owning a 12 cylinder car” off your to do list….but it could be painful….
I see a lot of evidence of deferred maintenance on this one. There’s at least one vacuum port open to the air on the right throttle body and the hot start circuit is completely missing the bypass valve on the fuel rail which begs the question of whether the vacuum lines that connect to it are open or plugged.
This thing can’t be running right. Given the deteriorated state of the wiring harnesses and the crusty looking hose fittings I would be shocked if the fuel injector hoses are in proper shape. I’d bet $100 they are cracked and in need of replacement.
I consider myself passionate about cars. I worked for a living on the European side of the fence and a couple of these V12 cars wound up on my lift. I could never feel the love or the passion for the XJS. They felt so stupid compared to the competition. Even the lines were not that beautiful compared to the E type these were meant to replace.
Perfect LS swap contender.
Spare me