I love my 1996 Jag XJ12 and have owned it since 2006. I’ve put 55,000 miles on it and have maintained it fastidiously. I LOVE the V12 motor, but it’s a gas hog. I’ve told these cars will last over 200K with good maintainence. It now has 120K on it. Should I keep it, or sell it?
Yours is one of the most maintenance- and repair-intensive cars ever made, certainly in the last 20 years. Any car can last over 200k, with enough $$. It’s the $$ that are up to you.
I have found it to be trouble free so far, except for expected replacement parts: brakes, shocks, battery, some belts and hoses, and tires. Small oil leak, but it IS British. Have you had any experience with Jaguars?
Are you saying you’re surprised that an automobile with a V-12 might burn more gas than other cars? Surely you knew it was a gas hog when you bought it.
Properly maintained, it will most likely survive quite a few more years.
If you love it, as you say, and it’s been “trouble free,” why would you want to sell it? There is nothing like it on the market today.
You either enjoy the V-12 and pay for the gas, or you drive something that gets better mileage.
Which do you want?
I have talked with several XJ and V12 owners, and they have commented on the major repairs required. The oldest data I can find on Consumer Reports is 2000, where the various engine and transmission areas are either ‘worse than average’ or ‘much worse than average’. That said, you could have a relaible one. If you like it, keep up the maintenance and just be ready to buy something different if a major problem comes up. There’s no need to get rid of it if it’s running well.
edit-except for the gas cost, and there’s nothing that’ll fix it on your XJ.
Never fall in love with something that can’t love you back…Today, the cash value of your car is very little, so you might as well keep it at this point…
Check out the resale value really lack thereof and then decide. I would keep motoring on and chance it having a major problem and then trade or junk it. This is a $3-4k car in decent running condition.
“Are you saying you’re surprised that an automobile with a V-12 might burn more gas than other cars? Surely you knew it was a gas hog when you bought it.”
And gasoline prices were significantly lower in 2006 than they are now. Why should jimjcmo be constrained to the same decision process now as in 2006? Times change, and ecision criteria change with them.
Never fall in love with something that can’t love you back…
Caddyman, I have seen this line several times from you, and each time I read it, I feel sorry for you for having such a cold unfeeling outlook on automobiles. It is okay to feel an emotional attachment to a machine. It might not be something you feel, but that shouldn’t stop the rest of us from being human.
My advice is to not let these feelings get in the way of making a good decision. When deciding whether to keep or get rid of a vehicle, you might be able to consider the question with complete detachment, but you should understand that outlook is somewhat unique.
Two things that’ll help you keep your XJ12 running long are finding a good Jaguar-knowledgeable mechanic, and getting plugged into the Jaguar owner community. Google ‘Jaguar forums’ and you’ll find plenty of sources of experience on your car. For example, the reported frequent Jaguar V12 engine fires would concern me, but with some searching I found those are more associated with the pre-'94 models, whose fuel injection lines are known to leak. You need to get in touch with folks that deal with these on a daily basis, make the most of their experience.
Humans are addicted to automobiles. They are as bad as Heroin…I view cars for what they are, machines that provide me with transportation. But, but, it has a World War 2 era V12 engine under the hood !!! So what?? What difference does THAT make?? You want eye candy? Jag gives you plenty of that…
My vote is to keep it if you can put up with the gas hog angle of it. The repairs you mention are normal maintenance items that every car needs and there is no reason to think it won’t go far more than 200k miles if it’s in solid shape right now.
I’m also one of those who love my cars; with a few exceptions of course.
Seems more like a lack of foresight to me. I would think that if one were getting a vehicle particularly one not known for especially good reliability or especially cheap repair costs nor frugality at the pump. That some thought would be given to contingency.
Back when gas was $4+ a gallon and I was spending over $120 to fill up my Bronco. It was no big deal to me, because when I bought the 9 MPG beast I knew that relatively poor fuel mileage was part of the deal and I was willing to live with it. Plan for the worst and hope for the best.
A friend and colleague of mine had just such a car. He used to have an engineering company, but is now retired.
His V12 Jag never had a breakdown as such, but it cost and arm and a leg to keep running because of the very expensive maintenance. Last month it was totalled in a collison, and although he was going to buy the car and have it fixed himself, neither Jaguar or anyone else had the parts or could get them.
Once Jaguars start needing major parts or repairs, you will need a second job. And no amount of fastidious maintenance will make it “reliable” or as long lived as a good Japanese car.
He stresses that this car always was his “toy”; he could not depend on it for daily transportation, especially in the winter. Both him and his wife have Acuras as their “work” cars!!
Keep it as a FUN car! Think of it as a girl/boy friend; not, as a spouse. Have a “work car” for transportation.
I always admired the sleek, voluptuous lines (all in the appropriate places), of the Jaguar XKE convertible. Had a “beat-to-hell” one for a while. Sold it to someone who could/would put the many thousands of dollars (or, pounds sterling) it would take to restore it. Who knows, it may still be a garage queen.
The Jag V12 engine went into production in 1971,development of the engine started in 1964 for a LeMans racer. That is a long way from WW II.