I do apologize for for asking this question I understand that it has been answered many times before. Basically I want a SIII as a project but being new to these cars I want to know if it would be smarter to go for a xj40. But I don’t want a entirely logical answer because I am not a entirely logical person. I want to double check that the SIII is not going to be more than I could handle. I know all the problems common on the SIII (less so on the xj40) so those don’t scare me, more I am interested in difficulty of those repairs. This won’t be a daily more a project.
Dylan, welcome to the forums.
Logically the XJ40 is probably the better choice as it has a much more bullet proof engine and later running gear, not that a huge amount changed except for the ZF transmission either the 4HP22 or the later 4HP24 and redesigned rear suspension.
Yeah I completely agree, trying to deal with the imbound breaks in the rear is something I am not exactly considering a bonus, and a 4 speed auto is definitely going to make the car a lot more tolerable. Plus I always see xj40s chugging around locally in upstate new york, I think that says enough on their durability and reliability. Guess I just got to get pass my love for the looks of the SIII.
Yeah exactly, that last part you mentioned might be what sways my choice at the end, locally it is much easier to find a nice SIII than a XJ40 (in any shape). Mostly because the SIII are stuck in a garage not running but hey that’s neither here or there. Thanks for the advice as condition of the car is not something I have been putting enough importance on.
It really comes down to what you want in a Jaguar. The Series 3 and XJ40 are different beasts.
There is nothing like a Series 3. It has that old world feel. You sit in it and feel the quality. If you know the history, you can feel the dedication that Egan put into the machine. It was a true wanting of keeping something alive. And at the end of the day, when a Series 3 is good, it’s great.
If I were wanting a sensible car, that felt like a Jaguar and was reliable, I’d probably opt for the X300… But at the end of every day, I can say that a ride in my Series 3 has always taken me places where nothing produced afterwards can take me.
Cheers,
David shop.EverydayXJ.com
Anyway you look at it the 40 is the more modern, more complex car: It has the huge advantage of an economical 24V engine and an excellent 4 speed auto in most cases. Believe it or not, the sound in case you remove the mid silencers is also amazingly good.
I emphatically note that an 0ct.86 to 88 40 is a rare but complex beast, with the weirdest dashboard, and self levelling suspension: that is also rust prone (I drove one past 370000km). Latter 40s, post 1990 are a much more reliable option because of improved electronics and simplified hydraulics. They also have much improved door seals, that make the cars quieter and a zillion times more rust resistant in that area, but early cars feel really quirky.
Rust is a big big issue in early 40s: everywhere and to a lesser extent also in SIII cars.
SIII have looks that most jag fans love, and were really well-proven engineering. The xk is less economical than the AJ 3.6 and the 3 speeder is its major downside, uncomparable to the ZF four speeder. 40s cruise t precisely 2000rpm at 100km/h with quick kick-downs, this really makes a hell of a difference. As a car, a well sorted 40 (but it is a complex car to sort) is simply three decades ahead.
Have you considered a SI manual? Other than the odd vacuum powered ventilation system, its as simple as an XK can get, has an overdrive 4 in many cases and probably is a more expensive but better investment.
For the record I had my fathers 40 during almost 15 years, he now owns a proper and perfect SI 4.2. My brother had several SIII and maintains that his perfect family car is an SIII with an AJ16 powertrain…
Yeah I really am struggling between the two because as I look at it the 40 will be more dependable but when a problem arises I will likely struggle more to fix it, plus finding a good one is much more difficult I have found looking these past 6 months. I would love a SI manual but likely will be out of my budget and difficult to find and I have obviously avoided the SII due to reliability and quality concerns. SIII are just the most abundant locally which well not always a good thing makes it easier to find a good well taken care of one. Thanks for the help all of these comments are incredibly useful and I do appreciate it!
Dylan: please do not rule out the SII for reliability. I think many (almost all) you will be looking at will have been modified or part-restored by now. There is nothing instrinsically wrong with itand build quality issues will have been sorted by now.
I have a very simple question though: have you driven them? Depending on the way you drive, many of the honest opinions above will be very relative. Further to that, there is no denying that an extra gear in an advantage, but an SIII with a 2.88 rear end (simple enough to modify) will be a good cruiser.
I guess I should have added this earlier but I should probably mention the area I live. I live in upstate New York which makes it difficult to find cars in nice shape without heading down south. Most cars that were driven have rusted away from the salted roads which means there is two types of Jags I see most. Not running since 99 or xjs v12s, usually convertibles. Don’t get me wrong I would love a xjs but a V12 is something I just can’t consider at this time. SIII and SII are common but a lot are barn finds which means they are in great cosmetic shape but I wouldn’t be able to get that back and running at least not semi reliably.
But usually there is a good example that is for sale at a time and usually it’s a SIII from what I have seen, so I just wanted to see if it would be better to wait for a xj40 to come along or go for that SIII. All these answers did a wonderful job organizing my thoughts.
Add the X300 to your shopping list, and of the three find the best deal out there. Upstate NY rust is epic. You’re going to find a particular car that has price and condition considerations that far outweigh generalized opinions about the three variants.
I wouldn’t rule out either car. Either could make a good hobby car. Either could be a nightmare. Keep you eyes open and be ready when the right one comes along.
That said…
What’s your budget? What price range are you shopping in? Are you looking for a $3000 Jag or a $10000 Jag? I’d suggest spending more for a better car…so you can immediately start getting some enjoyment of of it.
Buying at the low end …if that’s where you’re headed…is setting yourself up for very big challenge, perhaps overwhelming. And your efforts (and expenditures) will probably fall under the category of “putting new shoes on a dead horse”
What’s your actual experience level with DIY repairs? If zero, well, I’m not entirely convinced that a 30-40 year old Jag is the best stepping-off point into the world of DIY repairs. On the flip side, internet support for old Jags is the best you’ll ever come across.
Spend your weekends driving or polishing. I would buy the newest, lowest milage XJ8 or, even better XJR, I could find. One of my neighbors had an XJR. Every time I saw it I felt a slight stirring in my loins…
I replaced the hazard switch on my 85 XJ6 with one from a 1987 XJ6 (which was a pain in the xxxx to do)! Everything is working perfectly EXCEPT the turn signals work with the car off;the hazards work only when the ignition switch is on!
I have reviewed this old Jag-Lovers link. I feel there are 2 wires that need to be switched???
