i’ve been in love with these for a while now and really want my first car to be a XJ6 Series 3 (or older, if possible). The thing is I want them to be a daily driver also, driving about 20 miles daily. I would be willing to put some money for repairs before doing so but I am concerned this could escalate to something I can’t afford. I do know some people who have them as daily drivers but we don’t discuss the financial part of it.
What do you guys think? Any of you with a XJ6 daily driver???
Yes and no, I have a XJR that is my normal daily but sometimes it needs a rest, (like when it shits a shock absorbers) then my S11 come into play. Jump in fire it up and away we go. The S11 is also my tow car when I need to drag anything around.
yes you can.
Get a good example to start with (the best you can find) , it will save you money and time.
Best is if you can maintain the car your self.
I drive my '85 XJ6 about 45 miles each way back and forth to work for about half the year as my daily driver. I put about 20 thousand miles a year on my car. I have put money and time into my car to make it a stock, reliable car. I have even done 8,800 mile road trips in my car, hauling a trailer with it most of the way…They are very good cars IF YOU MAINTAIN THEM. They are NOT like a modern car that you just change oil and add gas. You will need to treat them like an airplane and do regular, preventive upkeep.
Back in the day these cars were daily drivers to the first owners who bought them, and they were expected to be reliable enough - which they are if maintained well. That’s the key issue, finding one that has been maintained well, and keeping up with the maintenance yourself. Buy a badly maintained example and costs will escalate.
No reason why it shouldn’t be as reliable as a modern car, but 1970’s/80’s cars needed more maintenance than current cars and that hasn’t changed.
My Series 3 is used for 2-3 thousand mile trips into continental Europe every year (I’m in the UK) and I have no more hesitation about setting out in it than I would in the present day car which I also own.
A lot depends on your location and your budget. Expect to spend a great deal of money on what
Jaguar drivers consider routine maintenance items. Check out how much parts are and realize
the source of these parts is limited.
These cars are nowhere as safe as more modern cars.
Location matters as these cars have serious rust issues
Check out what Honda or Toyota you could buy for a similar amount and then decide. Pete
Your friends won’t discuss the financial concerns on their cars? That may be an indicator to observe. Guessing that this is your first car you may fairly young and just starting out in the world. These cars require substantial money and work to get it to the point of being reliable. Do you wish to commit your resources of time and money or prefer to buy something affordably reliable and use the remainder to enjoy life?
Main issue with the XJ is to come back frequently, to understand the car, and they do profit from frequent use. Mine is shockingly reliable. Small issues abundant, but never had to phone in help yet and certainly never an issue while driving.
Liking the XJ is easy but you really have to look after it. Cost is not so much an issue as regular upkeep and thus hours invested. Also to some, dear Americans, parking space is more important than cost per mile.
In the case you should revisit this stick with the Series 3, buy the Peter Crespin buyers‘ guide and the manuals. The 3 is the most usable and cheapest. More importantly it has more power and the most improvements, even though I like the original design the most.
Confirming everything that has been written so far I’d stress the significance of a rust free body to begin with and an indoor parking space to give the car a chance to dry out after bad weather use.
The second thing is adequate use: daily driver and 20 miles per day sounds a lot like short distance driving under city or suburban traffic conditions. These cars are serious GTs rather than executives’ idle-in-congestion, do urgent phone calls and get a morning coffee commutes. So you may better enjoy the car on the open road once a week than torture it with inadequate use everyone day.