March 28, 2024

Nice Price or No Dice 1987 Jaguar XJ-SC

The advert for these days’s Great Value or No Cube Jaguar XJ-SC says it used to be “introduced again to lifestyles” after being bought via a agree with sale. Let’s see if its fee can also be depended on to not be a ripoff.

In spite of its futuristic styling, the 1999 Mercury Cougar we checked out the day before today, is a automotive that moderately a couple of of you would very gladly go away previously. That’s should you’d even give it any idea in any respect. The bulk, then again, discovered it neatly saved and, at $6,000, now not egregiously priced. That ended in a 59 % Great Value win.

Image for article titled At $15,995, Will it Be Hard to Top This 1987 Jaguar XJ-SC V12?

Within the animal international, the Cougar is considered one of 5 large cats within the genus of Panthera below the overall circle of relatives of Felidae. Apex predators all, it’s now not unexpected that of the 5 — Lion, Tiger, Jaguar, Leopard, and Snow Leopard — all however one have discovered their names or likenesses used as automobile talismans through the years. I’m hoping {that a} Snow Leopard automotive is correct across the nook

Till then, let’s stay the massive cat title recreation afoot by means of having a look at a Jaaaag.

This 1987 Jaguar XJ-SC is one rather uncommon large cat. Simplest constructed between 1983 and 1988, those framed-window convertible coupes had been a stopgap measure to respire new lifestyles into Jag’s large coupe after it have been available on the market for 8 years. A complete soft-top convertible would substitute the SC in mid-1988.

Over the course of its model run, Jag built a little over 5,000 SCs. Out of those, just under 3,000 were left-hand drive and carried the silky smooth 5.3-liter V12 HE engine. This is one of those cars.

Image for article titled At $15,995, Will it Be Hard to Top This 1987 Jaguar XJ-SC V12?

According to the ad, this SC was originally sold in Santa Barbara, California. It changed hands in 2010 with that second owner holding on to it until passing away in 2016. After that, the car sat for five years until it was purchased out of the second owner’s estate. It was then (cue dramatic music) “BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE” by a repair shop. The ad describes the 44,500-mile car as “NOT factory perfection but a Clean, drivable, complete, sharp looking, functional Jaguar XJ SC.”

That lack of perfection is most notably evident in the Arctic Blue paint on the surface of the boot lid. That is fading significantly and will require a respray to make the car’s booty look fully presentable. Other than that, the big cat looks to be in fairly decent shape, and the most important parts — the three-piece convertible roof pieces — all look to be intact and in good shape. Also, the car comes with a decent-looking set of chrome-plated factory basketweave alloys and one “Domed Starfish” spare in the boot.

Image for article titled At $15,995, Will it Be Hard to Top This 1987 Jaguar XJ-SC V12?

The cabin, trimmed in blue leather and burlwood still has plenty of charm, although it is pretty cramped in there. The XJ-S in general is a bit of a reverse Tardis (big on the outside, small on the inside) but that’s just because more space is given to the glorious 273 horsepower 5.3-liter SOHC V12 engine under the long sexy bonnet. Mated to that is a standard four-speed ZF-sourced automatic.

Expect that combo to get somewhere around 11 miles to the gallon around town. This Jag will be free as a breeze to suck down that gas, though, as it comes with a clean title.

Image for article titled At $15,995, Will it Be Hard to Top This 1987 Jaguar XJ-SC V12?

Over its 21-year production run, Jaguar built a little over 115,000 XJ-S and later XJS models. Of the factory editions, the SC is one of the rarest. That’s because it simply wasn’t all that popular when originally introduced, lacking the coupe’s iconic flying buttresses or the later full convertible’s elegant and easy automatic roof. That makes the model unusual and interesting today. The question is; could this one be worth $15,995 in its present condition?

Image for article titled At $15,995, Will it Be Hard to Top This 1987 Jaguar XJ-SC V12?

What do you think? Is this rare big cat worth scratching out just shy of sixteen grand to buy? Or, does that price make you think this Jaguar will be even less popular now than when new?

You decide!

Los Angeles, California, Craigslist, or pass right here if the advert disappears.

H/T to Don R. for the hookup!

Lend a hand me out with NPOND. Hit me up at [email protected] and ship me a fixed-price tip. Bear in mind to incorporate your Kinja take care of.