considering a purchase

JAM, you obviously have very little first had experience with converting air conditioning systems and as usual, you don't know what you're talking about. With every converted system I've had first hand experience with in Jaguars and other cars, there is no noticeable difference in performance of the cooling system even at red lights where the average person spends about one tenth of one percent of his or her driving time.

R12 has been banned and is illegal to use and you should know this JAM. The shops around here cannot get R12. I have heard that some folks can obtain R12 illegally and if they do, they're charging $150.00+ per pound. R134a is around $5.00 a pound. So why charge a R12 system with three pounds for a cost of $500.00+ only to have it leak out in a year? That is why it's preferable to do a conversion to R134a.

And yes Doug, a compressor change isn't required but in my experience, every system I've converted and seen converted from R12 to R134a where the compressor was not changed resulted in the compressor failing within a year or two. R134a systems run at a higher pressure and since the older, used R12 compressor isn't used to running at the higher pressure, they usually don't last very long. Oh and you may not worry about the radio but I do and maybe you guys and Christa don't care if the A/C works but I can't survive any summer without A/C in my car. I'm not sure if Christina and her husband do either but it certainly is worth mentioning, don't you think?

One absolutely cannot conclude just because a $1000.00 car "drives home" that it was well worth the money. If anything that's probably the furthest thing from the truth. A 20 year old XJ40 with 130,000 miles is most likely not worth even getting for free, especially if you have to pay someone to do all the work on it which it will need.

R12 refrigerant is still plentiful and available; Getting expensive? yes, but not as much as a full conversion to R134a, and everybody knows that R134a does not get cold enough anyway, especially at red lights, where we spend so much of our time, so why spend $1,000.00 in a conversion and end up with a system that's at best, marginal? If it was me buying the car, I would stick with R12, there is nothing like R12. But if R12 was decidedly not an option where they live, there are alternative refrigerants like Freeze12, which outperforms R134a.

so if the compressor is still good, they can get away with servicing and recharging the system for maybe $300.-$400.

since they're only paying $800. to $1,000. for the car, what do they have to lose? $1,000. is the answer. Like I said, if it drives them home they got their money's worth, any other round trip drive is a bonus.

And if the car turns out to be a piece of junk, ( and I doubt THAT), they can resell it for about the same amount they put into it.

Some pictures posted here would be nice.

I dunno, doesn't sound that bad to me....as far as $1000 used cars go. Just about anything that runs and drives is worth $1000 these days :-). Of course, if someone has Jaguar dreams on a Chevy Cavalier budget, they might be in for a very rude awakening.

If the a/c is "cool" I'd say that it is fundamentally operational...perhaps needed a recharge only....or perhaps much more. Hard to say. But there are still shops using R12 (we do, for instance) but even still, a compressor change is not required just to change over to R134.

The radio would be the least of my worries with a $1000 Jaguar

Anyhow, Christa has apparently lost interest....

Cheers
DD

JAM, she said the A/C DOES NOT work, she said it only blows "cool" not "cold" and if I were guessing, it hasn't been converted to R134. If they want the A/C fixed (meaning converting it to R134), that'll run over $1,000.00 which includes replacing the compressor. If you try and convert an old R12 system to R134 without changing the compressor, odds are very good to excellent the compressor won't last long at all.

How's the radio/cassette deck work? Mine was a piece of junk in my XJ40 and I replaced it with a Pioneer which is tricky since the speaker wiring is weird. If you replace the factory stereo, you won't be able to use the subwoofer speakers which are under the rear seats.

Once again Christa, I would highly recommend against buying this car. What part of the country is this car in? They do have a reputation for eventually developing body rot problems in most parts of the country.

a first year XJ-40 for $1,000. is a great buy. The 1988 is a very nice looking car with all its problems, which that car appears to have none of based on your description. So go and offer $800. cash and if it drives you home, you've just gotten your money's worth. Pay cash and demand a Clear Title before you pay, do not finance it, because then someone else ends up with the Title in their hands.

A typical problem with this model-year car is the Self-Leveling Rear suspension system. If the system is bad and has not been converted to normal shocks, the rear tires will look like an "A". (splayed), If the rear tires look straight, like an "H", then all is good. If the Dash Information Display is working, and the interior blower fans are working, and the A/C works, go for it eyes closed. For $800. to $1,000. what can you expect? You probably spend that much eating out. Sounds like a great buy.

Hi Christa,
have a compression check done on the engine, check through all the repair bills and if all of these are looking reasonable buy it, sometimes cars of this age have been all fixed up by various owners and the initial warranty, what is a thousand dollars anyway,
Thes cars also give tremendous hi way mileage, 25 MPG going pretty fast..........
Good Luck, Art

That's the first year of that series of XJ6 (called an "XJ40" which are pretty much all the same from 1988 - 1994)) and you know what they say about "first year" models.

I would avoid this car at all costs. The door handles break and you cannot open the doors from the inside, they fixed this in 1990 or so. The climate control system is almost always an area of concern. Do both fan blowers work on all speeds? If no, each rebuilt fan is around $400.00 (there are two of them) and they are difficult to change. The heater cores rot out on these cars too. That's actually not too bad of a fix but if you have to pay to have it done, plan on $600.00 minimum.

Does the central door lock system work? If not, you're pretty well screwed as those are very difficult to diagnose and repair. Most people I know say if it's not working, it never will be.

Has it ever had a valve job? These engines are known for burning exhaust valves around 100,000 - 125,000 miles. That's a $2,000.00 fix.

The brakes aren't that complicated with these cars.

If I were you and your husband, I would find a nice 1995 - 1997 for around five to six thousand that will be in far better shape with less mileage.

Sounds fair to me.

At the risk of stating the obvious.....

A used Jag (or any other car, really) in that price range is dangerous territory. Even if basically sound you can count on it needing some TLC and repairs.....

What seems to be the problem with the brakes?

Cheers
DD