1987 Jaguar XJS V12 HE

Supplied new in May 1987 by Mann Egerton, Jaguar dealers in Kings Lynn, this superb Jaguar XJS HE 5.3 V12 was initially used as a demonstrator prior to being sold to the first of its three owners. Finished in Satin Beige over a tan leather interior, it is in excellent condition throughout with near perfect paint and rust-free bodywork.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen at the vendor’s premises in Coldstream on the Scottish borders; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. However, as the seller is aware that his location might not be convenient for some bidders, he’s offered to deliver the car at a discounted rate. As an example, delivery to Birmingham would cost £300.

The gold coachwork is in fabulous condition having benefited from a high-quality respray. An enthusiast with an eye for originality might want to reinstate the pinstripes but there is no denying the excellence of the overall finish which is even, glossy and free of the sort of apprentice marks that come with a cheap, under-the-arches blowover...

The chromework is still in fabulous condition, as are the various pieces of black rubber trim that tend to fade and scuff on lesser examples. The 15-inch Jaguar lattice alloy wheels are also in good condition being free of scuffs and shod with good quality tyres that all have plenty of tread.

Faults are few and far between: there is a small patch of paint near the boot-mounted V12 badge that has been touched-up and there is a scuff on the boot lid. The bonnet also bears a few stone chips, the offside rear bumper rubber trim has just come away in one place, and the engine bay has a couple of small spots of corrosion starting on the inner wings but none of these detract from the overall finish of the vehicle and all could be fixed at little cost.

The underlying structure is absolutely solid, something that can be verified by checking the car’s online MOT history and inspecting the comprehensive photos of the underside in the Gallery; the XJS’s Achilles’ heel has always been structural rust, something this car appears to have dodged as it appears to remain strong and rot-free.

The leather seats are free of rips, scuffs and tears and bear only a gentle patination. The rest of the tan leather interior is very clean and in fabulous condition, as is the extensive wooden veneer trim, chromework and luxury carpets and over-mats.

Just as importantly, all the electrics work as they should – and the original equipment Clarion stereo system is still in place and sounds as good as it did when it left the factory!

The factory toolkit is still in place too and is complete and looks to have been only lightly used.

Free of known mechanical faults, the seller also tells us that: “This is just beautiful to drive and, as with any good XJS, it’s incredibly smooth and comfortable. Performance from the V12 engine is excellent and while it is very happy to run at modern motorway speeds all day long, it’s hugely enjoyable to simply cruise around town and country, quietly and smoothly enjoying the luxury and wonderful ride quality.” This is undoubtedly due to the car’s extensive service history and the care it has received over the years.

The last service was carried out at 50,600 miles; even so, the car will be checked over before it goes to its new home and will benefit from a new 12-month MOT.

The XJS has covered just 53,000 miles from new and, as might be expected from us, it comes with a full service history. The vehicle will be sold with the original owner’s handbook pack including the service history book, whose 14 stamps show that it has been serviced every 3,800 miles on average.

The service history is supported with a file of old receipts, expired MOT certificates and even some old tax discs. It even comes with the original pre-delivery inspection (PDI) check list! A check through the recent invoices reveals some very thorough and attentive servicing from an owner who appears to want his car fully working and smart for any occasion – just what we like.

Please visit the ‘Gallery’ section of this listing where you will find photographs of all this and more, supporting our claim that this car has an impressively comprehensive service history.

We’ve seen a lot of XJSs over the years and this example is very good and so much better than most. With fewer than 53,000 miles and just three private owners from new this is a rare opportunity to get your hands on a genuine, low-mileage, treasured Jaguar coupe with the ‘right’ engine; after all, if you’re going to splash out on something profligate and powerful, then you might as well go for the most profligate and most powerful, hadn’t you?

And now is definitely the time to make your move as the price of good Jaguar XJSs has been gently rising for the past few years. We guide this example at £10-12,000 and the investment of another few hundred pounds on tidying the (very few) blemishes and reinstating the pinstripes would leave the owner with a car that would be as happy on the showground as it would be on a long, inter-continental summer road-trip. However, please remember that the reserve is set at a lower point than this, so you might just be able to snap up a bargain…

Viewing is always encouraged, and as mentioned above, this Jaguar can be found in the English/Scottish Borders.

Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.