1995 Jaguar XJS V12

This 6.0-litre (5993cc) V12 XJS is a late example of the facelifted Series III and was first registered on 10th February 1995. It was supplied by Evans Halshaw to the John Tams Group ceramics and pottery business in Stoke-on-Trent. It is most likely that this was the company car of owner Gerald Tams, who knew a thing or two about the marque having a collection of more than 10 classic Jaguars.

The car had several short term owners and moved around the UK to Leicestershire, Yorkshire, Berkshire and Worcestershire before settling down for five years in Uxbridge with the founder and Managing Director of a translation services company.

The current owner (understood to be its 8th) bought the car in 2010, paying the garage looking after it to fix its gearbox issue, and since then has diligently logged and filed every significant expenditure during his custodianship, which can be seen in the documentation gallery.

A Jaguar Club Member and previous owner of XJ daily drivers, he was looking for something for “high days and holidays”, that was relatively modern with a big engine but still sufficiently analog that he could do some of his own maintenance on it if he chose to. He’s used the XJS for exactly that, travelling through France and Spain and across the UK, covering around 15,000 of the 74,800 miles it shows now.

Having lost a cheap local storage option at the same time as acquiring an XKR, and with declining use, he has had to decide which of the two to sell. As it feels a little more precious to be leaving in car parks for fear of damage, the XJS is the one that’s going.

The outside of the XJS is finished in Morocco Red pearlescent, a deep, almost aubergine colour, with what appears to be red and silver accent coach lines. Yes there are a few scuffs and scratches around the car, such as small marks behind each door, but way fewer than you would normally expect from a 25 year old car. What bodywork repairs that have been done, have been done well and are barely discernible against the original paintwork. There are the first signs of rust on the leading edges of the sills at the wheel arches but otherwise the paint on this car appears very strong.

Panel fits and shutlines look pretty good all round and the chrome fittings and trims present well. All glass appears damage free, as do the light lenses, including the smoked rears. The boot lid badges are losing their chroming a little, no doubt due to the car being lovingly washed so often.

The optional silver 16-inch 5-spoke alloy wheels present in a very good condition as they were refurbished in 2014. They were fitted with matching Avon ZV5 tyres in 2012 and have done only around 14,000 miles.

As we will never tire of explaining, our experience shows that matching tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to maintain their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - but it does perhaps give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

The cabin interior is decked with plush Magnolia leather across the seats and door trims with burr walnut veneer on the dash and centre console around the characteristic T-bar gear lever. The wood trims on the door tops also have contrasting lighter wood inlays. Most of the leather and other trim appears to be in good condition. There is a little discoloration in the hide on the rear seat behind the driver, which the owner reports as recent, due to him having maybe left a slightly damp cover or coat on the seat whilst in winter storage.

The beige carpets look a little lived-in but are intact and undamaged, as are the sill kick plates, although understandably lightly scratched as befits their function. The headlining, fitted new in 2014, is clean and in good order.

Entertainment and communication is provided by the Pioneer CD stereo with bluetooth and aux capability - also adding a phone mic which is clipped to the binnacle. This was installed in 2014 but the original Jaguar-branded radio cassette and CD-changer units have been retained with the car.

All electricals and functions, such as cruise control, memory seats, mirrors and windows are reported to be working correctly. Although working, the air conditioning has required regassing annually which suggests there may be a tiny leak in the system but an annual top up has proved a cost effective solution.

Hopefully you can see from the photo gallery that this handsome XJS is in a pretty-good condition - but you don’t have to take our word for it - this car is located in Carmarthenshire, not far from Swansea - why not use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the page to arrange a personal inspection or a video call for a closer look.

Under the front-hinged bonnet, the engine bay presents in a neat and tidy condition with only a touch of surface rust on the tin-work like the air cleaner housings. The huge V12 and its ancillaries all but fill the space but everything seems to be in good order as expected from a car that’s been continuously well maintained. On the underside of the bonnet lid itself, some of the acoustic lining has worn away exposing the insulation beneath.

Underneath the car, there have been some corrosion issues picked out in MOTs but addressed with professionally welded repairs. It’s fair to say that the rear suspension radius arms are showing a bit of surface rust as they were fitted after the rest of the undersides were waxoyled and could now do with being wire brushed and coated.

In the boot, the hard-wearing corduroy carpeting and lining is in a good condition, covering the battery compartment and the full size spare alloy wheel. This was also refurbished along with the road wheels but is fitted with an Evergreen tyre which has barely been used.

There is the standard tool roll containing the jack and wheel braces but also present is the Jaguar boxed toolkit supplied as a factory option with the late model XJS (‘94-96). Quite rare to still see these with the cars and they can change hands for a couple of hundred pounds - although this one is not quite complete (reversible-head screwdriver is missing).

As mentioned previously, the current owner has been fastidious in logging all service expenditure on the XJS, creating a spreadsheet list of when, where and what was done to the car.

The XJS comes with a current MOT valid until September 2020 and the online history shows only a few failures, the most significant being in 2017 where corrosion was found. The log shows that this was dealt with by welding work carried out by Celtic Classics. There have been no gaps in MOT testing since 2006 when online records began, and the car has clocked up around 25,000 miles over those 14 years so it has clearly been kept in regular use - vital for any classic - and tested annually.

The service book shows stamps from main dealers until 2000 and by Jaguar specialists thereafter until 2009. Since that time, as you will see from the log and invoices, the current owner has trusted servicing and maintenance to a combination of Jaguar specialist’s, Mistermatic and Celtic Classics Garage.

Work over the last twelve months includes bodywork repairs, new alternator, power steering overhaul, aircon regas, new battery and an oil and filter change.

The car comes with two sets of keys and fobs, documents file and the leather pouch holding all the original owner’s manuals and service book. Plus, as mentioned earlier, the toolbox and original audio units.

The XJS, and XJ-S before it, has always split opinion but in recent years more enthusiasts and collectors seem to be coming over to the ‘Yes’ side and seeing it for the amazingly capable and classy grand tourer that it is.

While so many have been neglected after years in the doldrums, this one has been consistently maintained over the years - and it shows. As can be seen in the video, the V12 starts and runs well with a powerful but understated roar. The vendor reports that it drives as well as it sounds, whether cruising sedately or giving it the beans.

We expect that this handsome, original and well-maintained car, with decent mileage and a solid history will sell for between £15,500 and £20,000. The new owner may not be a company chair or founding director, but this car is perfect for anyone who wants to taste a bit of that self-made, successful executive lifestyle and has an eye to future values.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with the vendor in Cross Hands between Swansea and Camarthen; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

This vehicle is not with us at The Market’s HQ near Abingdon, which means we have had to rely on the owner’s description of it, in conjunction with the photographs you see here, to compile the listing.

With this in mind, we would encourage potential bidders to contact the owner themselves and arrange to view the car in person, or to arrange a dedicated video call in which they can view the car virtually and ask questions.