1992 Jaguar XJS consumer reviews

I've owned and been using this sweet vehicle since 1998. No vehicle I know varies as much from example to example. The model came out in the mid 70s, a coupe to hold the developing V-12 engine for street use. Each year Jaguar tweaked this and that, mostly for the better. It followed the E-type, so often rated the most beautiful car model ever by a general retailer. To me, it was all about the engine. In 1975 Jaguar placed the V12 in a beautiful long body sedan which I used as a daily driver while living in the snowy Cascade mountains east of Seattle. I preferred the look of that sedan to the also available XJ-S which featured prominent rear flying buttresses. When the Classic Collection included the convertible chassis, I switched, thinking it to be even more attractive and also my twin boys had grown up and left home. In summary I have been driving that 5.3 Litre engine in its original and later High Efficiency HE form for five decades. I expect to drive it into a 6th then 7th decade, politicians be damned. I remain a bit of a Jaguar purest, not resenting the later Ford ownership but not treasuring the changes. One of the biggest variations in the V12 Jaguars is in the engine set up and tuning, the range is from a consumer tuned down 260 HP up to the Tom Walkinshaw Racing TWR with over 750 bhp. My first V12 sat in a detuned XJ12L garaged near Seattle. My browsing among locals turned up a former TWR mechanic who delighted in maximizing the stock engine without a wholesale change out. Our ability to test real horse power was inexact, but performance on what we had suggested a bit over 330. The power curve was maximized for the passing range 70 to 120 mph. This in no way explains my lack of speeding tickets during that ownership. I met one officer who marveled, he used the hottest cruiser in east county and when he chased me he couldn't keep up. In fear for my life, rural car safety did not promote stopping and sticking around to find out if the chasing vehicle was a good guy or a bad guy. When I saw flashing reds three or four switchbacks below me, I slowed, then used my better brakes to pull off. He flashed past me and we had a polite conversation. It turned out he was actually based out of county and did not want a distant court appearance. I told him of my reason for distancing myself from a chasing vehicle, after all, Cherry Valley Road very seldom saw a patrol officer and quite often well, let's stop there. The remote west has some very nicely built and maintained and lonely roads. It is not a place for autobahn speeding, but certainly a place where reasonable and prudent is possible. The variation from vehicle to vehicle has a lot to do with maintenance and frustration. These are not cars to run low on oil and coolant. Remove the cruise control from its silly location down in the V, the hot V of the V12. The bellows burn up anyway and all that fire compromises hoses and fittings. Inspect the engine with a keen eye every day. Leaks can happen and can be ruinous. I like looking at the engine, so fine for me. Get an expert to retune and reset the engine to your use. Send for the parts you need, racing quality, not from your local parts store. I change them less than once every ten years. Once right, they stay right. Get rid of the soft rubber bushings which make the vehicles dull and bouncy and iffy in the corners. See the review by Doug. These cars were made to race out of the box and detuned with crummy tires, loose suspension, yikes, some even have dirty windscreens. A convertible top may need to be renewed every ten years or so, competent fitters abound in Southern California but not in coastal Oregon. Know your helpers. And the biggest HINT, this powerful engine needed a very strong transmission. Domestic transmissions for passenger cars were insufficient in the 70s. What do we owners do? We go to a farm equipment repair facility and find the GM transmission expert. Use a conversion kit. The XJ-S was originally fitted with a Borg Warner Model 12 automatic transmission, but in 1979 this was replaced with the GM 400 automatic. Keep your housing, it is custom made. Replace the innards. Spring for upgraded sprags. Go online if your mechanic is unfamiliar with the transmission access panels under the carpet in the cabin. Do NOT use the Jaguar dealer specifications and procedures for transmission repair which take four time as long. I consider a new driver's seat. I'm refacing the interior wood.

Love the styling of this car! Always get compliments on that and it's excellent condition. Summer in Michigan is better from the view afforded while driving this vehicle. By the way, it is a 1989 (The drop box for car year would not take that number).

The XJS is a great vehicle. It replaced the iconic XKE to go on at the defacto sports car for Jaguar until 1996. The 1992 was considered the facelift model getting the European headlights and mechanical improvements over the prior years. This was also the last year for the two seater setup. A smooth driving vehicle great for long road trips.