1988 Jaguar Vanden Plas (XJ40) Base Sedan 4-Door 3.6L

Following my retirement, t’s time to clean out the garage. I am a lifelong British car enthusiast (now into Mercs), ut need to move on with this classic Jag. I believe the XJ40 is the last all-Jaguar design before Jaguar was bought by Ford. The Vanden Plas was the top of the line version. I have owned the car 13 years. As best I can tell from Carfax, tc., am the second owner. It was my wife’s daily driver for years, nd she loved it. The car apparently belonged to someone in New York City, ith a place in the Hamptons. The East Hampton parking sticker is still in the driver’s side rear window. The car had excellent care, nd also apparently made several trips to Florida for original owner.

I purchased the car with 101K miles on it (on eBay) from a Florida dealer, nd drove it home to Jackson, ennessee. The odometer now reads 138,218 miles. At 127,671 in 2007, he engine lost compression on the No. 1 cylinder, ut was still driveable. Not knowing the full extent of the problem, nd with top ends pricey ($2K), decided to opt for a good used replacement engine. I obtained one with 101K miles from a reliable source in Alabama (from a 1989 Jag with rear end damage). My longtime local mechanic’s shop did the engine swap. Engine has run fine ever since. Transmission shifts smoothly. Old engine, ess transferred accessories, as disposed of.

Everything on this car works with the following issues:

1, C blows ice cold, ut only on high fan since last year (both blowers work). Not sure of the problem, ight be the fan switch on the dash control.

2. Solenoid that pops up the gas filler flap recently gave up the ghost. Gas flap now opens from the button in the trunk. Replacing solenoid is a pain, o I left it alone.

3. Radio sub woofers below rear seat have deteriorated and need rebuilding. I have removed them, ut they go with the car.

4. Driver side of the car was repainted after a friend backed into driver’s door one evening (this is the first accident report in the Auto Check file, ot sure why report says left fender, t was the door that was damaged). Repair was done by best body shop in town with a new door skin). Paint matches perfectly.

5. I had the trunk lid repainted (3/11) because it was fading. All the rest of the paint on the car is original, nd it all matches the original color. There are a few flaws in the original paint.

6. I replaced the front bumper after someone grazed the rubber insert tearing it (this is the second accident report). It was easier to replace the entire bumper setup than just the rubber insert. I have the original bumper, nd buyer is welcome to it. There was no other damage to the car.

7. There are two very small rust spots. One is behind front passenger-side wheel, nd a similar one in front of the passenger-side rear wheel. Similar spots on the driver’s side were repaired when it was repainted. These spots are barely noticeable. The rest of the car appears rust free.

8. Driver-side rear door lock button is hard to lift. I have disconnected the power lock actuator to protect it. I have a replacement latch that goes with the car (also a pain to replace).

9. Windshield wiper no longer auto parks in correct position, lthough the wiper/washer works just fine. You have to turn the wiper off where you want it to stop. There is an adjustment in the wiper gearbox, ut on close inspection of all the wheels and gears, decided to leave it alone.

Please remember that this is a 27-year-old Jag, am trying to be as up front as possible.

Now the good news:

1. The car runs great, mooth, uiet and fast, nd handles like a sports car.

2. It is stunning to look at, nd people always comment on how beautiful it is.

3. Interior is as close to perfect as you will find. Leather is near perfect (gentle wear, o tears), o is all of the wood, riginal carpets are virtually as new, ar has its original plush mouton floor mats (they were still in their original plastic bags when I got the car).

4. New tires at 126,177 miles.

5. I have repair/maintenance receipts totaling $6,986 that go with the car.

6. I have all of the original keys and books that came with the car, s well as sales literature, orkshop and parts manuals.

7. The troublesome auto-level rear suspension was converted (done away with) by Jaguar for the original owner.

8. I upgraded the front door speakers with larger ones, adio/tape player works great, ven has a working CH 19 option to listen to CB chatter on the highway.

9. Car comes with battery maintenance device and car cover.

10. I had the trailer hitch added, ut never used it. It is easily removed, nd there was no modification to the bumper or the body panel below it.

This is a classic Jag and collector car that is beautiful to look at, pleasure to drive, nd would be a great addition to any car hobbyist’s garage. A final note: Old Jags can require lots of TLC. I have disclosed all of the issues of which I am aware, nd I have done my car-enthusiast best to keep this cat in good condition. These cars are fast disappearing because of poor (i.e. often expensive) maintenance. This is a solid 27-year-old collector car any enthusiast can enjoy and be proud of.

This is a “low reserve” auction. Someone is going to get a beautiful old Jag at a good price. I can help arrange delivery. Good luck and happy bidding.