Anyone know much about Jag E types?

[trader220]

I sold off my 89 Coupe, still have the 88 Targa.

I have become infatuated with Jag E Types. It looks like the prices have had a silly run over the last 4 years or so. Specifically I am looking at series 1 and series 2 FHC's. I don't want a 2+2 but I would consider a cab.

The series 1 cars, at least to me are the most beautiful, but they are more expensive and they have more potential for issues. The series II is probably what I am zeroing in on. Has to be a manual. Color is not important. Decent driver quality.

Talk me out of it? Talk me into it? I was thinking a total budget of $70k. So that means car, taxes and some cash on the side to address immediate needs. My mechanical skills are reasonable.

How do these things drive? If its set up well will it be a fun?

Anyone know a forum as good at Pelican for the Jags? I know thats a tall request, this place has been invaluable for me over the last 15 or so years.

All opinions welcome

Thanks.

[1990C4S]

Would you prefer an ugly car that drove like a tractor or a tractor that drove like a sports car?

I would choose the latter if those were the only options.

If it is an investment, then you need one of the PPOT forum experts to educate you. I would guess they have peaked in value, but I could be way wrong.

[creaturecat]

the coupe is the desirable one. just like a Porsche.
potentially a monstrous can of worms, imho.
sweet to look at. no doubt.

[LakeCleElum]

Do it. Biggest mistake in my car world was selling my '62 roadster in the early '80's for a mere $8,500:



Nice one on BAT right now:

1967 Jaguar XKE Series I Roadster | Bring a Trailer

[VincentVega]

Never driven one, only tried to fit into an early car once. No dice. Make sure you fit in one before you really get the itch.

Good luck, always loved the way they look.

[pwd72s]

None other than Henry Manny of R&T called the E type the greatest crumpet collector of all time. Simply gorgeous machines. The reputation of reliability isn't great, but that's not why you want one, right?

There are no crystal balls on where collector car values will go...

[Craig T]

Originally Posted by creaturecat

the coupe is the desirable one. just like a Porsche.

Odd that people on Porsche forums say this^^^^ Go price a 356 cab vs couple. Do the same for mid-year vets, early Ferrari's, 40's Buick Roadmaster, Early Lincolns...You name it. Older classic cars are almost always worth more in soft tops.

[Joe Bob]

Sexy but for crap electrical systems.....

[trader220]

Its not an investment.... I don't look at cars as investments. If in the end you made money thats great but its very rare.

I need to drive one for sure.

[trader220]

Originally Posted by LakeCleElum

Do it. Biggest mistake in my car world was selling my '62 roadster in the early '80's for a mere $8,500:



Nice one on BAT right now:

1967 Jaguar XKE Series I Roadster | Bring a Trailer

There are two on BAT right now. The one you linked to is already past my budget. The other is not but its a convertible. I am a big fan of BAT too. Thanks!

My biggest mistake in selling any of my cars is a pick em.... e30 M3 I sold for $16,500 with 43k, 93 RSA I sold for $36k with 42K, 89 Ruf Modded 930 with 53k for something like $36. My 94 Speedster was stolen and I passed on another after the settlement. The list goes on and on. Not worth choosing which was the biggest mistake.

[ckelly78z]

Funny story....A friend of mine called me one day to go look at a "sports car" that was fairly local for both of us. We showed up at this old shed style barn out in the country and met the owner. He took us inside the barn, and started pulling off old blankets a 1963 Jag E-type that had been sitting untouched for 20 years. What a beautiful car, but started adding up the restoration/rebuild costs in our heads to determine that the only thing that WE could afford to do is to pull it out of the barn, clean it up a bit, and re-sell it.

We asked the price, and the owner replied twenty five ! We both assumed that the price was $25,000 and therefore eliminated us as players on a car that wouldn't bring much profit. We thanked him for showing it to us, and said that we would let some other freinds know about it.

On the way home, I asked my friend if there was the outside chance that the owner had meant only $2500 or $25,000. We didn't want to offend the seller, so we didn't ask....probably should have.

[creaturecat]

Originally Posted by Craig T

Odd that people on Porsche forums say this^^^^ Go price a 356 cab vs couple. Do the same for mid-year vets, early Ferrari's, 40's Buick Roadmaster, Early Lincolns...You name it. Older classic cars are almost always worth more in soft tops.

i stand corrected. old heaps are desirable, as convertibles.
Porsches? other than the 356? coupes reign supreme in the marketplace.

[Craig T]

Originally Posted by creaturecat

i stand corrected. old heaps are desirable, as convertibles.
Porsches? other than the 356? coupes reign supreme in the marketplace.

If an early 60's Jag doesn't define "old heap" I don't know what does.

[Embraer]

here's me in my E-type. I made a killing off this car last year...but it was an absolute cream puff. perfect in every way. I do kind of miss it, but I threw the proceeds into better investments.

some things are easy to work on, others are a pain. for example...you're looking at a huge job for a rear main seal.

all in all, they are classy and a ton of fun to drive. getting in and out is kind of bear...was worse than getting in and out of my TR4. you have to crawl over the door sills to get in.

[creaturecat]

Originally Posted by Craig T

If an early 60's Jag doesn't define "old heap" I don't know what does.

i agree, as in "i stand corrected".

[scottmandue]

One of my all time favorite cars!
Seeing as I struggled keeping up maintenance on a 944 I don't see a E type in my future unless I hit the lotto.

[Tervuren]

I'm 6' 2", and either too tall, or too old. I went modern instead. :\

I'm still a little too tall for an XK8, but you'd get a car that is just as gorgeous, but probably a lot better driver.

For less than your $70k, you could have a darn perfect condition Jaguar XK8.

[cairns]

I have the same bug. Owned an XJS (V12) in the early 80s and my motto was better to have owned a Jaguar and lost money than to have never owned one at all. With a five speed that car would owned a 928 and was just as reliable if not more so.

Check out the updated E's at Eagle in the UK.

[Charles Freeborn]

Whenever I see an E type it reminds me of this scene in Mad Men...
TSG Single

My dad had one when I was a kid. Hit a deer with it. Damm shame.
Beautiful car, but I don't have deep enough pockets to own one.

[wildthing]

I know this has been touted as one of the most beautiful cars ever. I guess it just doesn't do it for me. Ok maybe the roadster is nice.