Well Bought

Jaguar XJ Sport (X300)

CAR 1997 Jaguar XJ Sport 4.0 SOLD £950 ORIGINAL ESTIMATE No reserve, Barons, 10 December It’s a £950 Jag – surely that’s a big bill in waiting?

Actually, this one was pretty good. The bodywork had lasted very well and there were no signs of corrosion in the wheelarches; the back ones were notably very tidy and the door bottoms had no rot, either. Panel fit was very good and a reflection of the drive for better quality that Ford instigated to improve Jaguar’s appeal, especially in export markets. Unusually there were no bumper scratches or scuffs, which these models can suffer from, and while it might be a rather minor point, the glass was good, too. The alloy wheels were in good order and showed little sign of neglect.

The interior wasn’t bad, either.

Generally not bad at all. Ford’s influence meant that Jaguar interiors were lasting better by this period and this one proved the point, with one notable and to-be expected exception – the driver’s seat showed the usual wear on the outside edges while the other seats (in lovely cream leather) were in good condition with no tears or marks and it was pleasing to see all the interior lights worked. The door cards were good, too, as was the dashboard. However, a look upwards revealed that sadly all-too familiar trait of these models – the sagging headlining.

The history helped here, too.

Five owners from new, the last a churchman, while the book showed main dealer servicing to 98,000 miles, with recent spending on new front discs, pads and calipers as well as track rod ends and a complete exhaust system. A major service was carried out in January 2019.

So what kept the price down?

The let-down was the paint, which gave the appearance of having been through too many automatic car washes. The roof, bonnet and boot lid had many scratches and the lacquer had long gone – the sides had fared way better.

Values will start to creep up.

Those old enough to remember when Jaguar Mk2s were worth very little will see history repeating itself with the X300/308 XJ range. As with their predecessors, they’re in plentiful supply and consequently in varying conditions – from the immaculate low-mileage one-owner model to the scruffy and unloved… they’re all out there. But the market for them is slowly strengthening – just as it did with the Mk2 back in the early- to mid-1980s.