JAGUAR XJ-S V12

Year of manufacture 1989 Recorded mileage 72,861

Asking price £15,000 Vendor Adrian King, Bucks (private sale); tel: 07973 669967

WHEN IT WAS NEW Price £18,950 (’81) Max power 291bhp Max torque 317lb ft 0-60mph 7.4 secs Top speed 151mph Mpg 17

This Jag really is registered XJS 53L. Incredibly, when owner King checked with the DVLA, the number was available, so he snapped it up and is selling only because he wants another classic. The car has clearly been well fettled, with minimal mileage on the Mots after clocking up 55,000 in its first decade (the one aberration of 97,253 recorded in 2015 must be an error).

The body is straight and almost rot-free, with a couple of dings in the driver’s door and a smaller one over the offside arch. There are bills for sill and wheelarch work in ’02, and it’s been painted up to the waist. The only notable flaw in the paint is a dull patch on the nose of the bonnet, which also sports a few small bubbles – plus there are a few others at the bottoms of the rear quarters. The wheels were refinished in 2013, shod with General Grabbers that have lots of tread, and an aged NCT on the spare. The bumpers, too, were new in 2013, and are still excellent.

Inside, it’s similarly good. The seat leather is lightly creased, with the outer-side piping on the driver’s seat worn through. The centre console veneer was new in 2014, and is a notably stronger colour than the dash. The instruments are all excellent, including a functioning trip computer. The electric windows work, but the electric seatback adjustment doesn’t.

The motor is tidy, with various new pipes, valves and clips. It was last serviced (and all the belts changed) in March 2017 and the oil is still cleanish and to the top mark on the dipstick. We couldn’t see the coolant and the automatic gearbox fluid looks ‘used’ but doesn’t smell burnt. There’s some evidence of new paint on the inner wings, with some small rust bubbles above the right front damper mount.

It starts instantly and drives well, with the typical XJ-S slight float but no wallow. The V12 provides relentless prod, the kickdown works okay, and the smooth brakes are nicely weighted. Oil pressure on the move reads 45psi, with the temperature a third of the way up the gauge. Interestingly, the average mpg reads 17.4, which is exactly what the books say these do.

The XJ-S is better than average for its year, and the MOT runs until June.