1990 Jaguar XJS V12 Convertible

“The car was previously owned by my father-in-law and was his pride and joy. He bought the car from a local man in south Wales in 2003 and I believe it had five or six owners prior to that,” explains vendor Michael Donnelly. “It was my father-in-law’s pride and joy, and he only ever took it out for a spin around the scenic areas of the Gower here in Swansea, and on dry days only. He never spared a penny on it, spending what was necessary when required, with a local Jaguar specialist servicing it regularly. Other than routine service and maintenance, I’m not aware of any major works that it ever needed.”

Michael and his partner took ownership of the XJS after his father-in-law’s passing in 2011. “Since then, the car has primarily remained in storage in his garage, although we have used it for occasional Sunday drives and as our wedding car before applying for SORN and taking it off the road. In recent times I’ve started it regularly and brought it out for a hand wash on my driveway.”

With just 40,785 miles on the clock, it remains a low mileage example of a breed that’s capable of racking up far higher. “In my opinion it is a very original car and considering the length of time it has been stored, I think it is in very good condition. Mechanically it has been very reliable and starts first time, every time; it’s also an amazing car to drive.”

With a young family and a busy career Michael feels it’s time for the XJS to move on to pastures new. “I simply don’t have the time to enjoy it and it’s a shame to keep it in storage, with no proper use. I am sure that there’s someone out there that will treat it as their ‘pride and joy’ just as my father-in-law did.”

The long flanks of the XJS lend themselves well to the drop-top variant. It’s a sleek looking missile. Time has been kind to this example and it’s clear that it’s been garaged and well-looked after. Panel gaps remain very good, and both the bumper plastics and front valance retain a good depth of black to their respective colours.

Overall paint finish is actually quite good, although it would benefit from some proper machine polishing; that said, there are a few stonechips in places and that may prevent that. There are a few other blemishes to note including: a small blister on the n/s wing top near the windscreen; a small dent/crease on the passenger door; a few small blisters/lacquer peeling areas on the upper left of the bootlid; and a small pin dent below the pinstripe on the rear edge of the driver’s door.

Of more immediate need for action is a bit of rot at the bottom front and bottom rear corners of the n/s wheel arch; these should definitely be tackled sooner rather than later, so they don’t worsen. It’s worth having the o/s rear arch checked too, as it’s starting to show the beginnings of some rust. Tyres and alloy wheels both remain very good.

So, it’s a good looker and generally nice and clean, but a bit of investment will stabilise the body and help sharpen up it up aesthetically.

“Just as with the exterior there are some expected wear marks on the interior, but again I can’t fault it,” says Michael. We’d agree with that summary; it’s a nice original cabin.

The driver’s seat is showing some wear, but the outside bolster remains intact and a deep clean and the application of some leather feed should see it present sharper.

The wood veneers are good and the body-coloured carpets excellent retaining a nice level of pile; the rear parcel-shelf/storage box is in first class nick.

The XJS headlining can often suffer from sagginess but, far corners aside, this one is still decent. It does have one or two damp patches and stains from storage. The very good news is that the soft-top is excellent and the electric mechanism smooth, taking just 8 seconds to raise or lower.

The boot area too, is very tidy and you’ll find a spare wheel ensconced. There is a strong fuel smell when opened, so that’ll need to be checked.

“Every time I have had the pleasure of getting behind the wheel I have been so impressed by the handling and raw power of what is a 30-odd year-old machine. On a sunny afternoon, with the roof down and an open country road ahead, putting the foot down and letting it roar into life is truly one of life’s pleasures. The car is a real head-turner which is a bonus,” says Michael.

We’ve had the car at our Abingdon headquarters for a while now and can indeed confirm that it starts absolutely on the button, with the engine sounding smooth and spinning very sweetly (check out our Video Review, below). That’s transferred to the road with the XJS showing itself to be a very capable performer.

Pop the massive bonnet and you’ll find a very tidy bay, with the heat/sound insulation still intact and in place; the bonnet struts have however given up, so they’ll need replaced if you wish it stay up of its own volition. The underside looks solid but could perhaps benefit from a fresh rust-proofing treatment as the original product has flaked off in one or two places.

You’ll find the XJS’s V5c document in the history file and this confirms that it has had a total of nine owners. You’ll also find a comprehensive vehicle report, as well as the car’s original manuals, handbooks, and service schedule. There’s a huge number of expired MoT test certificates, a handful of invoices and some magazine articles.

It is MoT’d until 9th June 2023.

And that is that.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been maintained in recent years to a very good standard.

This Jaguar hasn’t been used for more than the odd sunny day blast since the vendor’s father-in-law passed away. In fact, it wasn’t used for anything other than that when under his stewardship; that means it’s been pretty mollycoddled since 2003, under the auspices of two careful owners.

“My father-in-law wouldn’t want to see the condition of the car deteriorate through being in storage in the long-term and my fear is that this will inevitably happen, unless the car is used regularly.”

That means that this quite original, low-mileage example of Jaguar’s big V12 drop-top is ready and willing to be used. Yes, there’s a bit of tidying up to do here and there on the body but a bit of professional, or if you’re handy, self-administered TLC will be a worthwhile investment. As such, we think this XJS Convertible will sell for somewhere between £15,000 and £20,000.

That’s a lot of Big Cat for the money. A lot of oomph, too. And a bit of a looker. Hello sunshine, here we come.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays 9am-5pm, to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.