Some classic Jaguar XJs go for silly money - money that could easily secure you a house or feed John Prescott for a few days - but if you think outside the box, you can find a perfect sleeper classic before prices climb.
Classics For A Grand: 1996 Jaguar XJ6
The best part about driving any Jaguar XJ is, simply, the prospect of being seen in a Jaguar XJ. Very few cars command such respect on the road through sheer appreciation - swanning past in a saloon capable of 140mph that has been intricately designed and holds such pedigree it could be presented at Crufts - and win.
For more than 60 years, Jaguar saloons have captured the aspirational aspect in all of us. We want a leather lined, smoothly crafted road rocket capable of Starship Enterprise mileage where care and attention reward more than a successful insurance bond. We want comfort in excess of your mothers cooking during a relationship breakup and we want a driving experience the gods themselves would be proud of. Well, now is your chance to own such a vehicle - for very little money. A grand total of exactly £1000.
This XJ6 holds a 3.2 litre Straight-Six under that long, sloping bonnet paired with the famously smooth automatic gearbox permitted to so many Jaguar saloons. Covering a mere 62,000 miles in its 19-year life, the advert claims the Jaguar is in ‘good condition’ with 11 months MoT. It even appears to have gone through a recent service, with only two owners form new.
If all of the above is true, then you are quids’ in with this particular XJ6. The beige colour may not be to everyone’s taste, but his or her loss is your gain.
This generation of XJ, known as the X300, not only offers all the elegant charm from previous incarnations proudly trumpeting the Jaguar badge, it also allows contemporary and spirited driving on a budget. Finding an example that hasn’t been cared for correctly can provide endless nightmares, leaving you to rock back and forth in your shed at night trying to right the wrongs of shoestring maintenance, but sourcing a good example will provide hundreds of miles of pure four-wheeled satisfaction.