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Off Topic - Suggestions?: Gotta sell an ‘05 Jag XJ8 Long Wheelbase
Gang,
Been around here for a while. Some of you may know me from my posts.
As the “car guy” in my family I’m more or less charged with selling my Mom’s car an ‘05 Jag. She passed away last year after a long a very happy life. Much as I know about cars, I don’t know much about selling them. I’ve still got the 1st car I ever owned - my ‘66 Olds 98 convertible. 40+ years later…
The details about her ca are nothing to be embarrassed about. It’s a 75k mile, 2005 Jag XJS LWB (long wheelbase) with a 4.2 V8 from the “Ford Era”. In Jag talk it’s an XJ350. It’s got a little clunk in the front suspension (my guess is a worn bushing or 2), the right front bumper has a senior citizen scratch, and the A/C needs to be drain-cleaned & the shot with mold killer. I put new tires on it a year ago, fresh brakes too, and I had the suspension compressor replaced since it was showing an annoying fault in the dash display. I replaced the headliner since the droopy unglued original was p*ssing me off. For fun I personally replaced the plugs, oil & air filters and maybe coil packs 72K miles. So the d*mn thing is totally solid.
Mom bought the car when she was 69. And drove it for another 12-14 years, and then didn’t drive it much owing to age & safety. In the later years she didn’t want to go on the freeway so the typical trip was about 3 miles round trip so she could exercise/walk on level surfaces in a nearby town. It’s kind of a cliche, but this is one of those where it actually was the little old lady driving it very short distances. And since she was my Mom, I pretty much handled har car’s maintenance from 2016 or so.
The car guy in me would love to keep the car. It accelerates like a scalded dog, is quiet on the inside, and the air bag / rear independent suspension makes it really handle great in the curves. I took it to San Francisco today. But I just don’t need a 5th car.
I don’t have the acreage to store this car. So it’s sitting around with a perfect interior and beautiful red paint, but I gotta get rid of it.
I’d sell it to a college kid, but then they’re saddled with a car where you can’t get/buy replacement sunroof or door seals. And repairs are costly. So it’d be a cr*p gift and hurt more than it would help.
I’m not pitching you guys, exactly, but what suggestions do you have as to how I can sell this thing on the low end of the blue book range? I believe the range is $4-19k. I’m somewhere in the $6-$8k range, but really mostly because we put $3-4k into it last year.
Craigslist used to be good but it certainly is a cesspool these days. Keep in mind you can always meet a prospective buyer somewhere public. I never have strangers come directly to my house when I list something. Facebook marketplace is 'the new Craigslist'. There's a lot of dopes on it that you have to put up with but I've had great success selling stuff on there. Same thing applies - meet buyers somewhere. Don't invite them to your house.
If you're happy being under value on the car, you will have no problems selling it quickly. In my opinion, there's no need to deal with the issues associated with auction sites. List it locally at a good price and it'll sell - fast.
I signed up for BAT. If goes that way, I'll cc you guys. Still hoping to get it to a friend locally, but it's a pretty tweaky offer.
Since you all like pictures here's a post-wax shot from last year: 20 year old XJ8. Driven by my 70+ Mom to her flat walking site from 2010 to 2020 or so til she was better off not driving. 75k miles. Took a day and waxed it last year.
If I get inbound from scammers or dodgy cr*p I'll donate it. I have no time for that stuff.
If you look closely you'll see my '66 98 convertible behind it. I sure am glad we have a long garage. But it's tight getting both of those old long cars in.
If local interest Peters out, I'll wax it again, shoot typical BAT shots & off it goes.
Just to close this out, the Jag went to a friend’s 75ish year old Mom who always wanted one. Happy owner I hear.
I mentioned its availability in passing, so my friend borrowed the car for a nice long 3 or 4 day test drive up to the mountains and back - probably 800 miles or more so that flaws would show. And had a ball. This car was particularly good on the open highways with the independent rear end and properly sorted air suspension.
She gave the car to her mom as a gift which worked out just great. Months later Mom is having fun and my friend enjoyed it so much she might want it back again some day.
Was dealing with all manner of inheritance stuff over past couple of years and not done yet, but the overriding learning is when there’s stuff no one in the family wants, look for the highest best purpose for the unwanted item: sell, donate, recycle, or trash as the case may be.
