A reader in Phoenix — I'll call him David — sent me a listing he was seriously considering. 1965 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 fixed-head coupe. Listed at $89,000.

He wanted to know: is this sorted?

Here's my read.

What the Listing Says

The car is presented as a "restored example with updated drivetrain." The photos are professionally done — always a yellow flag when you're trying to evaluate condition. The description mentions a "color change to Opalescent Silver Blue," an automatic transmission, and "updated wiring."

The original color, per the Heritage Certificate the seller included, was Carmen Red. The original transmission was a 4-speed manual.

The Color Change Problem

A color change on an E-Type is a significant strike. These cars have a documented factory color with a known Heritage Certificate. When you repaint a car to a different color, you're accepting several problems:

First, the price. The market values matching-color E-Types substantially higher than repainted examples. A correct Carmen Red S1 FHC in comparable condition would bring $105–125k on a good day at auction. The color change alone explains most of the discount from that number.

Second, the authenticity hit. E-Type people care deeply about correct presentation. At shows and at auction, a non-original color is noted and penalized.

Third, the quality question. "Color change to" in a listing description tells you the car has been apart. The quality of that work matters enormously. In the photos I can see the jambs look clean, but photos lie.

The Automatic Transmission

This is a dealbreaker for me, personally, but I want to be fair: there's a market for E-Type automatics. They were factory options. Some people prefer them. The Borg-Warner unit is reasonably reliable.

But the S1 E-Type with its straight-six XK engine and 4-speed Moss or all-synchro transmission is one of the most satisfying mechanical experiences in motoring history. Converting to automatic removes a substantial part of what makes the car special.

If you want an E-Type to look at and occasionally cruise, the automatic is fine. If you want an E-Type to drive — and drive properly — the manual is essential.

The Price

At $89,000, this car is priced at the low end of the S1 FHC market, which is appropriate given the color change and automatic. But I'd want to negotiate to $78–82k for the following reasons:

The "updated wiring" line makes me nervous. Who did the wiring? What harness? Does it have proper fusing? E-Type wiring is one of the three most common and expensive problems on these cars (along with the cooling system and front suspension), and "updated" can mean anything from a clean factory-spec re-harness to a nightmare of zip ties and generic wire.

The unknown quality of the paintwork. A proper color change on an E-Type, done correctly, is $25–35k. A cheap color change is a nightmare to live with.

My Verdict: Not Sorted

At $89k, this car needs more documentation before I'd write a check. Here's what I'd want before proceeding:

1. Pre-purchase inspection from a marque specialist (not a general shop — an actual Jaguar specialist) 2. Detailed history of the wiring work, with the shop's name and what they did specifically 3. Full history on the color change — who did it, when, with what materials 4. Transmission service records

If all of that checks out, I'd negotiate to $80–82k and move forward. At $89k on a car with this many unknowns? No. Not sorted.

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If you have a car you want me to evaluate, send it to chris@fullysorted.com with "Sorted or Not" in the subject line. I pick one per week.