How to buy a DS420

First, realize that MOST DS420's are owned by undertakers or limousine companies. Their use as private transportation isn't so common. Cars owned by Royalty are pretty common, since Daimler had a habit of handing cars out on "extended loan" to people in the British Royal Family. Many governments (including Brazil, Columbia, United Kingdom, and others) have outfitted their embassies with DS420's for official use.

Royal Car?
All cars in the UK for official use by the Royal Family have a blue bullet shaped lamp on the roof with a clear upper section to light the Royal Warrant (Shield) that is bolted to the roof. When the car is "disposed of", the blue lamp is usually changed to white or removed. The Royal Warrant is always removed. Most members of the Royal Family have their own personal mascots (hood ornaments) and these normally remain with the car, but not always. Many cars exist that are being sold as "used by Queen in xxxxxx country", but in reality they were primarily used by her ambassador and she may have ridden in it but a few times.

The undertaker's car
You'll find these in good mechanical and physical condition, but devoid of every option except perhaps a flag mount. They generally are black, but examples exist in gray and navy.

The limousine company car
Older models tend to be fairly well gone. Limo companies run their cars until they drop, then pass them along. Mechanically and physically, these are probably the worst of the DS420's. Most older ones are black with leather interior, while newer ones tend to be maroon with leather or cloth interior. Options range the full gamut, from no options to many options, depending entirely upon the original purchaser's clientele.

The private car
This type of car tends to be heavily optioned, reflecting the desires of the original owner. If the car was delivered bullet-proofed, it's likely to be a private car. The more expensive the car originally, the more likely to be in good shape today.

Things to look at
Examine the mechanical condition of the car carefully. While the engine is known for long life, 125-150k on the odometer would signal the need for a tear down and re-build. Brakes tend to be good, even if neglected. Front brake pads are a special order item from your local Jaguar dealer. Exhaust system parts are still available. Review the rear suspension mounts where the front arm meets the floor-it usually is disconnected because the floor has rusted away. The car should be quiet at idle. The tranny should shift smoothly. Steering box probably will be leaking unless the car was driven regularly. The rebuild kits for the seals are in excess of $200 and it is a terribly messy and time consuming job to complete. The gas tanks tend to collect water, no matter how good your seal is on the filler and how often you clean the drains.

On the subject of rust, you'll undoubtably find some. Earlier cars were not particularly well rust-proofed, and contained the aforementioned rear roll-down window that allowed water and what-have-you to be admitted into the area next to the rear passenger seat, where it rusted out the floor and suspension mounting points. On older cars, you'll also find a propensity to rust in the front of the rear wheel well and the rear of the front wheel wells. On all cars, the tops of the wheel arches are fairly common rust-through points. Another common area, and difficult to correct inexpensively, is the swale line where the rear lower fender meets the side of the car below and behind the rear window. This joint tends to trap water and blister paint as it rusts. Because of its location, you end up repainting the entire side of the car once you've sandblasted the rusted seam. The area below the windshield is another common rust point, as is the flat shelf below on the front of the car that forms a "line" with the front bumper. The rear bumper mounting points and the area below the bumper also tend to have rust-through from water entering the trunk area.

In the interior, look on the rear floor for the fluffy over-rug. It should be there! Examine the working condition of the accessories, especially the division and exterior window lifts (if fitted). If the car has air conditioning, the controls should be in the left rear armrest. If they are up in the driver's compartment, this is "aftermarket". Try the rear seat heater by twisting the heat knob on the left rear armrest to full. You should feel hot air from the ducts on either side of the car on the B pillars. With the car running, push the "AIR" button on the dash. The flap in front of the windshield should flip open. For federalized cars, you should find a "hazard" switch on the lower right under the dash, a "seat belt" warning device, and a VIN plate fitted to the windshield on the left side. For 1983 and newer automobiles (and ones in cold climates that have been upgraded to the newer carbs), you will find a manual choke cable on the right side under the dash. Properly fitted, it should be a round silver knob or say "choke" and be the same shape as the one that says "bonnet" fitted on the same side. The wood should be burl, not a straight grained maple. If it is straight grained, it is because someone sanded off all the veneer! The finish should be shiny with a deep gloss.

Buy a COMPLETE car. You'd be amazed at the cost of some items: grill (complete) $5000+, door frame for rear door (no glass or window lifts) $3500, Hood Ornament $900, windscreen wiper motor $300, etc... Many parts are interchangable with Mark IX/X/420G/420/XJ6/XJ12, but some are quite unique to this model. Generally, mechanical parts are shared with many other models while body panels and interior parts are often unqiue. Some parts are "contact limo shop for availability"; others are "no longer available"; others are "in stock, how many do you need?".

Where can I buy a DS420?
In the US, where they are rare, you'll have to do some searching. You can occasionally find them advertised in Hemmings Motor News or Old Car Trader. Sometimes you can find them advertised on the internet. And sometimes, if you need a really cheap one and don't mind doing some body or mechanical work, it helps to know me since I actively track where lesser quality examples exist in order to have a source of parts if one of my cars is in an accident.

How much is one worth?
All DS420's are modern automobiles and can be driven on a daily basis for a very long time. Pricing varies WIDELY. Generally, price guides do not even list this model and if they do, they list it selling in "average" condition. The problem is, with less than 200 cars in the US, and most cars that change hands do so from hire company to hire company, that the "average" condition is what one would consider "poor". These cars are expensive to repair, have the aforementioned rust problems which most hire companies do not correct until it is too late, and require periodic maintenance that a modern limo does not (greasing suspension bushings, setting carb needles?).

Using the Standard Guide (Krause's) descriptions for pricing and assuming a standard configuration (no landaulet models or other customs and no previous famous owners). Conditions 2-4 also require the car to be in perfect mechanical condition with accessories functional.
2000 prices:
Conditionyearsprice range
2: Good condition, minor wear1967-1974$12,000-$18,000
1975-1982$15,000-$25,000
1983-1992$20,000-$50,000
3-servicable, some wear1967-1974$6,000-$10,000
1975-1982$8,000-$20,000
1983-1992 $10,000-$40,000
4-serviceable, needs resto1967-1974$3,000-$6,000
1975-1982$8,000-$15,000
1983-1992$10,000-$20,000
5-BAD1967-1982$2,000-$5,000
1983-1992unknown
2015 prices:
Conditionyearsprice range
2: Good condition, minor wear1967-1974$12,000-$30,000
1975-1982$15,000-$50,000
1983-1992$20,000-$60,000
3-servicable, some wear1967-1974$8,000-$15,000
1975-1982$10,000-$20,000
1983-1992 $10,000-$40,000
4-serviceable, needs resto1967-1974$3,000-$6,000
1975-1982$8,000-$15,000
1983-1992$10,000-$20,000
5-BAD1967-1982$2,000-$5,000
1983-1992unknown

Additional Notes on pricing:
These prices are what I see for sale in the USA. Prices in the UK and EU are generally lower. However, don't fall into the trap where you try to buy US cars with UK prices. The cost of transportation and importation costs more than erases the difference between US and UK prices.

I have seen some people with cars WELL over these prices. I recently reviewed a 1970 which had wagon wheels (from god-knows-what), white paint, a red velour interior, and a cadillac mascot on the hood that the guy wanted $15,000 for. The prospective buyer had no idea that the car was worth only $4,500 in that condition. Another car I've seen recently had a navy velour interior, sliding division, white enamel paint (peeling) over top the original black lacquer paint, and bad chrome. It did run nicely, and is probably worth the $3,500 the owner wants for it to someone who isn't concerned with authenticity and has a lot of time to do body work and paint on the car. Getting that car up to a nice authentic level would require an investment of more than the value of the completed car.

The Only Rule for buying a DS420
Buy it in the best condition 80% of your budget will allow. If you spend 100% of your budget, it will undoubtably break down as soon as you get it home.