RE: SOTW: Jaguar XJR (X300)

[pSyCoSiS]

Phil_v8 said:

Errrr Im the seller, my knowledge on cars is good enough thanks - its obviously my honesty that lets me down, or more likely your lack of understanding on cars like this. The manifold blow is so minor you only really notice it with the bonnet up and your ear to it (it seals once warm and stops) Likewise theres a set of as near-new as you'll find manifolds included (not cheap or easy to come by) with no stripped or damaged threads to worry about; so whats its an easy fix.
Its as cheap as it is because I need it gone (it has now sold by the way) Its never had any welding, the scabby bits are exactly as described - no worse.

"little more than scrap" eh? You should see it compared with other jags of this age, you'd be plesantly surprised - I'm always very critial when I sell a car, the same as when I buy them. Im losing out by selling it so cheap; but personal circumstances dictate that it had to go.

Dont pass judgement until you've seen/driven it - and please, dont question my knowledge.

Whats the old saying? Opinions are like A**eholes, everybody's got one..........

Cheers!

Well said! You get so many negative comments about some SOTWs.

It's worth just taking the plunge - it's £1k, not £15k, for a superb piece of engieering.

There's no satisfying some people!

[k-ink]

After some thought I have decided to get an XJR for my next ride. I'll probably be looking at the most mint examples. Which versions are the most reliable engine wise? Thanks...

[iainv8]

Absolutely perfect for one of gumball style rallies for bangers like ramshackle rally etc

[ILoveMondeo]

Oh Lordy I've been doing the maths on an xj since this was posted... Not good, the last time that happened I ended up with a ruinously expensive s8 from the bargain barge thread for 12 months.

[Dominicc01]

k-ink said:

After some thought I have decided to get an XJR for my next ride. I'll probably be looking at the most mint examples. Which versions are the most reliable engine wise? Thanks...

X300 (95-97) straight 6 AJ16, as per the SOTW, are the most reliable cars Jag ever made. The X308 V8s post Sept 2011 had redesigned cylinders to avoid the Nikasil issues, but to be honest, if it's survived this far and isn't losing gallons of oil, it will be fine - so all of the V8s should be fine, but not as reliable as the straight 6.

[ILoveMondeo]

Dominicc01 said:

k-ink said:

After some thought I have decided to get an XJR for my next ride. I'll probably be looking at the most mint examples. Which versions are the most reliable engine wise? Thanks...

X300 (95-97) straight 6 AJ16, as per the SOTW, are the most reliable cars Jag ever made. The X308 V8s post Sept 2011 had redesigned cylinders to avoid the Nikasil issues, but to be honest, if it's survived this far and isn't losing gallons of oil, it will be fine - so all of the V8s should be fine, but not as reliable as the straight 6.

Slightly cheaper servicing with the s6 rather than the v8 too. But when it comes down to it we all want a v8 really!

[sumnide82]

I've bought the car. Slapped a deposit down.
Picking it up tomorrow. Can't wait.
Got a 2.5 hr drive home, Kickdown all the way.
If it blows up, I'm in the RAC
If I smash it up, I don't care
I'm gonna smoke it around like bullet tooth tony until I get bored of it.
I've bought a pair of tights to pull over my head for extra effect.
Then I'll put a new MOT on it and get my money back or maybe make a few quid.

Can't beleive so many people have to hesitate before spending less than a grand on something that is worth that in bits.
I've lost a grand on much more boring stuff than 330bhp ram raiding missile...
Whats the worst that can happen?!

[ILoveMondeo]

sumnide82 said:

I've bought the car. Slapped a deposit down.
Picking it up tomorrow. Can't wait.
Got a 2.5 hr drive home, Kickdown all the way.
If it blows up, I'm in the RAC
If I smash it up, I don't care
I'm gonna smoke it around like bullet tooth tony until I get bored of it.
I've bought a pair of tights to pull over my head for extra effect.
Then I'll put a new MOT on it and get my money back or maybe make a few quid.

Can't beleive so many people have to hesitate before spending less than a grand on something that is worth that in bits.
I've lost a grand on much more boring stuff than 330bhp ram raiding missile...
Whats the worst that can happen?!

Top lurking!

You are my hero for the weekend!

Good luck! Please report back on how it goes!

[Roadrunner23]

ILoveMondeo said:

Top lurking!

You are my hero for the weekend!

Good luck! Please report back on how it goes!

+1 Well done.

[Big Rod]

sumnide82 said:

I've bought the car. Slapped a deposit down.
Picking it up tomorrow. Can't wait.
Got a 2.5 hr drive home, Kickdown all the way.
If it blows up, I'm in the RAC
If I smash it up, I don't care
I'm gonna smoke it around like bullet tooth tony until I get bored of it.
I've bought a pair of tights to pull over my head for extra effect.
Then I'll put a new MOT on it and get my money back or maybe make a few quid.

Can't beleive so many people have to hesitate before spending less than a grand on something that is worth that in bits.
I've lost a grand on much more boring stuff than 330bhp ram raiding missile...
Whats the worst that can happen?!

LIKE!

[Jaguar steve]

Dominicc01 said:

k-ink said:

After some thought I have decided to get an XJR for my next ride. I'll probably be looking at the most mint examples. Which versions are the most reliable engine wise? Thanks...

X300 (95-97) straight 6 AJ16, as per the SOTW, are the most reliable cars Jag ever made. The X308 V8s post Sept 2011 had redesigned cylinders to avoid the Nikasil issues, but to be honest, if it's survived this far and isn't losing gallons of oil, it will be fine - so all of the V8s should be fine, but not as reliable as the straight 6.

Post 2011? Over a decade out there...

2000 model year in fact. Cars with conventional steel liners instead of a nicasil coating directly on the aluminum bores can be identified by the last 6 figures of the VIN number being one letter followed by 5 numbers. Several earlier nicasil coated cars cars will have had replacement steel lined engines fitted under warranty and can be identified by a metal tag at the RH rear of the block or by interogating the engine management software.

[Welshbeef]

sumnide82 said:

I've bought the car. Slapped a deposit down.
Picking it up tomorrow. Can't wait.
Got a 2.5 hr drive home, Kickdown all the way.
If it blows up, I'm in the RAC
If I smash it up, I don't care
I'm gonna smoke it around like bullet tooth tony until I get bored of it.
I've bought a pair of tights to pull over my head for extra effect.
Then I'll put a new MOT on it and get my money back or maybe make a few quid.

Can't beleive so many people have to hesitate before spending less than a grand on something that is worth that in bits.
I've lost a grand on much more boring stuff than 330bhp ram raiding missile...
Whats the worst that can happen?!

A short MOT with the airbag warning light on at a time when the MOT rules have changed to specifically to deal with faulty airbags. So it could be spares or scrap much sooner than you may think.

Good luck though

[JaguarsportXJR]

sumnide82 said:

I've bought the car. Slapped a deposit down.
Picking it up tomorrow. Can't wait.
Got a 2.5 hr drive home, Kickdown all the way.
If it blows up, I'm in the RAC
If I smash it up, I don't care
I'm gonna smoke it around like bullet tooth tony until I get bored of it.
I've bought a pair of tights to pull over my head for extra effect.
Then I'll put a new MOT on it and get my money back or maybe make a few quid.

Can't beleive so many people have to hesitate before spending less than a grand on something that is worth that in bits.
I've lost a grand on much more boring stuff than 330bhp ram raiding missile...
Whats the worst that can happen?!

Fair play mate and good luck to you.

Airbag light is probably just a loose connector under the seat. I've had three different cars which suffered from that. In the end I got sick of fiddling under the seat and just soldered everything together, although obviously I'd never suggest anyone did such an irresponsible thing...

[sumnide82]

Well I'm off to pick up the shed of the week,
Hope the air bag light doesn't blind me on the way home.

Something is making the light come on so something can make it go out...

Can't expect not to have a little Challange or two when buying something cheap,
But he who dares wins...

And it helps having an MOT bay on site...

And if you have something with no MOT then there are plenty of nutty Europeans and Africans lurking on eBay that are actually genuine and value their cars differently to us fairy English- the bigger the car, the more it's worth!

[induction]

I own one of these, classic insurance less than 200 pounds a year, fab to drive and supercharged whats not to like

[k-ink]

So the straight six only has 320 ponies. What can be done to give it a kick up the rump? Are there supercharger upgrades for more poke?

[B'stard Child]

sumnide82 said:

Well I'm off to pick up the shed of the week,
Hope the air bag light doesn't blind me on the way home.

Something is making the light come on so something can make it go out...

This

sumnide82 said:

Can't expect not to have a little Challange or two when buying something cheap,
But he who dares wins...

And it helps having an MOT bay on site...

sumnide82 said:

And if you have something with no MOT then there are plenty of nutty Europeans and Africans lurking on eBay that are actually genuine and value their cars differently to us fairy English- the bigger the car, the more it's worth!

Agreed

Please do keep us up to date with running costs and "managed retreats" as well as fun times with it would be nice to see on a SOTW post.

Reminds me must bump another old favorite SOTW to the top to get a progress update that I know is overdue

[JaguarsportXJR]

k-ink said:

So the straight six only has 320 ponies.

Only on PH.

[BlackPrince]

CliveM said:

It must be sickening to be sat in another country that doesn't have used cars as cheap as this.
Shedding doesn't come better.

You're telling me! I just checked autotrader - I live in Canada where the cheapest XJ on autotrader is from 1985 and costs about £900, and the cheapest XJR with 80k miles costs £5000!!! Petrol is of course horribly expensive in the UK but my lord you lot have some wonderfully cheap sheds! The only cheap cars (~$1000-2000) available in N America are American cars from 30 yrs ago or Japanese hatchbacks from 25 yrs ago!

Anyway, lovely lovely car: I like the new XJ but i loved this classic shape ever since I saw "The Equalizer" as a wee lad. The fact that this is supercharged is the cherry on top.

Will probably (maybe?) be a lot less reliable than other SOTW but its worth it for those gorgeous lines imo

[ILoveMondeo]

fk it..

I'm going to by an XJ of some description at the end of the month when I get paid.. that is if sanity doesnt set it between now and then...