Jaguar XJR (x350) Buying Advice Needed

[andrewrob]

Going to look at an XJR tomorrow, just wondering if there are any specific things I need to look out for? It's a 2005 plate with low mileage.

Thanks

[rswift]

Have a look on www.jaguarforum.co.uk lots of useful advice on there.

I have a 4.2 SE, low mileage and a bit older and have had a few niggly things, but is very good otherwise !

Not sure it is as nice as my older shape Jaguar XJ8 though !

[Jaguar steve]

Have a look on Honest John's (Daily Telegraph) site.

There's a lot of information on the X350 range and a road test of the desiel too.

You may want to investigate several reports of paint and bodywork problems with this model XJ. HJ says there are issues with corrosion due to steel rivets in the aluminium bodywork, another reputable source within the JEC has suggested that the corrosion is down to paint contamination. I'm currently trying to find out more info about this as I'm considering buying one too but nobody yet has been able to quantify how widespread this problem is or how many, or what year cars are affected.

One PH'er posted he's had the same area repaired and painted on his X350 no less the 4 times, all under warranty.

The 2003 and 2005 cars I've looked at so far have all had a very orange peeley paint finish on the vertical surfaces. Whether this was due to poor factory paintwork - that may be an indication of problems to come - or a quick blow over to disguise existing problems underneath I've no idea but I'd certainly expect a much better quality finish then what I've seen so far.

Jaguar's body warranty is 6 years so if problems occur on a car older that's gonna cost. I have no idea if a condition of the warranty remaining valid within the 6 years is dependent on an FSH or annual inspection either - anybody know?

[andrewrob]

Thanks for the information everyone.
Had a look at one today but there were a few problems to say the least!

The car had 10k more miles on it than advertised (which the dealer didn't seem phased at when asked), the paintwork was covered in swirl marks and light scratches, the handbrake wouldn't work, and the Jaguar badge hadn't even been placed on the bonnet even though they knew we were coming and had it in the office.

Has anyone been in the x308 and the x350? The only reason I'm asking is because the engine didn't sound as smooth, it sounded a bit more raucous but almost in a lack of oil kind of way. Also the supercharger seemed quite a lot louder.
Is this normal with the 4.2 or was this a nail of an engine?
Thanks

[Piersman2]

Hi Andrew,

Have a look through this topic, might give you a good read:

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...

Cheers
Piersman2

[cardigankid]

The 4.2 was a delightful, smooth engine, I think that the later ones in the X358 were just a little more grunty (just my impression having driven both extensively) but there was a noticeable supercharger whine, which is not a fault. The agility of the car is down to the aluminium monocoque. I don't have a bad word to say about them.

How much are you thinking of spending?

[andrewrob]

cardigankid said:

The 4.2 was a delightful, smooth engine, I think that the later ones in the X358 were just a little more grunty (just my impression having driven both extensively) but there was a noticeable supercharger whine, which is not a fault. The agility of the car is down to the aluminium monocoque. I don't have a bad word to say about them.

How much are you thinking of spending?

Thanks for that info cardigankid, and for the thread link above JaguarSteve.
It's my father in-law that's buying the car, he's looking at spending £17k but ideally wants a car around 40k or less miles as his x308 XJR is only on 60k.

He's not too bothered about the age of it, he's also considering the S Type R but the downside to those would be the smaller fuel tank and heavier body.

[cardigankid]

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1717977.htm

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1525425.htm

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1695519.htm



A couple of suggestions to look at...

None of the V8's are to be sniffed at. Have fun!

Edited: And Taggarts Jaguar Motherwell have a super looking XJR, 2006(55) with 51k miles in black with Ivory leather at £18,995. I haven't seen it in person, but the pictures look great, and it has the big Callisto alloys originally featured on Ian Callum's Concept XJR and optional on the X358.Well worth looking on the Jaguar Approved Used website.

Edited by cardigankid on Thursday 20th May 18:18

[RW774]

Handling on these cars with the big 20inch alloys can be affectd by wheelbearings. The R has a simular bearing to the older S but the housing on the R has bigger bearings within. Mild bearing noise is the key and can really cause problems on cornering, involving wheel drag and tyre wear.20k miles and bearings are suspect on 20s.Damn good car though.
Brake pipes covered by the under tray rust badly at the O/S rear.

[cardigankid]

RW774, thanks for the information, I will have a look.

Do you mean that the 20" alloys can cause wheel bearing issues? I have to admit that the 20's look great but the ride is better on the 18's.

[RW774]

Extra loading would be take by the w/bearing with the bigger wheel and lower profile tyre as it is with any car. 20s will shorten life span, I reckon by 15k miles.

[Marquis_Rex]

andrewrob said:

Has anyone been in the x308 and the x350? The only reason I'm asking is because the engine didn't sound as smooth, it sounded a bit more raucous but almost in a lack of oil kind of way. Also the supercharger seemed quite a lot louder.
Is this normal with the 4.2 or was this a nail of an engine?
Thanks

I have extensive driving experience of all of the Jaguar range from 1997 to 2006 (and beyond).

The 4.2 litre engine (AJ33) if placed in an NVH semi anachoic chamber and the noise sampled without the vehicle is infact quieter and slightly smoother than the AJ27 4 litre (depending on where you place the sampling microphone).

It sounds differently in the vehicle- don't under estimate the sound deadening qualities of the steel structure of the X308. The noise transfer functions TOTALLY changed with the X350. Twin bulk heads where used with the X350 to try to attenuate it further, along with a myriad of quarter wave and helmholtz resonators on the intake. The 'squashed cobra snake' intake entry that stretches over the engine to boost it on the XJR X350 had alot of detail effort to stiffen it and minimise supercharger noise. Despite all this under some conditons the X308 feels more isolated from the engine than the X350. That said the noise is still pleasant in the X350. In the same way the handling, stability, performance and fuel economy (to a lesser degree) of an X350 is in a different league to the X308. However even with air suspension I prefer the ride of the X308.

I'm hard pushed as to which one I will choose- but seeing as I live in the USA now and handling is less of a priority, and I have my 993 for that, I'm errring towards an X308. When you're the Englishman living in pretentious Southern California, ladden with the latest BMWs, Lexuses, and other Jap crap, sometimes, just sometimes, style is more important than function- up to a point....

[andrewrob]

I'm out for a test drive in an XjR at a dealer in bury and it had a piston heads sticker on the back. Does anyone know the owner?

Plate is CU04YOD.

Edited by andrewrob on Monday 31st May 14:53

[Dodgey_Rog]

cardigankid said:

Taggarts Jaguar Motherwell have a super looking XJR, 2006(55) with 51k miles in black with Ivory leather at £18,995. I haven't seen it in person, but the pictures look great, and it has the big Callisto alloys originally featured on Ian Callum's Concept XJR and optional on the X358.Well worth looking on the Jaguar Approved Used website....

That's now sitting in my garage! Didn't see this until i did a search in here.