Which XJR
Author
Discussion

5paul5

Original Poster:

664 posts

197 months

Saturday 6th November 2010
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Thinking of changing my x300 3.2 for a xjr. What is the best model to go for in terms of reliability, 6 cylinder or v8 and pros and cons for each. Thanks

6speedmanual

140 posts

255 months

Saturday 6th November 2010
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V8 faster, smoother, just as "economical". Mechanically robust so long as you steer round well reported and resolved engine issues.
Creamy smooth when cruising, massive overtaking punch.
Love it!
Peter

jas xjr

11,309 posts

265 months

Saturday 6th November 2010
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6speedmanual said:
V8 faster, smoother, just as "economical". Mechanically robust so long as you steer round well reported and resolved engine issues.
Creamy smooth when cruising, massive overtaking punch.
Love it!
Peter
And a better interior. Nikasil issues should have been sorted by now.

Dimski

2,100 posts

225 months

Saturday 6th November 2010
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Didn't know you had a Jag Paul!

groomi

9,330 posts

269 months

Saturday 6th November 2010
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jas xjr said:
And a better interior (in the V8).
Better looking but not better put together. If you have to take any interior trim apart to fix anything else, then it's a devil of a job to refit it without creaks and rattles or it popping off again.

Gotta agree that it drives better than the straight six though - but ofcourse, true Jags are 6's or 12's. wink

5paul5

Original Poster:

664 posts

197 months

Saturday 6th November 2010
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Bought it 5 days ago, cracking car but want more power as ever !

varsas

4,073 posts

228 months

Sunday 7th November 2010
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The ride on the X308 XJR isn't great (wheels are too big I reckon) certainly won't be as good as your X300. I also don't like the steering on them, again it will be lighter/less communicative then your X300.

TurricanII

1,516 posts

224 months

Tuesday 9th November 2010
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I find the V8 much better on fuel consumption around town. V8 handles massively better than the 6 probably due to CATS suspension. I found the XJR6 wallowed and rolled much more. Traction control in the V8 is better too, the XJR6 leaves you dead in the road for a second when the traction control cuts in. On the V8 it is much smoother. There are many more tuning options with the V8 if you want to go that route. ETA - if power is your bag then you will regret not buying the V8 every time you see one when you are in an XJR6! The V8 feels much faster

Edited by TurricanII on Tuesday 9th November 00:14

anonymous-user

80 months

Tuesday 9th November 2010
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All the above is true, the V8 is faster, more refined and better to drive. In defence of the XJR6, the engine appears to be a lot tougher and has no real weaknesses. It's also far easier to work on, particularly the electrics, and this is important both for home mechanics and the cost of using specialists. If you're running it on a tighter budget it seems very likely the XJR6 will be quite a bit cheaper to keep on the road. Also, the XJR6 came with a real LSD.

Better interior in the X308 is a matter of opinion, I much prefer the X300 interior style.

Dave

5paul5

Original Poster:

664 posts

197 months

Tuesday 9th November 2010
quotequote all
Its the problems with the v8 engine that are putting me off really. Still undecided tho and have to sell my 3.2 first but thanks for all the input.

LoudV8

930 posts

289 months

Tuesday 9th November 2010
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I moved from a X300 XJR to X308 XJR in April and I think the X308 is a much nicer car to drive. Same wheelsize and tyres but adaptive dampers. It wafts in the cruise but quite tight in the twisty bits (for a 5m/1.8t car smile) I found the X300 ride rather harsh after my previous XJ40 Sov. The X308 is much better.

Feels much quicker with the 5-speed box even though only 50bhp more.

Interior is similar but personally I prefer the instruments on the X300. Some silly cost-cutting, like the suspension stuff underneath only painted, not powder-coated like the X300 and XJ40, and flimsy boot floor. However the clock and the CD work perfectly, unlike my X300.

Mine also has a stupid space-saver wheel and Brembo brakes/BBS alloys which look nice. It's an early 2000 car so with a Nikasil engine but after the high-sulphur-fuel ban, so should go on for a while.

Dimski

2,100 posts

225 months

Tuesday 9th November 2010
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5paul5 said:
Its the problems with the v8 engine that are putting me off really. Still undecided tho and have to sell my 3.2 first but thanks for all the input.
The V8 problems are fairly well documented though, they're manageable. Budget a Tensioner swap to later type 3, and from what I gather, any nakasil problems by now are not a concern. (I.e, they will have already happened by now, if they were going to.)

Mine's a X350, but to me, it doesn't feel fast. The power delivery is so uniform, which means the acceleration is constant, which of course means the force is constant. So, it's very easy to underestimate how quickly they are accelerating. None of the turbocharged whoosh. I'd say my Jag doesn't feel any quicker than my urS6 (220bhp ish). It is, by a long way, it just hides it well!

a8hex

5,832 posts

249 months

Tuesday 9th November 2010
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LoudV8 said:
I moved from a X300 XJR to X308 XJR in April and I think the X308 is a much nicer car to drive. Same wheelsize and tyres but adaptive dampers. It wafts in the cruise but quite tight in the twisty bits (for a 5m/1.8t car smile) I found the X300 ride rather harsh after my previous XJ40 Sov. The X308 is much better.
X300 XJR would have been much harsher than the Sov, it was much harsher than the X300 Sport.

groomi

9,330 posts

269 months

Tuesday 9th November 2010
quotequote all
a8hex said:
LoudV8 said:
I moved from a X300 XJR to X308 XJR in April and I think the X308 is a much nicer car to drive. Same wheelsize and tyres but adaptive dampers. It wafts in the cruise but quite tight in the twisty bits (for a 5m/1.8t car smile) I found the X300 ride rather harsh after my previous XJ40 Sov. The X308 is much better.
X300 XJR would have been much harsher than the Sov, it was much harsher than the X300 Sport.
When I changed from an XJ40 Sov to an X308 XJR, I test drove a number of X300 XJR's too and I felt that they all had a better ride that the X308. The biggest bugbear with the X308 is that even small ripples are transmitted into the cabin - which is most un-Jaguar like (although in context, is still infinately better of any equivalent car this side of a Bentley).

Nitrodamus

12 posts

187 months

Wednesday 10th November 2010
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5paul5 said:
Bought it 5 days ago, cracking car but want more power as ever !
Are you considering any particular tuning options?
I've recently done a few things to my XKR, it is quite easy to make good quick gains.

varsas

4,073 posts

228 months

Wednesday 10th November 2010
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LoudV8 said:
Same wheelsize and tyres but adaptive dampers.
So did you have X300 wheels on your X308 or X308 wheels on your X300? Always thought the X308 would have been much better on the 17inch wheels, I said the same thing to Ian Callum, his response was 'but it wouldn't have looked as good'!

LoudV8

930 posts

289 months

Wednesday 10th November 2010
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No I just can't type. I meant they both run 255/45's. My X300 had standard 17" and the X308 has 18" BBS.

ringram

14,701 posts

274 months

Wednesday 10th November 2010
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I think the engines had the major issues sorted from 02 on.
For me the interior is far too small though. No room.

varsas

4,073 posts

228 months

Wednesday 10th November 2010
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LoudV8 said:
No I just can't type. I meant they both run 255/45's. My X300 had standard 17" and the X308 has 18" BBS.
aahhh...but the X308 still had a better ride? hmm...interesting.