What to look out for on XJs
Discussion
Bit of help needed.
Am about to embark on a charity rally for "cheap" cars, and I fancy a mid-90s XJ.
There'll be 5 of us in the car, and it needs to get a minimum of 800-1000 miles. Weather will likely be warmish but not too excessive.
I've seen quite a selection in the price range we're looking at (sub-1k). Obviously not expecting a concours car, but what are the sort of things that need to be looked for to prevent me buying a complete lemon that won't get me 5 miles down the road? What are the key weak spots I need to check?
Thanks in advance.
Murph
Am about to embark on a charity rally for "cheap" cars, and I fancy a mid-90s XJ.
There'll be 5 of us in the car, and it needs to get a minimum of 800-1000 miles. Weather will likely be warmish but not too excessive.
I've seen quite a selection in the price range we're looking at (sub-1k). Obviously not expecting a concours car, but what are the sort of things that need to be looked for to prevent me buying a complete lemon that won't get me 5 miles down the road? What are the key weak spots I need to check?
Thanks in advance.
Murph
You need to buy an X300 made between 1994 and 1997. It's a reskinned version of the earlier XJ and almost bombproof mechanicaly and capable of massive mileage if looked after. Available in either 3.2 or 4.0 with a rare manual gearbox option.
Rust is usually the killer on these, but if the car has a MOT that shouldn't be a problem for your purposes. Check for uneven front tyre wear and a smooth and straight stop when braking. Make sure all the electrics work and expect some diff whine on higher mileage models. Listen for bearing rumble and look for any signs of headgasket failure, low temperature readings or coolant leaks and err... thats about it.
5 up the 3.2 won't exactly set your pants on fire and if driven hard will drink it's way through a lot of fuel.
You may just find a later X308 V8 engined car within your budget. It's a much better car dynamically then the 6 cyl one but I'd avoid it as these are more delicate and have a number of issues that nedd to be addressed if they are to be reliable.
Rust is usually the killer on these, but if the car has a MOT that shouldn't be a problem for your purposes. Check for uneven front tyre wear and a smooth and straight stop when braking. Make sure all the electrics work and expect some diff whine on higher mileage models. Listen for bearing rumble and look for any signs of headgasket failure, low temperature readings or coolant leaks and err... thats about it.
5 up the 3.2 won't exactly set your pants on fire and if driven hard will drink it's way through a lot of fuel.
You may just find a later X308 V8 engined car within your budget. It's a much better car dynamically then the 6 cyl one but I'd avoid it as these are more delicate and have a number of issues that nedd to be addressed if they are to be reliable.
Thanks Steve. Excellent info.
Looks like the checks I need to do are the basic ones.
Not needing anything with huge performance. Will probably be a relatively sedate pace, and the other options are generally van related. I think the Jag would add quite a bit more style to proceedings (in addition to fuel)
The ones I've been looking at are the 6-cyl so al good there.
Looks like the checks I need to do are the basic ones.
Not needing anything with huge performance. Will probably be a relatively sedate pace, and the other options are generally van related. I think the Jag would add quite a bit more style to proceedings (in addition to fuel)
The ones I've been looking at are the 6-cyl so al good there.
No problem. 
Basic checks are really all you need. The X300 is a very robust car, easy to work on and most parts are pretty cheap. Of course anything could go wrong - like a failed fuel pump leaving you stranded - but you could say the same about any 15 year old car. Like any old Jaguar, buy a well cared for one and it'll look after you as well as you look after it.
Have a look on carsandclassics - usually loads of old XJs on there
Basic checks are really all you need. The X300 is a very robust car, easy to work on and most parts are pretty cheap. Of course anything could go wrong - like a failed fuel pump leaving you stranded - but you could say the same about any 15 year old car. Like any old Jaguar, buy a well cared for one and it'll look after you as well as you look after it.
Have a look on carsandclassics - usually loads of old XJs on there
Thanks again Steve.
Are suspension bushes something that need attention commonly? Am guessing on a car with high miles and 15yrs they may well be...Presumably I just need to be listening out for strange noises and the bank end feeling loose...?
Just talking to a guy who took one in p/x and the previous owner left new bushes with the car
Are suspension bushes something that need attention commonly? Am guessing on a car with high miles and 15yrs they may well be...Presumably I just need to be listening out for strange noises and the bank end feeling loose...?
Just talking to a guy who took one in p/x and the previous owner left new bushes with the car
Murph7355 said:
Thanks again Steve.
Are suspension bushes something that need attention commonly? Am guessing on a car with high miles and 15yrs they may well be...Presumably I just need to be listening out for strange noises and the bank end feeling loose...?
Just talking to a guy who took one in p/x and the previous owner left new bushes with the car
Front wishbone bushes can soften and allow excess negative camber on the front wheels. Classic indication of this is very heavy wear on the inside edge of front tyres. Not usually an MOT failure - provided the tyres are still legal of course. A quick suspension health check with any XJ is to feel the tyres and go for a drive, a little light and even feathering on the fronts is OK but directional roughness is not, and the car should track straight and true hands off. You might experience have a light clonking from the rear over bumps or big potholes that's usually a rear shock absorber or shock bush. Generally the XJ's suspension components such as steering rack, track rod ends and ball joints last pretty well, it's just the bushes that tend to go. IMO it's a lot due to how the car has been driven and what size wheels are fitted. Are suspension bushes something that need attention commonly? Am guessing on a car with high miles and 15yrs they may well be...Presumably I just need to be listening out for strange noises and the bank end feeling loose...?
Just talking to a guy who took one in p/x and the previous owner left new bushes with the car
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