Ex-Lexus owner's experience of a Jaguar XJ8 (X350).
Discussion
Hello all,
Well - I did it. Continuing with my unusual choice of cars for a 25 year old, and after a few boringly reliable years of driving various bargain barge 'Lexi' (LS400 Mk.1 x2, LS400 Mk. 4) I have finally bitten the bullet and gotten myself into a Jaguar. (Must resist calling it the Jaaaaaaag)
The car I've purchased is a 2004 XJ8 3.6 SE in Silver with black leather.
Whereas the last four years of Lexus ownership yielded precisely zero faults or problems, there are of course a few niggles to sort out with the Jaguar.
To keep track of them, I've started a bit of a spreadsheet:
Even with all of the above, it still feels like an absolute steal. Feels so much more 'special' to drive around in than any of the preceding Lexus LS's, and so far hasn't failed to make me smile whilst driving. Love it.
The LS400 MK.4 probably still just about edges it for quietness, ride quality, overall smoothness and that Lexus feeling of solidness and everlasting-ness.
But that said, the XJ is still an absolute waftmobile, and completely outclasses the Lexus in terms of looks, interior, how it makes you feel, how it takes corners and overall agility.
So it's going to be fun working through that list and no doubt finding more issues, but for the first time since I used to daily drive a Land Rover Defender, it actually feels worth the trouble! I'm actually looking forward to fixing things on it and making it perfect.
If you're interested enough, you can view the spreadsheet as I update it here:
https://1drv.ms/x/s!Ahh03F4t4VqXgYB2647kJFp03-SZ0w
Cheers,
Sam
Well - I did it. Continuing with my unusual choice of cars for a 25 year old, and after a few boringly reliable years of driving various bargain barge 'Lexi' (LS400 Mk.1 x2, LS400 Mk. 4) I have finally bitten the bullet and gotten myself into a Jaguar. (Must resist calling it the Jaaaaaaag)
The car I've purchased is a 2004 XJ8 3.6 SE in Silver with black leather.
Whereas the last four years of Lexus ownership yielded precisely zero faults or problems, there are of course a few niggles to sort out with the Jaguar.
To keep track of them, I've started a bit of a spreadsheet:
Even with all of the above, it still feels like an absolute steal. Feels so much more 'special' to drive around in than any of the preceding Lexus LS's, and so far hasn't failed to make me smile whilst driving. Love it.
The LS400 MK.4 probably still just about edges it for quietness, ride quality, overall smoothness and that Lexus feeling of solidness and everlasting-ness.
But that said, the XJ is still an absolute waftmobile, and completely outclasses the Lexus in terms of looks, interior, how it makes you feel, how it takes corners and overall agility.
So it's going to be fun working through that list and no doubt finding more issues, but for the first time since I used to daily drive a Land Rover Defender, it actually feels worth the trouble! I'm actually looking forward to fixing things on it and making it perfect.
If you're interested enough, you can view the spreadsheet as I update it here:
https://1drv.ms/x/s!Ahh03F4t4VqXgYB2647kJFp03-SZ0w
Cheers,
Sam
Edited by LandyManSam on Saturday 28th October 20:52
LandyManSam said:
Looking very good though - I recently bought an E39 for a bit less money than yours and although it also has its fair share of.. niggles, its a great feeling of self satisfaction walking out and seeing it on your drive and realising it cost the same as an exotic week away!
turboflutter said:
LandyManSam said:
Looking very good though - I recently bought an E39 for a bit less money than yours and although it also has its fair share of.. niggles, its a great feeling of self satisfaction walking out and seeing it on your drive and realising it cost the same as an exotic week away!
Love the grading, genuinely made me laughI think that these Jags still have a bit of an 'Arthur Daley' image to them and a semi-poor reliability reputation that keeps their prices low, whereas the Lexus feeds from its reputation of indestructability.
I know two people that have owned these Jags, one didn't have good experiences with them and one has. The fist one lost a lot of money on it. It was a V6 4 x 4 estate that cost a fortune to maintain and was bought at 25k miles and sold at 75k miles with the owner reckoning it was clapped out (despite full service history and no expense spared maintenance) I think it was an 05 plate and he got £1700 for it. Conversely, another friend has a diesel version that has starship mileage and cost buttons to buy (£500) yet has been 100% reliable since he bought it six months ago.
Go figure!
I know two people that have owned these Jags, one didn't have good experiences with them and one has. The fist one lost a lot of money on it. It was a V6 4 x 4 estate that cost a fortune to maintain and was bought at 25k miles and sold at 75k miles with the owner reckoning it was clapped out (despite full service history and no expense spared maintenance) I think it was an 05 plate and he got £1700 for it. Conversely, another friend has a diesel version that has starship mileage and cost buttons to buy (£500) yet has been 100% reliable since he bought it six months ago.
Go figure!
Sf_Manta said:
turboflutter said:
LandyManSam said:
Looking very good though - I recently bought an E39 for a bit less money than yours and although it also has its fair share of.. niggles, its a great feeling of self satisfaction walking out and seeing it on your drive and realising it cost the same as an exotic week away!
Love the grading, genuinely made me laughcraigjm said:
You need to get rid of the nose piercing. Its far too new for that and whoever fitted it has put it in completely the wrong place.
Yeah I realised that after looking at a few pictures of American market ones, which had them fitted from the factory.Would be a replacement bonnet job I think... which would probably mean getting it painted to match the rest... so it'll stay for now!
LandyManSam said:
craigjm said:
You need to get rid of the nose piercing. Its far too new for that and whoever fitted it has put it in completely the wrong place.
Yeah I realised that after looking at a few pictures of American market ones, which had them fitted from the factory.Would be a replacement bonnet job I think... which would probably mean getting it painted to match the rest... so it'll stay for now!
craigjm said:
You need to get rid of the nose piercing. Its far too new for that and whoever fitted it has put it in completely the wrong place.
For £1900 it is not the end of the world, I like leapers on X350s and S-Types, just need to be in the right place. If there was not the leaper hate (=value drop), I would have one on mine.alec.e said:
Yes, a bargain purchase, so cheap! A slight correction, there was no 3.6 only 3.5 and 4.2 v8s. I got my first at 19, on my 2nd, great cars, my main gripes have been air suspension issues (working on that) and depreciation.
Cheers! And you're right with ref. to the actual engine size - however, it was sold as a 3.6 by Jaguar (not entirely sure why, possibly to avoid connotations of the Rover V8, or to continue heritage of the original Jaguar 3.6 engines in earlier cars?). One of those little eccentricities I guess!
Sparky137 said:
It was a V6 4 x 4 estate that cost a fortune to maintain and was bought at 25k miles and sold at 75k miles with the owner reckoning it was clapped out (despite full service history and no expense spared maintenance) I think it was an 05 plate and he got £1700 for it.
Go figure!
That'd be an X-type then. This thread is about the XJ.Go figure!
gweaver said:
Sparky137 said:
It was a V6 4 x 4 estate that cost a fortune to maintain and was bought at 25k miles and sold at 75k miles with the owner reckoning it was clapped out (despite full service history and no expense spared maintenance) I think it was an 05 plate and he got £1700 for it.
Go figure!
That'd be an X-type then. This thread is about the XJ.Go figure!
LandyManSam said:
alec.e said:
Yes, a bargain purchase, so cheap! A slight correction, there was no 3.6 only 3.5 and 4.2 v8s. I got my first at 19, on my 2nd, great cars, my main gripes have been air suspension issues (working on that) and depreciation.
Cheers! And you're right with ref. to the actual engine size - however, it was sold as a 3.6 by Jaguar (not entirely sure why, possibly to avoid connotations of the Rover V8, or to continue heritage of the original Jaguar 3.6 engines in earlier cars?). One of those little eccentricities I guess!Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff