RE: Shed of the Week: Jaguar X-Type
Discussion
J4CKO said:
I just dont know who bought these new other than the aforementioned retired bloke wanting a smaller car, there is one on my parents road, he was always a bit of a prat to be fair, they have a hint of Stringback driving gloves and IAM about them, would have made a very appropriate Alan Partridge car.
It does look like a Mini XJ, that should be a good thing, but it loses something in the shrinking process, but what makes an older XJ is its largeness, raffishness, waftiness, being expensive and being a Jag, it didnt scale down.
For some reason it reminds me of a similar situation with old computers and specifically the BBC model B computer, which wasnt raffish or wafty being a beige box, but it was expensive, double the price of the Commodore 64 at 399 and three times the Sinclair Spectrum, it was a bit "educational" and stuff but it had a certain kudos as it was the same price as a half decent car back in 1985, so kids that had one didnt get the ridicule they perhaps would for having a spods computer.
However, some parents loved the "educational" angle but werent wealthy enough to own a proper BBC model B at 399 plus accessories, so Acorn (Maker of the BBC line) created a pared back, smaller and cheaper version called the Electron, which was 175 quid, social death for kids as it had all the spod features but none of the kudos for being expensive. The X Type is the car Equivalent of the Acorn Electron.
So, a X type loses the good jag features, but kind keeps the slight whiffiness, the drive probably still likes a G and T and wears a Cravat, but it is a polyester one and the gin is own brand.
You can be slightly ironic owning an XJ and you get all the sophistication, but not an X type, its a Jag that has been de Jagged, even if its a half decent car.
I am not fussed about image by and large (have an old TT ffs) but this is on my list of cars I couldnt ever buy, sort of ok when new but now, I would own a PT Cruiser or a 300C before this.
Edit, actually, scratch the PT cruiser, would rather own a selection of Donkey Porn.
Great post. They should let you guest on SOTW! We had an Electron in about '85 and the poverty spec single sound channel just annoyed me when the Beeb model B could do multiple. It does look like a Mini XJ, that should be a good thing, but it loses something in the shrinking process, but what makes an older XJ is its largeness, raffishness, waftiness, being expensive and being a Jag, it didnt scale down.
For some reason it reminds me of a similar situation with old computers and specifically the BBC model B computer, which wasnt raffish or wafty being a beige box, but it was expensive, double the price of the Commodore 64 at 399 and three times the Sinclair Spectrum, it was a bit "educational" and stuff but it had a certain kudos as it was the same price as a half decent car back in 1985, so kids that had one didnt get the ridicule they perhaps would for having a spods computer.
However, some parents loved the "educational" angle but werent wealthy enough to own a proper BBC model B at 399 plus accessories, so Acorn (Maker of the BBC line) created a pared back, smaller and cheaper version called the Electron, which was 175 quid, social death for kids as it had all the spod features but none of the kudos for being expensive. The X Type is the car Equivalent of the Acorn Electron.
So, a X type loses the good jag features, but kind keeps the slight whiffiness, the drive probably still likes a G and T and wears a Cravat, but it is a polyester one and the gin is own brand.
You can be slightly ironic owning an XJ and you get all the sophistication, but not an X type, its a Jag that has been de Jagged, even if its a half decent car.
I am not fussed about image by and large (have an old TT ffs) but this is on my list of cars I couldnt ever buy, sort of ok when new but now, I would own a PT Cruiser or a 300C before this.
Edit, actually, scratch the PT cruiser, would rather own a selection of Donkey Porn.
Edited by J4CKO on Friday 2nd February 10:42
I am another in the camp of could never buy an x-type. I would rather push my finger through the toilet paper.
Barchettaman said:
Interesting shed - 3 litre V6, 4WD and a manual. Well done!
These, however, suffer catastrophic rust under the side skirts and are also really claustrophobic from the driver's seat IIRC.
Agreed about the claustrophobia, if it had black leather, but somehow the cream leather deals with that.These, however, suffer catastrophic rust under the side skirts and are also really claustrophobic from the driver's seat IIRC.
Edited by Barchettaman on Friday 2nd February 07:18
I found the 3.0 V6 underwhelming on a test drive - and the road tax on those 4WDs can be crippling. I then recalibrated my expectations and bought a 2.2d - which has been the main mile-muncher for six years and 84000 miles with no problems. It also uses rubber sparingly unlike the Passat that preceded it. 40+mpg and 0-60 in about 9 secs is pretty respectable. It's probably worth investing in more powerful headlamps, though.
Yes, it's a gentleman's carriage, but I would argue less so than an Avensis or an Octavia.
I had a 2.5V6 saloon in Jaguar Racing green with the auto box. It was my first jag and I loved the way it drove. I was originally looking for a cheap hack to do the commute to the station, but came back with the jag instead.... much to my wife's surprise. I just love the way these look and go and after a hard day's work there was nothing better than getting off the train and sinking into those lovely leather seats, surrounded by the ever so old fashioned retro wooden dash and wafting home. Yes it wasn't the fastest thing, but I would always leave the box in sport which gave it a little more urgency.
I had the car for the a year and the things I loved were:
looks
comfort
handling
all wheel drive for winter
massive boot
reliable- never stranded me
Things that were pants:
shocking build quality ie door cards would visibly shake on closing the door
rust on the sills and boot
no more than 24mpg
I had the car for the a year and the things I loved were:
looks
comfort
handling
all wheel drive for winter
massive boot
reliable- never stranded me
Things that were pants:
shocking build quality ie door cards would visibly shake on closing the door
rust on the sills and boot
no more than 24mpg
About 10 years ago I went to look at a X type with a mate, he had a Micra that was in need to replacement and had an £8k budget
We found a low milage 03 2.0 in BRG and tan leather, for him it was love at first sight , with a £8k budget he was looking at diesel Peugeots but he could buy a JAG !
He loved it and did about 20k a year with it, the personal plate quickly went on and whilst it had the usual issues with injectors and pumps from time to time the damn thing wouldnt die and went through the mot just fine each year whilst still averaging 50 mpg
Finally got traded last year for a Mercedes for his son who got around £2k trade in for it (It was worth £200 max!)
I really hated that car !
We found a low milage 03 2.0 in BRG and tan leather, for him it was love at first sight , with a £8k budget he was looking at diesel Peugeots but he could buy a JAG !
He loved it and did about 20k a year with it, the personal plate quickly went on and whilst it had the usual issues with injectors and pumps from time to time the damn thing wouldnt die and went through the mot just fine each year whilst still averaging 50 mpg
Finally got traded last year for a Mercedes for his son who got around £2k trade in for it (It was worth £200 max!)
I really hated that car !
Here's my old one, long since gone.
Manual 3.0 estate with black leather and piano black dash, which I thought got rid of most of the low-rent golf club styling.
Original alloys were made of cheese, hence the replacements. Rather cramped, drank fuel, and every MOT seemed to involve rebushing the entire suspension, but thoroughly enjoyable.
However, £1500 seems way to much for a pretty low spec saloon now, despite the rarity.
Manual 3.0 estate with black leather and piano black dash, which I thought got rid of most of the low-rent golf club styling.
Original alloys were made of cheese, hence the replacements. Rather cramped, drank fuel, and every MOT seemed to involve rebushing the entire suspension, but thoroughly enjoyable.
However, £1500 seems way to much for a pretty low spec saloon now, despite the rarity.
Way over priced, these are so cheap because they are so hard to sell - nobody wants one unless its well sub-shed price.
I would go as far as saying this is the sort of car you only end up with when it comes in as a trade in (that you didn't want)..
Expensive to fix, heavy on fuel, not fast or remotely interesting to drive mainly let down by over-light steering and suspension that is quite hard at low speed but the car still rolls a fair bit when pushed.
Not pleasant to sit in with the high dash layout and quite high window line.
All the ones I have had came with problems with engine management lights on that were not simple faults to fix.
To give an example this being over priced the last one I had was immaculate dark red with cream leather 2 owners FSH from Jag 2002 90k miles and it sold in the end for £800 (and it was a nice car but no one was interested).
I would go as far as saying this is the sort of car you only end up with when it comes in as a trade in (that you didn't want)..
Expensive to fix, heavy on fuel, not fast or remotely interesting to drive mainly let down by over-light steering and suspension that is quite hard at low speed but the car still rolls a fair bit when pushed.
Not pleasant to sit in with the high dash layout and quite high window line.
All the ones I have had came with problems with engine management lights on that were not simple faults to fix.
To give an example this being over priced the last one I had was immaculate dark red with cream leather 2 owners FSH from Jag 2002 90k miles and it sold in the end for £800 (and it was a nice car but no one was interested).
AppleJuice said:
Would the 4.0/4.2 AJ-V8 have fitted transversely? 
An X-Type R could have been fun.
Jaguar were developing a supercharged version of the 3.0, which would presumably have been an 'R'. But as the transfer box was a tad delicate with the 280 NM of torque of the n/a engine, it would have required a fair bit of re-engineering and Ford decided instead to divert money towards developing an estate. Probably a sensible move in the long term, but sad we never saw the S4 rival come to fruition. An X-Type R could have been fun. I ran 2 X type 2.5 Sports AWD manuals from new, from 2003 to 2016, the first covered 40,000 miles in 3 years and the last 155,000 miles in 10 years.
Neither car suffered the dreaded sill rust, but I made sure I power washed behind the plastic side sills. However the 2nd X type did kill the transfer box after 47,000 miles. It is the AWD's achilles heel, oil starvation. Great cars in the snow, only limitation was tyres, the engines are strong.
The early pre 2004 AWD cars had viscous coupling (VC) that Jaguar quietly dropped in the later cars. My first car was the better driver car for the VC present . I had dove leather in both cars and it was durable and even after 155,000 miles little or no cracks because I fed the leather properly. I now have an XE a leap forward (no pun intended) from the X, but I don't think the seats will last as well.
I sold my 2006 car for £500 and it was immaculate, only downside was the 155,000 on the clock, this is steep for a 2001 car, nearer a grand.
Neither car suffered the dreaded sill rust, but I made sure I power washed behind the plastic side sills. However the 2nd X type did kill the transfer box after 47,000 miles. It is the AWD's achilles heel, oil starvation. Great cars in the snow, only limitation was tyres, the engines are strong.
The early pre 2004 AWD cars had viscous coupling (VC) that Jaguar quietly dropped in the later cars. My first car was the better driver car for the VC present . I had dove leather in both cars and it was durable and even after 155,000 miles little or no cracks because I fed the leather properly. I now have an XE a leap forward (no pun intended) from the X, but I don't think the seats will last as well.
I sold my 2006 car for £500 and it was immaculate, only downside was the 155,000 on the clock, this is steep for a 2001 car, nearer a grand.
Edited by Domf on Friday 2nd February 13:03
Cracking motor, at 22 I nearly bought a light silver one, 70k miles, manual and black interior for £2k. Sounded stunning too. The dealer even offered a good p/x on my 1.8 Corsa, however my over zealous eyes picked up on very soft paint on the bonnet and o/s wing so walked away.
Insurance was very reasonable considering it’s pace, and all the service items were really cheap on Eurocarparts. Great shed,
Insurance was very reasonable considering it’s pace, and all the service items were really cheap on Eurocarparts. Great shed,
Had a 2.5 manual sport in the same colour for a couple for years. Was a decent car that just became fashionable to slag off (as it still is it seems by some). Had a couple of niggles, reluctor rings and rear door that decided to stay permantly shut, but contrary to popular PH belief the almighty e46 3 series (all brainwashed hail e46 
) and other German small saloons of this era aren't exactly perfect fault free run arounds either. It met its demise when the handbrake cable snapped, fortunately with no one in it, then rolling out into a main road hit a ambulance on the way to hospital with its blues and twos on! Lesson learnt for a young me now my cars are always left in gear on hills. Was a lot of fun in the snow though, never got stuck and provided lots of sideways fun! A manual 3.0 sport estate would be my pick now.
) and other German small saloons of this era aren't exactly perfect fault free run arounds either. It met its demise when the handbrake cable snapped, fortunately with no one in it, then rolling out into a main road hit a ambulance on the way to hospital with its blues and twos on! Lesson learnt for a young me now my cars are always left in gear on hills. Was a lot of fun in the snow though, never got stuck and provided lots of sideways fun! A manual 3.0 sport estate would be my pick now. Edited by jwwbowe on Friday 2nd February 13:24
Lotusgone said:
AppleJuice said:
Would the 4.0/4.2 AJ-V8 have fitted transversely? An X-Type R could have been fun.
I wouldn't have minded the 2.7 diesel, that went very well in an S-type I tried. An X-Type R could have been fun.Just realised I'm advocating diesels on Pistonheads. I'll get my coat.
* The 2.7 V6 was installed transversely in the C6; it could have been plumbed into the X-Type with AWD and the 2.2D's 6-speed auto (Aisin Warner TF-80 SC / ~440 Nm (325 lb-ft) - the same as the 2.7D's output).*Then again, I've been moaning about the UK not receiving diesels - albeit BMW V8s:
Sounds good-ish, too...
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