Best smoker barges 1-5 large [Vol 15]

[anonymous-user]

Wafty said:

Thanks stickleback123.

I'm due to have a drive in a 4.2 v8 non supercharged next week so I'll keep a close eye on these issues and any invoices for work relating.

Do make sure you check the heater. The drivers side window vent is often positively cool even when the centre vents are blowing out scorching air. It's not a massive pain in the arse to change the matrix but it's fiddly enough that you'll want to pay a specialist to do it or just put up with it.

The most Jaguar-ish thing about it is that they managed to set up the cooling system so that no matter if the car is LHD or RHD it's always the drivers side that suffers. You just don't get that sort of attention to detail from the Germans.

Joking aside the X350 is positively Toyota like in it's robustness and low repair costs compared to the likes of a V8 E65. It also doesn't have loads of pointless and now hopelessly dated technology in it, which I consider a positive. You can even use the lack of built in turn of the century technology nav as a negotiating point to get a lower price in cars like mine that forego the now rather comical touchscreen.

Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 14th November 13:59

[Wafty]

stickleback123 said:

Do make sure you check the heater. The drivers side window vent is often positively cool even when the centre vents are blowing out scorching air. It's not a massive pain in the arse to change the matrix but it's fiddly enough that you'll want to pay a specialist to do it or just put up with it.

The most Jaguar-ish thing about it is that they managed to set up the cooling system so that no matter if the car is LHD or RHD it's always the drivers side that suffers. You just don't get that sort of attention to detail from the Germans.

Joking aside the X350 is positively Toyota like in it's robustness and low repair costs compared to the likes of a V8 E65. It also doesn't have loads of pointless and now hopelessly dated technology in it, which I consider a positive. You can even use the lack of built in turn of the century technology nav as a negotiating point to get a lower price in cars like mine that forego the now rather comical touchscreen.

Edited by stickleback123 on Thursday 14th November 13:59

Very typically Jag!

I will definitely check the heater as I'm looking to keep my next barge for three to five years and I need the heat during the winter months.

I take the point about the touchscreen/nav. I was made aware of an upgrade to the system called Jagdroid but it all seems a little fiddly. The only technology I'm really looking for is bluetooth for mobile calls as I can use my phone for navigation etc.

[judas]

Wafty said:

stickleback123 said:

Good summary. Not as much character as an X308, even less so than an X300, but a much better car. The V8 versions are surprisingly brisk, and the V6 petrol provides perfectly reasonable performance. The diesels are slow, not good on fuel, and prone to catastrophic problems.

Common faults:

Rusty fuel tank straps (£100 - £150);
Dead aux electric coolant pump (£60 for a bosch pump that you can fit to the Jag bracket);
Blocked heater matrix so you get cool/cold air on the drivers side (£500 at a specialist?); and
Corroded earth points that come off (make a new earth stud, fairly easy DIY).

Other than that it's the usual old barge issues - suspension wear, aging cooling system, ZF gearboxes that don't enjoy 150k with no oil change and so on. I think they must be the most bork free car Jaguar have made to date.

Thanks stickleback123.

I'm due to have a drive in a 4.2 v8 non supercharged next week so I'll keep a close eye on these issues and any invoices for work relating.

After three years in the barge-free wilderness, all this talk of X350s has me a-quiver! I've had a couple in the past - an LPG'd V6 sport and an XJR, which I adored but a house move meant it had to go. I've been tooling around in a SLK350 since then, and while it's a nice car, it ain't no Jag. Also, I'm getting no younger and my already dicky knees have taken a turn for the worst over the past few months, which makes getting in and out somewhat problematic.

However, while one hand of fate deals out st, the other (I'm hoping!) will be dealing out munificence in the form of another XJR at a very reasonable price, which I'm off to see on Saturday morning. According to the dealer, it's been properly looked after and has a history file 'as thick as a bible'. It's also shod with a full complement of Pirelli P-Zeros - matching quality tyres are often a sign the previous owner did things properly.

Wish me luck!

[SlowV6]

CharlesdeGaulle said:

Wafty said:

SlowV6 said:

Off to see this at the weekend. Big miles but have garnered a warm feeling from correspondence with seller.

https://www.gumtree.com/p/lexus/2004-lexus-ls430-v...

Wish me luck.

Looks lovely, especially for £2k.

As long as the service history is up to scratch, it should be an excellent deal! Good luck

High mileage and a little scruffy, but cheap. Forget the forecourt, here's the money shot:

The bow wave of technology..

Was thinking I would enjoy gradually TLCing up to scratch and then transferring my late Dads private plate onto it, currently on retention. Could look magnificent to my biased eyes. MOT history reveals it has done 25-30k miles per annum on a few occasions, which is quite heroic.

[ElectricSoup]

I are having a wibble. This is 3 miles form my house.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Can't stand Jags. Love this.

Help.

[W00DY]

ElectricSoup said:

I are having a wibble. This is 3 miles form my house.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Can't stand Jags. Love this.

Help.

I love Jags and yet I think spending 5 large on a 3.0 S-type is fking mental.

[ElectricSoup]

W00DY said:

ElectricSoup said:

I are having a wibble. This is 3 miles form my house.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Can't stand Jags. Love this.

Help.

I love Jags and yet I think spending 5 large on a 3.0 S-type is fking mental.

Thank you.

Phew.

(Why?)

[rich12]

ElectricSoup said:

Thank you.

Phew.

(Why?)

Probably because you can pick up a normal sport for half that money with below average mileage.
X/S types that are 16 years old only make sense around shed money.

[em177]

SlowV6 said:

CharlesdeGaulle said:

Wafty said:

SlowV6 said:

Off to see this at the weekend. Big miles but have garnered a warm feeling from correspondence with seller.

https://www.gumtree.com/p/lexus/2004-lexus-ls430-v...

Wish me luck.

Looks lovely, especially for £2k.

As long as the service history is up to scratch, it should be an excellent deal! Good luck

High mileage and a little scruffy, but cheap. Forget the forecourt, here's the money shot:

The bow wave of technology..

Was thinking I would enjoy gradually TLCing up to scratch and then transferring my late Dads private plate onto it, currently on retention. Could look magnificent to my biased eyes. MOT history reveals it has done 25-30k miles per annum on a few occasions, which is quite heroic.

As I’ve mentioned before on this thread my 2000 Ls430 is on over 226k miles and I use it as a daily driver (over 100 miles a day).

It’s mega.

[Geekman]

stickleback123 said:

Do make sure you check the heater. The drivers side window vent is often positively cool even when the centre vents are blowing out scorching air. It's not a massive pain in the arse to change the matrix but it's fiddly enough that you'll want to pay a specialist to do it or just put up with it.

The most Jaguar-ish thing about it is that they managed to set up the cooling system so that no matter if the car is LHD or RHD it's always the drivers side that suffers. You just don't get that sort of attention to detail from the Germans.

Joking aside the X350 is positively Toyota like in it's robustness and low repair costs compared to the likes of a V8 E65. It also doesn't have loads of pointless and now hopelessly dated technology in it, which I consider a positive. You can even use the lack of built in turn of the century technology nav as a negotiating point to get a lower price in cars like mine that forego the now rather comical touchscreen.

Edited by stickleback123 on Thursday 14th November 13:59

Before paying to fix the heater matrix, it’s worth connecting it to a garden hose and sticking some crushed up Sterident tablets (should be on hand at any Jag owner’s house!) or a small amount of drain unblocker into it. I did that and it worked fine, just remember to change the coolant before starting it again.

[Mr Micawber]

As we haven't had an E39 for at least 2.5 pages, I thought it best to point this one out. Good colours and a very clean looking car.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-E39-528i-SE-1999-Ra...

[cornershop]

Reminds me of the A8 D2 owner who used Mr Muscle bath drain cleaner, to clear the scuttle drain which can cause water coming into the cabin.

Worked well apparently

[cornershop]

Re x350 purchase, I recommend taking a OBD2 code reader with you. The more expensive ones will return body and chassis codes, a basic one will give you engine codes.

Scan, clear, drive, scan - or something like that. Precisely what I forgot to do when I bought mine, naturally, but got away with it.

[RicksAlfas]

cornershop said:

Reminds me of the A8 D2 owner who used Mr Muscle bath drain cleaner, to clear the scuttle drain which can cause water coming into the cabin.

Worked well apparently

I used a very long screwdriver on my wife's Alfa 147. I was proddling away merrily when the drain cleared, the screwdriver went straight through into an electrical box of some kind and caused a massive spark which thankfully was quickly extinguished by all the dirty water from the scuttle.

[cornershop]

RicksAlfas said:

I used a very long screwdriver on my wife's Alfa 147. I was proddling away merrily when the drain cleared, the screwdriver went straight through into an electrical box of some kind and caused a massive spark which thankfully was quickly extinguished by all the dirty water from the scuttle.

classic

[Art0ir]

A couple of metres of cat5 will clear most drain holes gents, just for future reference

[Mr Micawber]

Hyundai Grandeur anyone? 3.3 Litre apparently.
No, me neither.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2010-10-Hyundai-Grandeu...

[Etypephil]

ElectricSoup said:

W00DY said:

ElectricSoup said:

I are having a wibble. This is 3 miles form my house.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Can't stand Jags. Love this.

Help.

I love Jags and yet I think spending 5 large on a 3.0 S-type is fking mental.

Thank you.

Phew.

(Why?)

Because that money gets you a decent S-Type R, or even X350 XJR.

[Wafty]

cornershop said:

Re x350 purchase, I recommend taking a OBD2 code reader with you. The more expensive ones will return body and chassis codes, a basic one will give you engine codes.

Scan, clear, drive, scan - or something like that. Precisely what I forgot to do when I bought mine, naturally, but got away with it.

I have one already but I'd rather buy an up to date one that may pick up more information.

Anyone have any recommendations?

[0a]

stickleback123 said:

0a said:

But really want another Jaguar XJ!

Try an X350? Decent ones are mid to high thread now and while it's not as good a Jaguar as the X308 or X300 it is a much better car. No tin worm (except for fuel tank straps...), the engine issues are all sorted, and it really is a much much better drive than the older cars. It's a testament to how good they are that that mine doesn't feel even remotely wallowy or leaden after my MX5.

Thanks, I think I will! I think they are quite colour dependent. In silver they look a bit like an enlarged X type to my eyes!