Ex-Lexus owner's experience of a Jaguar XJ8 (X350).

[craigjm]

LandyManSam said:

@Craig, shield your eyes! Leaper!!!

The car should ride fine on upto 20 inch wheels. Check your suspension is functioning properly Sam. Your model was sold originally on 17 inch wheels. Check the air suspension and the CATS module is working as it should

[LandyManSam]

craigjm said:

The car should ride fine on upto 20 inch wheels. Check your suspension is functioning properly Sam. Your model was sold originally on 17 inch wheels. Check the air suspension and the CATS module is working as it should

The ride does feel a bit 'odd' sometimes... when changing direction quickly (for example, when crossing a roundabout) it feels quite jittery and bouncy, and never really feels properly settled.

Am I going to need to get the diagnostics kit ordered to check the CATS and EAS over?

[craigjm]

Yeah I think so

http://www.jagrepair.com/images/TSB/TSB2/NEW%20XJ/...

[steve-5snwi]

The jag does look nice (apart from the leaper)

Tyre wise, i'd go for the Nexens over the Falkens, but then i'd go with Uniroyals over both.

[alec.e]

LandyManSam said:

Mmmmmm, noice! I see the chrome wrap on the bumper reflectors - great idea. Would this stuff do the trick? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Stretchable-Mirror-Chrom...

Is the side repeater also wrapped? If so, can you still see it flashing? Looks almost black in the picture.

Also - those 19" Supercharged wheels look superb. Sort of tempted to fit a set of these "Toba" wheels from the X351, but am loathe to worsen the ride, which I already find firm in comparison to previous barges.

@Craig, shield your eyes! Leaper!!!

Yes that vinyl should do the job. The side indicators were sprayed with tint spray, no issues with visability or MOT.

I went from 17 to 19 wheels, honestly the ride never bothered me. My Super V8 rides on 20s and people still compliment the magic carpet ride.

[craigjm]

alec.e said:

I went from 17 to 19 wheels, honestly the ride never bothered me. My Super V8 rides on 20s and people still compliment the magic carpet ride.

Exactly which is why I think there may be a suspension fault based on what he said

[LandyManSam]

alec.e said:

Yes that vinyl should do the job. The side indicators were sprayed with tint spray, no issues with visability or MOT.

I went from 17 to 19 wheels, honestly the ride never bothered me. My Super V8 rides on 20s and people still compliment the magic carpet ride.

craigjm said:

Exactly which is why I think there may be a suspension fault based on what he said

When I first got into the car I was a bit shocked by the ride quality, but sort of put it down to being a Sport. It's fine over smooth surfaces but on small imperfections it bounces and jolts a bit like my girlfriend's Micra. I've got the diagnostics kit on the way now - so will have a poke around and clear fault codes etc. Apparently, the CATS can become stuck in hard mode if the right (or wrong) combination of fault codes are present.

[craigjm]

Yeah definitely sounds like a CATS issue because it shouldn’t ride like that. Let’s see what your diagnostics kit says. As long as the car is level it shouldn’t be that big an issue

[Stedman]

alec.e said:

Great job on the headlights! Well worth doing. This was my old XJ:

I chrome wrapped the orange repeaters, maybe something to consider?

Did you remove the door strips? I'm thinking about doing the same to mine.

And God that leaper is hideous

[craigjm]

They do look better without the door strips but they are there for a reason because it’s not cheap to repair a dinged door

[threadlock]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Thank you for this. I feel that a gearbox oil change is overdue on my 70k mile XKR...

Sorry for the hijack, OP. Lovely car

[alec.e]

Up for sale?:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/272999160365?ssPageName...

[tobinen]

Certainly looks as though that it the case

[daveinhampshire]

His bids are good considering it's still 6 days to run.

[craigjm]

How much are you hoping to get for it Sam?