Jaguar XJR

[anonymous-user]

swagmeister said:

Sometimes these threads confuse me. Buy a car for £2.5k, spend another £2k on bodywork and repairs, why not spend £4.5k on a car that would be newer and \or in better condition ? I couldnt be bothered with the hassle TBH - These days I like hassle free motoring.

Because you know what's been done and how it's been done.

I bought a cosmetically tatty SL55 with FMBSH for way below the market value for a good one and spent the difference on sorting it out properly. Now my car is way better than nearly every other example I see on the road. The Merc specialist I use says it's the best example he sees by a country mile.

[tobinen]

strangehighways said:

.

Costs from Jan 2018 - Jan 2020 (2 years)

- 2 x 13k miles a year @1.25 per litre, 22 mpg = £6716
- 2 x car tax = £651
- 2 x insurance = £890

Maintenance/Servicing/MOT etc... Water Pump, Tyres, Wheel alignment/balancing, Battery, MOT, Welding, Oil change, wheel bearing, lower wishbones, MAF = £1966

So, for a per year cost... £5112 for everything. (£426 per month)
Discounting tax/petrol/insurance, maintenance only.....£983 per year (£82 per month)

For those as I with one's head not around the figures at first glance:

£426 per month x 24 months is the grand total (£6,716 + £651 + £890 + £1,966) not including purchase price (which I would agree is no lower than you paid)

Hopefully now moving forwards you'll have far lower costs

[swagmeister]

cb1965 said:

swagmeister said:

Sometimes these threads confuse me. Buy a car for £2.5k, spend another £2k on bodywork and repairs, why not spend £4.5k on a car that would be newer and \or in better condition ? I couldnt be bothered with the hassle TBH - These days I like hassle free motoring.

Because you know what's been done and how it's been done.

I bought a cosmetically tatty SL55 with FMBSH for way below the market value for a good one and spent the difference on sorting it out properly. Now my car is way better than nearly every other example I see on the road. The Merc specialist I use says it's the best example he sees by a country mile.

But I bet you paid a lot more than £2.5k for the car initially.

[anonymous-user]

swagmeister said:

cb1965 said:

swagmeister said:

Sometimes these threads confuse me. Buy a car for £2.5k, spend another £2k on bodywork and repairs, why not spend £4.5k on a car that would be newer and \or in better condition ? I couldnt be bothered with the hassle TBH - These days I like hassle free motoring.

Because you know what's been done and how it's been done.

I bought a cosmetically tatty SL55 with FMBSH for way below the market value for a good one and spent the difference on sorting it out properly. Now my car is way better than nearly every other example I see on the road. The Merc specialist I use says it's the best example he sees by a country mile.

But I bet you paid a lot more than £2.5k for the car initially.

How does that relate to your complaint? My point is that if the chap has spent a total of 4.5K (2.5K purchase + 2K fettling)and has a car that he knows is right then he may well be happier than buying one for 4.5K despite the 'hassle' of getting it fettled.

[alec.e]

cb1965 said:

How does that relate to your complaint? My point is that if the chap has spent a total of 4.5K (2.5K purchase + 2K fettling)and has a car that he knows is right then he may well be happier than buying one for 4.5K despite the 'hassle' of getting it fettled.

Just ignore, the same poster compared a diesel E Class to a BMW i8...

OP, the XJR looks great, lovely cars!

[strangehighways]

swagmeister said:

Sometimes these threads confuse me. Buy a car for £2.5k, spend another £2k on bodywork and repairs, why not spend £4.5k on a car that would be newer and \or in better condition ? I couldnt be bothered with the hassle TBH - These days I like hassle free motoring.

It's a fair question.

But £4.5k won't get you a perfect X308 XJR. It would probably get one with better bodywork but not sure what else. I think a 'perfect' XJR would be more like £10k and that is just a wild finger in the air. A 'very good' X308 XJR might be in the £6-7k range. This is only from looking around at wildly varying prices over the last year or so. Mine was certainly at the bottom end of the market price wise but I don't feel short changed at all for the price I paid. Mechanically, it is pretty good.

Two of the main issues with the XJR, apart from bodywork, are the water pump and the timing chain tensioners. Mine has had the tensioners done already by a previous owner. The water pump failed just after I bought the car, but now I have had that done, that is both of those X308 issues dealt with. It is possible that a £4.5k car would have had these done but, often this isn't mentioned in adverts. What I am trying to say is that the water pump issue could happen to any X308 unless someone has taken preventative maintenance steps already and had it replaced.

Once you take off the water pump cost, and the tyres, then the £2k over 2 years maintenance cost drops to about £1300 (£650 a year) which really isn't bad is it?

Also from the history, I know the gearbox oil was changed at 100k, and also the front suspension was rebuilt not long ago. So apart from the bodywork, I am confident that it is a mechanically sound car.

[strangehighways]

tobinen said:

For those as I with one's head not around the figures at first glance:

£426 per month x 24 months is the grand total (£6,716 + £651 + £890 + £1,966) not including purchase price (which I would agree is no lower than you paid)

Hopefully now moving forwards you'll have far lower costs

Sorry for the confusing words! Yes, total cost per month is £426, but it is important to note that of that, £280 is petrol and £64 is tax/insurance. So basically the only bit that will fluctuate much is the maintenance cost which is 'only' £82 per month.

[tobinen]

Yes, fair point and that's a reasonable running cost, especially for one of those I imagine.

[TiminYorkshire]

I definitely miss mine, although the fuel consumption on shorter tuns was interesting!

[giblet]

TiminYorkshire said:

I definitely miss mine, although the fuel consumption on shorter tuns was interesting!

Same, I was getting 16mpg with my usual driving but I’m still tempted to get another.

It’s been six year since I had mine and the prices have only gone on way. I would love a black X308 XJR with the R1 package, cream interior and no leaper on the bonnet.

[TiminYorkshire]

Yep 17 mpg gentle tootle too and from work, 17 miles each way! But great on a long run, I did Reading to Bratislava in a day, cruising 80-110mph dependent on country and it returned 23 mpg. On the way back I did a sustained stint at 140mph following a Bentley. I could see the fuel needle dropping!

Mine was a black one with the R1 pack, but unfortunately had a leaper. It needed a bit doing to it and I wasn't doing so many long runs/using it hence moved it on but it was mega comfy. Sorry for the tread derail.

[NDA]

This thread brings back a few memories as I used to have one of these... bought it new, my first 'proper' company car - mine was in Carnival Red with a magnolia interior.

Within my first 7 miles (driving it home from the showroom) I picked up a stone chip/crack in the windscreen. Typical!!

Fabulous car, I loved it. I thought such an elegant thing too.

At the time Bentley were trying to persuade me to buy an Arnage - I was tempted. But I had a day in one and when I got back in the Jag I honestly remember thinking it was a nicer place to be.

I never had any problems with mine, it was too new for rust. I kept it for a year or so and then bought an XKR. And then another after that. Big Jag fan.

[strangehighways]

Update on my Jag running costs.

Sept 19 - Wheel bearing OSF replaced (so both front bearings have now been changed during my circa 2 year ownership). Wheel alignment. £330

Plus

I had a bad fuel smell and there was extensive corrosion of a fuel pipe which required a new piece to be made up. £391.44

Updated Costs from Jan 2018 - Jan 2020 (2 years)

- 2 x 13k miles a year @1.25 per litre, 22 mpg = £6716
- 2 x car tax = £651
- 2 x insurance = £890

Maintenance/Servicing/MOT etc... Water Pump, Tyres, Wheel alignment/balancing, Battery, MOT, Welding, Oil change, wheel bearings x 2, lower wishbones, MAF, fuel pipe repair = £1966 £2688

So, for a PER YEAR cost...
£5112 £5472.50 for everything. (£426£456 per month)
Discounting tax/petrol/insurance, MAINTENANCE/SERVICING ONLY.....£983£1344 per year (£82£112 per month)

Bugger. I've pushed through the £100 per month maintenance barrier. Ah well!

Still loving the car and intending to keep as long as possible.

Here's a pic of it late night somewhere in a McDonalds car park near the A1. Sorry for the poor quality.

[tobinen]

It's in fine fettle then. Good stuff

[strangehighways]

The Jaguar is still with me.

It battles on valiantly and refuses to lie down and give up, or rather I keep on throwing fistfuls of cash at it every year to keep it on the road!

With the lack of miles in 2020 due to working from home fully since March, the Jag has only covered a meagre 6500 miles between MOTs, less than half of its usual.

An impressive fail sheet....

Do not drive until repaired (dangerous defects):
Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))
Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))
Repair immediately (major defects):
Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))
Emissions not tested (8.2.1.2 (d))
Exhaust system insecure (6.1.2 (a))
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))
Nearside Front Integral body structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced outer sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))
Offside Front Integral body structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced outer sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))
Offside Front Integral body structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced inner sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))
Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength inner sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))
Nearside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))
Offside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))
Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))
Monitor and repair if necessary (advisories):
Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))
Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material front to rear pipes greased (1.1.11 (c))
Nearside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))
Offside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

New rear tyres plus a shed load of welding and it's back on the road. I am wondering how much longer it will last but it has consistently cost me about a grand each time the MOT comes about. I can live with that. I enjoy driving it so much and it just has the combination of comfort, waftability and thrust that hits the spot. Plus its classic looks combined with the 18 inch Asteroid wheels just looks sublime and unlike most other cars on the road.

Costs for 2020

MOT including lots of welding and new tyres = £983.12
Oil change = £102.48


Overall costs summary...

Discounting tax/petrol/insurance, MAINTENANCE/SERVICING ONLY.....

2020 - £1085.60 (£90.47 per month)

If I look at the last 3 years of ownership and assuming no further costs until the next MOT (so Jan 2018 - Dec 2021 = 4 years), the costs are..

£4803.02 (£100.06 per month)....not bad I think for a car that normally does 14k miles a year and lives outside.

Edited by strangehighways on Wednesday 23 December 21:21

[strangehighways]

I forgot to mention. A car Youtuber did a video on the car a while back, which you might find interesting!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RZqrixQIoU

[tobinen]

Those costs as a monthly figure don't seem to be bad to me. After the welding is the body holding up OK?

[strangehighways]

tobinen said:

Those costs as a monthly figure don't seem to be bad to me. After the welding is the body holding up OK?

I would say the body is average. It is a bit rough around the arches and sills. A Jag purist would probably be appalled! It looks good after it's been washed if you don't look too closely!

I'm not sure how you could escape serious corrosion with these Jags unless it was garaged all the time.

[Lewis's Friend]

strangehighways said:

I would say the body is average. It is a bit rough around the arches and sills. A Jag purist would probably be appalled! It looks good after it's been washed if you don't look too closely!

I'm not sure how you could escape serious corrosion with these Jags unless it was garaged all the time.

You're quite right about the these cars and rust (although in fairness all cars from that period are going to start being issues - you should look at e38 BMWs to make yourself feel better!).

I have an XJ (not R) of about the same age which has 60k on the clock and been pampered its whole life and you still have to keep on top of corrosion. Best to enjoy the car though than worry about it too much...

[jwwbowe]

Lovely car, thanks for sharing! I had the fleeting pleasure of driving one many years ago and it shocked me how much power was on tap and as you say whilst remaining very comfy and cosseting.

After that I started looking at them and I recall one on EBAY, a black on black example with 90k on the clock, it went for £2.5k! I nearly bought it, wish I did now but as a young driver at the time the insurance was too much for me. Now I’m old I’m sure it would be peanuts but rightfully these cars aren’t a couple of grand anymore and they are too long for my garage.

With yours I’d be sorely tempted to get all that welding done to a good standard and then have someone rust proof it with Dintrol. I had a Defender done using Dintrol and can vouch it is good stuff, it was still resolutely stuck on despite wading through a frozen river, mud up to the door handles and all the subsequent pressure washing.

PH used South West Rust Proofing, looks like they did an excellent job of their Merc W124:

https://www.pistonheads.com/news/ph-germancars/rus...

I am thinking of taking my Outback there next summer when it’s not needed and just keeping it forever as a winter hack.