Jaguar X Type as a motorway cruiser?

[MSJW]

As above really. I'd be looking at the diesel 2.0 sport (I've grown really found of its looks recently).
I know it's a tad dated inside, but for travelling 90% motorway miles on a weekly basis I think it ticks the boxes.

Is there anything to look out for, or any first hand experiences/opinions with this car?

I'd be considering some sort of tuning box as they're not too expensive, just to give it a bit more oomf. It seems to have good reports with regards to torque at 70mph speeds. So looks promising. Budget is around 2500 to 3 grand.

Cheers

[leefee]

For what its worth i would probably say look at anything other than an x type, possible even a vectra would be preferable. I would like to like the x type, but don't, especially in diesel form. Just can get on with them at all. Oh and they rust, badly, plenty 02 03 ones with non existent sills.

[MSJW]

Rust - really! Tbh I'd not consider that to be a problem in a modern-ish (post 1990s) car.

I know they're Mondeo engines, but the look is really grabbing my attention at the moment. Maybe it'll wear off over the next week...

[SebastienClement]

MSJW said:

Rust - really! Tbh I'd not consider that to be a problem in a modern-ish (post 1990s) car.

I know they're Mondeo engines, but the look is really grabbing my attention at the moment. Maybe it'll wear off over the next week...

At the risk of sounding like a broken record...

The Rover 75 does what the X-Type tried to do, but rather better.

[carlingofblack]

I had two a while ago... A 2.0 D and then a 3.0V6. Both were just fine, but... Probably more bang for your buck elsewhere now. It felt a little aged back then but the Mondeo mk3 underpinnings meant it handled really well. Certainly felt like a little Jag but it could have done with a 6th gear. The 2.2 diesel is much better if you can stretch a little more and they do have quite a lot as standard if you opt for more than the base S spec.

[northwest monkey]

MSJW said:

any first hand experiences/opinions with this car?

I had one (2.5 V6) & it was perfect on motorways & A-roads. Comfortable seats & personally I thought the interior was a nice place to sit. Probably not as good as the highly regarded Vectra, but I haven't had the undoubted pleasure of actually driving one of them, so I don't want to spout internet bks & say they are st purely because I've read it on the internet.

A mate of mine had a diesel (2007) X-type as a company car & bought it off the lease company when it was time to send it back. It's got about 150k on now & still looks and drives well. Maybe he should have bought a Vectra.

Reliability was very good. I had mine for 3 years & it never let me down. I replaced the waterpump, a couple of sensors in the exhaust and one of the parking sensors stopped working (common fault apparently).

Overall, I'd say it was a very good car & it's a shame Jaguar haven't replaced it. People who have owned an X-type tend to really like them. People who haven't will say "it's a Mondeo".

Obviously you might want to try a Vectra of similar vintage, I hear they are really excellent cars...

[Kitchski]

Those engines are ticking time bombs. Avoid.

[MSJW]

I just don't like the Rover as much. I know they're similar, but it just doesn't do it for me.

As for the 2.2, I'd be hoping for decent fuel economy so would most likely be limited to the smaller engine. The extra gear does sound nice though. If it could achieve high 40s to 50mpg at 70 then I'd be set.

[carlingofblack]

If you can then it's a no brainer as they say! I think the 2.2 more than makes up for the economy through the 6th gear and is less prone to EGR valve clogging than the 2.0 lump.

Shop around, and listen out for noisy front suspension arms. Properly serviced, they are good if you like the look. I certainly had no complaints with mine.

[Mastodon2]

Aren't these the cars with the chocolate transfer boxes on the 4WD models? If so, I'd avoid the 4WD. Actually, If parts are cheap, then one of the smaller diesels might not be a bad motorway slogger, if you can get one cheap enough. My main criteria for a motorway hack, other than the obvious criteria of comfort and good MPG, would be cheap for parts and easy to work on, meaning less labour cost for work. If it's not a pride a joy car, I wouldn't want to be shelling out over the odds when it needs care.

[MSJW]

northwest monkey said:

I had one (2.5 V6) & it was perfect on motorways & A-roads. Comfortable seats & personally I thought the interior was a nice place to sit. Probably not as good as the highly regarded Vectra, but I haven't had the undoubted pleasure of actually driving one of them, so I don't want to spout internet bks & say they are st purely because I've read it on the internet.

A mate of mine had a diesel (2007) X-type as a company car & bought it off the lease company when it was time to send it back. It's got about 150k on now & still looks and drives well. Maybe he should have bought a Vectra.

Reliability was very good. I had mine for 3 years & it never let me down. I replaced the waterpump, a couple of sensors in the exhaust and one of the parking sensors stopped working (common fault apparently).

Overall, I'd say it was a very good car & it's a shame Jaguar haven't replaced it. People who have owned an X-type tend to really like them. People who haven't will say "it's a Mondeo".

Obviously you might want to try a Vectra of similar vintage, I hear they are really excellent cars...

Thanks for that reply. That is the problem when looking online for advice. Its easy to get caught up in the 'I've never driven that car, but its crap' brigade.

Your v6 most likely was, but would you say your friends 2 litre was fun to drive?

[northwest monkey]

Mastodon2 said:

Aren't these the cars with the chocolate transfer boxes on the 4WD models? If so, I'd avoid the 4WD. Actually, If parts are cheap, then one of the smaller diesels might not be a bad motorway slogger, if you can get one cheap enough. My main criteria for a motorway hack, other than the obvious criteria of comfort and good MPG, would be cheap for parts and easy to work on, meaning less labour cost for work. If it's not a pride a joy car, I wouldn't want to be shelling out over the odds when it needs care.

If he's looking for a diesel, then it doesn't matter if the transfer box on the 4WD is made of jelly and paper mache as the diesel is 2WD only.

I took a 4WD (manual) from 55k up to 98k and had no problems with anything major like that.

[MSJW]

carlingofblack said:

If you can then it's a no brainer as they say! I think the 2.2 more than makes up for the economy through the 6th gear and is less prone to EGR valve clogging than the 2.0 lump.

Shop around, and listen out for noisy front suspension arms. Properly serviced, they are good if you like the look. I certainly had no complaints with mine.

I'll have a look online to see what if a bigger engines in budget... another thing for me to consider is insurance. Being 22 anything never 2 litre might be too pricey. You're tips will be useful if/when I go looking at some. Cheers.

[northwest monkey]

MSJW said:

Your v6 most likely was, but would you say your friends 2 litre was fun to drive?

Depends on what you mean by "fun". Not fun like a hot hatch, but it was lovely on the motorway - it wasn't a soft wallow ride, but wasn't "rock hard fillings fall out" either. Very well damped & rode very well. The diesel suited the car very well if you ask me. I couldn't tell you which diesel engine it was other than it was a 2007 (December) car - if you're wondering why I remember that, my son was born in November 2007 and my mate got his car just after!

Mine was pretty much the same but sounded glorious (I had a replacement exhaust). If you "enjoyed" the V6 sound, the petrol consumption was pretty "st".

[northwest monkey]

MSJW said:

I'll have a look online to see what if a bigger engines in budget... another thing for me to consider is insurance. Being 22 anything never 2 litre might be too pricey. You're tips will be useful if/when I go looking at some. Cheers.

My mate Kev Pornstar had a Jag XJS when he was 22 - that was nearly 20 years ago now. Petrol & insurance were a lot more reasonable then

[MSJW]

northwest monkey said:

I took a 4WD (manual) from 55k up to 98k and had no problems with anything major like that.

I've heard the Haynes workshop manual isn't available for the x type and I could be limited to servicing etc at only Jag garages. Any experience with this with regards to prices etc?

For my budget most have done around 80k on the clock, so it would be nice if I didn't have to throw money at the car soon after purchase, paying more in parts and labour due to the Jaguar badge.

There are plenty of this model on auto trader with not far off 200k on the clock, so it seems reliable...

[Six Fiend]

Mine's a 3.0 manual so obviously not the same ballpark engine wise.

Sill covers need investigating up under for rust as this is the main weak point. Mine are fine on my 2002.

Suspension arms and bushes etc are cheap enough.

The interior is baby Jag and none the worse for it. Seats are very subjective but I find them comfy and with electric adjustment providing any position I fancy. Would recommend heated leather.

It's a very relaxing place to be, simple clear switchgear, and feels relaxed (wood and cream leather).

I'm running Goodyear Efficient Grip Performance tryes on 16" wheels - quietest so far (P6000 and Falken 452 before). Comfy ride on the se.

Boot is ample.

Parts are pretty cheap, worth shopping around as sometimes dealers bang out bits cheap on eBay. Picked up a few bargains

Best models for toys are se, sport premium and sovreign.

As above, most people who slag them off have never driven or owned one. I know nothing about Vectras, a little about Mondeos and owned a 51-plate Passat 130 TDi se which was superb as a cruiser. Best for road noise, very comfy, well equipped and toodled along giving 50mpg all day long.

Edited by Six Fiend on Friday 31st January 23:39

[MSJW]

northwest monkey said:

My mate Kev Pornstar had a Jag XJS when he was 22 - that was nearly 20 years ago now. Petrol & insurance were a lot more reasonable then

I'm stuck paying high insurance costs with most cars, so may as well get something a bit different and good looking. Fuel is also a big expense due to the miles I rack up travelling to work and back, so as long as it offers good consumption at motorway speeds, I'll be happy.

[Kitchski]

MSJW said:

There are plenty of this model on auto trader with not far off 200k on the clock, so it seems reliable...

They're seriously not, you're going in for a world of hurt.

Look up Mondeo mk3 2.0 & 2.2 TDCi injector/fuel pump problems on Google. Same engine as the Jag. Anything fitted with a Delphi diesel injection system is trouble, according to my local diesel injection specialist.

Injectors fail because the pump eats itself and blocks them up, which in turn contaminates the tank with metal debris through the return line. The V6 would be a fairly solid bet as that's a more sturdy engine, and what you lose in economy and tax you'll more than make up for in not having to rebuild the entire diesel injection system, starting with the coded injectors.

[northwest monkey]

MSJW said:

I've heard the Haynes workshop manual isn't available for the x type and I could be limited to servicing etc at only Jag garages. Any experience with this with regards to prices etc?

For my budget most have done around 80k on the clock, so it would be nice if I didn't have to throw money at the car soon after purchase, paying more in parts and labour due to the Jaguar badge.

There are plenty of this model on auto trader with not far off 200k on the clock, so it seems reliable...

I never went near a Jaguar garage. The only part I ever needed from there was an exhaust sensor which was (a) only available from Jaguar and (b) for the V6 petrol so doesn't matter. Everything else was done at my local garage & they never had any problems servicing it. A lot of the mechanical bits are shared with the Mondeo (hence the "it's a Mondeo" comments) but use that to your advantage.