X350 parts availability?
Discussion
I've been itching for an XJ for years and am considering buying a X350, probably a 3.0 petrol. Can anyone advise on parts availability? I have read some concerns on various forums about it. I even wondered if parts availability is better on E Type and Mk 2 models due to remanufactured parts?
No parts availability issues whatsoever, new and used. Lots of the basics were used across multiple models (X150, S Type, X351, X250 XF) so there are loads of aftermarket options, I've found JLR aren't bad at all for the specific stuff, and there are loads of breakers out there too. You'll have more trouble with finding the right part and getting hold of it for an 11 year old Passat in my experience.
The 4.2 V8 is lovely and easily the choice of the range (if you're being sensible and not going supercharged), it was THE engine for most of the world, only our flaccid little corner got the little engines.
The 3.5 V8 makes a nice noise but is much further from the 4.2 in use than paper figures would suggest, if you're a sedate driver the 3.0 is very adequate indeed and I'd probably have that in preference to the 3.5 for the fuel economy benefits.
They're robust things but they're all getting on now so you can expect normal old car issues to appear. The biggest weakness by far is the air suspension system because the dampers are inside the struts so as they inevitably get tired and soggy it's a very expensive job to change them. I don't think any of the aftermarket struts are known to have the variable damping system working either, so it's OE or Bilstein (£600+ last I looked).
Every car with air struts has this issue though and they do last a long time, I don't think they go properly soggy until past 150k miles.
Check the heater blows properly hot on both sides of the cabin, they're given to sludging up but supposedly less so on the 3.0. If it's blocked on the driver side it's a new heater matrix, which is a bit of a fiddly job.
Get a look at the rear subframe, they'll almost all have surface rust but you need to check that's all it is. A friend had the subframe snap at speed on a ratbag 3.5 they picked up for peanuts, no MOT advisories against it.
Other than that there really aren't any common issues worth noting. Great cars, and very cheap now
The 4.2 V8 is lovely and easily the choice of the range (if you're being sensible and not going supercharged), it was THE engine for most of the world, only our flaccid little corner got the little engines.
The 3.5 V8 makes a nice noise but is much further from the 4.2 in use than paper figures would suggest, if you're a sedate driver the 3.0 is very adequate indeed and I'd probably have that in preference to the 3.5 for the fuel economy benefits.
They're robust things but they're all getting on now so you can expect normal old car issues to appear. The biggest weakness by far is the air suspension system because the dampers are inside the struts so as they inevitably get tired and soggy it's a very expensive job to change them. I don't think any of the aftermarket struts are known to have the variable damping system working either, so it's OE or Bilstein (£600+ last I looked).
Every car with air struts has this issue though and they do last a long time, I don't think they go properly soggy until past 150k miles.
Check the heater blows properly hot on both sides of the cabin, they're given to sludging up but supposedly less so on the 3.0. If it's blocked on the driver side it's a new heater matrix, which is a bit of a fiddly job.
Get a look at the rear subframe, they'll almost all have surface rust but you need to check that's all it is. A friend had the subframe snap at speed on a ratbag 3.5 they picked up for peanuts, no MOT advisories against it.
Other than that there really aren't any common issues worth noting. Great cars, and very cheap now
Edited by GeniusOfLove on Thursday 13th February 11:33
GeniusOfLove said:
No parts availability issues whatsoever, new and used. Lots of the basics were used across multiple models (X150, S Type, X351, X250 XF) so there are loads of aftermarket options, I've found JLR aren't bad at all for the specific stuff, and there are loads of breakers out there too. You'll have more trouble with finding the right part and getting hold of it for an 11 year old Passat in my experience.
The 4.2 V8 is lovely and easily the choice of the range (if you're being sensible and not going supercharged), it was THE engine for most of the world, only our flaccid little corner got the little engines.
The 3.5 V8 makes a nice noise but is much further from the 4.2 in use than paper figures would suggest, if you're a sedate driver the 3.0 is very adequate indeed and I'd probably have that in preference to the 3.5 for the fuel economy benefits.
They're robust things but they're all getting on now so you can expect normal old car issues to appear. The biggest weakness by far is the air suspension system because the dampers are inside the struts so as they inevitably get tired and soggy it's a very expensive job to change them. I don't think any of the aftermarket struts are known to have the variable damping system working either, so it's OE or Bilstein (£600+ last I looked).
Every car with air struts has this issue though and they do last a long time, I don't think they go properly soggy until past 150k miles.
Check the heater blows properly hot on both sides of the cabin, they're given to sludging up but supposedly less so on the 3.0. If it's blocked on the driver side it's a new heater matrix, which is a bit of a fiddly job.
Get a look at the rear subframe, they'll almost all have surface rust but you need to check that's all it is. A friend had the subframe snap at speed on a ratbag 3.5 they picked up for peanuts, no MOT advisories against it.
Other than that there really aren't any common issues worth noting. Great cars, and very cheap now
As always a fair summation but you damn the 3.5 V8 with faint praise . I owned a lovely one in SE spec when it was a year old and I take the point that with the 4.2 costing not much more then why would you .The 4.2 V8 is lovely and easily the choice of the range (if you're being sensible and not going supercharged), it was THE engine for most of the world, only our flaccid little corner got the little engines.
The 3.5 V8 makes a nice noise but is much further from the 4.2 in use than paper figures would suggest, if you're a sedate driver the 3.0 is very adequate indeed and I'd probably have that in preference to the 3.5 for the fuel economy benefits.
They're robust things but they're all getting on now so you can expect normal old car issues to appear. The biggest weakness by far is the air suspension system because the dampers are inside the struts so as they inevitably get tired and soggy it's a very expensive job to change them. I don't think any of the aftermarket struts are known to have the variable damping system working either, so it's OE or Bilstein (£600+ last I looked).
Every car with air struts has this issue though and they do last a long time, I don't think they go properly soggy until past 150k miles.
Check the heater blows properly hot on both sides of the cabin, they're given to sludging up but supposedly less so on the 3.0. If it's blocked on the driver side it's a new heater matrix, which is a bit of a fiddly job.
Get a look at the rear subframe, they'll almost all have surface rust but you need to check that's all it is. A friend had the subframe snap at speed on a ratbag 3.5 they picked up for peanuts, no MOT advisories against it.
Other than that there really aren't any common issues worth noting. Great cars, and very cheap now
Edited by GeniusOfLove on Thursday 13th February 11:33
As a used buy however I think there isn't much in it especially with the 4.2 not being supercharged . To think that you were buying an inferior car with the
3.5 as opposed to the 4.2 , I don't believe thats the case .
Something you haven't touched on is the "Sport Models" which I have always believed to be a marketing ploy rather than anything of substance . Painted Front Grills and the dreaded Birds Eye Maple interior along with some awful colours led me to a life long aversion .
Only one Sporting X350 in my humble opinion and thats the XJR . I had read somewhere about ECUs and such like becoming obsolete but I completely agree with your thoughts about the second hand market . Plenty of options and possibilities for decades to come in keeping these wonderful Jaguars on the road .
Finally I wouldn't be tempted by a Japanese Car . The price differential between the Japanese and best of the British Cars is non existent . These X350 aren't particularly rare with plenty of good ones still out there so I wouldn't be paying the same money as a British car .
reddiesel said:
GeniusOfLove said:
No parts availability issues whatsoever, new and used. Lots of the basics were used across multiple models (X150, S Type, X351, X250 XF) so there are loads of aftermarket options, I've found JLR aren't bad at all for the specific stuff, and there are loads of breakers out there too. You'll have more trouble with finding the right part and getting hold of it for an 11 year old Passat in my experience.
The 4.2 V8 is lovely and easily the choice of the range (if you're being sensible and not going supercharged), it was THE engine for most of the world, only our flaccid little corner got the little engines.
The 3.5 V8 makes a nice noise but is much further from the 4.2 in use than paper figures would suggest, if you're a sedate driver the 3.0 is very adequate indeed and I'd probably have that in preference to the 3.5 for the fuel economy benefits.
They're robust things but they're all getting on now so you can expect normal old car issues to appear. The biggest weakness by far is the air suspension system because the dampers are inside the struts so as they inevitably get tired and soggy it's a very expensive job to change them. I don't think any of the aftermarket struts are known to have the variable damping system working either, so it's OE or Bilstein (£600+ last I looked).
Every car with air struts has this issue though and they do last a long time, I don't think they go properly soggy until past 150k miles.
Check the heater blows properly hot on both sides of the cabin, they're given to sludging up but supposedly less so on the 3.0. If it's blocked on the driver side it's a new heater matrix, which is a bit of a fiddly job.
Get a look at the rear subframe, they'll almost all have surface rust but you need to check that's all it is. A friend had the subframe snap at speed on a ratbag 3.5 they picked up for peanuts, no MOT advisories against it.
Other than that there really aren't any common issues worth noting. Great cars, and very cheap now
As always a fair summation but you damn the 3.5 V8 with faint praise . I owned a lovely one in SE spec when it was a year old and I take the point that with the 4.2 costing not much more then why would you .The 4.2 V8 is lovely and easily the choice of the range (if you're being sensible and not going supercharged), it was THE engine for most of the world, only our flaccid little corner got the little engines.
The 3.5 V8 makes a nice noise but is much further from the 4.2 in use than paper figures would suggest, if you're a sedate driver the 3.0 is very adequate indeed and I'd probably have that in preference to the 3.5 for the fuel economy benefits.
They're robust things but they're all getting on now so you can expect normal old car issues to appear. The biggest weakness by far is the air suspension system because the dampers are inside the struts so as they inevitably get tired and soggy it's a very expensive job to change them. I don't think any of the aftermarket struts are known to have the variable damping system working either, so it's OE or Bilstein (£600+ last I looked).
Every car with air struts has this issue though and they do last a long time, I don't think they go properly soggy until past 150k miles.
Check the heater blows properly hot on both sides of the cabin, they're given to sludging up but supposedly less so on the 3.0. If it's blocked on the driver side it's a new heater matrix, which is a bit of a fiddly job.
Get a look at the rear subframe, they'll almost all have surface rust but you need to check that's all it is. A friend had the subframe snap at speed on a ratbag 3.5 they picked up for peanuts, no MOT advisories against it.
Other than that there really aren't any common issues worth noting. Great cars, and very cheap now
Edited by GeniusOfLove on Thursday 13th February 11:33
As a used buy however I think there isn't much in it especially with the 4.2 not being supercharged . To think that you were buying an inferior car with the
3.5 as opposed to the 4.2 , I don't believe thats the case .
Something you haven't touched on is the "Sport Models" which I have always believed to be a marketing ploy rather than anything of substance . Painted Front Grills and the dreaded Birds Eye Maple interior along with some awful colours led me to a life long aversion .
Only one Sporting X350 in my humble opinion and thats the XJR . I had read somewhere about ECUs and such like becoming obsolete but I completely agree with your thoughts about the second hand market . Plenty of options and possibilities for decades to come in keeping these wonderful Jaguars on the road .
Finally I wouldn't be tempted by a Japanese Car . The price differential between the Japanese and best of the British Cars is non existent . These X350 aren't particularly rare with plenty of good ones still out there so I wouldn't be paying the same money as a British car .
https://www.thecarexpert.co.uk/should-you-buy-a-us...
Here's a guide for your perusal which covers some general points about Japanese Imports .
As regards the X350 I think you buy on condition and maintenance no matter where the car originates from . The X350 rubber bushes I would expect to deteriorate over time again with both domestic and imported cars being affected and perhaps the subframe . I think much is made of this non salting of Japanese Roads as a plus point for buying an Import and the link above provides some interesting facts . As I said earlier there are plenty good domestic X350s still available and often at lesser prices than the Imports .
Here's a guide for your perusal which covers some general points about Japanese Imports .
As regards the X350 I think you buy on condition and maintenance no matter where the car originates from . The X350 rubber bushes I would expect to deteriorate over time again with both domestic and imported cars being affected and perhaps the subframe . I think much is made of this non salting of Japanese Roads as a plus point for buying an Import and the link above provides some interesting facts . As I said earlier there are plenty good domestic X350s still available and often at lesser prices than the Imports .
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202502139...
At £6k and you will get it cheaper , I would have thought for a 3.0litre this would have ticked a lot of your boxes
At £6k and you will get it cheaper , I would have thought for a 3.0litre this would have ticked a lot of your boxes
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