X308 60k miles, FSH, £6k
Discussion
Morning Chaps
Tentative one here, I am off to see an x308 3.2 V8 in the morning. Would love the big comfortable cruising machine, changing from an Abbott racing SAAB 95. I do a 60 mile a day commute, and the Jagwaaaa looks spot on, given I am used to fuel bills.
From reading tonight, looks like gearboxes can be an issue? What are the other questions I should be asking and worries I should be having?
Real concern is that I need a reliable smoothy, not a money pit. Any thoughts for a potential newbie to the Jaguar world?
Thanks
Stuart
Tentative one here, I am off to see an x308 3.2 V8 in the morning. Would love the big comfortable cruising machine, changing from an Abbott racing SAAB 95. I do a 60 mile a day commute, and the Jagwaaaa looks spot on, given I am used to fuel bills.
From reading tonight, looks like gearboxes can be an issue? What are the other questions I should be asking and worries I should be having?
Real concern is that I need a reliable smoothy, not a money pit. Any thoughts for a potential newbie to the Jaguar world?
Thanks
Stuart
You don't say how old the car is so I'll guess that your £6k is buying you an immaculate post 2000 model with a bombproof service history and full MOT. If it's not then that's way too much to pay IMO.
If that's the case then the concern over Nicasil bore errosion and weak water pumps and thermostats that affected the pre 2000 cars won't apply.
Stating the 'bleedin obvious as with any older car it's essential to buy the very best example you can find, and £6k should get you a very good XJ.
Firstly you'll need to check with the vendor which secondary timing chain tensioners are fitted. When the V8 was introduced the tensioners were prone to failure, they were revised around 2000 with a new design which also fails. The only reliable type are the third generation type which became available after production of the X308 creased. These have metal, not plastic bodies. These are available as a retro fit to the X308 so unless the tensioners have been replaced within the last 5 years the chances are your car will have plastic tensioners which should be changed. A weak or broken tensioner will allow the exhaust cam timing to slip and if you're unlucky will cause serious engine damage. Tensioner change alone without any other work will be in the region of £400. Use this issue as a crucial bargaining point. Anybody who knows XJs cannot deny it's a potential problem and must be sorted.
If there are any significant gaps in the service history then walk away. Jaguar's servicing schedule is minimilast to say the least and missed oil changes could mean engine wear. Oil (and all the other fluids) should be clean and topped up. Remove the oil filler cap and have a look inside, thick brown deposits on the engine internals are bad news.
The gearbox and differential are "sealed for life" and no provision is made in routine servicing for lubricant change. Any gearbox over 50/60k without an oil and filter change is living on borrowed time. There have been a spate of ZF gearbox failures due to lubrication breakdown, the - very expensive - oil can be changed but's its a difficult procedure as there's no dipstick and the box cannot be accurately refilled without some knowledge and experience of the correct procedure. An Jaguar independent will charge around £200 for the job. The 'diff oil cannot be changed easily either, but again its a job that has to be done to avoid problems later on. Allow about an hour's labour and £15 for the oil. Once the oils have been changed it's advisable to keep regular changes going around every 30k or so.
Some XJs are corroding badly on the reinforcing plate behind the front shockabsorber where the sunbrafme mount joins the body. This seems to be random - some do and some don't - but worth a look and action if you see it. Heavy corrosion will be an MOT failure and tricky to fix.
XJs are heavy cars and are hard on suspension components. Check all the tyres for signs of uneven wear. Slight feathering of the fronts is normal but if you see excess wear on the inside edges then chances are the wishbone bushes have weakened allowing too much negative camber. Check very carefully for judder under light braking and steering wheel wobble around 55/65 MPH. Does the key actually open the boot? Does the electric aerial work? All common faults, fixable but worth some cash off the price.
Do the usual checks, like does everything else work? Is there any evidence of accident damage or paintwork? Check for stone chips, kerbed alloys, missmatched tyres and bumper scuffs - that's always a useful indication of how the car has been driven and treated. Driver's seat backs can wear otherwise the interior is pertty durable. The car should be silky smooth, quick and quiet with a good response and smooth changes from the autobox both up and down. XJ's had a choice of sport, touring or on some models CATS (electronic damper adjustment) suspension. Don't expect a limosine ride on sports suspension especially if the car has larger then 16" rims fitted. If it's coming with a warranty then make sure it's not one with a stupidly low claim limit.
That's about it. Even if you buy a good one it won't be cheap to run. Expect 27MPG on a long run, low 20s in daily use and even less in city centre stop start and between the lights thrashing. Set of tyres from £250 up to £450, routine servicing from £150, insurance if you are an old fart like me and have a clean licence will be from £300 up.
If that's the case then the concern over Nicasil bore errosion and weak water pumps and thermostats that affected the pre 2000 cars won't apply.
Stating the 'bleedin obvious as with any older car it's essential to buy the very best example you can find, and £6k should get you a very good XJ.
Firstly you'll need to check with the vendor which secondary timing chain tensioners are fitted. When the V8 was introduced the tensioners were prone to failure, they were revised around 2000 with a new design which also fails. The only reliable type are the third generation type which became available after production of the X308 creased. These have metal, not plastic bodies. These are available as a retro fit to the X308 so unless the tensioners have been replaced within the last 5 years the chances are your car will have plastic tensioners which should be changed. A weak or broken tensioner will allow the exhaust cam timing to slip and if you're unlucky will cause serious engine damage. Tensioner change alone without any other work will be in the region of £400. Use this issue as a crucial bargaining point. Anybody who knows XJs cannot deny it's a potential problem and must be sorted.
If there are any significant gaps in the service history then walk away. Jaguar's servicing schedule is minimilast to say the least and missed oil changes could mean engine wear. Oil (and all the other fluids) should be clean and topped up. Remove the oil filler cap and have a look inside, thick brown deposits on the engine internals are bad news.
The gearbox and differential are "sealed for life" and no provision is made in routine servicing for lubricant change. Any gearbox over 50/60k without an oil and filter change is living on borrowed time. There have been a spate of ZF gearbox failures due to lubrication breakdown, the - very expensive - oil can be changed but's its a difficult procedure as there's no dipstick and the box cannot be accurately refilled without some knowledge and experience of the correct procedure. An Jaguar independent will charge around £200 for the job. The 'diff oil cannot be changed easily either, but again its a job that has to be done to avoid problems later on. Allow about an hour's labour and £15 for the oil. Once the oils have been changed it's advisable to keep regular changes going around every 30k or so.
Some XJs are corroding badly on the reinforcing plate behind the front shockabsorber where the sunbrafme mount joins the body. This seems to be random - some do and some don't - but worth a look and action if you see it. Heavy corrosion will be an MOT failure and tricky to fix.
XJs are heavy cars and are hard on suspension components. Check all the tyres for signs of uneven wear. Slight feathering of the fronts is normal but if you see excess wear on the inside edges then chances are the wishbone bushes have weakened allowing too much negative camber. Check very carefully for judder under light braking and steering wheel wobble around 55/65 MPH. Does the key actually open the boot? Does the electric aerial work? All common faults, fixable but worth some cash off the price.
Do the usual checks, like does everything else work? Is there any evidence of accident damage or paintwork? Check for stone chips, kerbed alloys, missmatched tyres and bumper scuffs - that's always a useful indication of how the car has been driven and treated. Driver's seat backs can wear otherwise the interior is pertty durable. The car should be silky smooth, quick and quiet with a good response and smooth changes from the autobox both up and down. XJ's had a choice of sport, touring or on some models CATS (electronic damper adjustment) suspension. Don't expect a limosine ride on sports suspension especially if the car has larger then 16" rims fitted. If it's coming with a warranty then make sure it's not one with a stupidly low claim limit.
That's about it. Even if you buy a good one it won't be cheap to run. Expect 27MPG on a long run, low 20s in daily use and even less in city centre stop start and between the lights thrashing. Set of tyres from £250 up to £450, routine servicing from £150, insurance if you are an old fart like me and have a clean licence will be from £300 up.
Thanks Steve
Really appreciate your knowledge. Sounds like the car needs to have had the secondary tensioners and the gearbox oil done (and evidenced), or discount the price for the likely cost. Suoerb negotiation / walk away reason
Great advice, lovely day with the sun shining, would love to buy my first Jaguar today, but will need to keep the excitement under control !!
Will post how I get on...
Thanks again
Stuart
Really appreciate your knowledge. Sounds like the car needs to have had the secondary tensioners and the gearbox oil done (and evidenced), or discount the price for the likely cost. Suoerb negotiation / walk away reason
Great advice, lovely day with the sun shining, would love to buy my first Jaguar today, but will need to keep the excitement under control !!
Will post how I get on...
Thanks again
Stuart
splosher said:
Thanks Steve
Really appreciate your knowledge. Sounds like the car needs to have had the secondary tensioners and the gearbox oil done (and evidenced), or discount the price for the likely cost. Suoerb negotiation / walk away reason
Great advice, lovely day with the sun shining, would love to buy my first Jaguar today, but will need to keep the excitement under control !!
Will post how I get on...
Thanks again
Stuart
Yup, tensioners and gearbox oil essential. At £6k there'll be room for a deal, prices on the cheapest later aluminium bodied XJs on 03 plates are not far off that now. Really appreciate your knowledge. Sounds like the car needs to have had the secondary tensioners and the gearbox oil done (and evidenced), or discount the price for the likely cost. Suoerb negotiation / walk away reason
Great advice, lovely day with the sun shining, would love to buy my first Jaguar today, but will need to keep the excitement under control !!
Will post how I get on...
Thanks again
Stuart
One other thing.. rear shocks can rattle over bumps. It'll either be the internal valves failed or the mounting. Quite an expensive fix - shocks are about £150 a pair and about three hours or so to replace.
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