Jaguar XJR X350: PH Buying Guide
The all-aluminium X350 was a radical departure for Jag, even if it didn't look it - here's how to buy a good 'un
As subtle takes on the performance saloon go, the 2003 Jaguar XJR was almost anonymous to look at. Other than the 'XJR' badge on the boot, different alloy wheels and mesh front grille, this 400hp supercharged barge could slip past unnoticed.
Mind you, it was capable of slipping past most other traffic with no trouble at all. The 4.2-litre V8 also dished up 397lb ft of torque and used a slick ZF six-speed auto to see 0-62mph in 5.0 seconds, with an electronically ceilinged top speed of 155mph.
All of that subtlety was carried over into the cabin, which was opulently equipped but not garish - unless the original owner went a bit too far in the personalisation stakes. Still, you got a touchscreen for the infotainment and many included sat-nav, which now looks very out of date. More importantly, build quality in the cabin was a step up from the previous XJ, which could look tatty very quickly.
Jaguar facelifted the entire XJ range in mid-2007 and the XJR got deeper front and back bumpers and side skirts.
It's worth noting that the X350 generation of XJR doesn't ride with quite the same deft cushioning as the earlier generations, so be sure you're happy with this on a test drive before committing cash.
If you do go ahead, the cheapest out there start at around £5,500, but £7,500 is a more realistic budget for an early 2003 car. A really clean facelifted car with average miles will cost up to £14,000, which still bags you one of the most understated swift saloons ever made.
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Bodywork and interior
Corrosion is the biggest worry with the body around the doors, boot lid, rear windscreen frame and wheel arches. Anywhere there's a sharp contour or crease in the body needs to be looked at too. It's not rust in the normal sense, but a reaction on the aluminium panels to moisture. This can be sorted by a specialist body shop and the good news is this type of corrosion doesn't spread like normal ferrous oxide rust. There have also been reports of galvanic corrosion where Jaguar used steel rivets to join aluminium panels, while others point at poorly applied paint or iron filings from when the body panels were pressed.
You should also inspect the underside closely for rust on the front and rear subframes, which are made from steel.
Parking dings can be expensive to put right because aluminium is more brittle and harder to repair, so expect larger bills for this sort of work. Check for any previous accident repairs or signs of damage.
Rear parking sensors can fail when water gets into their bodies set into the bumper. Removal and cleaning should get them working again.
Door handles can snap and electric windows stop working, requiring a new motor.
Engine and transmission
The six-speed auto is claimed to be sealed for life, but changing the transmission fluid every 50,000 miles is recommended by independent specialists. This can help cure the slightly jerky take-off from low speeds.
A gearbox ECU reflash will also help cure any snatchy behaviour of the gearbox, which was a common problem when the car was new.
The coolant valley pipe that runs underneath the supercharger can fail and means the entire supercharger, charge cooler and intake need to be removed to replace the hose. The hose is cheap, but the work to access it is expensive, so look carefully for any signs of coolant leaks at the rear of the engine and underneath.
The cooling system's expansion tank can become over-pressurised and blow off the connecting pipe. A new pressure valve should sort this.
Suspension and steering
Rear wishbone bushes wear more quickly than you might expect in a relatively light luxury saloon, so reckon on changing them every five years for around £850. Or you can just have the old bushes pressed out and new ones put in for much less.
Air suspension will almost certainly fail at some point and show a warning light on the dash. The air bags wear out and begin to leak, but Bilstein released original-spec modules in 2012 that are cheaper than Jaguar asks at its main dealers. However these units still come in at around £750 each. A more cost-effective route is a reconditioned complete unit from £349 available from Air Dominance in the UK.
The ECU's Body Processing Module can fail and affect the suspension. New ones are available for £500 or used ones that have been tested and working for £100.
Wheels, tyres and brakes
Jaguar issued a recall for leaking brake pipes, so make sure this has been carried out on affected cars built between December 2005 and October 2006.
Rear brake pads wear quickly and electronic handbrake can fail.
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SPECIFICATION - JAGUAR XJR (X350)
Engine: 4,196cc V8 supercharged
Transmission: 6-speed auto, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 400@6,100rpm
Torque (lb ft): 399@3,500rpm
MPG: 22.3
CO2: 299g/km
Price new: £58,500
Price now: £5,500 upwards
I'd considered the X350 XJR as a replacement but went for a Honda S2000 instead (another fantastic car IMHO) 
Reliable, quiet, comfortable and well appointed (although infotainment was 2003 vintage so no Bluetooth or even an ipod socket), wish I'd kept it.
The XJR just takes all those attributes and adds oomph.
Air bags -don't rush to replace if the warning comes up on the dash.
My specialist told me that people often get the 'Air suspension failure' message on the dash and rush to replace air bags and pump (as that's what the dealers recommended) but that the ECU only allows 2 minutes for the compressor to fully inflate them. If the car's been stood for a while or it's a cold day an older pump can take longer than this, throwing the fault.
His advice was that until you see the message regularly, don't rush to replace anything. When you do, start with the pump and get a recon kit as it's usually the diaphragm inside the pump that fails - kits are around £50 or you can buy a refurbed pump for a couple of hundred and they're not too difficult to fit (couple of hours labour or an afternoon if you do it yourself).
The coolant pipe mentioned in the article is correct I had two go in the same area and had to replace SC belt and pulley arrangement on both occasions to get rid of the squeak.
Water ingress behind the headlamps can be very expensive as there’s electronics just waiting to be drowned on route down there.
I used genuine discs and pads from Jaguar but could never quite get rid of the poor brake sensation; in the end it went to the dealer and they did their best, but on the quiet told me that it could be “damper arms” and be prepared for it to get even more expensive; “what, more than the £2K I’ve already spent on the brakes?”, yep, more than that said the old foreman.
I moved it on fairly soon after. I still love it.
This generation (as per original post) were the best IMO from being a passenger and occasionally driving them
I remember the the 3.0 model, it had a really low slung driving position and handled beautifully considering its size, it felt really light and fluid. At the time I had an MX5 and the Jag drove nearly as well. It was also economical with 30-40 mpg being easily attainable and was reliable . The only odd issue was once I drove it, went to get out and the handle came off in my hand!!! My dad said "not again that happened with me already!!" In the end he moved on to Range Rovers as he got large dogs, but we speak fondly of the Jags.
The V8 had all the power you would ever need and the V6 although much down on power was very light and had more supple fluid handling. I saw a v6 for 3k the other day and thought it was a bargain and probably a safer bet than a 3K BMW or Mercedes
If you actually used that remapped 700NM and took the box at least 15% over spec you'd it in fairly short order. Most people who carry out this work seem to think managing 20k miles with the higher output in place constitutes iron clad reliability though!
AS for a few seconds at a time, how long do you have to put too much torque through a biscuit before it snaps? Same principle.
If you actually used that remapped 700NM and took the box at least 15% over spec you'd it in fairly short order. Most people who carry out this work seem to think managing 20k miles with the higher output in place constitutes iron clad reliability though!
AS for a few seconds at a time, how long do you have to put too much torque through a biscuit before it snaps? Same principle.
Got chatting to him one day whilst walking our dogs and he invited me to sit in it
It may be just be my perception but it was like an inverse-TARDIS inside, the outer size not seeming to correlate with the lack of space inside.
Strangely wnough, a few days after this a Jeep Grand Cherokee appeared in its place on the drive...
Only problem is it will have to live outside and the corrosion issues worry me. I am sure they can be fixed but I presume it isn't cheap and isn't a permanent fix.
It's where steel particles have managed to get rolled into the panels during manufacture, The steel and alluminium can react and cause surface imperfections.
I had 2 of these XJRs, a 2003 and a 2008. Fabulous cars albeit both exhibited irritating foibles , but then I was buying them cheap with high miles.
The 2003 used to have a entertainment system that wouldn't work below freezing, and the 2008 had something not quite right with it's catalysts and I spent 2 years with the EML coming on all the time telling me so. Replacing the cats didn't solve it so I moved it on eventually.
If you actually used that remapped 700NM and took the box at least 15% over spec you'd it in fairly short order. Most people who carry out this work seem to think managing 20k miles with the higher output in place constitutes iron clad reliability though!
AS for a few seconds at a time, how long do you have to put too much torque through a biscuit before it snaps? Same principle.
The ZF6HP28 that the 5.0 litre supercharged cars used was also rated to 750NM.
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