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A few things I noticed on the test drive,brake pedal seems very low and spongey,though pads and rotors were replaced only 11000 miles ago.I was thinking air in system, contaminated fluid or servo unit?(note, dealer wants $1300. to replace front and rear rotors and pads, seems excessive to me.)
The tilt motor for the steering wheel seems to pause, run pause when used.?
The drivers door panel has annoying rattles coming from it at certain speeds.
Was traction control standard or an option,and by the way if it is installed where is the switch?
The only things major that were done on the car in the past were replacement throttle body(seems common), fuel pump,thermostat, antenna mast.
Is the transmission on this car a weak spot, and as the car has 44,000 mile on it do you think any tranny problem would have shown up by now.
Any thing else I should be looking for.
Thanks
DennyZ
I tell you one thing that happens with these cars when ppl, try to sell them,they often have tried to trade the cars at dealers and go into shock at the prices offered so decide to try and sell the cars privately,often at price close to what dealers are asking.Then at the end of a week in the local paper are amazed that it hasn,t sold.
These used cars are selling to a very small market,most of these cars new were leased or puchased thru a business, and then often under a full wtee with a service plan.
The way I see it , if you get one for around $15,000( and damn, what does that buy you today new, a Hyundai Elantra?),then even if you have to drop a few grand on brakes or other problems its stll a good deal,of course you maybe able to find one with an extended wtee, too, which should take some of the major worries away.Good Luck.
DZ
Anyways, back to an earlier point I made,I,m trying to buy one private, to avoid the sales tax, meet the owner,and get a better deal, well thats the theory,lol,in reality, the 2 cars I have looked at,(both not too bad really)were owned by older ppl, that if you question the car or the price look at you like i,m a registered pedo at a PTA meeting.
Heres an interesting point,I looked at a car last week, got the VIN so I could call the dealer to get a service history,now the owner told me, not one problem ever,anyway turns out there were quite a few ,so i call him and ask him again,he gets pisy, saying i cant believe they gave you private information,( he actually said"but you are no body,thats private information").well, i found a list probs, on this car, and of course they were fixed under wtee, however,i feel uncomfortable dealing with this person right now so as much as I fell in love with this car(and its easy to do with a Jag, (as My German friend says, you buy British with your heart and German with your brain).
By the way the guy that posted earlier Re Trannys,well Ford bought Jag in 1990, not 98, the box in the XJ8 was a Ford box,in 98, there were problems,how many later years were affected i,m not sure.Oh, one other point re: the car dying,it seems there was a big problem on the throttle bodies,on both cars i loked at 99, and 2000 the bodies were replaced, on the 99, the trans complete was changed out.
Some other points from my research and talking to a service manager,broken cup holders,power seat motors bad, power steering tilt motor bad,rattles in door panels,brakes-low pedals,expensive rotor and pad replacements(sometimes as low as 10,000 miles,and the cost, around $1300).
I purchased a jaguar from an out of state company and my local dealer will provide an ew. The warranties are priced by groups of 10,000 miles on the odometer. In my case my 2002 VDP has 16,000 miles on the odometer and 20 months/32,000 miles to go on the original warranty. So, I will purchase the ew just before the car turns 20,000. After that the price takes a fair sized jump. Your dealer can give you a table which shows the price schedule for cars within 5 model years broken down by class, and within mileage group by coverage, eg. 7 years, 85,000 miles.
I guess the door trim panels are no big deal to pop off, not sure how much work would be involved in pulling the dash though.Also, there are a number og companies that do the wafer thin lazer cut panels that sit on top of the exsisting.
I guess it all depends on how much it bothers you,but I don,t see the problem getting better.
Another option would be to contact a local wood funiture or piano/wooden instrument restorer,they often have good ways to re finish.
Good Luck.
David Bowes
Didn't really think you could have both these days. But evidently you can. Gotta have one someday soon.
I wonder if any one owns a sport, i ,m looking at one on ebay,I see they have the R wheels, suspension and seats, and colouy keyed grill ect.How do they compare to the regular XJ?
Thanks
And by the way, the ZF transmissions have been a huge success. I haven't met a customer that has had trouble with it. The Germans make incredible transmissions.
Also, just because Ford owns Jaguar doesn't mean they are any less British. The new XJ is a result of British engineering. I know, because we are always reminded by engineers and factory reps during our training sessions. They're really proud of this project.
These cars are mutts now. Many model XJs and XKs have A/C and some electrical components that are also used by Lexus (no more electrical problems thank god!) The Japanese make reliable electrical components.
And if you have any other reliability concerns regarding Jaguar, just look at recent JD Power ratings: Jaguar is the third best in initial quality. Not Bad!
My wife was hoping that it would be within reason to trade her 2001 XJ for the newer model, after I was reading an article in Reuters magazine about how Jag sales are slow, and there are rumors of "dealer cash" being offered. Ford is also, for the first time, offering the "X-Plan" on Jags, which I also qualify for.
It's ridiculous, however, how the luxury cars are depreciating! According to the TMV figures given on this site, her 2001, with only 9500 miles is worth roughly $26K. We're talking about a car that originally sold for $58K!!
Can anyone comment on the functionality of the multimedia package? thanks
Long story short, we got the car for $39,500, which we consider a very good deal for a car that is nearly new. She just could not justify spending $30K more for the new one, especially since she likes the previous model more.
I have a couple of questions that I could not find by reading the manual.
First, do the rear seats fold down? Is there any pass-thru to the trunk (boot)?
Second, does the Sport Shift mode really make a difference? On my GS it just holds the gear a little longer, but on my very brief drive it seemed to make the throttle more responsive.
Third, are the any cupholder's for the rear passengers? With such an enormous amount of space, you'd think there would be some way to hold some drinks to lounge around, but I cannot find any. Do the rear tables extend more then the small amount when the fold down? The hardly seem usable.
Lastly, were all cars wired for the factory phone and nav? There are buttons for these on the dash but they do not activate anything. Seems odd to have buttons for features that do not work.
Thank you in advance for the help. As a current Lexus owner and lover, I have to say that I am VERY impressed with the XJ. I always thought that the GS V8 was increadibly smooth and doubted that anyone elses could be as good, but the XJ is right up there. I am very impressed with the smoothness and response. The XJ is an impressive cruiser, one that I would not mind driving myself in a couple of years.
2009 BMW 335i, 2003 Corvette cnv. (RIP 2001 Jaguar XK8 cnv and 1985 MB 380SE [the best of the lot])
I just replaced the rear brake calipers on my Infiniti I-30. It has 90K on the clock. They had to be replaced because they couldn't be separated to put new pads under. They had corroded too badly - and this car has always lived in Las Vegas - no rain, road salt or rust here. Bottom line, $1500 to do the rear brakes. But I didn't call Infiniti, expecting them to do something about it. How long do I expect them to guarantee every part on the car? I agreed to the warranty period when I bought the car. I don't think I have a valid complaint against Nissan.
Look, you are like me, you like to drive nice, upscale cars. It's gonna cost us, if we keep them out of the warranty period. That's the way I see it.
I am trying to decide if I should keep the XKR after the lease is up next year and I think it will depend on what type of extended warranty I can get.
The Mercedes has had a a number of things wrong, including 2 window regulators at several hundred dollars each. The best was one of the headlights was out. The light had melted into the assembly so $550 to fix.
I like lux cars (am thinking of getting an XJ8L) but realize more now that they do cost to keep going. It's a decision we have to make. Maybe an extended warranty is a good idea so we'll at least know how much it costs. Then of course nothing would break. . .
Last year we got the S-type(2003) which has great ride manners and refinement in the Jaguar tradition. But the front seats, although bucket, are not comfortable. Otherwise, the car has been pure joy to drive.
So last week I got the 2004 VDP, they had great deal on it, with owner loyalty and incentives, I leased it for 745/month/24 months, including taxes. I had to come up with 1500 at inception. This at Bergen Jaguar, in Paramus New Jersey. The XJ-8's could be had for even less(slow sales...)
The car is great, very luxurious, soft supple leather, rides great(although I don't think as good as the 2003, maybe because it's lighter? and the air suspension?as opposed to regular suspenison?) Ergonomics are fine and rear space is great, for a change. BUT the same problem the front seats, although bucket, not comfortable, despite having a 16-way power adjustment. Otherwise the car is refined elegance with great roadside manners and definitely worth the price(for now !anyway!)
Thought I'd pass that along.
My personal taste dictates that I choose either a '96/'97 VandenPlas or a 1998/99 XJ8 ( I do not care for '98/'99 VdP because I do not like the wheels ), though otherwise I find them very lovely with the contrasting piping on seats and the charm of the folding picnic tables.
I also would like to purchase the car that would probably beset me with the fewest problems, over-all. My feeling is that, because the XJ8's are the most "American-ized" of all Jaguars, thus far, they might represent the very best choice for me. I would like you all to share your opinion on this issue.
Additionally, and on another subject, entirely: how "steal-able" are Jaguars? ... meaning, are they especially sought-after by car thieves? I understand that certain cars are prime candidates to be targeted by thieves, and was wondering if Jaguars figure on their "list".
Thank-you always for our wonderful forum; I remain very grateful to continue to have access to your ideas and opinions. Audra
Like nybanker said, the '98 models and later, had the new-acclaimed-engine(XJV-8,designed by Jaguar,money from Ford,it cost 25 million USD to make) and have a totally new, redesigned electrical system. For the Jaguar aficionados, very important, as the electrical system-everything from mirrors, to sunroof, to AC had it's problems. It's mostly what gave Jaguar, the unreliability they were tagged with.The whole electrical system had been a problem with the earlier models.
I agree with you, the wheels on the '98 and later models are nothing to write home about. But you have to balance that with the fact that from '98 on, it's a new car, with a new engine, and a new electrical system. I would rather pay 1,000 USD and put 4 new wheels on(from the '96 or '97 series) and get the reliability of those models. Granted, the '97 model was the last all-British model...so if you have a soft spot for that...by all means ...either way good luck!
While out and about this weekend, I came across my "dream Jag" at a local Nissan dealer. It's a '95 XJS 4.0 liter convertible, red, with tan interior and black top. It's got 65K kilometers on the clock, and is absolutely immaculate in every aspect. Never winter driven, everything works in it, and it has obviously not been cut short in the TLC department. It's not had the "dealer cleanup" done on it, but it's pretty well "showroom" other than the road grime accumulated since it was born. The previous owner had it from new as a second car. He traded in the Jag, and a Bonneville SSE (also immaculate), on a fully loaded Titan pickup, of all things.
Anyways, the reason for my post is to run the numbers past a few of the local experts. Please consider that I'm in Canada, and more specifically Eastern Ontario. The dealer wants $30K CAN for the car, and is contemplating storing it until spring, as "it's the wrong time to be trying to sell a convertible". What do you think, and what is the "right" price for this car? What pitfalls should I be aware of with this year and model?
By the way, I took it out for an extended test drive, unaccompanied yet, and I can say that it's just as tight, solid, and rattle free as my LS. I pushed it hard, and it never put a single foot wrong!
Thanks tons!
Again, my sincere thanks!
Audra
I'm wondering if the turbo is high maintenance and might it add enough to the resale value in 5-8 years to make it worthwhile buying it now.
It appreciate any perspectives.
Thanks.
Charlie
2009 BMW 335i, 2003 Corvette cnv. (RIP 2001 Jaguar XK8 cnv and 1985 MB 380SE [the best of the lot])
I purchased a MB CLK-430 about 7 months ago and have had nothing but problems. I am about ready to sell the car and found an 2003 XJ Sport with 28K for a decent price. The car is beautifull but I dont want to get into another car thats going to be problems. What is everyone opinion who knows the Jag world on the quality and reliabiltiy of this car? Is there anything I should look for or know prior to making the purchase? Its been hard to find reviews or a decent forum that dicusses the jags.
Thanks in advance for your time
RK