Jaguar XJ-Series

im_brentwood · July 2002

Yes, They do more than 110.

Bill's 95 VDP with 143K and 3 previous bad accidents on it still breaks 140mph!

They do about 145. Trust me. Ron, hit the Greenway around 9am on a Sunday!

(DAMN I love new P6000s... this sucker is worthless. I'm gonna see how long it lasts!)
$21,700.. Topaz? 57K? You could beat your head in and maybe do better, but not a hell of a lot better. it's a good price, good miles for a 97, and Great color (Topaz=$$$$$$). I just saw a Sherwood Green one with similar miles do $18,700 at the auction so you are doing fine (Sherwood is a crappy color valuewise and this one had loads of resprya on the front seats).

Sure as hell beats a new Camry for the cash!

Bill

im_brentwood · July 2002

Sorry derel.. yes the ATF is fine in the power steering system.

If you are low on fluid your high pressure hose is probably leaking. Have it reclamped if they can.

Bill

im_brentwood · July 2002

USE ONLY THE FOLLOWING BRANDS:

Jaguar (Your local dealer will be happy to nail you to the wall pricewise)
Crosland (They make em for above)
Unipart (Made by Crosland, Unipart is to Jaguar as Mopar is to Chrysler).

I do not like Frams. they sucketh.

Order a bunch from jagbits.com or coventrywest.com and get em for prolly $9-11 each.

Bill

derel2 · July 2002

Thanks Bill. There is no power steering leak. The Fluid level is fine. I was just curious if the Castrol Dexron III/Mercon was OK to use if needed. I was not sure what the Mercon was and if the Dexron III/Mercon was a different formulation than Dexron III alone recommended by Jaguar and should not be used in a Jag.

Mike

[Deleted User] · July 2002

What about using "power steering fluid", even if Dexron is specified?

Also, I've heard of a power steering additive, I believe is called "Lucas", ironically. Have you heard of it?

derel2 · July 2002

Had the opportunity today to test drive a new XK8. Nice car but I was not very impressed. Felt my XJ6 was superior in performance. Must be just a J-type of guy.

Mike
95 XJ6

skm2 · July 2002

I own a 1999 xj8. Every time I don't drive the car for 10 days (new battery) or less with an old battery, I cannot start the car. Jumping it does not work. The car must be brought back to Jaguar where they finally get it going. We have replaced the battery and Jaguar insists that they can find nothing wrong with the car.

Any similar experiences or suggestions?

Thanks.

skm2

[Deleted User] · July 2002

Just a guess, but sounds like a possible alternator problem, it may not be charging the battery fully. Also, could be some kind of dicharge somewhere, such as a trunk light that isn't turning off when you close the trunk, or maybe a problem with the security system using too much juice.

Obviously, something is wrong, despite what the "experts" (ahem) at your dealer say.

wesdr · July 2002

Black/Oatmeal. I've been considering an XJR for a long time and this one's been listed for a while. Any thoughts @ $58K? Seems like a great deal. 2 extra years on the warranty and $14K less than the new one.

rea98d · July 2002

" do not like Frams. they sucketh."

Amen to that. They sucketh for every make, not just Jags.

[Deleted User] · July 2002

Why doth Fram sucketh, pray tell?

derel2 · July 2002

Can anyone tell me what the exact size of the oil sump bolt is for a 95 XJ6 ( correct socket to use to remove it)? Are there any batteries that are acceptable to use on a Jag besides a Jaguar battery? If yes, what are the best brands and what should be avoided?.

Mike

[Deleted User] · July 2002

I've heard only good things about Optima batteries on the Jag-Lovers forums. It's a whole new battery technology. I'm gonna buy one for my XJS, if and when the current guy dies.

im_brentwood · July 2002

Frams suck even worse than the Mets!

Basically, crappy construction.

As far as batteries? I just use whatever, but then I like to live dangerously. Optimas are great, and a waste of $$ in a Jaguar.

Bill

im_brentwood · July 2002

Hmm...

Charcoal Interior is better up north.. even so, used XJRs are rare.

$58K is not outrageous. It's about what I am paying for them as a dealer (Assuming a perfect low-mile car).

Wait, this is a retail deal? And a select?

Checkbook Time!

Bill

wesdr · July 2002

Your enthusiasm encouraged me to call and enquire b/c I was worried they may have already sold it. 11,800 miles, chromes. I actually prefer the oatmeal. I guess if I'm not going to get this one I'll never do it.

Any advice on the negotiation? I'm not really into nickling/diming over the price, but are there any dealer options or other things that they would throw in to make a deal?

im_brentwood · July 2002

If the car is $58K, and you don't want it, lemme know..

)))

Seriously, if they are ASKING $58K, then start em up at $55K.

But, hell. If they are firm, you buy it anyways. Always ask if you can get some T-Shirts at least.. something.. but that is a very good price for an 02 XJR.

I oughta know, I just bought one for a customer (Jag dealer) and I paid $57K for a 15K mile 02 and they had it sold for $65K.

So, In other words, if they say $58K or the highway, you're still getting much better than a fair price. But do try and negotiate, they coulda gotten lucky and grabbed it for $52K from somewhere and have some room(I doubt it tho). But with a used car, it is worth what it is worth. In this case $57-58K wholesale and about $62-63K retail.
Bill

wesdr · July 2002

And I got a great deal without even trying. The Ad I saw on Wednesday was for $57,995. When I got there, there was a Red Tag on the floor that said $56,995. When we went in the office he told me he had just published an ad for $55,995, so I didn't even attempt to go lower. He said he got a call today from someone on the East Coast who wanted it and would pay for shipping. It's every bit as good as new, plus 2 extra years and 50K miles on the warranty.

When I got off the freeway I floored it at a stoplight and neglected to notice the traction control was off. That was interesting. I pulled back right away, and as I did so I looked in my rear view mirror and wondered "How did those people suddenly get do far away?"

im_brentwood · July 2002

Jeeeeeeeeeez!

You wanna make a quick $2,500 on it?

Dang.. you got a great deal from, well, a pretty weak salesperson who was desperate to sell it wounds like!

You stole the car. Congrats

And, yes, they do kick serious butt!

Bill

derel2 · July 2002

Bill:

I know you recommend Castrol oil for the Jag. Is this the regular grade or are you referring to a different premium grade oil by Castrol? Why do you you prefer Castrol over other comparably priced oils?

Mike

whatup · July 2002

Hey,

I don't know if this was already posted, but go to http://www.4car.co.uk to see pictures of the new XJ. It's now on the front page, but if not, check under Spy Shots. Supposedly the car is 40% lighter than the outgoing XJ (which dates back to 1968). The XJ6 (240 HP V6 from the S-Type) also returns...but that could be just for the European market.

The car looks good...maybe because it looks almost exactly the same as the old XJ. Same for the interior...take the old XJ and add the new S-Type center console.

Todd

rbrenton88 · July 2002

I wonder if that buyer from the East Coast was really Bill trying to steal the car away?

wesdr · July 2002

Looks better than the other conceptual guesses I've seen. I thought the change would be more dramatic, which I why I jumped at getting mine now.

I'm skeptical of either the 40% weight loss or the 5.3 0-60 speed. My guess is the author took the 0-60 speed from the S-type R. If they really dropped 1600lbs. of the car, my bet is they're intentionally trying to go sub 5 to beat the E55 and the M5. I know my XJR beats those on style, but it would be nice to beat them on the road as well. I saw an M5 this morning and the styling is definitely sub par.

rea98d · July 2002

Uh, the outgoing XJ does not date back to 1968. It dates back to 1988, with major updates in '95 and '98. The XJ that was introduced in 68 lasted until '87 (at least in the U.S.). Anyway, the only thing a 1987 XJ6 has in common with a 1988 XJ6 is the name on the back end.

pluskin · July 2002

"I'm skeptical of either the 40% weight loss or the 5.3 0-60 speed...If they really dropped 1600lbs. of the car,..."

Remember, that's 40% reduction in the weight of the body, not the entire car. Which is a very reasonable estimate for an aluminum body.

im_brentwood · July 2002

Well,

it's factory-fill and British cars seem to like it better

Bill

im_brentwood · July 2002

Just like the last Carnival Red one we saw posted here...

I WANT ONE!

Bill

Oh, and I did TELL Wesdr that if he didnt want the XJR that I did, but the EC buyer was not I

jagdriver007 · July 2002

Hello Folks-

I am the proud owner of a new 2002 XJ Sport. (By the way, if you can still find a 2002, the are going for 799/39mo lease with 0 down).

I love the car overall, but I am beginning to think they dialed in the suspension a bit too firm. On rough roads here in ole Ohio, its downright punishing- and the dash is already starting to rattle.

I know that the car comes with uprated springs and shocks per Jaguar - like the XJ-R. The funny thing is, I don't remember the R being this harsh. As much as I hate to do it, I am thinking about having my dealer trade out the springs and/or shocks with stock XJ8 units. I have already checked the tire pressure, etc.

My question is: should I do just springs, shocks and springs ($$$), or just suck it up and live with it?

If anyone has some experience/advice, I would appreciate it!

Dave

wesdr · July 2002

Find a long windy road to spend some time on and you'll change your mind. I bought my XJR for the power, but it turns out what I really love is the suspension, though it can be rough. If the Sport is even rougher, my only guess might be that it's a bit lighter and that causes the difference. Otherwise, I'd probably play around with the tire pressure or even swap out the 18"s for smaller wheels before messing with the shocks.

Also, on my last post I guess I wasn't thinking about the weight correctly. My main point was that the 5.3 stat is probably coming from the S-Type R, and that hopefully the new XJ will meet or beat the performance of the current M5 and E55. If it does not, it seems like a big waste of development time and money. They could have gained the small increase in HP and speed just by improving the supercharger.

One more thing on the XJR. I had thought the manual shifting option was a bit hookey until I actually used it. It's a lot nicer to downshift and ease ahead of someone instead of having to floor it to downshift. Especially when your wife's screaming at you from the passenger's seat.

wesdr · July 2002

The dealer I bought my phone from didn't seem to interested in installing the Jaguar phone and suggested that if I wanted a phone, I'd be better off getting something aftermarket. However, I already use a Timeport phone, and it looks like that's what the system uses. How much would it cost and what's involved if i take it to my local dealer to put in a phone?

rbrenton88 · August 2002

Jagdriver: Personally, I wouldn't swap out parts unless you intend to swap them back in someday when you sell it. The Sport option is a specialty variation that costs more initially, and in all liklihood will be more valuable down the road. just a guess. save those parts!

Wes: I hear that the next-gen E55 (or whatever they will name it) in 2003-4 is getting a bump in power, plus their might be a supercharged stock version with around 500hp.
Then again, since I love both the E55 and the XJR, I suggest getting one of each, just to cover all the bases.

marsha7 · August 2002

Bill: a friend just purchased a 2002 (I believe) XJ8, so I just had a rear seat ride in a Jag for the first time...talk about a gorgeous vehicle...sapphire blue with white interior...gotta have one...must wait until other debts paid off...one small notation, though...back seat kinda small, and even though I am a short guy, I had to really duck not to hit my head on the car while entering the rear seat...with driver about six foot, just had enough leg room for my knees...maybe XJ8L would offer slightly more room...my head seemed awfully close to the roof of the car...but, to hell with passenger comfort, it's the front seats that matter for the 1st class folks up front, who cares about coach class???

Bob

im_brentwood · August 2002

You need an XJ8L

They are just startin to get cheap...

You know guys, I have seen some of these carson No Reserve auctions on eBay doing less than I can buy them for...

Bill
Who is not dumb enough to list XJ8s on eBay

netranger4 · August 2002

Hi Bill: Have read your informative posts for quite awhile now. Since you are in the car market every day can you give me an estimated retail on a 1993 XJ12 with 70K. Black with tan upholstery. The seller would like 15K, but feel that this is a good bit higher than the car is really worth.
Thanks again for your price/advice.

im_brentwood · August 2002

Hey.. long time no see.

$15,000 for a 1993 XJ6? Actually, it is not more than the car is worth. That's in "Seller needs to be in rehab" territory.

I'm selling similar mile 95-96s for that kinda $$.

PASS. It's a $7,000-8,000 car.. MAYBE if it's REALLY nice (Should be a '94, 93s (94 Model Year) have BBS-Style wheels and driver's airbag only. You want a dual airbag car as they have the updates of the real 94 Model Year cars.

Bill

[Deleted User] · August 2002

What is the price range for a 94 XJ40 in near perfect shape in/out in a desirable color, let's say diamond blue of that deep metallic red (carnaval?)?
I'm thinking of a sedan to compliment the XJS.

im_brentwood · August 2002

You're better off with a 95. A Clean 95 XJ6, Nice car, 70-80K can be had for about $13Kish right now.

94s? All the money for a VDP is $10-11K for low miles and pristine at the moment, they have come down about $2-3K in the past year.

XJ6s can be had for $10K.

We're talking creampuffs.

Diamond Blue is not a great color on XJ40s for some reason...

Bill

[Deleted User] · August 2002

I saw what looked like a 94 XJ6 in Diamond Blue, or some light blue metallic similar to my Diamond Blue XJS, and I thought it looked outstanding.

So, if a 94 creampuff is $10K, how much would a nice clean one be?

netranger4 · August 2002

Thanks for the heads up on the 93 XJ12. Will keep on looking. Thanks again.

NetRanger4

im_brentwood · August 2002

Net: Glad to help!

Gary: Yeahup, Diamond Blue was a 1990-1994 Color.

A clean 94 XJ6 should run ya $8,500ish...

Bill

wesdr · August 2002

There has been some talk recently on the Jag lovers forum about paint maintenance and I have a few questions since I've already managed a few bruises on my new XJR.

I guess the most important question should be, Is there anything as far a wax or cleaning products to avoid or to prefer? Also, I have 2 scratches that may go deeper than the clearcoat. One is on the rear bumper and is so small that I probably wouldn't notice it if I didn't know how I did it (the reverse sensor should really give you its highest warning when you're 2 inches away instead of 8). The other one is not visable-it is under the front bumper and resulted from scraping a parking curb when I left a lot with 3 more people than I pulled in with. My question on these is, is there any reason to get them fixed sooner rather than later, and what can I expect to pay to have it done?

Also, I'm curious how often I should expect to need new brakes and Z rated tires. I've realize that my "free" 20,000 mile service is probably going to be expensive. Are there any other chargable service items they look for at that point?

Thanks in advance. I got my own answer to the phone question ($1750) and I'm curious what Dave decided to do on his XJ sport ride issue. I mentioned lowering the tire pressure, but I've seen on Jag lovers that that's not recommended for low profile tires as you can damage the wheels. However, you still may want to check it b/c the dealer could have jacked up the pressure to give it the sporty feel on the test drive. If you really don't like the ride it seems like you should have spent the extra cash on a VDP instead of a sport, b/c that ride is what you paid for.

chip78 · August 2002

Bill or anybody, 97-01 saw something changed each year. For 2001 though it seems like they may have been thinking "not much left to do, new model in a couple of years, well, we've got to do something this year" so they did what edmunds described as crash tubes, hinges etc.

Any views that these are material, compelling frame improvements over 2000-and-before?

Context is "buy or wait?" The 2000s are coming off 3-year leases, or wait around for the 2001s to cheapen some more. Thanks.

drewkarilily · August 2002

is there a recommended oil for a 1996 xj6?

synthetic? or regular?

thanks.

drewkarilily · August 2002

my throttle sticks...everytime the car sits for a while i have to open the hood and manually twist the metal thingy that the throttle cable is attatched to (excuse my extreme lack of mechanical knowledge) i tried wd40 on it...no help...is this common?
is there an easy fix?

it's a 1996 xj6

thanks.

im_brentwood · August 2002

10W30 Castrol in the Jags.

Throttle sticky? You sir may need to have the throttle body PROPERLY cleaned DO NOT PUT WD40 NEAR IT! I do believ it has silicone in it. Wanna ruin your cat convertor and 02 sensor? =O

On occasion they need new throttle return springs too.

Not a big deal... You can do it yourself if you're familiar with these things, but, if you arent you may wanna pass

Bill

im_brentwood · August 2002

Wax?

Me likes Zymol...

wesdr · August 2002

A while ago I think I mentioned that what I'd really like is an XJR 100. So I look in the paper today and there's a certified one w/4800 miles. If I were to trade mine in ('02, 14000 miles, certified), what could I get for it, and could I somehow get the sales tax back?

jlapcat · August 2002

I purchased a '98 XJR last November 01 from the local Jaguar dealer for 39K. It had 37K miles on it. I have had endless problems since...

Initially, there were many electrical issues and cosmetic issues to fix that I didn't notice at time of purchase. The dealership "inspection program" was a joke, I found out. Their excuse was that another dealership did the inspection before the car went up for sale, so they weren't responsible for all the things that were broken at the time of purchase.

The car has been back at least 6 times for repairs at 2 different dealerships. At first you couldn't even hear the engine run, now it runs loud and rough and there is a horrible metallic grind in the car when it starts. It sounds like a forgotten wrench is flying around under the hood. It scares people and I get horrified looks from them if they are anywhere near the car when it starts. I just got the car back from the dealership--it was there 2 days and they say that the car isn't making any unusual sounds and it's in perfect working order. The first time I started the car, there was the sound, and there was my friend with the horrified look...he also owns a jaguar and didn't recognize the rumble... Last month they said the sound was from a "broken pipe" that they fixed. If a problem can be fixed, it really doesn't bother me, especially since the car is still under warranty. It's the ones that I have to live with that bug me, and that's not why I bought a jaguar XJR. I just want to ride around in speedy, responsive luxury.

The tires wore out quickly, after 7K miles... They wore quickly and unevenly, even though I had the car into the dealership for realigment. I took it in yesterday for new tires. The tire guy said the wrong size tires were on the car, they were too small. He checked the spare and said the rim on the spare was badly bent and that the spare tire was useless. It was so bald that the steel was showing through it badly and it made the tires I was replacing look brand new!

Finally, the leather on the driver's seat back is cracked on the left side. It looked perfect when I purchased it, but quickly developed whitish cracks which became unsightly. The dealership told me that the person who owned the car before me probably let his wallet rub there and there was nothing they could do. However, the seat didn't look like this when I purchased the car or I wouldn't have bought it. They refused to replace the seat, but when I picked the car up, the seat looked perfect. Now, 2 months later, the cracked look is back...apparently the polish has worn off. I am upset that the dealership hid the defective worn leather seat from me with polish when they sold me the car, and they refuse to repair the seat.

I think this car had the mileage turned back on it before I bought it. There is no reason the seat should be this worn. My last car was a Mercedes w/ 100k miles on it...no problems, leather looked brand new.

Sorry for the griping, I am hoping people in this discussion group will have suggestions for me on what I should do about the above seat, engine, rim and tire problems.

BTW, I now realize from reading this discussion that I need to get my sagging sunroof's liner fixed!

rbrenton88 · August 2002

About tire pressure...it's been said that putting a few extra pounds over the recommended pressure will help lengthen the life of high-performance/low profile tires. The extra stiffness should not be noticed though.

I must say, when I test drove a '99 XJR last year, it nearly rattled my teeth going over expansion joints in the road. I wasn't sure if that was from being used or not, but jeez!

[Deleted User] · August 2002

bill - A while back, you recommended using only Jaguar, crossland, or Unipart oil filters. I had taken your advice, and purchased a Jaguar brand for $9 at Jagworks. I pulled the POS Fram that I had put on the previous oil change. I did some research, and they more than sucketh. I can't believe Allied Signal gets away with foisting such poorly made crap on an unsuspecting public, possibly ruing many an engine in the process. Absolutely shameful.

My question is this: There are apparently 4 brands of "Jaguar" oil filters - Jaguar, Lucas, Unipart, and Crossland. The first 3 are white color, and cost about $9. As for Crossland, I've seen black Crossland filters that cost twice that, and blue Crossland filters at only $6.

I want the best for my car, and wonder if these "black" Crossland filters are any better, or should I stick to the white Jaguar/Lucas/Unipart, which all appear to be the same.

I've also heard excellent things about Mobil 1 and K&N filters, both made by the same manufacturer.

Jaguar XJ-Series

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