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I know of no "bad years" to beware of. Seems that from 98 on, they get progressively better. The 01 or 02 I think won the JD Power initial quality award at #2, behind Lexus, a nice progression from where they used to be.
I'm not away of Ford having a unique problem with silver, but if they did, I doubt it would reach Coventry.
If you do choose an SUV, stay away from the Mercedes M-class. Common knowledge, they have huge issues, never have resolved them.
I was really impressed with how quick the '04 XJ8 felt around town. In normal city-speeds, and stop-and-go driving, it feels almost as perky as my XJR... It really is a fun car, with a sporty feel. Considering that the base XJ8 is far less expensive than a base Mercedes S class, or 7 Series BMW, it really offers great performance and bang for the buck.
However, I am not sure that I will ever get the same quality of service and convenience from Jaguar that Infiniti offered me in the past......We shall see.......
thanks for your advice, nvbanker! you also mentioned lots of good used jags down here... where did you get this info? i'm in palm bch. county. our jag dealer seems to have higher prices on their used cars than in dade/broward; but dealers usually treat people better who buy their cars there, yes?
i read back a few pages on here and see the discussion on the aluminum body/engine. is there somewhere(other than asking the salesman at jag) i can find out what years of the xj8 have aluminum parts?
anyone had any experience/word on that place in texas- texascarsdirect.com? was texas mustangs(odd name, there's a story that goes w/it) were planning on and may have changed the name by now. they sell mostly used jags, but other luxury vehicles as well..
hubby still pushing for an suv, he's looking at the ads right now. ugh!
thanks again!!
The XJ only went all aluminum in 2004. Good luck!
I've owned and maintained several makes of British cars over the years ... even a couple Jags; however, I have not had the pleasure (?) of maintenance of a "post Ford" one. I hear quality and customer satisfaction is way up on the new models but what about the ones about 10 years old? I'm considering a late model V12 XJ-S coupe and was wondering what owners' experiences were with them? Typical maintenance costs? Typical problems ... British electrics (aren't they Bosch now?) I pour money into a 79 Rolls and finally dumped a 97 Range Rover after $6000/12 months so I don't want to get into another vehicle thatcosts me so much to run. $150/month is OK ... $400/month is not.
I would appreciate your advise and experience.
Thanks!
A 1995 V-12 would be a very high maintenance car of dubious reliability and plummeting resale value. On a scale of 1 to 10 for reliability, it would be about a 4. Mostly the problem is the V-12. If you could avoid that, you'd be much better off.
Is there some reason you like this car in particular, I mean a V-12 coupe. I think the XJ6 is a lot prettier and a lot easier to deal with.
I've had a few Jaguars (140, 150 coupe, XKE coupe, 3.8 Sedan, XJ6) over the years and loved driving them, and I have a tool box taller than myself, but I wouldn't buy a V-12 except to flip it on a quick sale.
I'd appreciate your help on this one.
Other than the Supercharger what is the different between the XJ8 and XJR (98-03)? Is the XJR on the longer wheelbase like the VDP's?
I've been thinking about getting an older Jag and have been pondering this dilemma. I love the look of the traditional Short wheelbase XJ but am tempted by the Thrill of a XJR. One more question, is it possible to change the Grille inserts on the XJR to that of the XJ8? I realize it takes away the aggressive look, but I really prefer the normal grille.
Thanks,
SV
2009 BMW 335i, 2003 Corvette cnv. (RIP 2001 Jaguar XK8 cnv and 1985 MB 380SE [the best of the lot])
Most manufacturer's don't seem to find this amount of loss warrants a warning (they may have to lose a quart or more before the low level is triggered). For reasons that are beyond me, Jaguar chooses to tell their owners of very small losses.
It is annoying to have to clear the light with such a small coolant addition, when any competent mechanic will acknowledge that this small loss has no adverse impact on the system's ability to regulate the engine temperature.
Just my opinion, your mileage may vary.
2009 BMW 335i, 2003 Corvette cnv. (RIP 2001 Jaguar XK8 cnv and 1985 MB 380SE [the best of the lot])
Sounds more like a loose hose somewhere, with an undetectable leak.
2009 BMW 335i, 2003 Corvette cnv. (RIP 2001 Jaguar XK8 cnv and 1985 MB 380SE [the best of the lot])
While I totally belive that, I fully understand that cars will use a little oil or coolant now and again, need to have a drop of oil here and there, and so forth. I don't get upset over the little things.
What I find frustrating about the low coolant situation with the Jag is that the coolant reservoir is black. You can't see into it, like most other cars' semi-transparent tanks, so you just can't give it a glance when you check the oil. The Jag's tank is also on the pressure side of the system, so the coolant has to be cold before you remove the reservoir's cap. Just not convenient, which leads to the above mentioned comments.
2009 BMW 335i, 2003 Corvette cnv. (RIP 2001 Jaguar XK8 cnv and 1985 MB 380SE [the best of the lot])
About a month ago I called North Scottsdale Jaguar here in AZ and asked for a price on a certified used '02 XJ8. He quoted me $38,600 and the car had 15K miles. I went right over. The car was beautiful, and was an XJSport! (Same as an XJR but without the supercharger.) I bought it that afternoon. Kelly BB was $44,000!
The first is that the fuel pump (located somewhere between the two rear wheels) intermittently "groans". It is quite loud when it happens and fills the car with a really ugly noise. The warranty company won't allow it to be replaced because it hasn't "failed". It groans for about a month, then it goes away for one or two more.
The second thing is that the tires vibrate and shake the whole car at higher speeds. I've had them speed balanced...three times and the alignment checked twice. Currently, I've had the problem "rotated away", but as soon as I get the tires rotated again, my teeth will start to chatter when I go above 80MPH.
Sure spoils the otherwise luxury experience...
I'm considering a 98 Vanden Plas with 65K miles and needs your help.
Everything looks very good on this car except that the driver's seat bolster has slight wear, and the door panel handle has wear on the stitching where you would pull it. Can these problems be fixed by an upholstery place? Could I expect the repair to be undetectable if it's done by a good shop?
Also, the seat position memory may not work, but it could be that I don't know how to work it yet. How expensive would this be to repair if it is in fact broken?
Thanks,
Pete
Funny, the last XJ I test drove, also had a memory seat that I couldn't get to function, but I also might have been "doing it wrong".
I also found out from Jag-Lovers.org that the seat memory can be caused by either a loose plug under the seat or a bad ECU.
Pete
It's been quiet on this board! I'm still looking for the right XJ8 to buy...
I've seen alot of ads on autotrader.com that says the car has a "CA spec" engine. Is there such a thing? Do I really need a "CA spec" engine to pass emissions in CA? I was under the impression that cars manufactured after a certain year will meet CA emissions requirements.
Also, has anyone ever dealt with Silvey Motors/www.texas-jaguar.com/www.jaguarofaustin.com? They have a buying service in which they will buy a car to order at the Jag auction. They claim that their cars are of much higher quality than www.texascarsdirect.com's cars and as a result are around $1.5K more expensive. If this is true, what quality are the texascarsdirect cars?
Thanks,
Pete
i posted here back in sept; at that time, my husband wanted me to give up my aging(& problematic) xj6 for an suv. i caved after much pressure from all around and am now the owner of an '03 tahoe xl. it is so not me. i walk out of anywhere and look for my car in the lot and think someone has stolen my jag; the valet brings me this truck and i nearly tell him he has brought me the wrong car.
so i read wistfully and want to tell you all how lucky you are to still be able to go through the turns w/o leaning and to feel like you are in a sports car as you drive the boys to baseball.
so sad... heidi in so fla
A Tahoe would be tough to swallow after a Jag.....