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Jaguar XJ-Series

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Comments

  • wbreaux1wbreaux1 Member Posts: 55
    October's Road and Track said the following about a Super V8, which is the same dimensions as an XJ8L. "It's so roomy, in fact, that with the front seat all the way rearward, there's enough space in back for somebody 6 ft. 4 to sit there quite comfortably. The same can't be said of a standard-wheelbase XJ8." More of an indication that the rear seat legroom should be about 5 inches more than the XJ8.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    To be honest, I haven't owned my myself (yet), but I have several friends who have. Most of them rave about the XJ being remarkably trouble free for at least the first several years, and seem very pleased with their Jags. I've not had anybody complain or be unhappy about their Jags to me yet. FWIW, YMMV, of course.
  • kennethmkennethm Member Posts: 2
    I bought a 95 xj6 in May of 2003 with 77,000 miles and have loved it ever since. Seat position is a bit quirky, but I can't tell you how much I love the torque of that straight six. My son and I would often look for a reason to take the car out. He owns a Maxima with their great 3 liter v-6, but this straight six Jag is something else. I now have 85,000 on the odometer and have been thinking about a S type or even the S type R, but after reading their bulletin board I am inclined to stick with my silky smooth XJ6. Problems - I had the timing chain ( not belt) tensioners replaced - not cheap but necessary. The other expensive item that I have been able so far to avoid are the injectors. I found a great repair shop in Braintree Mass - Elite Auto - that has been doing Jags for 20 years and was recommended to me by the Jaguar Club of New England president. I need to replace a couple of the door light relays- as I get a strobe light effect when I open two of the four doors on the car. My mechanic tells me that one cannot get the parts easily in the secondary market and Jaguar only sells them at a very high price. For now - I am living with the strobe light effect. The feel of driving this car is really quite phenomenal- and it is really one of the most beautiful cars around ( I am slightly biased of course)
    Good luck with your Cat!
  • phobosxphobosx Member Posts: 1
    This may be a little late but, maybe it will help. I own a 1995 Jag XJS with the 4L v6 and I love it. I am actually on here looking up info for a co-worker that wants a similar car and saw your post. My XJS is a light green with a light tan interior and with the top down, these are beautiful cars. The top, when up, fits great as well. I had a few other convertibles and a few other co-workers each have a dodge/chrysler sebring convertable and this top on my 9 year old car fits better and squeaks less. It does not squeak at all actually.

    I have had the car for a few years and it is great. It is smooth and powerful. Weighing in at around 4000 lbs, it's not too great off the line but if I floor it at 70 MPH it's over 100 Mph very quickly.

    I only drive it a few thousand miles a year. It just turned 70k before I put it away in the garage for this winter. I have had no major problems and the previous owner (who sold it because he was getting divorced) had service records and had a computer/emissions problem and an AC leak fixed but those were the only thing out of the ordinary. Stuff like tires and brakes and shocks every car will need. He owned the car from 1998 to 2001. No idea on what was needed from 1995 to 1998. Having owned a few other british cars, I fully expcet a major repair to be fairly costly but, that's how it goes. Any high end car will be costly to fix.

    I would aviod the dealer if I was you. The previous owner of my car lives about 15 miles from me and he had trouble with the local dealer doing even basic stuff. He turned me onto an independent garage he used for this car and his Audi A8. They fix european imports and says they are less expensive than the dealer and do a better job. Depending on how handy you are, the more simple repairs could be done by yourself. I had a 1980 Tr-7 and did everything by myself.

    Comfort wise, the car is a tight fit. I am only 5'11" tall and weigh 190 lbs and I can see how a larger person may have trouble. The back seat is a joke. The front seats are comfortable but are fairly tight because the console is very wide. There are no cupholders either.

    Price wise, I found that the prices are all over the board when I was shopping. I used edmunds and kelly blue book as a guide for pricing when I was shopping. The V12's tend to fetch a higher price but, I was avoiding those. Twice as many parts to fail and I hear the performance isn't really any better.

    All in all, it is a great car. I myself could not use it as an every day driver especially with the weather here in Chicago and where I have to drive to. I can only imagine how bad this car is in the snow! For me, it's a great car to drive the family around in the summer. It drives great and has been reliable so far but generally do not drive it hard. They also loose their value pretty fast. To me that does not matter since I plan on keeping this car a long time. The car this XJS replaced I had for 20 years. I only sold it because the wife can't drive a stick shift. Too bad, because I hear there were some 1994 models (about 100) that had a 5 speed manual and were very fast.

    Hope this helped and if you buy an XJS, I hope you enjoy it.
  • ronaldcrossronaldcross Member Posts: 13
    I have an '02 XJ Sport with 41K on the odometer. I have had several small problems (like trim coming loose), all fixed permenently (it seems), but but no major problems at all.
  • daytondandaytondan Member Posts: 3
    Dear Leadfoot4,

     

    As a new member, I'm enjoying reading the previous entries, including yours. Do you still have the 2001?
  • cbs333cbs333 Member Posts: 1
    I have 1995 XJ6, with 97K miles. Iam in Michigan.

    (A) Lately I hear sound briefly for about 3-5 seconds while accelerating the car. Took to the private garage and the mechanic suspects timing chain related. What is a reasonabl cost of repair?

    (B) Also, lately it takes several seconds of cranking to start the car. THe mechanic mentioned a possible problem with the crank sensor. Again, What is a reasonable cost of repair.

     

    How long can I avoid above repairs.

    I have a feeling that due to sudden cold wave in Michigan I got these problems. Can I just garage

    the car for the winter and hope that the problems go away in Summer?
  • alijulalijul Member Posts: 5
    I own a 2000 XJ8L and am very happy with it. However,lately, after I turn off the car the strange noise starts to come out from under the hood: sounds like a fan. It continues for 15-20 sec and then stops. Anybody knows what it is before I take it to the Jaguar repair shop and they charge me an arm and a leg?

    Thank you very much for any info.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    Very likely is the cooling fan, cooling the Radiator, and very likely, is operating normally. Volvo's do this.
  • usmarine2usmarine2 Member Posts: 1
    I'm in the market for a XJ6 or XJ8 "L". My problem is this. I live in Yuma, Az and there is no Jag service within 100 miles of me. I need to know the most reliable years starting in early 90's to current, and what is the mileage that problems start to occure?. As well I only have about 15k to spend. Any advice or comments are greatly welcome.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    98 or newer are the XJs that are Ford designed with electricals that are more reliable (not of Lucas origin), etc. Not sure you can find one in your price range that new with low mileage....but you can check around. Prior to that though, they were much more problematic.
  • jaglover2jaglover2 Member Posts: 9
    While the cooling fan runs for 15 to 20 sec is normal after the car is turned off if this persist it could be a bigger problem. On my 2001 XJ8, the fan ran for up to 5 minutes after the car was turned off. When I took it back to the dealer they replaced the thermostat and the problem went away. This happened about 3 weeks after I bought the car as a certified pre-owned and the dealer made the repairs under the new car warranty. The new car warranty was extended to me as the time has not yet expired.
  • bhill2bhill2 Member Posts: 2,466
    I need to update the DVD for the navigation system in my 2001. The local Jag dealer wants almost $400 for the DVD. Even he says that I should be able to get it elsewhere for less. Does anyone know where? Thanks.

    2009 BMW 335i, 2003 Corvette cnv. (RIP 2001 Jaguar XK8 cnv and 1985 MB 380SE [the best of the lot])

  • leadfoot4leadfoot4 Member Posts: 593
    I haven't logged on here in quite a while, but yes, I still have the 2001 XJ in the "family fleet". It's currently in the garage for the winter.
  • daytondandaytondan Member Posts: 3
    Dear Leadfoot4, Thanks for your reply. Am currently looking at a 2001 with 57000 miles. Am curious about your experience in reliability and maintenance on your car, and if there's any thing I should check on as should have been done by now or should expect to come up soon. Regards.
  • leadfoot4leadfoot4 Member Posts: 593
    I may not be the correct person to provide the information you're looking for. The XJ that we have is my wife's "summer car", and as such, isn't used all that much.

     

    She took delivery of it early in December of 2000(the deal was decent), and since snow was imminent, it went directly in the garage until spring. The car has never been out in the road salt, and at this point, has just over 10,000 miles.

     

    The only problems that we've had were a sunroof track failure and a battery that wouldn't hold a charge. I suspect that the battery issue might be attributed to the car's inactivity during the winter, although I put the charger on it every couple of weeks.
  • wbreaux1wbreaux1 Member Posts: 55
    Went to the auto show today and looked close up at an XJ8L. It was very impressive. For the money I think the best car in its class. The rear seat legroom is outstanding, I'd say about even with S class and a tad behind A8. The car looks beautiful close up as well. I'd take the A8 all things equal, but with the price difference I think XJ8 surpasses. Now just need to get the financing worked out, and go in and drive one.
  • jasden2jasden2 Member Posts: 2
    I have just brought a '98 XJ8L. There are no owners manual books with the vehicle, although the service history is up to date.

    Today the "FAILSAFE ENGINE MODE" message came on while I was in cruise controle. What does this mean and how do I correct it?

    Thanks.

    Jason
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    You're in limp mode - like your engine coolant is low, or oil is low. Check all fluid levels and everything else you can think of. If everything is ok, you can try to reset the warning, but you may need to go see the dealer....
  • jasden2jasden2 Member Posts: 2
    Okay, wow..thanks for the fast reply.

    I'll check all fluids as you suggested and hope the warning is gone in the morning.

    Jason
  • daytondandaytondan Member Posts: 3
    OK -- thanks for the reply. Sounds like a "gem!"

     

    Can anyone else provide some insight into what to expect on a 2001 with 57,000???
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    For anyone who might have missed this when it was posted: Follow-Up Test: 2005 Jaguar XJ8 L
  • exit32exit32 Member Posts: 5
    I've been shopping for a new Jaguar XJ8 (short wheelbase, non-supercharged). Couldn't find the color and options I want on a "leftover" 2004 model, so I decided to order a new 2005 XJ8.

     

    Guess what? My dealer told me that Jag will not be building any 2005 XJ8 short-wheelbase cars. Yes, the supercharged "R" version of the short-wheelbase XJ8 will be available, but that's not what I want.

     

    Can anyone else confirm this story?
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    I wonder if your dealer is just trying to sell you what he has or can get right now?
  • wbreaux1wbreaux1 Member Posts: 55
    Jaguar's web site shows the short wheel base XJ8. I did find it interesting that at the Houston Auto Show, there was a Vanden Plas and an L. But I can't believe they would have it on the web site if they weren't selling the car. .
  • wbreaux1wbreaux1 Member Posts: 55
    I saw an XJ8L at the car show and loved it. It looks more impressive in person. The one issue I saw was trunk space. The trunk looked reasonably large, but not very wide. If anyone has an '04 or '05, can you let me know if you have problems putting golf clubs in the trunk? I know Audi's have this issue, the trunks are not very wide, and from the looks of it the XJ8 had the same type of design. In my wife's 2002 A6, I have to take the woods out and put them at an angle to get the clubs in. Luckily I rarely travel with her car when I'm playing golf (although I think sometimes she's chasing after me in it.)
  • exit32exit32 Member Posts: 5
    I sent an e-mail directly to Jaguar about this peculiar situation. I'll post their reply here -- when I receive one.
  • sv7887sv7887 Member Posts: 351
    Hi All,

     I'm a long-time Lexus owner that has posted on this Jag board before..What have your long term experiences been with the last gen XJ? (Reliability, Customer Service, etc)..

     

    With my kids finishing college I'm really gunning for a last generation XJ8..This car has to be one of the best deals out there in terms of bang for the buck. I love the look, but don't know whether I can live with the "Supposed" issues these cars come with. Looking at the JDP surveys, Jag has made huge leaps from where it used to be. I've heard about the Nikasil, water pump, and timing tensioner chain issues..But those seem to be one off things..The car I'd likely get is a 2003..

     

    Your thoughts please,

    SV
  • rockslide701rockslide701 Member Posts: 1
    Ok, my old professor says there are not stupid questions, only stupid people; so I'll let you decide for yourself which this is:

    Got my "new" 04 XJ8 today for my wife's birthday. She loves the car, and tried out all the switches, including the Valet button (which locks the glove compartment, where the instruction book is that tells you how to unlock the glove compartment!)

    Would somebody please tell me how to cancel Valet so I don't have to ask the salesman (he's already not real sure about me as a Jag owner).

    Thanks
  • jescue1jescue1 Member Posts: 12
    to cancel valet mode press the unlock button on the remote.
  • xkssxkss Member Posts: 722
    here is a picture of the XJ's aluminum chassis.

     

    http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/jk/images/04jagxjbody.jpg

     

    The new XJ's chassis is 40 per cent lighter than that of the equivalent steel body and 60 per cent stiffer than its predecessor.
  • xkssxkss Member Posts: 722
    Jaguar's V-8 first came out with the 1997 XK8.

     

    Check out the following link:

     

    http://www.jagweb.com/aj6eng/v8_performance.html
  • xkssxkss Member Posts: 722
    This is the best forum for the new aluminum Jaguar XJ. It has a lot of information:

     

    http://www.dandmbr.co.uk/jaguar/
  • xkssxkss Member Posts: 722
    Jaguar's flagship XJ,

     

    the 2005 Super V8 which has the longwheel base, plus the XJR's Brembo brakes, 4.2 liter 390 hp superchared V-8, with a softer suspension than the XJR, and all of the options standard

     

    weighs over 800 pounds less than the BMW 760Li. It also costs around $27,000 less than the 760Li.

     

    Pictures and information on the 2005 Jaguar Super V8

     

    http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/frame.php?file=car.php&carnum=- 2046

     

    Super V8 vs. 760Li

     

    http://autos.msn.com/research/compare/default.aspx?&c=0&n- =3&i=0&tb=0&ph1=t0&ph2=t0&dt=1&v=t99092&a- mp;v=t100421
  • xkssxkss Member Posts: 722
    http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=17&article- _id=9014

     

    At 40,000 miles it did 0 to 60 in 4.7 seconds and the 1/4 mile in 13.2 seconds at 107 mph.

     

    The new aluminum Jaguar XJ has a 6 speed ZF automatic transmission in case you were wondering.

     

    The new XJR and Super V8 both come standard with Brembo brakes.
  • xkssxkss Member Posts: 722
    - check for Nikasil problems in the engine. It affects 1998-2000 XJs.

     

    - Brembo brakes came standard on the 2002 XJR 100 along with BBS wheels. The "100" celebrated the 100 anniversary of the birth of Jaguar's founder, Sir William Lyons. Brembo brakes also came with the optional R1 package on the 2003 XJR along with BBS wheels.

     

    - check for timing chain tensioners for 1998-2000 XJs
  • xkssxkss Member Posts: 722
    The new XJ's outer headlights are larger than the inner headlights like the 1968 XJ. The previous XJ's headlights were the same size.

     

    The new XJ's wheels are pushed to closer to the corner's of the car for better handling and stability.

     

    The previous XJ did not have its wheels pushed out to the corners.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    And it all sounds very promising for Jaguar, and Ford. Thanks for sharing.
  • xkssxkss Member Posts: 722
    the next Jaguar XK8 will use the new XJ8's aluminum chassis.
  • xkssxkss Member Posts: 722
    it shows data for the 05 XJ:

    http://autos.msn.com/research/vip/spec_Exterior.aspx?modelid=1122- 4&trimid=-1&src=VIP&tab=2&sub=3
  • doctorwdoctorw Member Posts: 18
    My father just bought an 05 XJ8L and asked the technicians at the dealer if the driver seat could be reprogrammed to just go straight back when the ignition is turned off, rather than back and down. He has a bad back and the lower position made it difficult to get out of the car. The techs did not know how to do this so they just disabled the feature altogether. Now when he locks the car after getting out the seat moves all the way forward. If anyone knows how to fix this problem I would be very appreciative.
  • xkssxkss Member Posts: 722
    does the XJ8L have memory seating?
  • southcoast9000southcoast9000 Member Posts: 1
    How is that Elite Auto in Braintree? I've been looking for a reliable place to bring my XJ8.
  • doctorwdoctorw Member Posts: 18
    Yes, it has 2 driver memory settings. That is not an issue, the seat memory has been set so that it is in the right position for driving when he pushes the memory button. It just doesn't stay there after he locks the car.

    Are there any Jaguar dealers on this site who can look into this?
  • jescue1jescue1 Member Posts: 12
    if you do not want the seat to move move the knob on the steering column off of the "column adjust auto" setting.This will disable the exit feature.
  • doctorwdoctorw Member Posts: 18
    Thanks, I'll look into this. But I'm pretty sure that's what the dealer did.
  • xkssxkss Member Posts: 722
    is 60 % lighter and 40 % stiffer than if it were steel.

    image

    image

    image

    image

    image
  • ronaldcrossronaldcross Member Posts: 13
    I would like to add Satellite Radio (XM or Sirius, doesn't matter) to my 2002 XJ8. I would like the tuner portion to integrate with the current head unit, so nothing "sticks out" and perhaps can be hidden in the center console. Does anyone have any experience with this, what model might work best, etc? Thanks!
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    I don't like either one, personally.
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