danny-boy

Has anyone got any experience of owning one of these beasts? I've just sold my Accord Type R, and I now need to buy both my girlfriend and I a car. We've got her sorted in the form of a W reg Almera 1.8 Sport, so I now have up to 5k to buy a new car.

I always loved Jags since my Dad brought one when I was 14, I'm also considering a 528i SE but its hard to find one with sub 80k on with my budget and they are quite popular (common)

I was surfing eBay last night and didn't realise Jags were so cheap nowadays, there's a local car with 60k on it for under 5k, which I'm looking at today, are there any problem areas to look for apart from the normal stuff.

I also really like the 200SX but again the problem is finding one that has low ish mileage.

Thanks in advance

Dan

sti-04!!

I quite fancy a 4.0Ltr Supercharged one, would be fun a 01/02 could be had for around 14k

Jonathan Davies

I've got an N plate supercharged xjr - the last year of straight 6 4 litres. Those are dirt cheap these days... more like the 5k budget.

early V8s had nikasil problems - nikasil being a cylinder liner material that turned out not to like the sulphurous petrol we have (or had, new regs now). So loads of 97-99 jags have had replacement engines.

I'd steer clear of a v8 pre-2000, if it's on its original engine.

Other things - well, like any heavy car the suspension works hard. Clunks etc could be bad news. Most had memory seats - very dear if they go wrong, which is not all that rare.

My tip would be for a late xjr6 - the early super v8s only had 50 horses more.

jag-loversDOTorg is the best/only decent bbs. It's not brill as a bbs but there are massive archives and model guides etc.

Petem95

The XJ Sport 3.2's are lovely. Feel very refined, pretty quick and very smooth with it. Excellent ride quality, and the cabin feels very special - and jumping into a German exec after the Jag make it feel like a sea of plastic!

I expect running costs and depreciation wont be very nice however...

Jonathan Davies

Depreciation is awful, which is why I suggest a 5k one is better than a newer 10-15k one. Can't lose much at that price... I paid 8k for mine nearly 3 years ago, so even if I got 2k for it tomorrow that wouldn't be bad.

Running costs can indeed be a bit special... I get about 13mpg in town, 20 being my best ever figure. Parts and servicing at a dealer are shocking, but less so at one of the fairly numerous independents. The xjr is group 20 (but still less £ than the wrx I had before)

Hard to find the same comfort, leather, effortless power for the money. Although a 7 bimmer is a similar proposition to be fair.

To the OP: bear in mind that they're not practical at all. Quite cramped in the back (unless you get a lwb) and the boot's shallow.

danny-boy

I saw the car today, the car is lovely but the MPG does scare me

sti-04!!

**** it, you only live once

Jonathan Davies

3.2 shouldn't be too bad anyway. There are LPG conversions out there too, but that kind of spoils it for me... maybe on a classic XJ where you wouldn't care so much about power.

sti-04!!

What one is the V8 ?? Is that the 4.0ltr. I used to love the sound of my dads old V8 jag .

Jonathan Davies

V8s are 3.2s and 4.0s since 1998.

The recent XJ history is roughly:

Pre 1995 was the XJ40 that was introduced in 1987. Straight 6 or v12 in time honoured jag fashion.

1995 - 1997: model x300 - the first all-new XJ model after Ford. All-new body and arguably a prettier car. Straight six 4.0 normally aspriated or supercharged. Or a 6 litre v12 in some.

1998 - 2003: model x308. Only minor differences to body but brand new v8 engines (3.2 and 4.0 litre, followed by 4.0 supercharged). Early v8s had nikasil liners :-(

2003 onwards: x350. Still v8s, now in a new aluminium lightweight shell. There's a v6 and diesel too now.

So not sure what the "old" v8 might be! 98 was the first v8 jag at all I think, certainly the first in an XJ. I guess that's old by some standards...

Dracoro

Try the 7 series. These are as cheap or cheaper than the 5 series. I got a fsh 4.4V8 740 on 100k for £4k.

Dilbrain

X300's also had the 3.2 straight 6 (Sport/Executive)

Daryl

I've got a 3.2 Executive, which used to belong to my dad. I haven't had any problems with it in nearly 3 years and with today's slow, crowded, roads it's a nice place to be. The interior is fantastic (albeit a bit cramped) and still looks like new. Certainly makes a change from my Evo VI and I like it just as much, in its own way.