Have always loved jaguar cars, the way they look. I have never owned one and do not now but someone I know is selling a 1998 xjr with 150k miles on it. It needs a new fuel pump on it and I work at a parts store so can get a good deal on it. I also have a mechanic friend that will change it out for me for free if I get this car. They want $2000 for it, is this a good deal?? The car looks great, only has 2 small rips in the interior. One on driver seat and one on console. And the outside has a dent on top from hail. Other than that is is very good condition. Appreciate any answers I can get on this...thank you

 

Welcome to the forum Mbull78,

Good to have you here with us at Jaguar forums.

I can see you've already posted this same question in X308 forum and that is exactly what I would have recommended. The 'HOW TO' thread at the top is a good place to start for info on regular issues.

You can also visit the US Lower Atlantic Region forum by following this link Lower Atlantic - NC SC FL GA - Jaguar Forums - Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum to find other members in your region.

Enjoy the forums.

Graham

 

Hi
I would consider this purchase as highly risky. A 1998 XJR with known problems can be a wallet emptier. The price is not cheap, personally there are better deals around - try an X Type, good economy, newer and generally reliable. (search EBay).Good luck on whatever you decide - hell the prestige and feel good factor of owning a Jaguar is awesome - but do not let your heart rule your head.

 

Thank you for the replies. I have looked on ebay and cant find anything within 200 miles of me for under 5k. Checked craigslist also, not too many for sale around where I am.

 

I had thought 2k was maybe cheap from seeing prices of older jags on places like auto trader and such. I really like this year model. I can get parts for cheaper than retail and I have a mechanic that will do any work i need for free now and down the road.

 

Doesn't sound like a lot of money to me. Any service history for it? Is the some-one you know able to tell you what has been done to the car honestly. The faults you mentioned shouldn't be be to off putting for the price.

Do you have access to an OBD11? May give you some answers.
Are you able to post some pictures?
Some more info may help others appraise it better,
But you have found the best place for your question.

 

Thank you. The person selling it is the 2nd owner. They bought it 8 years ago. It is someone I have known but have not seen or had contact with in a while, but I trust the people. They came into my work to buy a part for another car and we got to talking about it. I went to see the car in person, but didn't have a lot of time to talk. But they did let me know they have not had any problems with the car until recently with the fuel pump.

 

Welcome to the forum Mbull78,

Good to have you with us.
Enjoy the forum.

If you haven't done so already you should add your car details to your signature to help others to help you.

 

welcome to the forum - car looks to be in nice shape - but do the research and as mentioned - the how to section will give some common issues and things to look out for.

 

Hi
The car looks in good condition and yes I see why you are going for it. Jaguar's are big tempters - have an aura about them, visually attractive and desirable. If you have a parts supplier who is looking after you then I reckon you two are going to see a lot of each other. Genuinely though I hope the car is a good buy and you have a lot of joy.

 

Hi MBull, Welcome to the forum!
I like your style the car looks lovely and I would be interested to know more.

I am not familiar with your weather cycle and climate, but would be drawn to checking the service history ie being regularly serviced
and maintained first and foremost.

I would then check to estimate the cost of repair to the seats (the rips mentioned.)

It really depends on if you use those particular seats as I drove my previous Jag with a 3 inch graze on the rear and as I don't have kids, and don't use the rear seats, it wasn't an issue but I say that not having seen them.

The dent in the roof, is it pullable with a dent sucker, sorry i don't know the exact term (it's like a toilet plunger and some are very good!!) or if the paintwork is broken and how is the interior ie water leakage or any other tell tale marks ?

Have you been under the car and had a look, certain cars in wet rainy areas or even snow have been prone to rust in the sills and underbody areas if they are not garaged.

From the pictures the car looks neat and it's a model I would be keen to own.
I don't think the price is too much as that area of price is usually dictated by wear and tear and how good the car is looked after.

What I would recommend is that you can strike up an agreement that suits you both and I would be interested in the reason for sale.

Another possible issue would be how good the wheels are. For example jaguar wheels are expensive and if they have been potholed or buckled, it could cost you quite a bit and I want you to enjoy your Jaguar and not be put off for life!

I would very much don a pair of jeans or a boiler suit to get under the car and have a real thorough inspection with your mechanic friend as well as under the bonnet/hood.

Plus getting you hands dirty tends to be a good way of testing the rigidity and integrity of the vehicle and as you know each other the owner shouldn't mind you having a poke or prod as long as you don't pull anything OFF!

I also think the main priority in your mind would be how the car drives after you have done the fuel-pump!

After all the paperwork, that is your only decider how good the car really is? As Rayclark says don't let your heart rule your head, but if you can get cheap parts...

Good Luck, I hope you succeed and if you don't get this one, the next one you see may be the better choice.
I hope this helps, regards, Stu

 

Ps, Mbull78,

I don't know if you are aware, but that model I am sure has 2 fuel pumps (cost!!) and as Gippsland said it would be handy to acquire an OBD11 scanner to fault find on the vehicle and that should help greatly, especially with your mechanic to aid you.

Again good luck and I hope you will keep us posted?
Cheers, Stu

 

Thank you everyone for the tips and suggestions. They are good ones! I will for sure have someone check it out before I make a final decision.....glad I found these forums!

 

Looks much better than I was expecting for 2 grand. Thanks for the pictures,even if it was a fail surely you couldn't lose parting it out (biting lip at the thought)!

 

Welcome!

Stuart is right, that car does have two fuel pumps. I just had both of mine replaced.

Timing tensioners are a big problem with these cars. If you buy the car with no service records, plan on taking the cam covers off to inspect the tensioners. If they are plastic, you will want to upgrade them to the metal ones ASAP. Failure of the tensioners will be catastrophic to your engine! Other common problems include oil in the intake tube (which seems to be the norm, so not much of an issue), wear of the Nikasil cylinder liners (not very common anymore due to a change in gas formulation in 2000, but still a slight possibility), bad vee mounts (causes a feeling of the engine dropping under braking, and not a job the average guy would want to do in their driveway), and water pump and thermostat issues (these engines do not do well with overheating, so any issues with the cooling system must be dealt with immediately). Also, Jaguars are very touchy when it comes to the voltage output of the battery. If the car has been sitting too long, plan on installing a new battery.

That being said, nothing is more rewarding (and yes, sometimes frustrating, lol) as owning an XJR. The performance is unbelievable, and the beauty of this generation in particular really draws attention (not so good when that intention includes a radar gun, however).

If you have another car to use as a daily driver, and you don't mind getting your hands dirty and spending some cash, I would say go for it. $2000 sounds like a pretty good price, and XJRs are hard to find, let alone in British Racing Green! I'm kinda jealous...

 

Thanks a lot everyone for the answers and the warm welcome. I am still on the fence about it. It would not be my daily driver, as I have 2 other vehicles as well. I just have always since I could drive loved them and wanted one.

 

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Thank you all for the help! I have since purchaes the car, installed the fuel pumps, and have been driving it to and from work. I don't think i have ever driven anything with such power. My next plans are to check/replace secondary tensioners and gewt it prepped for painting. I will post more pictures as time progresses.

 

Congratulations! I am British Racing Green with envy!

 

Good to hear you made the purchase and are enjoying the drive to and from work.

Don't delay on checking those tensioners!

Graham