We are looking to buy an X Type, and I was wondering how reliable they are?
How many miles can one get out of the engine and transmission?
What are the pros and cons of owning this model of Jaguar. I know quite a bit
about the XJS, but nothing about the XType. All info and comments welcome,
every bit counts and would be most helpful.. thanks everybody!!

 

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...st-jag-218881/

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...advice-218221/

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...g-into-216449/

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...x-type-215159/

Etc., etc., etc...

SEARCH is a marvelous tool

 

jetlag, a few things to keep in mind:

-the transfer case is the weak link in the drivetrain. You like cruising the highway, the transfer case will outlast the car. You like blasting light to light, it is going to cost you.
-because you are buying a used one in an area that uses salt, check out the sills under the doors. This is a structural part of the car that is prone to rust and can lead to expensive repair bills
-the later 04 and all 05 cars have an open differential style transfer car with very few getting the DSC (dynamic stability control) option. While power makes it to all 4 wheels, without DSC, once one wheel looses traction, it robs all the power and it is no better than RWD or FWD. By 06, pretty much all cars came with DSC (granted, not all, so, look for that).
-If you are going to have a problem with the car, it is going to be either a vacuum leak (we have the big three, so, easy to figure out) or the e-brake is going to stick on you (normally means replacing a rear caliper, not a hard job, but can get costly if you have someone do it for you).

There are more issues that are fairly routine, but these are the ones that I would be looking for when buying a used car. I also say that if you can, get the 3.0L engine over the 2.5L. Both are adequate for the car. The 3.0L will give you lots of grunt off of the line where the 2.5L needs to be wound up a little bit before it wants to make good power.

 

Hey there!- welcome. I have owned 2 of these as daily drivers, my 04 that was totaled due to high water and my current 05 (I also have an XJS)

I will condense it to this- get a later car (late04+) and get your PPI to confirm the transmission and transfer case are 100 percent solid and once you get the car proceed to immediately change those fluids out. Everything else that happens in these cars is no different than any other cars IMO. For me, the bane of my existence with them has been suspension. No matter how much I spend and change, sooner or later I have some ungodly cluck or thump resurfacing. This applies to both X types I have owned. Good luck

 

I think the fragility of the transfer case is over rated in that the issues started in the early cars back in 2002-2004. Those early trasnfer cases have long since been replaced. Since then you really do not read a lot pf posts anymore complaining about the transfer case failing. Considering the newest cars out there are 11 years old and the oldest are 17 years old if the transfer cases were that bad I would think you would have posts on here every day about that. Doesn't seem to be the case and I would think these cars are in the hands of all different people that both baby them and beat on them. As long as the fluid is changed regularly they seem to hold up just fine. There was even that guy on here, Lemons Racer I think is his handle, ran a stock transfer case in a couple 24 hour races without a failure. But, any car you buy now is getting up there in years and probably at needs at least some parts freshened up. Overall, I thiknk they are pretty reliable cars if maintained and are very cheap to buy. Like was said, common issues that come up usually aren't that bad or expensive.

If you do your due dilligence upfront, you have a pretty good chance of getting a fairly reliable car for a few years for not a lot of money. How long that might be would be more car specific than anything. Good luck with your search.