In the xf (x250) what is considered to be the better transmission the 6 speed or the 8.?

 

Undoubtedly the 8 speed.
The only XF where some consider the 6 speed is better, or it least more suited to the engine characteristics, is the XFR.
(PS - you are just down the road from me, I'm in Mawson Lakes).

 

Thanks Oz , i am currently looking to buy an XF 3.0D tt from a dealer in Vic and as much as possible to get as much info as i can on what to look for etc . I may put a deposit down this afternoon , the car has all the features i am looking for including interior seat colours and wood grain etc . The paint is a dark green and the pics on the net make it look black so i am keeping my fingers crossed that it is a smart colour .
Yes , we are not far apart , maybe can catch up sometime in the future ( just had an op and am restricted to staying at home for a little longer ) You may even know Grant who also lives in Mawson Lakes and is a major fan of Jag and extremely knowledgeable he is known as the Wizard a name he deserves.

 

John,
My first Jag was a 2010 XFS, so 3.0 diesel twin turbo.
The main thing to look for on such a car are DPF problems, I had a few such problems with that car and although I managed them OK I was happy to change it for an XFR after about 18 months and I will never go back to a diesel again.

Forgot to add - is "Grant the Wizard" Grant Francis, one of the Regional Co-ordinators of this forum? He shows his address as just "Adelaide", but it sure sounds like it could be him. If so it would good to meet up one day soon.

 

You are right OZ that Grant is the co-ordinator and like you i would like to meet up some time and maybe we could talk about , let me see ,mmm BMW.
Ok it is a little disheartening to think you would not go diesel again ,this would be my first diesel car so it will be a new experience .Forgive my ignorance what does DPF stand for and what were the problems/cures. The car dealer is chasing me as i am typing , some things never change .

 

John,
DPF = Diesel Particulate Filter.
It's like a giant catalytic converter in the middle of the exhaust system, and it's designed to trap carbon particles.
Problem is it clogs up after not very long and the trapped particles need to be burned off in a process called "regeneration", which comes in two flavours - normal and forced. But it won't work unless the exhaust gets good and hot, which is a big problem if you only do short trips.
Search this and other forums for details and info.

 

oz
I have just brushed up on info on this forum about the DPF so now i am undecided .We intend to use the car for long trips .The car has travelled 102,000 kms and now i am wondering if there is any major service work i need to know about , i generally do my own vehicle repairs but the cost of parts needs to be considered .Any input will be appreciated good or bad .

 

John,

I have recently bought a 2011 XF S 3.0D TT, which has the 6-speed gear box.
The car dealer in Tasmania mistakenly listed he car as 8-speed, so when I picked it up in Melbourne, I was not particular impressed.
I was convinced that I needed the 8-speed box, to give me great economy during my minimum 140 km daily travel, from and to work.
However, the 1000 km drive home to the Central Coast, made me appreciate this car much more than I expected.
The car was bought un-seen and without asking for a lower price, where the dealer would have to make sure that that everything works 100%.
This came in handy, when I realised the HID light self-levelling system did not work.
Central Coast Jaguar was tasked with fixing this issue, which took quite a few visits, where they provided me a loan car.
Each time the local Jaguar dealer lent me a new XE 2.0T with an 8-speed gearbox.
This resulted in that I now really appreciate my diesel engine (my first diesel…) and having the 6-speed gear box.
In the XE’s I felt like constantly changing gears, rather than enjoying the drive.
I should mention that I always drive the cars as “manual” using the toggles on the steering wheel, and with “Dynamic Mode” enabled.
To be fair, I have not driven a XF S 3.0D TT with an 8-speed box, but thought I would share my experiences.
The bottom line is that should you have a choice between a 6 or 8 speed XF gearbox, I would choose the 6-speed.
If I didn’t have to drive so many Km’s each day, I would have bought the Supercharged V8..

My 2 cents worth..

Michael

 

Hi Michael , Many thanks for your post it may only be your 2 cents worth but worth a lot more to me. I have decided to buy the car and like you sight unseen and have diplomatically told the salesman that if the xf is not what they say it is we will have a problem. The car is listed as a 2011 but model year 2012 so i will have to wait until i pick it up late next week , and at least now after reading your comments, if it turns out to be a 6 speed i will not be disapointed......John

 

Hi John,
My pleasure and glad to be of help.
My car is listed as MY12 year, so yours will be the same model as mine.
I hope you will be as happy as I am with the car..
Absolutely love the lines on this car and the driving dynamics are outstanding, not to mention the 600Nm torque@2000rpm.
I actually prefer the front of this one to the face lift model, a bit more "interesting" in my opinion.
The only problem I have now is the base sound system is unacceptably bad (I am a music nut...), so this is being upgraded shortly.
The last B&W speaker driver arrived from a US wrecker today, so now the fun can begin.
Re servicing, I won't be taking my car back to the Jaguar dealer again...
My car had both the level sensors replaced at $700 each, so some parts are quote pricey for what they are.
If I can find the time, I would service it myself.
The service intervals for the Diesel variant is 26.000km, so that's pretty amazing and convenient.
Best of luck and enjoy!
Michael

 

Thanks Michael
I am a major Jag devotee and will be surprised if i did not enjoy the car but it is good to know that another owner is happy .I looked up the specs for the turbo diesel which is one of the reasons i purchased it and the 600Nm is a must , i need a car with some get up and go too enjoy the driving.
I also like good audio sound and my vehicle has a Rockford Fosgate sound system and in all honesty that name means nothing to me, but will sound good when i am bragging to the jealous b...ds .
Yes the 26.000 km service interval (or every 2 years ) is great , i do all my own service and repair work including my familys vehicles so the further apart the better . Once again it is good to have 2 valued opinions on the trans and it seems that either way is going to be ok .
I will repost with thoughts about the XF when i get back from Melbourne the week after next . And thanks again Michael for your kind thoughts.

 

John,
It's relatively easy to tune the 3.0D to increase the torque to 700 Nm, either with a plug in tuning box or a remap. I did it on my old XFS with two different plug in tuning boxes, the first one a relatively cheap and simple one, the second one was a RaceChip Pro 2. The increased oomph, reduction in turbo lag and improved throttle response is quite noticable.
When you say Rockford Fosgate do you mean your current non-Jag car or the new Jag?
Coz the XF premium sound system is Bowers & Wilkins on the earlier models (up to 2012 I think) and Meridian on the later models.
Both are pretty good but the general consensus is the B&W is better than the Meridian.
Last but not least, yes the "by the book" service interval is 26,000 km, but it's 12 months not 24 months, and on the 3.0 diesel it really pays to change the oil, oil filter and maybe fuel filter every 12 months at a minimum. They are all dead easy to DIY, the only hassle is having to remove the plastic undertray if you want to dump the old oil via the sump plug, alternatively you can use a vacuum pump to suck it out from the top using the special tube. Also, you need a 32 mm socket to remove the oil filter.

 

Hi Oz,
plug and play tuning boxes mmm , i am so easily tempted by more power. My XJR has sports exhaust , cold air intake , larger crank/supercharger pulley and andy bracket and i only mention this to show how easily tempted i am . Where did you buy the tuning boxes from. Thanks for pointing out the 12 month service interval , i actually did know that and don't know how i typed 24 maybe the yippee beans i am on at the moment but it is worth bringing up so as not to mislead anyone else that may read this post.
The rockford fosgate sound system is in the new to me XF ,i had a look on the net and they are an upmarket audio company based in Arizona it is one of the features i am looking forward to checking out.
Thanks also for the service info , i have got to the stage where i am officially an old fart which means i have lots of patience when working on my cars and tend to look at this and that so a 1 hour job takes 2 hours . I don,t mean to put anyone down but when i repair something i don't break any thing else and i avoid the way over the top prices.
I was in the service station game a while back and had several mechanics , over time ,employed and i know this will surprise you (not) the good ones are far and few between.
Perhaps if it is suitable we can meet up and try to get Grant to come along once i am back from Vic. Would also love to check out your F Type .

 

John,
It looks like Chip Tuning have recently updated their product line, it's no longer called a RaceChip Pro but a RaceChip GTS, see here: https://www.racechip.com/shop/jaguar...2kw-600nm.html
At 549 Euro plus postage it's not particularly cheap but still pretty good bang for your buck, you might find cheaper on Fleabay. I still have the original el cheapo (approx $100) tuning box, you can have it for nothing if you want.
If your new XF has a Rockford Fosgate sound system then it is after-market and probably cost a bomb!
Yep, let's see if we can organise a meet up with Grant, maybe you can drop him a PM.

 

Hi Oz , thanks for the link for the plug in tuners , i have already had a look at them and i am very interested i will wait until i have settled in with XF before i do any thing and then explain to the wife how the car is going to fall apart if i don't get one . I also need to thank you for your offer on the one you currently have and which i would take you up on , i also would be happy to pay you for it.
The rockford sound system should be ok if the hype is true as long as it sounds as good as i sing !!
I will send Grant a PM when i get back and hope he has the time to meet up , i believe he goes to the Mawson Lakes coffee shop on the weekends.

 

John,

I am happy to supply and fit the tuning chip for a slab of beer.
It's a bit fiddly to fit and I have done it three times now so I have a few clues about how to do it. I have plenty of room in my garage if I move the car out, or I could do it at your place, your choice.
But as you say, best to get familiar with the new car before fitting a chip, you might find it has all the torque you want already!

 

Don't know what hype you've heard but it sounds like it's untrue. Rockford Fosgate is a medium to low end manufacturer of car stereo equipment whose design and marketing is aimed at teenagers and ghetto blasters (those cars you hear thumping down the road but hear no music). A Rockford system may or may not be an improvement (other than in loudness) on the base stock system, but it certainly does not compare in any way with a true high fidelity system, especially the Bowers and Wilkins system which the car interior was acoustically designed around.