Hey everyone, hope to hear from some owners about living with an XJ. I've always been a car guy and am finally getting to the point where I can (maybe) financially justify buying something that I actually enjoy. I've always had a soft spot for the modern XJ. It's gorgeous on the outside. The interior is elegant and pure class. The car has a lot of hustle for a big cruiser. All in all it gets me excited in a way that not a lot of cars do.

My question is this: Though I'm still young (late 20's), I've almost always been financially responsible. I put away a significant portion of my income in my retirement , I keep my expenses in check, and I try to spend on the things I enjoy (sailing, travel, etc.) without going overboard. Buying an XJ (I have my eye on a 2015 model) would potentially be the first time when I step out of my comfort zone financially. I could stomach $1200-$1500 in repairs annually, but more than that would be more than I am willing to part ways with. My biggest concern would be something catastrophic happening which would total the car out of warranty (engine failure, etc.). I would love to hear if I'm overreacting, or if these majors are something to legitimately be concerned about when looking at a purchase like this. Thank you!

 

My biggest and most consistant advice is this;
Can you do the work? Do you have a place to do the work?

Yes you are smart to budget for yearly repairs but are you a car guy? Sounds like you are?
What car are you coming from now?

It's hard to say and I was pretty much in your situation many years ago. If you can do the repairs this forum has all the tools you need.
If not the Jaguar dealer is VERY expensive and even worse is we have reports that the dealers have been turning away customers with car's over 10 years old.

I do think your wise to look at a 2015 or even later model as the later models had a lot of the problems worked out and the 2015 has the 8 speed ZF transmission which is a good upgrade over the older 6 speed version. Now you did not say but V-6 or V-8 engine? I am not a fan of the Diesels at all either. Your in the US so it's most likely a V-6 or V-8 as the US did not get the Diesel versions. You also need to decide if RWD or AWD. If AWD that limits you to the V-6 only which is not necessarily a bad thing? I mean you do live in Chicago and that's snow country for sure!

So to answer your question directly I will say it depends. Not a great answer I know! But my 2014 XJR has been the most reliable/dependable car I have ever owned! And I am old! Which really surprised me because I made sure what I purchased had the 7 year-100K mile CPO Jaguar warranty on it. Ended up using it exactly once when the water pump and front plastic cooling parts were changed out. Now at 52K miles.

Finally with your age there is a bit of stink about owning a Jaguar because it's an old man's car and there is some truth to this.
What's your opinion?
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Thanks for the wisdom! Regarding Jags being old guys' cars, personally most of my friends in their 20s think they're cool. There's something timeless and classy about Jags. I would probably have to find a trustworthy independent repair shop to do work since I live in an apartment complex and just have a parking space. Getting work done myself just isn't in the cards. I would opt for the V8, it's the power that I want and I don't actually drive that much (I live close enough to work to walk) so when I do drive, it's for enjoyment/errands/trips with friends. Is the 8-speed ZF reliable? I know it from a number of other cars, just don't know too much about it. Thank you again for the advice!

 

I agree, exterior and interior design of the XJ is exquisite, with classic British leather and burl wood everywhere. It's extremely comfortable and quiet, and the Meridian Surround Sound System is superb. It's a beauty, and can also be a beast!


If performance is important to you, the supercharged 5.0L V8 is the way to go. HP ranges from 470 to 575 from the factory, and aftermarket tuners can exceed 600HP.

My 2013 XJ is great fun to drive, even though it has "only" 470HP. Because of the low-end torque, it's ridiculously quick in the city. I thought about a tune and decided that it would be a waste of money because I would never be able to use it, as I wouldn't take it to the dragstrip. I don't need more HP, but if you do you can get it.

P.S. The only problem I've had with my XJ is the water pump, which was replaced under my CPO warranty and is a known and common problem with these cars. I also had the supercharger isolator/coupler replaced as it was getting noisy. All work was done by my dealer. 2013 was the first year for the 8-speed transmission, and I haven't had any problems.

 

Great transmission and I think it's even better than the 6 speed which I also thought was very good. It is reliable but I have to point out that I do NOT agree with Jaguar's service intervals on anything! The transmission is listed as sealed for life. This is BS. Even ZF has a recommended fluid change interval and for a reason!

Seems like somewhere in the 60K-80K range is a good time to change fluids in the 8 speed. I am at 52K right now and on factory fluid fill. I did service my old 6 speed as I put 132K on that car.

One other point? They stopped offering the NA V-8 in I think 2012? So if you want a V-8 it will either be the SC or XJR version. I have a 2014 XJR so am biased towards that model.

Now you need to do us a favor? If you get the XJ post back with pictures. As you have found out these are rare cars and are not common at all. I hardly ever see another XJ when driving around town. And the XJR? It's so rare that if I see one I usually chase the guy down and try to visit a bit. Owned the car 5+ years and think I have seen maybe 2-3 XJR's?
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Good to know about the water pump, I've been reading that is a common problem but it was fixed in 2014 and later models. Have you guys heard of any issues with the engine having to be rebuilt, or are they pretty solid?

If I get it I absolutely will post pics! It'll be the first car I buy that I actually like. Definitely a big occasion

 

I believe the normally-aspirated V8 was offered thru the 2015 model year.
All good advice offered in earlier posts. Maybe post here looking for independent shops in your area. One would be my choice for a Pre-Purchase Inspection; something you want done by a Jaguar expert, not just a good general mechanic.
Keep in mind that this is a LARGE car, with the "L" version even longer. May be a factor in apartment parking lots. Also 4" of ground clearance means you won't be driving in many Chicago winters. You'll need to be aware of parking curbs with this clearance issue, as well as very wide wheels/low profile tires that usually suffer moderate to severe curb rash.
Most examples you'll find are either silver, white, or black. The standard stereo is mediocre, the premium option is very good for its age.

 

Good to know about getting a PPI done by a Jaguar expert. I have a lot of speed bumps and those newer 'speed humps' to discourage speeding in my area. Given the low clearance should I approach those with extreme caution? Are there any protective panels on the underbody?

 

Beneteau43, something to ponder is to look at the XF. The front is almost identical in looks (grille is a little different, but the lines are really close). and the rear has different tail lights. You will find that the XF is able to be had for cheaper (not quite as nice as the XJ, but still up there). That may be a good answer to your question about not spending a ton of money. I have a 2012 and have owned the car for 7 years.2 water pumps, a set of injectors, and spark plugs. I am getting ready to do my second set of brakes and this time I am upgrading to better rotors. OH, and 2 sets of tires. That is it really. The rest has been me tinkering with the car to do various things.

Can't say that I have seen it said, but talk to your local bank and get a second savings account. Do your car payment and then throw say $150 a month into that savings account. Just let it grow. You need tires, pull the money from the savings account. You have other major work, pull from that savings account.

One thing that I will recommend you do yourself is the oil changes. The first one is going to be "expensive" You will need to get a vacuum pump and a 5 gallon gas can. But, you can buy OEM filters on places like E-bay for cheap (about $15 each, vice the 80ish the dealership wants) and the oil is a story that you will need to answer yourself. But, this car is the easiest oil change ever. You connect the vacuum pump to a port inside the oil cap, suck the oil straight to the gas can. You pull off the cap to the oil filter which happens to be on top of the engine, Pour in your 7.5 quarts of oil (assuming a V8 engine here) and tada done. You don't even have to drop to a knee to do an oil change on this car. That is something you can do in your parking spot. The vacuum pump gets powered off of the battery in the car.

 

Yes, go slowly over them. The belly pans are for aero benefit, not protection. They are entirely plastic and expensive.

 

Do you guys scrape stuff? I don't notice the car being too low but do slow down for speed bumps.
I learned my lesson about lowered cars years ago on a way different car. Yes the handling was much improved but the ride was just too hard and I scraped on everything!
Decided that the stock height is a decent compromise.

Now I do want to complain again about the XJ front parking sensor setup as it's just backwards from all the others even Jaguar's other models! That has caused me to scrape the front bumper a number of times on parking barriers. Stupid to have to turn it on every time for the front sensors.
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just out of curiosity, does the XJ have adjustable suspension height?

 

The rear air suspension is self-leveling. Nothing else front or rear.
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Good sage advice from these well experienced forum guys. The first thing you should ask is when was the water pump replaced. The water pump notoriously starts to leak between 30k and 50k miles on average from looking at the forum inputs. There are exceptions. This beautiful beast can cost you big bucks if you overheat that superb engine. So, if the coolant level gets low or you get a warning re the coolant or you start to smell coolant, be concerned. Water pump and plastic coolant pipes are the achilles heel. If you see the temp gauge go up, do not think that you can drive home. Stop immediately and get the car towed. Pay particular attention to what oil you use and make sure you adhere to the JLR spec. This is critical since the oil was designed for these engines and not just any oil will do. As noted, the nose of the XJ will not clear most parking lot curb stops and the parking sensors do not look down sufficiently to see them. Most of us are wary of this and carefully park. One more thing, the buttons get sticky over time. I don't know if this continued into 2015. In any case, Neutrogena face wipes takes off the sticky stuff with some meticulous labor. I would look hard for a pristine low mileage CPO from a dealer. Go on line to the CPO Jaguar listing. Other than these frequent issues we see on the forum, I absolutely Iove the car & it makes me feel good to drive it. They are fast & agile, even the sixes with that 8 speed tranny. The eights are outrageously fast.

 

Beneteau43, as a sailor, you are accustomed to fine sailing -- smooth if you want it, or on the edge if your crew is ready. The XJ is a mirror, especially the XJR, as others have said. Freddy J's advice to search for a Dealer CPO is wise, or a second choice is an original owner seller, a Keeper in my vernacular, who has a quite valid historical service and ownership evidence for you to examine. I only personally worked on my earliest Jaguars, a budget issue, more than a preference. Later I found reliable service people, and paid attention to what I learned along the way -- notably this forum in later years, including technicians in the Chicago area.
Keep it 'tween the kerbs, and Carry On

 

Is that potential water pump issue only on 2015 and earlier XJ‘s?

 

Well that's a long story and what I know is this. Jaguar has revised the water pump 6 or 7 times now. The latest and greatest part number ends in 3909. That's the last revision released. There are after market water pumps out now too. Look at Beck-Arnley if interested.

To answer your question directly. We don't know. It does seem like the later models are better but there are still plenty of reports of WP replacement along with the 2 front cooling pipes. It's really hard to separate these two things because they almost always fail together.

My 2014 XJR lost the factory WP at 32K miles. It currently is at 53K miles using the 3909 pump and no additional problems....yet!

One other comment in case you don't know we are now getting some after market support and several of the failure prone plastic cooling pipes have been released in lifetime Aluminum. This is a worthwhile upgrade and not very much more than the crappy plastic stuff.
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If you would like a great independent to give an evaluation on any car you are considering I would see Glenn at Golz motors in Deerfield. He is the owner and I have taken my Porsche to him for years. He got his start working on Jaguars at Imperial Motors in Lake Forest and still services quite a few. When my XJ and F pace are out of warranty that is where they will be serviced even though my main home is in Florida.

Glenn is a very nice gentleman and will give you good advice about a particular car or the wisdom of an XJ in general. I had a 2013 before buying my 2019 and I feel both have been very reliable overall. Other than routine maintenance the 2013 which was the v8 required the water pump and a new air conditioning compressor out of warranty. In warranty I had the sticky button issue and rusting sunroof frame issue. Jaguar repaired both under warranty. Good luck with your search!