I have an '04 VDP with 168K. Watch out for air suspension probs in cold. Mine does fine down into even the teens F, but with zero and sub-zero F temps it doesn't want to stay up when sitting for a day. My Jag dealer has had a bunch of cars come in with the same problem. Some are okay and just need not to be driven in the such cold weather.


The seals wear and then substantially contract in the bitter cold, causing leakage. Will work fine when it warms up, but just problematic in such cold. I'm heading for converting over to coil struts so that it's not a threat anymore, whether the air struts start working right again when it warms up or not.

 

My indy gave me a bid of about $600 to replace my heater core, including a Jag part replacement and a total system flush/fill. The part from him was under $300.

 

Matthew, Just wondering - did you go ahead with the replacement coil package for your Jaguar vs. the air suspension. I have been thinking about going with the coils because I also don't want to deal with all of the potential problems associated with the air suspension. The local dealership told me if the front goes flat I need to pull over and not drive it. They said one person drove it to the dealership and tore the front bumper off. If you have changed over to coils then could you tell me how it rides vs. air.

 

I live in Alberta Canada. I drive my 05 XJR year round, except for the days when we have fresh snow or it is icy, mostly because I am more worried about how other people are driving than any worry that I won't get where I'm going. I also try to avoid the sloppiest days to keep the salt and grime off it. I have a set of winter tires on separate rims. I usually disable the traction control as it is too intrusive and I don't like the way it cuts power at the wrong times. Rear wheel drive is fun on slippery roads when you know what you're doing.

I have underground parking so the car is not left outside to freeze solid. If it was, I suspect that the air suspension would likely leak at cold temperatures. The HVAC system on auto seems to keep the car warm enough, though I probably am happy with cooler temperatures than some folks might be. The heated seats and steering wheel are great. My car also has the heated windshield which helps keep things clear. The HID lights are amazing on snowy white roads, and since the days are short and I drive both to and from work in the dark during winter they are appreciated.

I'd be really disappointed if I couldn't drive it regularly during the winter. In fact, we had about six inches of snow this week so I'd better get those tires changed.