Morning all,

It has crossed my mind recently that an XJ purchase in the near future might be something I'd like to undertake.
I have always loved the style of the XJ, the x350 & x358 especially.

To be honest I never thought it would come to the point where I would consider purchasing a Jaguar, simply due to the tales of years past.
But after nosing around these forums recently I see that the x350 & x358 seem to be rather trouble free (save for a couple quirks here and there, but every car has quirks), and has given me new hope in owning a long admired vehicle!

I have been a serious fan of the Lexus LS since its inception, and have been on the hunt for the perfect 04-06 LS430 for quite a while now, but the XJ might have just changed my mind.


I have browsed the stickys at the top of the forum, and searched but am coming up empty on a couple questions I have:

-Between the model years, are there any specific years that might be a better choice? For example I read on edmunds that in 2007 all variants came with upgraded leather.

-Do any of the years have an aux port or any audio connection? I cant seem to find that out.

-Has anyone here previously owned, or currently own a Lexus LS430 and can comment on them compared with the XJ? Comfort, drivability, living with on a day to day basis.


-I'm a bit confused about the OEM tech computer software, I see the terms IDS and SDD posted a bunch but havent a clue which is which.
Either way, is whatever software that I would need available for purchase or download? Like VAG-COM is for VW-Audi products.
The nearest Jaguar dealer is an hour and a half away, so if it comes to down to needing the computer for something (eg. recalibration after suspension replacement) I dont want to have to rely on the dealer.

-Last question, how much Ford is in these cars? In terms of engineering, and in terms of things used from the Ford parts bin like switches etc.

I'm sure as my search progresses I will think of additional things


Sorry for the long post, if you made it this far, thanks for reading, any feedback is appreciated!

 

Hi aerowagon,

Hopefully I can help answer a few of your questions.

From the previous generation XJ, there were various trim levels offered. In the end, it will depend upon what you are looking for.... as you go up the trim level spec, the interiors and power-trains (i.e. supercharging) become more exclusive or rare. Here is a general breakdown.

I would say that all of the trim levels are very nice (a lot of wood and leather), from baseline to top of the line.

XJ
XJL (long wheel base)
XJ Vanden Plas
XJR (supercharged R-spec)
XJ Super 8 (XJR + more features)
XJ Super 8 Portfolio (a cross between a Vanden Plas + Super 8)

The Vanden Plas trim has always been one of my favorites -- great leather + boxwood inlays in the wood. In the U.K. the Daimler is essentially the same as the Vanden Plas. I think there is even a club for Vanden Plas owners.

And, the 2006 - 2007 Super V8's are super rare and beautiful. The interiors and paint schemes were exclusive, such as cranberry color interior leather and a dark cherry black exterior paint.

The bonded and riveted aluminum bodies for the XJ's are a nice additional technology feature that you won't find on competing luxury cars of the same year.

For the XJ models, I don't believe there is much "Ford" (less some minor hardware parts) as this was an aluminum platform that was designed from the ground up. I believe the S-Type and X-Type is more Ford as the S-Type is a derivative of a Lincoln LS and the X-Type is a derivative of a Ford Mondeo.

The later model years of the XJ (2007 - 2009) provided for the ability to add accessories, such as auxilary ports or connectivity monitors in the headrests if you wanted to add them.

The final model years of 2008 - 2009 were a face-lifted version. The front and rear bumpers were re-worked to look more aggressive and side power vents came standard.

 

[QUOTE=aerowagon;1047895]Morning all,

-I'm a bit confused about the OEM tech computer software, I see the terms IDS and SDD posted a bunch but havent a clue which is which.
Either way, is whatever software that I would need available for purchase or download? IDS= Integrated Diagnostic System and SDD came later me thinks and = Symptom Driven Diagnostics. Both are expensive diagnostic software and require specialty tools but there are many versions/ options out there, some better than others. Search diagnostics and you'll find a load of info. the tools usually accommodate multiple years/ and versions of diagnostics.

question, how much Ford is in these cars? In terms of engineering, and in terms of things used from the Ford parts bin like switches etc.

I think the answer to this is a bit of both. e.g. Notice the park assist in Fords? They may have blazed that trail with Jaguar. The F150 began offering all Aluminum body in 2014. 2004 x350's and beyond are aluminum body.

 

The main changes were done in the following model years (model year is not neccessarily same as build year)

2003.5MY, built up to early 2004, first models

2005MY, built in 2004 and early 2005, same externally as the 2003.5 but some improvements in cabin/firewall insulation, the air suspension lost the 4th height sensor

2006MY, minor facelift built from mid 2005 (lost the rubbing strips on the doors and the side indicator was moved on the fender to be an oval), the Supercharged cars lost the Brembo brakes (moved to Teeves), got double-glazing and additional insulation to reduce noise. Long wheel base version became available. Super V8 Portfolio special edition.

2007MY (the X358) apart from the bumpers/fenders there were some electronic changes, digital radio was included, also the option for cooled front seats.

2009MY, basically the same but more options included as standard, and there was the Super V8 Portfolio special edition.

There were some other minor changes over the years, but more specific to the individual models. For example the stitched dashboard was not available in the early XJR's, but was included in the later models.

The last cars got the Audio Connectivity Module as standard, but it can be easily retrofitted to an earlier model, if you can find one...

Sorry can't help there...

IDS/SDD is the dealer level diagnostic system. You can get your own system up & running. A number of us have this.

These cars were built using the Ford supply chain, so a great many of the parts are marked with FoMoCo but I am yet to find anything major that is shared with a Ford branded vehicle. There is a lot of shared components with the S-Type, which was a platform share with the Lincoln LS, but it's not like you can buy parts from a Ford dealer...well apart from some of the rear differential components...

I guess you just need to find which model ticks all your boxes. My personal choice would be the supercharged models; XJR, SuperV8, Supercharged VDP (but that's a very rare one).

 

Thanks for the reply's everyone.

Cambo, what modifications are done to your XJR? 13.25 sounds pretty quick.

 

I don't think it's that quick really. According to Jaguar 0-60 Times & Jaguar Quarter Mile Times | Jaguar XJ Supercharged, XF R, XK8 0-60, XJS, XKR S and X Type and 2014 Jag 0 to 60 stats! the new cars did 13.2 in 2004 & 13.0 in 2005...but you never know.

With 105'000mi on the clock, some of the horses will have escaped over the years, so it's probably just back to stock power after the modifications:

"3lb" upper pulley from Powerhouse
Intake elbow with K&N filter & the WOT flap removed from the airbox
Quaife ATB limited slip differential
Sticky tyres

There are lots of other modifications to the brakes & suspension of this car, but I don't think they influence the 1/4 mile times...

 

I haven't driven the LS430, but the GS300 doesn't come close to the XJR. The GS series still feels and handles like a Japanese car, albeit with more features and more silent. My guess is that the LS would be similar but even more quiet.

 

The GS isnt in the same category as an XJ or LS, so views on that car are pretty irrelevant.

I am already fully aware of what a great car the LS is, I was just curious if anyone had experience with both cars just to see if someone could provide a contrasting viewpoint.

 

Hahahaha... while the GS may not be the same class of car as the LS, there tend to be family traits that follow the brand. Class size may make a difference, but not always. My wife's 350CLS rides and handles better than my sister's S-class and both of them don't even come close to the XJR.

I actually asked a Jaguar engineer from UK, during a Jaguar "track" day, why the suspension bushes of the Jaguar don't last as long as the bushes of Japanese cars do in the tropics, and his reply was that Jaguar actually tried using a similar rubber composition to get better durability but they found that the ride of the Jag became like that of a Japanese car, so they gave up the idea.

When it comes to human interface and reliability though, the Lexus would likely be far better than most. The GS has nice touches like rear sun screens that automatically come down if you go into reverse gear, and don't come up again at parking speeds so the rear shades don't keep going up and down when you're trying to park the car, going into forward and reverse. The car is also really reliable (far more so than the Jag).

 

The difference between the Lexus and XJ is how you feel when you drive it. The Lexus is a great appliance. The Jag is a great car.


When you drive the LS people will say "Hey that's a nice car."


When you drive the Jag people will say " Oooow, that's a beautiful car"


Plus the Jag is a couple grand less to buy the same years.

 

I have heard from a couple of other sources, that Lexus have problems too! Some parts (and labor) are comparable in price, so they’re hand-in-hand on that aspect. Their suspension probIems can also be expensive! I looked at a 4-5 year old Lexus a few years ago, as it seemed affordable, but the closing of the door did it for me (literally). It closed with a very teeny/hollow sound; almost like it was made out of thin metal. You close a Jag door, or anyEuropean model, for that matter, and there is a solid "I am closed" clunk.

Not sounding biased, but I fell in love with the traditional Jaguar way back when I was still in my teens and was working at a gas station. I had to fill up an XJ which had the fuel fill caps on the two corners of the rear windshield. Bought my first in 2000, sold it and now own a 2005 XJL. Will upgrade to a Super 8 or thePortfolio if one comes up, but if not, I am happy with the XJ.

Jags: you either love ‘em or hate ‘em. I don’t think there is an in-between…