Hello all! I just finished up an extended test drive in an X350 VDP and had some impressions/questions about the car that I thought the community might be able to assist me with.

First of all, here is a link to the vehicle in question:

2004 Jaguar XJ Vanden Plas, $7,999 - Cars.com

Now the dealership allowed me to take the car home and conduct an extended test drive. I had the car for about 2 hours. It drove very well from what I could discern; no stutter or surge when decelerating that would evidence transmission woes, and no clunks, squeaks, or overtaxed compressor noises either. The motor pulled smartly with no hiccups in the power delivery.

It did have a few issues though, which I'd like to bring up here and ask for the community's input.

Firstly, the car kept relentlessly "ping"-ing at me at stoplights. It would stop when I accelerated away and come back when I stopped. At the end of the drive it was a steady tone that at one point went on for a minute straight. Any idea what this could have been? The driver information center in the speedo was no help, as it kept reading "Lights are off". I had a sneaking suspicion that it was some sort of low oil warning. Comments?

Second, the car was stuck in valet mode and I was unable to open the trunk or glovebox. I tried to deactivate it with the key in the trunk but that wouldn't work, and the fob had low battery level so I couldnt deactivate it that way.

Thirdly, the sunroof appeared to not close correctly, as evidenced by lots of wind noise (as if it was tilted open a slight bit). When I tried to close it, the motor made that unpleasant "plastic gears gnashing" noise. This just screamed expensive parts and fussy fix.

Fourth, The headliner was sagging in multiple places. Is this an easy fix?

Lastly and most importantly, the car smelled of coolant after a short drive. I checked the Carfax report and it seems to have had a coolant leak diagnosed in the past, eventually leading to the reservoir being replaced at about 70K miles. The work was performed at an authorized Jaguar dealership. Having the smell after just a short drive was very disconcerting and basically led me to walk away (in conjunction with all the other faults). Did I make a decent decision, or is it worth going back for it?

Sorry for the long post. Thanks for any input!

 

If you really like the car, I would want to check further. The remote battery should be replaced so you can check more items. Some of the issues could be related to a weak battery if the car has been sitting around without be driven for awhile. However I would suspect after a 2 hour drive that should not be an issue. I would not purchase this car with suspect electrical problems. Biggest issue for my 2004 XJR has been electrical connectors. Could be costly to repair, unless this is not your primary driver and you enjoy a new project.
The radiator overflow tank is a known issue, prior owner replaced mine, but there should not be any coolant odor, again especially after a 2 hour drive. If the other electrical issues are resolved, finding the coolant leak may be the next step. If there is a coolant leak that went unheeded, the engine may have overheated?
RyeJag

 

See comments in bold below....

Hope it helps

 

Have you looked at other cars? Does the dealer have any service records? This is a 10+ year old car with over 115K miles so I would not jump into this quickly. The fact that they let you have a "weekend test drive" tells me they want to get rid of this car fast. I would personally look for a newer car with lower miles. You do realize that the 2004 model was the first for the X350? Consequently, they tend to have more issues then later models.


This is what I would do IF you really like the car.


1. Search Autotrader, Cars.com, etc. and find comparable vehicles near you to get a feel for what they are selling for. This will determine if this is a REALLY good price.


2. Have an independent Jaguar Mechanic or Jaguar Dealer do a full inspection of the car and have them identify any issues they discover in WRITING. If possible go to a Jaguar Dealer because they will charge a lot more. Now you know EXACTLY what you are dealing with and how much it will cost to repair.


4. Find out how long the dealer has had the car on the lot. Carfax will list this in the summary section. The longer it has been with the dealer, the better your negotiation position will be. Make sure you tell them, "I know the car has been here for __ weeks and has not sold yet!"


3. With this information in hand, go back to the dealer and make them an offer below what you are actually willing to pay. Be prepared to walk away if they don't budge. You can always go back later. That is how the game is played.

Good luck and keep us posted!