Cambo...i was unaware that the back seat doesn't go down...hmmmm is there at least some sort of a "ski pass- through" shoot?
can you fit lets say an average pair of skies in the trunk?
Ikea...grrrr i KRINGE at the thought..haahaha don't like going there...leave that to my wife..hahahah
fabs

 

Some models did have a ski hatch, and it was a factory option too, maybe a Canadian delivered car has a better chance of having one fitted.

I don't think you'll get a pair of skis in the boot without the ski hatch.

 

if you have a year where you have to change disks and pads, suspension bushes, and tyres, it could easily top £2k. Those aren't breakdowns, just service parts.

 

As you do your own maintenance, maybe you should wander over to rockauto.com and poke in the car details. Then wander around the parts listings for that vehicle and take a look at some of the prices.

Also bear in mind that as a low volume market, many parts are dealer only ... or ebay used. And if it is your only car, sometimes you cannot wait for ebay used even if a used part would be perfectly fine.

This week's total ... a very bad week:

1 coolant bleeder hose, $50
1 fusebox at right heelboard, $150

Both parts failed because of Jaguar's love of plastic and bad design.

The fusebox would definitely be dealer only, or used. The problem with used is that the weak point is likely to be damaged in the removal process.

For the curious, the weak point is the battery stud on the fusebox. It likes to cam out because the hidden end is a bolt head held by a hex shaped indentation in the plastic, the bolt is pulled forward away from the indentation because the strap is too high, and they hollowed out the material around the indentation leaving a thickness of about 1/8 inch to hold the bolt from turning.

If the stud does cam out, it tears the strap away from the main power bus ... which is a ... get this ... printed circuit board ... just great

Lesson learned? If there is any indication that the nut is too tight ... grind it off with a dremel. At least the strap won't tear away.

 

Normally rare for that lot all in one go, but suspension parts are not cheap, although there is a lot of aftermarket stuff on the internet now. And you can now get bushes separately for the lower rear wishbones. However these cars were not Saab 9-3 competitors when new, they cost a great deal more, and the parts prices reflect that. Normal service stuff is reasonable.

 

The Vanden Plas cars will have lots of goodies inside and up-market ICE equipment. Key thing when buying one of these cars used, is to make sure it has been well looked after, and only then look at the goodies it might have.

 

That's one way of looking at it ... but if a part is equivalent in cost to manufacture, then the difference from this side of the fence looks an awful lot like gouging. Especially when the part is has been fully optimised for lower cost ... read flimsy.

 

Hi guys. All&all, it doesn't seem that bad. Its like saab parts, on the more basic
Stuff, it's not too bad, but once you get into specific parts, you might have to wait, or in my case, you might be SOL!
The price you wrote for tires and brake parts is not bad at all, and might cost more here in QC. In terms of dealer rates, that's not getting cheaper here either. At volvo it was $129/hr!!!!
The way i see it is, if suspension parts can last at least one year here (we have horrible roads(potholes)) than its worth it. I've already changed swaybar links that lasted one year only.
Fabs

 

...like me

 

ive driven all my XJ's through snow....and never had an issue....and this is running all-season tires.

is an XJ a good car to have even with kids? sure it is. its comfy, for them and still sporty for you. its definitely safe, so thats another bonus.

the biggest factor in this is something we cant answer for you.....your financial situation. an out of warranty XJ can be costly. it would benefit you to make friends who are mechanically savy or own a garage. If you can justify the costs, then theres no reason not to get it.

as far as the differences between the cars are concerned....nothing more than small creature comfort upgrades and/or engine upgrades. a Vanden Plas is the same as a base XJ, only with upgraded leather, upgraded wool carpets, standard navigation, standard alpine stereo, standard xenon and a few upgraded trim pieces (chrome, wood) (basically things that would have normally been an option on an XJ). An XJR has an upgraded supercharged engine.

 

IMO the supercharger is not "necessary"

If you have youngsters, the TV screens in the back may be amusing on a long journey. They don't pick up TV any more as they are analogue not digital, but there is a DVD player in the boot, and you can plug in some other sources to the video sockets in the centre armrest controls in the back. the sound quality is very fine.

The X350 is very roomy, unlike previous models, and LWB is not "necessary" either, but does make the back more luxurious. It does mean you need a bigger parking space.

The LWB rear space is very generous (see posed pic)

 

For what it is worth, I cannot imagine having bought my car in my thirties, nor can I imagine having sticky little kids roaming around in it, unless you just want to destroy the interior. I guess you could even add a couple of Golden Retrievers to the mix.

I think it would be a big mistake, but it's your money.

 

Rcg... So you don't recommend this car for a yound family? I'm sure that the seats can be cleaned up well? I understand what you're saying, so this car is more for single couples i guess? This was one good thing about my old caprice with leather bench seat and rubber floor.. Haha.

Oh ya, engine wise.. Does the engine have a timing chain or belt?
And
Do the have a cable throttle body or old style cable?
Thanks
Fabs

 

Dirty leather seats are dirty leather seats, whether it's in a nice Jag or a rusty Saab. If you plan to change cars every year or two, yes, it would be good to avoid wearing out or damaging the interior. If you plan to keep it till the car is all used up, no harm in letting kids or dogs break in the interior a bit. It's for moving people around, and kids are people too. Strangely, I do however feel bad for cars damaged by cigarette smoke, probably because it bothers my sinuses and I've turned down perfectly good used car possibilities on that simple invisible reason.

 

Phil i totally agree with what you said. I once bought a car who's owner was a smoker and there was always an odor in the car.. Also, too much smoke is also bad for electrical connections ( over a long period).
Like you said if i plan to keep the car and drive it into the ground, it's not an issue. If reg. maintenance is done on the car, do these tend to age well or just fall apart ( hopefully our salty roads won't kill it first)?
Fab

 

Timing chains and drive-by-wire.

 

Timing chain....YYYYYAAAAAAYYYYY

DRIVE BY WIRE....NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOO sigh...i just can't seem to get away from these DBW throttle bodies..had it in the volvo and now in the saab and not too crazy about them. Am i the only one?

 

As for grubby-fingered kids, the leather will clean, although you can stain it if you pour coffee on it. If they are dirty or have studs, put a rug down.

The more expensive leatherwork with ventilation or ruches, is harder to clean as the dirt gets into crevices.

IMO you are getting a luxury car that might have cost 70k new, and you might pay 10 to 20k used. If your family causes damage to the interior, it's sad but not such a big deal as when it was new.

If you like the cat and have a couple of thou put aside in case of an expensive repair, go for it. You have to accept that it is not a cheap car, even if you can DIY routine maintenance. Good detailed service history, with bills you can inspect, are very important.

 

Make sensible considered decisions by all means, but once that works out, just do it.

You're only here once, live a little!

 

Jim.. You're right, the only problem in this is that i have to convince
My "minister of finance" at home.. Which might be a tough thing to do.
Fab