Not sure where to post this new member intro, but I'll try here. jimbo37343 (Jim) from Tennessee. I have a 1994 XJS 4.0 with 130,000 miles. Owned it since 1997. Normal "oh my goodness" problems. I also have a 2004 XJ8 4.2 with 81,000 miles. Owned since 2007. Not much trouble at all except very expensive transmission replacement (Jaguar certified rebuild) in 2018. No specific problems now other than worried about air suspension and how much it would cost to replace if it fails or, alternatively, replace with a non-air bag approach. Looking forward to reading your posts. If I've posted this in the wrong place, please guide me elsewhere! Thanks!

 

Love or hate of the air suspension has been batted around here a few times.

Sent a set off of my 04 to R M T to be rebuilt then put them onto my 07 VDP.

Purchased a set of Arnotts for the 04 soon after acquiring, both choices very work well.

At $830 for a new set of Arnotts is really a great price,

But $550 to rebuild my old shocks, is a price that works well too.

 

Thanks, Wingrider! I hope I have good luck if/when mine fail. Did you have an indie garage do them or dealer?

 

Erm ... you did see that this subforum is for XJs 2003 to 2009 ?

 

Partick the Cat

I believe He was speaking of his 04 XJ8.

jimbo37343

Neither one to your question, i do my own work, trust VERY FEW.

 

Welcome!

 

Thank you!

 

Interestingly, when the X350 was announced, the air suspension was not going to be a standard fitment, it was originally intended to only go on the higher price models, but in the end Jaguar just fitted it to all models, thus making a rod for our backs !! SO there is nothing wrong with fitting steel coil units, IMHO, but you lost the CATS. Frankly, I don't think this is a great loss. Having said all this, I never had any trouble with my air suspension apart from having to replace the compressor at 35k miles (car bought at 30k miles). I then drove the car all the way to about 115k miles with the same compressor, so improvements were obviously made. What was never sorted out, and caused me to buy an XE was the very short life of the suspension bushes (a Ford design BTW). I just got fed up going to the shop for yet another replacement job; it was always in winter, and I had to take the freezing cold bus home, an hours journey. I actually went to the new main dealer a mile up the road even though it cost a lot more just to avoid this bus !! They had and still have, some good mechanics who like working on the older cars, believe it or not. Yes it costs more, but the upside is they must charge using Jaguar times for the job, and there is always a 12 month warranty.

 

That’s good advice, Fraser. When the transmission failed on my ‘04 XJ8, my local dealer where I bought the car refused to work on anything older than 2009! Nice customer care, eh? So I had it towed to the dealer in Knoxville, 110 miles away. They have—as you described—mechanics who actually like working on older cars! Anyway, thanks for the tips on replacing air suspension. And my compressor failed at about 40,000 miles. No trouble since then but I figure that’s the next system to go! Thanks again! Jim