Discusses the X350 as a car, a future classic and some info I didn't know on air suspension parts.
https://classics.honestjohn.co.uk/ne...aguar-xj-x350/

 

Very interesting, thanks for posting.

 

. The ones VW uses are different. One they are wheel specific. There are four parts numbers per vehicle. Left and right are not interchangeable.
Also the top is different. They do not leak there like the Jaguar model. The life of the Audi are double the Jaguar version. My 2005 A8 has four originals. A friend has a 2004 with 230,000 miles and has changed out one air spring.
The article reads like they are interchangeable. If so put some Audi air springs on the car and forget about them.

 

"The X350 offers fantastic ride quality..."

That's a laugh.

 

The ride quality of my 2005 XJR beats anything I have driven and that includes quite a few "up market" cars in my lifetime.

I have seen several complaints in this forum about XJR ride quality being "off" and I wonder when I see those comments what is wrong with those cars.

Under all sorts of conditions, cornering hard, zig zagging to avoid something, my car has, so far, performed in an exemplary fashion with almost no roll and absolutely no feeling of "wallowing".

 

I don't know, but every X350 I've driven has had terrible road feel. Somewhere in between sporty and comfort but not doing either very well.

 

Same as the suspension units on Audi etc ... well hadn't heard that before. Worth investigating, if true.

I've said it before, but I'll say it again - I think a lot of the complaints about the ride originate in the fashion for very low profile tyres on large wheels ie 20" for sure, and maybe 19".

 

The ride of my 06 XJR is mixed. The air suspension smooths out anything but the sharpest bumps and potholes. The lack of sidewall makes me scan the road constantly and slow down for speed bumps and pot holes. Otherwise it rides nice. If I had to do it over, I'd go for a wheel size with more sidewall, but that's what my car came with. The Sepangs sure looks nice though.

 

My 06 XJ8 with 18" wheels is noticeably more harsh than my former 01 XJ8 with 15" wheels. These overly large wheels are just a fashion statement, like stiletto heels on women's shoes.

A hundred years ago, the first cars had solid rubber tires, with bone-jarring effect. Then the invention of "balloon tires" was called a great breakthrough.

But I guess we are devolving. I wonder if solid rubber tires will be here again soon?

 

There was a 17" option early on, but it didn't last very long. I think that's the smallest size that will fit over the brake calipers (and they won't fit an XJR).

 

Wanting high performance with big brakes and fashionable wheels/tyres can be the opposite of what some people want in terms of road feel. Not really possible to satisfy everyone especially those who buy used and get a car with the wrong combination (for them) without then changing things to suit them.

Case in point I test drove 18" wheels and liked the outcome, but 19" not so much. I could see no point (for me) in even trying 20".

 

Mine has 19" Polaris and I have a set of 18" Tucanas which I will use when the current tyres have had it. The only thing I don't like about the 18" is that the Tucanas don't look as good as Polaris.

One thing everyone seems to forget is that 19", 18" whatever - that's diameter. Going from 20" to 19", or 19" to 18", only brings the rim in by half-an-inch, which is barely noticable.

 

The road feel changes a lot, though!

 

It's a shame because those 20" sepangs look killer. I wonder how they would look in chrome...

 

I just re-shod my 06 with Hankook Ventus tires. They are highly rated in almost all categories, and not too expensive ($153/ea). Seems to be less tire noise with these.

 

What I'm not sure about is whether a set of the 17" wheels would fit my 2007 X358. No 17" wheel is listed in the X358 brochure that I have, and the brake calipers are no longer the aluminium ones I had on the previous car. If a set of 17" would fit I would be prepared to fit them as I appreciate ride comfort more than looks !
An alternative is to seek out the tyres that give the most comfortable ride. I believe the Uniroyal Rainsport 3 might be the one. Bear in mind I don't drive at very high speeds even on the German autobahns. My 3 litre petrol engine gives me enough performance for my needs.

 

Fraser -
I had been wondering the same thing myself. The 2004 XJ8 offered 17" wheels, but that disappeared for 2005 and thereafter as a factory choice, I believe. And somewhere in there, I believe the brake rotor diameter increased.

I think the only way to know for sure, is to buy **one** of the 2004 17" wheels (used), and see if it will fit both front and rear. That would minimize the financial expenditure, if it turns out it doesn't fit.

 

My wife's New Beetle has a complete set of Uniroyal Rainsports on that were on when we bought the car. They seem good, but are, of course a higher profile tyre than the Jaguar's. As it rains a lot here in the UK a tyre optimised for rain performance seems a good idea !!

 

I fit 17" Coventry Whitleys on my 04 x350, and they certainly don't have much extra wiggle room. I do run a set of 20" wheels in the summer. The ride difference is quite a bit different. But even with the 20's it rides nicer than my 06 x100 with 19" wheels.