Believe that the timing chain issues, were with the previous years models, not the 2003-2009 aluminum bodied XJ8's.

 

findre, did you ever locate the cause of the coolant smell?

 

Slightly related subject but, alas, I have now sold my trusty Jaguar XJ6 X350 model ( 2004), after11 years ownership , so I had better delete this account.
But I replaced it with a brand new Volvo XC60 B5 ( mild hybrid), because the other half suggested we have a more "practical" car ( hatch back and all that)
After using the Volvo for several months now, I must say that I miss the XJ6 very much.

You can tell if a car is well made and good quality by looking at the doors; its hinges and locking points. it's seals( whether two sets, to prevent traffic noise in the cabin), the flimsiness and thickness of the doors.
In comparison with the new Volvo, is not a patch on the Jaguar XJ6; the Volvo has plenty of road noise,, making you have to turn the music volume up louder and traffic noise in much louder due to inferior door seals.
I can't stand the automatic gear lever, which is one lever which you move forwards or backwards to select Drive or Reverse. I much preferred the clearer XJ6 setup with its clear
slots to move the lever around, easily showing if in Drive or Reverse by looking down, or just touching the lever physically to know it's gear position.
Unlike the Volvo's dashboard visual display you have to look at.

Anyone new coming to this post, please note that the X350 is a classic well made piece of engineering which I have missed.

 

buttpt, I am curious if you looked a the I-Pace in your selection process? Reviews I have seen rate it higher than the Volvo in hitting the environmental key points. I know there is a large cost gap but Jaguar Certified Pre-Owned are available ay about 40-50% of list and less than 2k miles with new warranty, at least at my JLR dealer.

 

Nope, it would come back and go. I am not a big fan of Clip style hose clamps, they maybe weeping that pink goo. Could be the 12 year old o'rings. Nothing visible and no trails of residue. Replaced plastic tank, cap is good, every hose was replaced. Jaguar must have made a deal with Dayton to make the maze of unnecessary hoses for vacation homes for the Board members of JLR.

 

Hi StagByTriumph,
My budget to replace the Jaguar, wasn't in the price range of a new I-Pace. Also I don't like the look of them much.
I got a good deal from the Volvo dealer for a new model, which was only a few thousand pounds less than a newish second hand one.
So it was a no-brainer to get a new one with the full three years warranty. Basic front wheel drive only as well, which kept the cost down.

Also, because it came under the £40K ( on the road) luxury car threshold, then the annual tax was only £140. I think it jumps up to about £460 over £40K.

 

Those Volvos are indeed nice. In the US, at least in my area, there is a plethora of new leftover vehicles from 2019 and 2020 across all manufacturers.

Deals on an I-Pace R AWD are a 2019 with 1700 miles never titled as it was a brief dealer loaner, $38-42K USD full new original warranty and services, and 2020 for $45k ranges. The I-Pace does seem to be smaller and different design lines than your Volvo though, but with the criteria of sustainable and emission.

Probably better discussion for the I-Pace forum

 

The 2004 jaguar xj8 I bought was a bit of a mess. Valve cover gasket leak, thermostat housing assembely, front end clunk from the suspension, faded and cracked clear coat, misfire, stupid and dented 20in 3-piece rims.
Needless to say it has been a project. My latest venture I am sorting out is the rims I bought some 17in rims from the X308. There are two bolt patterns for the X350 listed 108 and 121 on the top google search site. I got mixed up and my rims wont fit on the car without adapters, so I am shopping.
Conclusion the X350 is a wonderful car but be prepared to work on it yourself if it has deferred maintenance.
also anyone done the wheel adapter I am looking for?

 

Add to this list:They will sound like driving on truck/snow tires all of the sudden.

 

I will echo some experiences with my 2005 X350: chasing rogue leaks leading to replacing all the hoses and thermostat housing at about ~69k miles; headliner needing refitting; but thankfully my rims are single piece. But I also note the substantial increase in plastic and plastic fasteners which is degrading and becoming extremely rare to find replacement parts being that the series is now > 10 years past the last of the series production.
What I find odd is my 1996 xj8 X300 exhibited all the very same issues as my 2005 X350 with things like intermittent restricted performance, , intermittent ZF issues.\, and depending on the climate - condition of the air suspension

For me the X350 series represents the very last of Jaguar unique styling before caving into a cookie cutter formats.

People recognize that sedan styling retaining many distinctive styling clues from the earliest XJ's recognizable from over 100 meters. I'm all for styling evolution but today it is difficult to distinguish between similar models of the top 10 manufacturers.

Fortunately I am set with a full IDS/SDD with external power supply, a proper 4 post lift and enough tools, knowledge and desire to accomplish most all of the mechanicals and electrical. I bought my 2005 x350 with only 68k miles in pristine condition for dirt, only needing minor things.

 

My 2005 Jag has 178000 miles on it. I'v e
replaced one rear air shock and the headliner . I bought the car 3 months ago and daily drive it maybe 20 miles a day.

 

My X358 XJR has just passed the above. It remains mechanically quiet, neither consumes nor leaks oil or coolant, returns an average of 22 real (brim to brim) mpg, and has been totally reliable. The key as always is regular and timely maintenance.
Interestingly, mine which came to me four years ago with a very detailed history from day #1, has never had the gearbox oil changed. I did plan to do this as a matter of urgency, but was advised by a ZF engineer to leave well alone as "It's working perfectly, the oil will have thickened and is compensating for wear in the unit; changing it may well ruin it at this stage." Whether he was right or not, I cannot say, but 20,000 miles later, all is still well with it.

A chap I met on a magazine photoshoot has a Super V8 well past 200,000 miles, still as far as I know giving first class service. I suspect that the 4.2 is one of the most consistently durable engines ever made; during my working life, and subsequently, I have never come across even and abused one which has failed, regardless of age or miles covered.

 

It is important to note this difference; starting in late model 2006.5 XJ8 & beyond, the thermostat housing is completely different! The one shown from RockAuto WILL NOT FIT! And they’re (And MOST OTHER PARTS databases.) are WRONG! I had to buy a dealer part to get it right!


Thermostat Cover for MY 2006.5 & newer.


Thermostat Cover alone. Housing sold as all one unit. (Mostly plastic so safer to replace whole thing.)

 

This is a very helpful thread! Especially for me, still shopping for their first XJ.

Question: Is there a good way to test the air suspension when examining/test driving a potential vehicle? (example: a failing system might make a specific noise if you bounce the rear end while parked; or the compressor makes noise XYZ when the car is running if it's glitching out)

 

Have a Jaguar specific reader in hand when looking at any Jaguar, 96 or newer.

 

The trans fluid level can only be read with a diagnostic tool.
I have had a dealer read the level and "top off" the trans fluid at about 75k miles. Now at 140k miles.

 

The air suspension has something like 6 different modes, even when parked (on flat, on hill, etc.), so a "quick test" is probably not possible.

 

I had a 2004 V6 X350, and within one month of owning it, I got a suspension failure error, which went into limp mode. I pulled over and restarted the engine. The fault cleared, and I got home OK no problem. Being under warranty, I got it seen to.
It required a new electric pump.
To your question; There was no strange noises or indications that the electric pump was failing, or the the suspension seemed poor..

What you could do, before a purchase, is to request to see the computer error diagnostics report before you buy, to see what may have been flagged up over the weeks and months.
If you don't ask you wont get!

Hope this helps in your X350 purchase.

 

Some generalizations in there that don't necessarily apply. I bought my Jag because I wanted a large sedan. I can't stand SUVs at all, and will never have one. I previously had a Mercedes S55 that was totaled by being flooded during hurricane rains.

Large sedans just don't exist any more. I didn't buy the Jag to get a Jag, I bought it to get a large sedan and it was available locally. I do like the X350 style and comfort, yet knew nothing about the car when I bought it. It had air when I bought it, but within a week of my purchase it exhibited the classic symptoms: it sagged, rode harshly, took a couple of minutes to get ride height in the mornings and gave a level plausibility code within ten minutes of driving. Pulled the compressor first thing and found so much water damage there that I abandoned the air system without hesitation. Bringing the air up to snuff would have cost more than the car itself cost, so of course money was an object. To me, anyone who says the air should be retained at whatever the cost... well that's someone who has money to burn and doesn't care about the value. For me, there was no value in keeping it on the air ride, when the Arnott coils were under 1500 bucks, installed with my own hands. That doesn't make me a poser, it means I have retained the ability to use the car for many more years of enjoyment, rather than dumping it off on some other poor schmuck because the air suspension was useless.

I am of the firm opinion that if you live in a humid climate (like my Florida,) the air suspension is a hopeless endeavor, unless you're vigilant enough to replace the compressor every year. I really can't believe that the dryer is not an external, serviceable component. Putting a new dryer in every year or so would be such an easy thing to do, and would truly make all the difference in the world in the life of the system. As designed, it will not work in Florida for longer than a few months.

 

I blame my father. He bought our first Jag. I've been seeing a shrink ever since.