How many people use their x300 for everyday use?
#102
I have a '95 XJ6 4.0L with 337,000+ miles on it and it is my only car. I bought it accidentally at an auction in 2011 while practicing bidding. hehehe. I love it, even though it has some overworn parts and pieces. I'm working on restoring it while using it daily. I have driven it 117,000 of those miles in about 3 yrs 9 months. It has never left me stranded beside the road, ever! I see all kinds of newer cars broken down, but my Jag is faithful and reliable. Mechanic once told me the engine/transmission is basically bullet proof, if you take care of it. Not some for the A/C, seat motors, sunroof mechanism, but great engine. It's hard to accelerate slowly though. Hehehe
#103
#104
#108
still going strong
There have been a few changes since I posted 3years ago, and the X300 is still going strong with over 180k on the odometer. The '91 XJ40 sadly reached the point that retirement was the best option, so we donated it to the Make-A-Wish charity. The son uses the X300 daily, averaging around 25 miles/day. The XK is more the wife's and I've moved into the BMW. Since we've both retired from the work-a-day world, mileage is pretty minimal.
#109
Our '95 X300 VDP is still going strong but has become my wife's daily as driving her Suburu Forester was causing her repetitive stress injuries. I tried trading with her but it started doing the same to me, so we've religated it to hauling potting soil and the like and I've been driving an '84 series III VDP that we bought from another JaguarForums member last October. The series III isn't as trouble free or even remotely fast but it's been reliable and, in a way, suits me better than the über posh X300 version. Maybe it's that the series III was the XJ of record when I was growing up but I like it better, despite the fact it's not as well engineered.
#110
#112
#113
My Useage
I have a 97 x300 189,000 K's on the clock. It gets used most days for running around. Have done a few long trips. It return around 8 lts per 100 K's on a run and 14 in the city. I'm looking to drive from Melbourne to Sydney in Aug. very pleased with mine. Hoping to get many more happy K's from it.
#114
Daily driver, my ****!
My 96 was my daily driver for 6 years, until it had an issue passing smog, and now HFS, it's really trying my patience with all the crap going wrong all at once.
And yes, I really want it to become my daily driver again, but the more new BS pops up with it, my tolerance is being severely tested.
I've spent more than $3800 on it since in the last 3 months (most of it on repairs I am completely capable of performing myself but it was already hostage in a local indie shop that assured me all would be well), and just yesterday a whole new set of problems popped up. WTF?
I am not a happy Jag owner right now, I've invested so much money that I could have replaced this P.o.S, but I'm too far in to quit now.
Oh, and it has 119k miles now, on the low side for being so awful
And yes, I really want it to become my daily driver again, but the more new BS pops up with it, my tolerance is being severely tested.
I've spent more than $3800 on it since in the last 3 months (most of it on repairs I am completely capable of performing myself but it was already hostage in a local indie shop that assured me all would be well), and just yesterday a whole new set of problems popped up. WTF?
I am not a happy Jag owner right now, I've invested so much money that I could have replaced this P.o.S, but I'm too far in to quit now.
Oh, and it has 119k miles now, on the low side for being so awful
Last edited by notthemaniusedtobe; 05-31-2015 at 10:31 PM. Reason: Additional pissedoffedness
#115
I have a 96 XJ6. I am the second owner with about 39K miles currently on it. When I first got it, it would die at random. With help from members of this forum we found it to be the ECU relay. Since replaced, it has been very dependable and a joy to drive. It is my daily driver and I wouldn't have it any other way.
#116
Just bought my XJ6 (x300) 3.2 less than a week ago. It took me a while to find a good one but I eventually found my relatively low mileage (66,000) '97 executive model and I absolutely love it. It has an old school, classic feel, yet has enough modern tech, without going overboard, as modern, over-computerised cars do. Far too complex for their own good in my view.
Yes, it gets used every day, and I even look forward to driving to work. This is now my main car, my daily driver, and it's just wonderful. Why would anyone drive anything else? Seriously! The stock answer is that they use too much fuel, but these cars are cheap to buy and if maintained won't depreciate any further than they already have. Indeed, there will come a point when they actually start to increase in value.
Why spend £15,000 on a new car, when you can buy an old Jag like mine for a fraction of that price, and have loads of money left over for petrol, servicing, and whatever else you want to do?
These cars are an experience, and a unique form of transport, and, like the old Bentleys and Dusenbergs, we may well not see their like again. Grab one while you can is what I say, and use it, use it, use it!
Yes, it gets used every day, and I even look forward to driving to work. This is now my main car, my daily driver, and it's just wonderful. Why would anyone drive anything else? Seriously! The stock answer is that they use too much fuel, but these cars are cheap to buy and if maintained won't depreciate any further than they already have. Indeed, there will come a point when they actually start to increase in value.
Why spend £15,000 on a new car, when you can buy an old Jag like mine for a fraction of that price, and have loads of money left over for petrol, servicing, and whatever else you want to do?
These cars are an experience, and a unique form of transport, and, like the old Bentleys and Dusenbergs, we may well not see their like again. Grab one while you can is what I say, and use it, use it, use it!
#118
My 1997 XJ 6 is still holding up very well, kept it much longer than anticipated as it still looks better and handles better than many new cars. It just turned 230,000 kms, has been my daily driver to work and weekend road trips for 9 years. I only do 300 kilometers per week or around 16,000 kms per year. I average 9 liters per 100 highway which is great, but only 15 around town as it is quite hilly here.
I have changed the steering rack and pump ($1,500), the secondary electric water pump (rebuild off eBay $200) and hot water mixer valve ($400) for the climate control, all front end bushings ($1500), three ignition coils ($800) over 8 years, plus rear end diff bearings ($2,000). Other than that just oil changes, one ball joint, shocks ($500), brakes and tires like any car. So about $1,000 per year to keep it serviced and maintained.
Got sucked into using pricey synthetic oil by one Jag shop, did that for 2 years and found I was getting more oil leaks. Aside from paying $15 per liter, I didn't like the idea of long oil changes so I went back to Castrol 20w50 and 5,000 km changes, or 3 times a year. I get it on sale at Canadian Tire for $19 for a 5 liter jug.
EGR value sets off the engine light occasionally, I will ask about that in other post. Idle control valve started acting up last week after having it cleaned once 8 years ago. I just unplugged it for now.
I love the X300 and would buy another one if I could find a super clean low mileage example.
I have changed the steering rack and pump ($1,500), the secondary electric water pump (rebuild off eBay $200) and hot water mixer valve ($400) for the climate control, all front end bushings ($1500), three ignition coils ($800) over 8 years, plus rear end diff bearings ($2,000). Other than that just oil changes, one ball joint, shocks ($500), brakes and tires like any car. So about $1,000 per year to keep it serviced and maintained.
Got sucked into using pricey synthetic oil by one Jag shop, did that for 2 years and found I was getting more oil leaks. Aside from paying $15 per liter, I didn't like the idea of long oil changes so I went back to Castrol 20w50 and 5,000 km changes, or 3 times a year. I get it on sale at Canadian Tire for $19 for a 5 liter jug.
EGR value sets off the engine light occasionally, I will ask about that in other post. Idle control valve started acting up last week after having it cleaned once 8 years ago. I just unplugged it for now.
I love the X300 and would buy another one if I could find a super clean low mileage example.
Last edited by Kevin Burnaby; 09-03-2015 at 11:51 AM.
#119
? Andy droplinks on XJ6 anyone?
My daily and only for past 15 months. I bought mine from the original owner (dad) a year ago after selling my 2002 XKR coupe (with the intention of buying a convertible). Could not turn down my dad's offer to buy his. He had not had the 60k service done at 64k miles so I had that done and added Andy's bracket at the same time. I will likely never sell this car and tell my 6.5 year old it will be her first car in 10 years....
Meanwhile, I'd like a little more excitement. Having my rear diff replaced with a remade one using a 4.01 (vs 3.58) rear gear set (and the LSD) would be good but a $1,000 piece of hardware (fair price, Coventry West) and $600-$800 labor would do that but hard to justify replacing perfectly fine existing equipment
Next best is handling upgrade.
Anyone with regular XJ6 (not R) added the droplinks from Andy?
Meanwhile, I'd like a little more excitement. Having my rear diff replaced with a remade one using a 4.01 (vs 3.58) rear gear set (and the LSD) would be good but a $1,000 piece of hardware (fair price, Coventry West) and $600-$800 labor would do that but hard to justify replacing perfectly fine existing equipment
Next best is handling upgrade.
Anyone with regular XJ6 (not R) added the droplinks from Andy?
#120
Probably because Champions of today are made in Mexico, have you seen some of the windshields produced in that country, hairs and even had one with a fly in it! Quality control isn't a strong point in most manufacturing processes there. Sometimes the company saves money and sometimes the product takes a hit, there's a reason they "were" a Fortune 500 company. NGK plugs (according to their site) sold in the U.S. Are made in the U.S. Last word by me, run what you like, it's your car, I like NGKs, it's all I run. I don't think at this point I'm helping this chap any. YMMV