I was just wondering what everyone's thoughts were on a 01 vdp vs a 02 or 03 xj sport. The vin on the 01 is SAJDA24C91LF26503 so Im not sure in this excludes in from the nikasil issues, and or the timing chain tensioner problems. Price and milage on the cars is in the same ball park Im more wondering in there is any significant reliability improvements with the 2 newer vehicles. I have a 97 vdp now and like that trim line but the xj sports seem nice as well.

 

I didnt look up the vin code yet, but if it has the 4.2 engine rather than the 4.0 then you wont have the nikasil or timing chain issues.

As far as reliability goes, its a toss up really. There were no design changes until the X350 body style was introduced. So all the bits I believe are going to be the same for all 3 years. However a good service history is always important.

About whether to choose the VDP or the Sport models its really subjective. It all depends on how you use/drive the car. I personally would go for the VDP because it has better hides, long wheelbase etc. Im not a performance driver with my jag, I prefer the comfy suspension and delicious interior. But if you are also like to take your car for a mad sunday blast then go with the sport, because it will have the XJR suspension so it will hold the road better and it has wider tires I believe.

 

The 01 probably is nikisil and may have still have the plastic tensioners. The comparison is night and day between the two models. The sport is the short wheel base and is a stiffer ride. Also the VDP interior exudes luxury, soft and cushy leather seats, where the sport has stiffer vented leather seats and less of the wood trim. Other than that, you are looking at comparabe vehicles as the drive train is the same.

My best advise is to always drive then and research the heck out of them so that you can be as sure as you can of the current and historical maintenance as possible.

 

The VDB is a long wheelbase - the larger back seat may be something you may want. The sport and the R's have the standard wheelbase - the length and extra weight of the VDB changes the dynamics as does the stiffer springs and shocks on the sport/ R.

The leather used on the later VDP's was nothing like the earlier x300's - your 97 - its not all that much different than the standard cars. I loved my 95 VDB -- they did not make the long wheel base back then and the interior was unbelievable. My later VDP was a long wheelbase and I did not use or like the extra length - so I replaced it with an R in 02.

If you are fine with the longer wheel base and use your back seat often you may not like the shorter wheelbase. The V8 car do not have as light a feel as the sixes did.

 

If you are referring to the later X308 VDPs, they have the same leather as the '95-'97 VDPs, Connolly Autolux. The V8 VDP isnt as agile as a XJ8 due to it being a long wheel base. A '97 VDP will feel slower and less sporty than a '98-'03 VDP. The V8 is a smoother, more powerful engine than the older 6 cylinder engine. The V8 is also a lighter engine. Reliability is a different story however.

 

Connolly is no longer in business -- they did not survive the full run of the x308. When the x300 was retired and the new x308 came out the redesigned seats brought with them a lower quality leather. I'm not sure if it was Connolly or Jaguar - but it was not as nice. The leather installed on the standard cars in 95 was nicer than my 02 R. My 95 VDP was a special ordered light cream interior with Flamenco exterior - I believe it was a 12k option - sharp car. I had a green 82 with almost the same color leather. That was a stunning car and green was a very rare car color back then -- except Jags.

I no longer remember the weight differences between the engines but the 6 cylinder cars did not have as heavy a front end feel to them. The straight sixes were nice engines - they did have head gasket issues.

I prefer the standard wheelbase cars.

 

Connolly went out of business in June 2002. The '95-'03 Vanden Plas cars all used connolly Autolux leather. (The '03 XJs were actually manufactured in '02). This was the top of the line leather from Connolly. Only now are the stocks of Connolly leather drying up.

The XJ8 and XJR use a lower leather grade from Connolly than the VDP.

The ivory leather color of your '95 VDP is probably similar to the Ivory leather I have in my 2000 VDP (check my profile). What year X308 VDP did you have?

However, IIRC, the X308 VDP uses vinyl in some areas where the X300 VDP uses leather such as the front seat backs. The X308 VDP uses more leather than the X300 XJR, X308 XJ8 and the X308 XJR however.

As to the original poster's question, the Autolux leather in the VDP is more delicate but softer than that of the XJR/XJ sport. The VDP ivory leather is very delicate. It can scratch, tear, and crack more easily. Something to consider in terms of maintence.

 

Connolly may have officially closed in 02 but they were on life support way before that. My eight cylinder VDP was a 99 - and the quality of the interior was not as nice as the 95. Although they still called it "Autolux".

Jaguar was unusual in that they did a lot of the trim work "in house". The last I remember reading they had Lear making the seats.

Everything in the 95 that looked like leather ... was. I think the back shelf in my 95 was leather.