Hello all, glad to find the forum.

Been an X308 fan for a very long time, but never felt the time was right for one. Right now probably isn't either, but I found a car that's very tempting and I'm looking for advice and for someone to tell me the red flags to look for so I don't waste my time or money. Planning to go look at it tonight and if I make a deal, pick it up tomorrow with a rented trailer, its about an hour from my house.

99 XJ8L, 127k miles, typical "ran when parked" ad. Guy got a MIL for a catalytic converter problem (I don't know the code), parked it and never got back to it until now, 2 years later. Said he put a battery in it, it turned right over and started but then died right away, and it won't stay running. My thoughts are fuel delivery, fuel relays or the crash circuit, tuneup things, clogged air intake, or maybe just water in the fuel since the gas cap is on top of the car and I've read they can fill with water if the drain hole gets clogged. Since it will start I figured I'd bring a can of starting fluid and if I can get it to run for 8-10 seconds at a time thats probably enough to know if the timing chain and tensioners are shot or not and to know if the motor is generally viable. Seller says it has no rust "to speak of". Asking $1500.

I know that I first have to get it running and mechanically operational and will still have to address the cat issue after I fix whatever is wrong with it now...question is, is something like a cat replacement a relatively low lift, or am I potentially getting into a $2000 exhaust job just to turn off the check engine light? I know its not possible to actually know what the issue is there, just looking for ideas so I can gauge my interest while I'm there.

Interior looks in decent shape, driver's seat is a bit worn, but no tears except a small one on the center console cover. Steering wheel is all leather, not leather and wood...all the others I've seen are leather and wood so I'm not sure if this is just indicative of a base trim level or something? Body looks straight in photos, don't know if the headliner is sagging or not...its filthy outside and I can see clearcoat peeling on the hood and maybe the roof...might be something I can sand and blend, paint might be a decent 30 footer.

Thoughts? I'm not in need of a car, but I'm driving my pickup to work right now and I'd like something that gets better than 14-15mpg on the highway, with the price of newer used cars right now I think I'm better off with a cash car and ride out the market for a year or so and I just really want something different, which an XJ is very different for me, so why not? The goal is to wind up with something I can more or less daily, but I have other vehicles to fall back on if the Jag is down.

Thoughts? Many thanks.

 

I bought a $1500, 125000 mile x308 last year. It didn’t end well and I ended up scrapping the car at a loss. Live and learn. I bought another one after for $8500 with 53000 which is a very good car and I use it all the time. Your mileage may vary, which is to say, your experience may be better.

Engine work isn’t really a problem with these. Whatever is messed up can be fixed but listen for ticking from the valve train which can mean a sticking or bent valve. I’d look under the car and assess the rust on the body framework.

if possible, plug in a scanner and read the codes for a better understanding of what it’s going to need.

The primary cats bolt directly to the exhaust manifolds. The bolts are easy to break when they’re all rusty.

 

Thanks for the reply. I opted to not chase this one, I figured apart from a catastrophic timing (or valve) issue, the drivetrain was probably workable, but I wasn't entirely into the idea of having to get all that sorted only to then dig into the original reason it was parked 2 years ago. I prefer the regular wheelbase to the long and all that as well...probably too many compromises in this car for my

Also I found something much more appealing to me. A 98 XJR in BR green. Looks surprisingly nice in the photos, seller says its still avaialble andI've got some questions out to him I need answered before I drive there since its a few hours.

145k, currently registered and on the road. Says sunroof and radio do not work in the ad.,..I've asked some more specific questions like does he have a clean title, rust situation, what else doesn't work, has it had any timing or timing tensioner services done, does HVAC work, all power accesssories work, etc. Waiting on a reply. Been for sale for awhile so I'm wondering why. Originally marked at $5k, now $3k which is buyer beware pricing, so I'm interested but looking for the catch.

Run away?

 

Looks like a nice one. The BR green is a plus, and sunroofs and radios can be easy fixes. The lower 3k price
is a definite warning sign however he may just need the money quick.

 

Thanks Randy. I've learned buying a Jag can be a difficult process because they just can get under your skin and you gotta have it and its likely easy to make a mistake.

I'm waiting for the seller's replies. If he's got no major things to report I'll secure a trailer rental and head out to check it out Sunday morning. I think other than something like a salvage title for a major accident or catastrophic rust I'm really wanting to pay attention to the cold engine startup noises from the timing area and valvetrain and check for oil burning out the cold tailpipes...other than that its mostly normal used car things.

We'll see how it goes. Unless its got a massive problem I'm inclined to bring it home. See? There's that irrationality you get from looking at a Jag!

 

I thought every 98’ XJR had the dark colored wood (except the steering wheel) and the perforated seats? I suppose someone ordered it that way??

 

Could be, I'm not well educated in them to say one way or the other. Perforated seats implies they're ventilated? Didn't know they offered that

 

Pretty sure all 98s came with the dark wood as has been said. They all definitely came with black carpet which this one doesn't have. The seats are definitely not XJR seats so the interior was mostly likely swapped for some reason. Maybe flood car? Be sure the check the title for Brands and at least run a basic VIN check. At least it still has the XJR steering wheel though and the dash pad is black which all XJRs had.

That particular car has been for sale on FB for well over a year. I'd have to think it's worse than it looks in photos for it being for sale that long and no takers. He started at $5k last year, then it was at $3800 for a few months, now down to $3k. Not promising which is why I never went to look at it. Pictures aren't great but the fact that he says, "Paint isn't perfect" probably means its a bit of a mess. Nice that it has newer tires though, thats a good chunk of change. Could be a decent car for the money though.

 

We can’t dismiss that it may have been possible to special order it that way. An inquiry with Jaguar for a replica build sheet would likely tell the details.

 

Of course. I'm far from a Jag expert so definitely possible, but I've never seen any XJR without XJR seats or black carpet, but anything is possible I guess.

I am more speaking to this particular car in general. As I said, its been for sale for well over a year and not takers at such a low price with the relative decent photos, I think there's more than meets the eye here. Hopefully it works out and @mayhem gets a great car at a great price, just letting him know to be cautious and check it out really well. As we all know with these cars, bringing a neglected example back to life can cost a pretty penny, sometimes more than buying a nicer one in the first place.

In general I'd definitely recommend an XJR over an XJ8. They tend to go for similar prices and have the Merc trans so really a no brainer. Interested to see how this car looks in person after you take a look.

 

Aaaaand a taste of harsh reality sets in, but this is why you go places like this forum when you're looking at somewhat of a specialty purchase.

Entirely possible its a flood car, I've asked the seller for the VIN, so we'll see where that takes me. You're absolutely right 87 in that a year for sale is crazy long for just about any car...morbidly curious now to know the story. I didn't pick up on the seat or color issue.

Seller says he has a clean title, a stack of service records from a prior owner, there is one spot of rust on an otherwise rust free car. Heat and AC work, but the airflow volume seems restricted...could be the fan doesn't turn up all the way or it could be there's something in there restricting it.

Does Jaguar's website allow you to get service records and build sheets ?

For the price and apparently negotiable below that, I think it might still be worth the trip unless a carfax returns something really glaring.

 

How far away is the car from you?

 

3hr each way.

 

That's a hike, but may be worth your time. I wasn't trying to put you off, but I've purchased a lot of cars over the years and from what I've seen with that car something's just not right. Or maybe everyone's just scared to buy an old Jag, haha. These cars are definitley cheaper than they should be because of that which is great for guys like me that refuse to spend a ton of money on a toy.

What's a spot of rust? Just like saying the paint needs some work usually means its either been sprayed poorly or needs a respray, a spot of rust usually means a little bit that you can see, but a lot that you can't...It actually looks decent under the hood from what I can tell (no rusty fastners or anything), but it is a far NE car and you know the story there.

Sorry if I'm being negative, really not trying to put you off and hope you get one of these awesome cars, just speaking from experience. I just got my second XJR, a 98, last week and looked quite a few cars over the past few months and you wouldn't believe what junk is out there...

If this car doesn't work out there i a BRG/Oatmeal 2000 XJR on FB in North Jersey. Looks decent, needs a bit of work and priced at $5900 with 124k. I think that's a bit high and you can probably get it for less, seller seems motivated.

When you get the VIN try www.vehiclehistory.com I used it last week when I was looking at my 98 and just before I bought the car I ran a Carfax to be sure and wouldn't you know, the same exact records showed up. Just as good as Carfax and 100% free!

 

I genuinely appreciate the advice. This is my first foray into the world of Jaguar...I usually don't repeat buy brands if I can avoid it unless I've got a great deal staring me in the face, so this is my opportunity to see what its like to own a Jag. If I'm satisfied enough with my inspection hopefully it'll be more like an X308 outgt to be and not at all like owning a classic Jag. I'm not so much seeking an XJ or even a Jag specifically...rather I'm on the lookout for a car and the one at the top of the thread and then this one hit my radar screen and I'm having trouble turning my head away. If it works out then great, if not, well thats ok too, there's always another interesting car out there I haven't had before. Love the styling of these cars and would like to own one, but I'm not likely to spend much more than this on one at the moment...strictly a cash purchase for now and this is my budget.

Its a weird one...it'll be interesting to find out the history. Even if its sketchy, it might still be a fun toy car...guy says he motivated and negotiable so maybe I'll get it for a song and start a youtube channel about buying the cheapest XJR in the country.

Thanks for the VIM link, good to have regardless. Hopefully the seller will get me the VIN and we'll see whats there. He says clean MA title, but there are ways to wash a salvage title I'm sure so buyer beware.

Fingers crossed!

 

I mean, if you can get it for even less than $3k and it runs and drives a bad history might not even be that big of a deal, it's basically a throw-away at that point. Have your fun and move on. Keep in mind that these are not the cheapest vehicle in the world to maintain or buy parts for so a very cheap Jag could end up turning into an expensive lesson.

Sounds like you know what you're doing though, interested to hear about the car and hopefully you bring it home.

As for the YT video, I think this guy has you beat - an 03 R1 for $1150 - That thing looks like a real piece of crap though.

Good luck!

 

Got the VIN, SAJPX1840WC835872. According to the VIN search its clean, but it flags a mileage discrepancy at the last entry. Looking for build sheet info, TOPIx isn't returning anything from the VIN, I emailed Jag to see if they might help, but if anyone has access to a resource that will show me the oringial build info and/or maybe help answer some of the questions I'd sure appreciate it.

VIN decoder here says ivory interior, which would match the seat color, but it also says its a black car...which it clearly is not. But if its a respray then it was a pretty thorough job since the ad photos show green bulkheads on the front shocktowers...not a $200 Maaco job.

 

Looks good, nothing stands out in the history report. Hopefully its a decent car and just needs a little love. If so that's a heck of a deal, and also means I grossly overpayed for the 98 XJR I just bought (already regretting it to be honest). If that car turns out to be decent I'll be kicking myself, have been eyeing it up for a while just never took the time to go see it. Something is definitley odd about the interior but whatever, if everything checks out that's not a big deal and could be a great little project car on the cheap. Really hope it works out for you!

 

If it’s already been painted and you were told there’s one rust spot, there could be many more hiding that was painted over with bondo. Albeit $3k is not a huge investment but I also fully understand that nobody wants to be on a losing end of a purchase. 3 hours away isn’t close but it’s not terribly far either. I’d take a really good flashlight, magnet and if you have a scanner, that wouldn’t hurt either if you go look at it. If it runs, drives, shifts good, has minimal rust, stops good and at least looks half way decent, would you buy it for say $2600 today?

 

I have a scanner that does OBDII, ABS and SRS, so hopefully if there's something afoot it'll show up.

Magent, flashlight, scanner, a bit of skepticism and some info fro m the forum FAQ buyers guide are all in my toolbox.

I can't say if its been painted or not, but looking at the photos and zooming in, I don't see any obvious overspray signs, the sheet metal under the hood looks the same color as the outside of the car to me, so if this was a respray and color change, it was a pretty thorough job. I'm inclined to beleive it definitely has not had a color change, will only be able to tell in person if its been resprayed. I have not yet seen the rust spot photo.

Interior, carpet is pretty weird, but for all I know some fool left the windows open in the rain or something...I'll give it the smell test and see if any of it is squishy. Seats look like base XJ seats to me, flipping through a bunch of XJR ads I've seen a few early cars with these seats...maybe swapped for greater comfort? Maybe something sinister.

For $2600 I think my answer would be yes, apart from an inspection revealing something really significant. I think at that sort of price point, a running, driving car that can pass inspection is a worthwhile risk.