I am so glad that these cars have such a bad reputation.

They are capable of 300K miles and more, if not owned by a moron. If one upgrades all systems known to have problems, one can put some serious mileage on them, and drive in style. One of these X308s can be picked up in MINT condition for less than 5K US,.....now,....what else one can buy for that kind of change? Not much. MANY bland Japanese cars cost WAY more than that. A friend just sold a Camry (I wouldn't be caught dead in something like that!) for 7K, and it had 260K on the clock! That's insane.

There are many cars out there to choose from. I am always dumbfounded when I see people driving KIAs and such, brand new from the dealer (and you know they have a payment on it for 5 years!). How does one wake up in the morning and says to himself: "I know,.....I want to drive a KIA for five years at least! I've always dreamed of owning one." And there are Prius variety, Saturn, and FIAT too.

Driving a British sedan, with yards of leather, and miles of wood trim, listening to this engine purring in the top gear at 80mph on PCH, is one of the small pleasures in this life. I don't even listen to the music much (if at all!), I enjoy the sounds of the car (or the lack of them), and the wind whistling by the sleek cat's body.

When I called a friend two months back to tell him that I bought a Jaguar (the same friend that just sold the Camry), he said: "You are nuts, these cars are known to have problems!" I sure am glad that the average people think so.

I am in Beverly Wilshire right now, and I can't wait for this holiday weekend to be over,......next week I'll do my best to add the XJR to the stable! VERY, very unreliable car. So much so, that I'll pick it up in MINT (absolutely MINT!) condition for less than 4K, with 113K on the clock.

Don't spread it around,......let the world drive KIAs!

 

Cheers to you!

Even the numbers manufactured were low enough that in years to come they will be collectibles (especially the XJR's)

Viva Kia!

 

it is ok that people think that, jag is not for everyone and is good so.
i know people having similar problems with BMWs, daimler and all sort of premium brands. Hell the single most discussed weak spot of X308 is a gearbox used by 5 and 7 series BMWs.
and yes, little girl enjoys the looks she gets driving the cat. it is old enough that they wont think i got rich boyfriend but still so unique that they just think i am cool!
And i also bought it with prospective that once i will be old ugly granny i will be still driving my unique beautiful (by then) oldtimer :-)

 

I have yet to find anyone who doesn't think that "old" Jags are a maintenance problem. Yesterday, while filling my Jag with gas, the guy at the next pump said "So, do you have a lot of breakdowns with those old Jags?" I said, "None, haven't had any problems at all!" He acted a bit like he didn't believe me, so I said, "Just don't get one that's any older than 2003, they fixed some of the major issues by then. Plus, you can get them cheap!" He said, "Yeah, that's what I need since I can't afford a new one!" With that he got in his rusty pickup truck and puttered down the road...I'll bet he's dreaming about my Jag right about now!

 

Yup, it's hard, perhaps impossible, to find more car for less money than a good used Jag. I love it!

In the last 15 years I've owned three terrific Jags and my all-in total, including purchase, servicing, and repairs, is less than the price of one new mid-range Lexus, Acura, or Cad.

And, yes, let's keep it a secret! It always rankles me a bit when some owners are so anxious for values to increase. Grrrrrr.....they're trying to ruin the whole thing :-)


Cheers
DD

 

I see, Daniel, we are two of the same kind. Both thumbs up for your posting!

 

I enjoy driving it but would not have purchased it if I had it to do again.

Money was an issue which is why I bought it from my friend. He had it for several years and took great care of it at great expense. I thought everything was fixed and I had it for seven days then tranny went out.

I may be able to drive it for many more years without any major problems but I have learned that you need to have plenty $$ before you purchase one of these... and I don't have it.

 

Did it cost you much more than if you had bought a Cadillac, or a Camry from your friend and then had the trans go out 7 days after purchase?

 

You had me 'til "FIAT" !?!?!?

Why ya gotta be hatin' on the FIAT?

 

I don't hate FIAT. I don't have much hate for anything. FIAT was imported into US many years ago, and while it might be a good car for Europe (I owned FIAT 132 in the early 80s in Europe), they do not hold up in the States with the mileage we put on them over here. They were falling appart over here. Now they brought FIAT 500 back to the States, and the limited space it offers, and the small engine, makes me believe that they will fail miserably just as X19 did back then. I would never buy a small car like that to drive on our freeways for 100+ miles a day. I would definitely not have any payments on it. The car will be in the junkyard before one is done making payments on it (it happened before).

European driving habits are VERY different than over here.

 

When I drive my Jag I feel sooo gooood....

 

Sure, that would irk me too, but.......how many miles your friend put on it? Was the tranny ever serviced? What are your friend's driving habits (hard accelerations?, burning rubber?, etc.)?

There are two ways to do this,......either you buy a car that you know everything about the car AND a driver (which might've happened in your case), or you do A LOT of homework on the car history, AND replace EVERYTHING you know that can be a problem in the future. And then you drive it, and cross your fingers,.......and still......the tranny can go out AT ANY TIME.

The ONLY other way is to get into a time machine, travel back to 1997-2003, and buy one new, and do all upgrades, and maintenance yourself.
Buying a used car (and I don't care what brand you want to talk about!) is a lottery at best. You can minimize the risk, but you are still working with a LOT of risk. In my case,......that's the gamble I am willing to take.

Like we say: "There is no free lunch". Either you buy new and pay through the nose, or you buy used and replace parts. If you can DIY, it's a great way to go, if not........the new one comes with warranty, and all maintenance included.

 

So what Upgrades did you have in mind? Timing chain tensioner?

Thanks!

M5

 

Timing chain components (all of them, not just the upper secondary tensioners!), water pump, thermostat housing, temperature gauge, and transmision drums. These would be "upgrades".

Then comes the "preventive maintennce": keeping the TB clean, MAF cleaned, air fiter, 5K oil changes, fuel filter, injector cleaner, spark plugs, transmision servce.....and a GOOD gas (no 7/11, Trifty, Costco, or any other unbranded gas!).

If the owner is dilligent like this, the car WILL give you MANY years of good service. Still,.....EVERTHING has it's lifespan (even the owners!)....hoses will go, belts, alternators, bearings, axels, shocks, pumps, relays, bulbs, tires, bushings, balljoints.....and MUCH more.

If you are lucky to live in the "snow free" areas of the world,...you don't have to worry about the rust, but even in the Southwest US, the paint will evntually go (unless you keep it covered, never use automatic carwash with brushes, and wax it once a month!).

So you sit down and grab a calculator. Initial purchase price + upgrades + maintenance + ANYTHING that WILL go bad in the future (how long are you keeping the car?) = x # of Dollars

x = less than 5 years of loan payments on a KIA (insert ANY brand here that you wish!), minus reselling/trade value at the end of the loan. I firmly believe that I am driving a classy car that makes me feel good inside, for less money than MILLIONS out there driving Korean or Japanese stuff. And no,......I don't "hate" any brand or make out there, I simply don't enjoy driving ANYTHING made in the Far East.

As much as I try to rationalize my choice in automobiles, it still comes down to "feel". Kinda like women,.....maybe that's why I am on my fourth marriage?

 

I especially like the look I get from people who see the XJR for the first time. Southern California being the land of German cars, they look at me like I have gone completely off the edge by driving a Jag! Its great.

If you want to know an expensive car to fix, try an Audi with some mileage on the clock. I will never do that again!

 

Love my s type. continually get stares and comments 'nice jag' awesome color of jag, what's that a 12 cylinder, what year is it, really, it looks much newer than an 03...and everytime I get in it, I love every thing except when I shut the key off and get out. LOL Even though Iv'e had the typical maintenance costs, at least I have a car worth driving that not every Tom, Dick & Harry has! I'm looking to upgrade to the XF in about 2 years. Love the 12's since they added the missing tail light section on the bottom of each side. Those cars with those like most beamers, just look like they left it off to me. The 12 XF is one awesome looking cat. Hope to get one. Probably keep my S type as my classic. I'm so attached to it now.

 

Heh. My '98 XJ8 passed 200,000kms a few weeks ago.

I just it gave a new set of coils, curing an intermittent misfire that must have been there for the two years I've owned the car - it had this weird tendency to occasionally refuse to shift up, but now it shifts normally and runs silky smooth.

I totally agree these are excellent cars and very underrated in the market. An everyday driver that gets admiring looks from bystanders and causes smugness in the driver. Yet it costs (in Norway) as much as a secondhand Golf.

The only car that could replace my 3.2 litre is another X308 - an XJR or Daimler Super V8!

 

The admiring looks and the compliments for the cat are the bonus on the reward I get by driving one of these extraordinary sedans. My reward is the pleasure I get from seeing and feeling the fine leather, from looking at the fantastically crafted woodwork and listening to the subtle content and effortless hum of the V8 when it's warm and from the easiness the car emanates when it seems to glide over the street, when I steer it through the curves as if it were half as long as it actually is.

Actually the reward already starts when looking at the car, seeing the lines and forms of timeless beauty.

We should be grateful that we were able to apprehend how precious
our Jaguars are in every respect (but the financial one ). And that we had the courage to go beyond the ordinary and the prejudices against Jaguar and to buy what we now proudly own.

 

"Financial"!? No way Jose. I just bought all four drilled and slotted rotors, and all the pads, for $275.- Cheaper than most American cars. Still shopping for XJR (one got away before I was able to drive there to see it). Found another XJ8 with 80K on the clock (salvage title due to theft recovery!) for $2900.- in PRISTINE condition,.....also got away before I could make a road trip to get it. Where else can you buy a car like that for peanuts?

 

sounds like i am in the minority here... We have had quite a few issues with ours...

i admit that i did not do the diligence i probably should have.

we have had both 1/2 shafts go out
alternator
thermostat
alternator
wheel bearings
shocks
e brake cable failure getting wrapped around the driveline
driveshaft carrier bearings
body seems very delicate and the paint seems to scrath and dent VERY easy...

also no rust treatement, so we are having significant rust issues....

several electrical issues ( heated seats, seat adjustment switches, steering wheel adjustment, knock sensors, door lock actuators, maf,etc...).
all in two years of ownership

the biggest problem i have is how everything is so darn hard to get to...

love the ride, styling and power of the car, but dissapointed in the reliability.

i have a much older porsche 928 with twice the miles that has been bulletproof, and everything has been extremely easy access....

we have owned many used bmw, mercedes, volvo, and a 2001 caddy sts...

love the jag but hate the maintenance