Staying in the family, and keeping the Jaguar for weekends, how about a Land Rover Discovery 3 with 2.7 turbo diesel....

My sister has one in black, I've added a few mods like a rear window tint, Disco 4 lights and supercharged grill, oh and Overfinch wheels. She loves it to bits, she's named it, and says it means business, last few rough winters we've had and she was amazed at how it behaves in snow. They have the twin chassis of the latest range rovers and up until the Disco 4 were the best of the range in any weather. How much are 2005/2007 models in Germany?

At 100k miles they need bits just like the XJ. Maybe look for a low miles car, like any car out there, research it to death before you spend money, consider finding a local expert (the owners clubs?) to assess a prospective buy

 

Sounds like a pleasant problem. My two cents;

LR Defender – ok, you have an excellent taste in cars and I love them, but if you are going to drive that much it isn't the best option. It isn't the most comfortable car, right?

So, here's what I would do. One of the prettiest cars out there today is the Alfa Romeo 159 (Jags excluded). I would buy a sedan if you don't need the space. The sportwagon is just as pretty but more expensive second hand. Get one with only 40000 km on the clock and you have a beautiful car that will last for around 8 000 Euro. The rest, you put on making Kitty perfect.

Alfas, just like Jags, are much better built than old reputations say and the 159 developed by one of BMW's old developers.

I've owned two Alfas and driven them all year round – they've been great.


But...in the end...another Xj doesn't sound to bad either...

 

Too much money? Miles are good on that year, and the price is negotiable. Looks like prices are similar to the States (except in Euro, which buys the equivalent of goods that we buy in Dollars over here). I mean,.....if you convert 10 Euro, it's "worth" more than 10USD on the currency market, but it buys in Europe the same what 10 Dollar bill buys here.

I think that's a nice car (too nice to be a daily driver!). I would offer 20% less in cash (which I always do!), and go from there. I don't think these cars have a "hot" market in Germany (I know they don't here!). Money talks. The guy was asking $6700 for my VDP, and I offered 5K, or I walk. He was running after me as I was sitting in my Benz to take off, asking if I have 5K cash in my pocket. I pulled the wad out, and his eyes went a tad bigger. "I'll take it." he said.

Another trick is,.....sit at the salesman's desk, pull the wad, and start counting to 8500 (for this particular car),.....make a sad face, and say,..."oh well,...that's all I have". Start taking the money off the desk, and get up to leave. Watch him pulling you back. Always count the least you want to pay,....he will come back with counter offer, and then it's up to you to be firm on your low ball, or negotiate.

 

You know that this seems a little high. I just got my 01 XJR in October with 80,000km on the clock for almost half that (equivalent Canadian). Not sure what the market is like there, but if there is such a price difference what would it cost to import one from north america to Germany? You may even get a sweet trip out of the deal

 

If you're in Germany, better to buy a VW Golf, surely ? They go for ever and it won't cost the earth thus leaving more cash for the Cat.

 

Before you go to buy it, line up a good Indy mechanic for diagnostics. After you pull the "skirt and cash" trick, and the guy takes your offer, BEFORE you sign the bill of sale, pull the trump out! "Not just yet Sir. I have to make sure you are not about to take advantage of a poor, young and inexperienced girl. My mechanic will check it out, and if everything is as advertised, I will sign the contract." If he gives you ANY grief with that, .....WALK.

If that car IS as advertised (and nothing is hidden), it will go another 100K with normal maintenance.

 

i think that import is quite impossible because to get in on license plates would be expensive and lot of effort + some tax as well i am sure.
There is not many jags around here so i believe they are sold for close to what they are offered. I was watching it for few months before i found my one and the offers are not up for longer then a month and half.
i got mine for 7500 (2001 with 120000) because it was only one which was in good condition not only in ad, but also in reality. I knew it had some problems (mainly lot of stuff beaten on front suspension) but it was nice inside out, everything worked and engine and gearbox was fine too. I left my rover there to reduce price. Since i put about 3000 in it. So my Kitty cost me until now about 12000eur and is in condition where i can say i am happy with it, or better said, i am about 1500 eur away from being happy with it.

 

There are some important differences between 01 (manufactured in 2000), and 2003 (Nicasil, tensioners, waterpump, etc.) 2003 is "worth" considerably more. Then there is a difference between private party sale, and the dealer,....but in any case,....2003 XJR is almost imposible to find in CA for less than 10K USD.

I hope you checked the tensioners/blowby on your 01?

 

The link that was posted was for a 1998 XJR at a price of 12,999 euro's. The only worry with the 01 is the tensioners. I did take care of the primary and secondary when I got the car.

Its a shame that in Germany the market for jags is so poor, though there are lots of sweet cars there that us in north america could only dream of owing. I am fully up with purchasing a different car, maybe I am a "black sheep" but I prefer to drive something with style and unusual.

 

2001 cars were made in 2000 (I'm not sure what is the cut off month). I know that some German manufacturers make the "current" year model until the August Urhlaub, and when they return, on September 1st they start cranking out the "next model year". Some 2001 Cats were made with Nicasil engines, and second gen. plastic tensioners (until the old supply of parts was exhausted in the plant). Jag engines changed the letter prefix once they abolished Nicasil, so that's easy to check. For tensioners, I would open any 2001 cam cover, and check!

 

I don't know what got lost in translation, but we are talking about 2003 XJR here for 9,9K Euro.

 

I don't think you can open the cam cover! (maybe open but not close, the gaskets need to be changed, and the bolts carefully torqued on closing) That's why you NEED a trusty Indy.

To open the cam cover (just one bank to check, if plastic is found, another needs to be open too!) you remove the coils, then spark plugs, then unbolt the cam cover bolts (8 per side I think), and then look at the front of the camshaft (away from the windshield), and you WILL see secondary tensioners propping the secondary chain. These tensioners were white when installed, and you will see them as ORANGE plastic "towers" over which the chain slides. They changed the color to orange from heat and oil additives.

You can search the forum for 'ZIP tie method', and you will find the pictures of what I am talking about, and learn how to change them the easy way.

 

The only way to tell is if they are making noise, and by then you run the risk of damage.
If no noise then expect to have to replace them, The XJR's are less complex than the XJ8.
Have you driven an XJR?
Once you feel the power at speed you will fall in love all over again. Oh wait that's another thread you started LOL

 

You might be able to get the info from Jaguar based on the VIN. Yours has either the 'second generation' plastic tensioners, or 'third generation' metal ones. Unless you hear some rattle on the cold start, I wouldn't worry too much. Once you hear some rattling (IF you ever do!), turn the engine off, and have the cam covers open.

If your engine prefix is F, you have steel bores (no Nicasil).

I have the original Nic engine, original plastic tensioners (first generation), no blow by, no oil consumption, and no rattle.

I will replace the tensioners come April or so. In the meantime, I just listen carefully when I start it in the morning, and never take off until the RPMs drop from the choke.

 

XJR's have less mechanical problems than XJ8's & are capable of high mileage easily-mine has 150k on it & my friend in Ohio has almost 220k on his...

2001 cars will have steel-linered engines but almost certainly 2nd Gen plastic tensioners-unless the engine was made after August 2001, in which case it will have the 3rd Gen metal tensioners.

You can tell which tensioners were fitted at manufacture from the vehicle's engine number-the number contains the Y(Y)ear, M(M)onth, D(D)ate, H(H)our & M(M)inute that the engine was made in the following format:

YYMMDDHHMM.

After 13th August 2001, metal tensioners were fitted-so any engine from the following number onwards will have the metal tensioners fitted:

010813 (HHMM)

If your engine number is before that date, you will have the 2nd Gen plastic tensioners fitted from manufacture. However, they may have been replaced by subsequent owners & you'd need to check in the service history.

If you can't find any evidence that the tensioners were replaced, then you'll have to remove the cam covers to physically check the tensioners themselves...

The XJR is a laugh-a-minute to drive & it's seriously quick, even by todays standards. Get a 2002/2003 model year XJR & it's all the car you'll ever need, as well as being safe from big mechanical failures...

 

well put daniel......there are many options.....and sandy seems to have examined all options ....quite analytic.....my solution to this dilemma......was to get another xj8...(sport)....same year and even color....as my 2000xj8-long.....so now i have a brother and sister cat......which matches my male and female(brother and sister from same litter)...black and white tuxedo cats...buddy (male) and (willow)..female...

i chose to not want to put a whole lot of miles on the long simply because it is close to mint....even though i know....these cars can easily do 200,ooo miles when properly maintained.....and because there were....relatively....less of them exported to usa....in 2000...

but i also like the truck option....i kick around in my 2006 toyota tacoma ...in the winter months....where i live in jersey......4 wheel drive with big off road tires....so i put the car cats to sleep....for about 3 months......save on the insurance and wear and tear......

 

I'm perplexed as to how the addition of a supercharger and a few more-coslty-to-replace performance bits simplifies the car and results in fewer mechanical problems?

I assume they carried fwd the relatively lower compression ratio of supercharged V-8's vs. NA like the AJ-16 engines had, but then that gets boosted by the SC...I'd say a near-wash on reliability but in general, more parts = greater complexity = greater opportunity for malfunctions. What am I missing?

Sandy, I drive > 100 mi/day (round trip) to work (and do this in the X300 every day that I don't need to haul an oversize cargo or have some other special mission the Jag is incapable to perform. My advice is that if you buy another vehicle that doesn't offer something that you need that your Kitty won't already do..(like 4wd or cavernous cargo hold) then you will drive it less and less as time passes because you simply won't enjoy it...until eventually you will only drive it when the Kitty is sore and needs a rest. I've posted in Off-topic that the Ford Excursion 7.3L Diesel is the best vehicle I've ever owned and the one left standing if I had to pare the stable back down to just one for a variety of reasons, not least of which is it is the only one with seats for the entire family! However, it is NOT my favorite and not my choice to drive if my mission doesn't require it's unique capabilities. So if your kitty meets all your future needs, I'd say find another one as near identical as you can and alternate them between phase-maint. and have a spare when one is down. THey prefer to be driven vs. sitting around, for sure! Go sour as quick as a jug of milk if you just leave them sitting in the garage all the time!

 

Aholbro1, the XJR's do not have VVT, so the weak link of tensioners is so much easier to repair. The Eaton SC and additional belt are not a major maintenance item and the motor is way understressed even with 390hp. Avos and others are adding 100+hp and not having problems

 

thank you all guys. i will look into that direction... Might be fun to have two kitties
fingers crossed.


I checked the car now and something came funny to me.
First, i have this cold engine starting sound. It is after night alone at 3°C:

http://s153004283.online.de/~s13347/jag/audio0051.mp3

Does it sound good?

I didnt found engine number but found this:


Also sticker on my body says x300, not x308


is this the thermostat housing, is it plastic?

 

I don't hear any noise that is related to loose timing chain, but the valve, and ignition coil's cover's seal is leaking a little. I think it's no the time to worry about yet, just not perfect.
I can't say anything about the thermostat house, I have R's, not NA, and I'm not a long time experienced guy with Jaguars.

Back to your thread, what about an XKR with low mileage? Don't you think it is better not to have almost two same XJ bodied cars, instead of an XKR?

Like this one:
Jaguar XKR Coupe V8 Kompressor *Scheckheft *Garantie as Sports Car/Coupe in Potsdam