Hi

looking at buying an XJ8 4.0 V8, i've never had a Jag before so whats to look out for ?

got my eye on this here Used Jaguar Xj Saloon Xj8 4.0 4dr Auto in Manchester, Lancashire | Alex Wood Cars

Thanks in Advance

 

Read the sticky posts such as:

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...-issues-43702/

And the one on TSBs

I think others have posted lists of what to check when buying a new Jag.

 

will definitely have a read at that, were there any recalls done in relation to these common problems to check for or was it down to the owner to sort out themselves.

any opinions on the car linked above, price condition etc ?

 

I agree - check the lists, stickies, etc.

But most of all, check the maintenance history if you can - just as you would with any older car. Remember, if you get a good one, you'll want to drive it ALL the time!

 

Timing chain tensioners on that car are the things to ask about, a gearbox service also to inquire about - it's at dealer money, looks clean and well looked after(about right price) but I wonder if you went in really low you might end up with a substantial saving. If they have no info on the two things I mentioned then there's your bargaining chips. To have both gearbox and upper tensioners done at an indie is a grand, double at the dealer...

The tint isn't standard.

 

great thats the kind of reply i was looking for, i really hate buying from dealers but theres not many nice xj8s out there especially 1 owner cars, but often these high end cars end up at dealers because the owners don't want the hassle of a private sale.

what would you say thats worth top money ?

 

The biggest 'ticking timebomb' on these cars is the secondary timing chain tensioners & it's a very well-known issue. Check the service history to see if they've been done & replaced with the latest 3rd generation metal-bodied tensioners, as the older plastic-bodied tensioners can crack & fail, leading to jumped/snapped timing chains & very expensive engine damage.

Start the car from stone cold & listen out for any rattling noises or any other 'odd' noises-they mostly do this from cold starts so make sure the seller hasn't warmed the engine up first. These engines do not have hydraulic tappets, so if any seller tries to fob you off with 'it's just a sticking hydraulic tappet & needs an oil flush', then they're lying-pure & simple.

Treat any odd noises from cold starts on these engines with the greatest of suspicion-if the timing chains snap it'll write the engine off & the car with it as the repair cost will run into the thousands...

Now for the gearbox...

On the non-supercharged XJ8 models, there's a design weakness in the autobox which can cause the transmission to fail as the forward 'A' clutch drum fails & the car won't move forward. Sometimes you get advance warning of this as a 'delay' in autobox engaement when 'Drive' is selected. The delay is caused by wear in the autobox valve block & can cause fluid pressure 'spikes' which can blow the forward 'A' clutch drum-which itself is a weak design & was strengthened on later models.

This does NOT apply to the supercharged XJR models which used a different (Mercedes) autobox & so do not suffer from this fault.

Go into any purchase with your eyes wide open & don't be seduced by the looks & feel of the car-examine it's service history & ask the seller direct mechanical questions.

Even better, look for a later 2002-2003 model year car where the above mechanical weaknesses were finally addressed. Given the choice between a low-mileage 2000 year car with uncertain history & a high mileage 2002/2003 year car, you're much safer with the later model year car.

Yes, you can still get other faults, but they're not in the same repair cost league as damaged engines & failed autoboxes on the earlier models. If an earlier model year car suffers from one of the 'big' failures it will cost thousands to put right & may write off the car. If a later model year car suffers from any mechanical failure, the repair bills won't exactly be cheap but at least they're affordable relative to the cost of buying the car in the first place & aren't in the same 'big league' of the earlier cars which can cost thousands to repair the engine or autobox.

Choose these cars with your head as well as your heart & do your homework-they were £50k cars when new so the repair bills are still in that league if you get any major failures.

 

great info there, i'll give them a call tomorow and ask about the history also had a look at these cars opinions please

Used JAGUAR XJ SERIES XJ6 3.0 V6 SE 4dr Auto for sale - PistonHeads (Ref 925506)

Jaguar XJ SPORT 3.2 4DR AUTO 2002

 

Both nice cars-I don't have much knowledge of the later 'squarer' XJ6 models, but there were pretty good on fuel economy as they were lighter than the older 'rounder' XJ8 models & also had a more fuel-efficient 6 speed autobox. You need to go on the X350 section of this forum for advice on the XJ6-I know they had a few problems with the air suspension compressor & with aluminium corrosion.

These types of car are always a gamble for buyers & there's no guarantee of trouble-free motoring. However, if you check out the service history & give the cars a thorough test-drive, then you can minimise the risk of problems later on.

If you're unsure, get an AA inspection or similar & tell them you're aware of certain mechanical issues with the cars you're looking at. They both look & sound great-which could mean they're both great cars, or that the advertising agency did a great job with the car ads

At the end of the day it's the cars themselves you need to judge in the metal-as that's what'll end up parked outside your house. So read up on the forums for all the things to check for & also how to work the various electrical 'toys'. It's worth checking things like electric windows, seats, sunroof etc as these cars have complex electrical systems.

If you find a fault with the car when you view it/test drive it & the seller says it's just a simple fix, you need to ask yourself why they haven't fixed it if it was such a simple fix! If you have any doubts, either knock a big chunk off the asking price or walk away

 

In 2010 I bought a 2002 3,2 Jag without service history (the car was bought from Manchester, a repossession from a bank) at 60 kmiles. If you buy a low mileage car,without service history,later type especially, you can save a lot of money and can do the service and fluid changes immediate to have a time 0 for the service.
I was lucky, no particular issues so far with the car, apart from some little cosmetic issues. 18 kmiles later, the car is perfect,the only service is done by myself.

 

Dear Jaag,
Please try for a little more "originality".
Be that as it may, some very important facts abourt 1997 to 2000 Xj8s. All had "Nikasil" engine cylinder liners which reacted very quickly to the sulpher in unleaded fuel. Result, disaster as under warranty, whole engines were replaced by Jaguar. However, all those cars have long since lost their warranty. Even models with low kiloms/miles on the clock were affected

This model also had a very high transmission failure rate.

All in all "buyer beware" . I hope it is not tooooooo late for you to think about these problems before purchase. Apart from those two items, ther car is a stunner and therefore, try and build into the purchase price any costs viz-a-viz the engine & tranny.

Evidence suggests that $3000 for eng & $1000+ for tranny however, may do the trick. In aust at the moment, there is a vehicle with only 50,000 kiloms on the clock and the fellow wants $28,000. It is for all intensive purposes in superb condition. Why would you want to sell?? As he has already changed the timing chains (another serious fault), think he is aware of the "nikasil engine problem".

Hope this is of some help

Michael P
XJ40 1991MY 138,0000
Melbourne Australia

 

Nikasil is a definite deal breaker. I moved up to an 01 XJR just because of "nikasil". Paid about $800 for the secondary tensioners. Car is beautiful. There are many good recommendations on the forum. i just share mine when I was buying:

1) Try to get the car from the owner, rather than a dealer. The dealer will never pay someone a fair market value for the car as they themselves need to turn around and sell it at a profit. Jags are hit especially hard because they are a "niche" or limited market car. Usually the owner accepting the lowball offer on the car knows exactly why he/she is doing that.

2) Try to find a car with its service history intact. Its much easier to identify whats needs to be done by seeing whats been done already. A thorough service history shows that your potentially new cat got a lot of love from the owner(s).

3) Test drive it over bumps. Put the car through its paces a little to see if anything is lose or any warning lights come on.

If you are happy with what you are seeing spend a few quid and have the car inspected by a Jaguar specialist. In doing so you are acquiring a piece of mind. Besides mechanical inspection, make sure to check for prior body and paint repairs. Again, a tech may do it for you or you can bring along a magnet to check for body filler on non-aluminum panels. Another tell tale sign of repaint are rough edges on body panels like edges on doors, bonnets, boot lids, wings(fenders). Just run the tips of your fingers lightly along those areas. If it feels rough (like a fine grade sandpaper) chance are its a repaint.

It isn't rocket science, just more of a due diligence. Good luck.