1998 Jaguar XJ8 3.2 Sport + 1997 XJ6 4.0 Sport

[JohnK]

What's the gen on them?

 

I've had an XJ40 and know they rust for fun as do the X300's - are the similar X308's the same?

 

This is the 4.0 V8 LWB version - any major issues? I know they are hyped as not as robust as the old straight 6's.

 

It's got 130k with full history and I'm advised the bodywork is immaculate (which would be good - I've looked at loads of X300's with rusty arches lately).

 

Price £800

Decent MOT

 

It's to replace the solid 740 tank which I've flogged to my mate so he can get to his new job - it has a lot to live up to mind!

[Bren]

With any cheap luxo barge go in with the mindset that if it shits itself it going to get bridged.

[JohnK]

But you lose the fun of fucking about with a soldering Iron and a load of wire that resembles a regurgitated potato waffle if you bridge it! Been there got the t-shirt!

[dollywobbler]

Bodywise I think they're pretty much exactly the same as the X300, so yes, rust can be a menace. Check the bulkhead carefully. 

 

Take it for a drive too, preferably a twisty one with lots of rough surfaces. A good Jag floats over that sort of terrain in a manner that baffles even a Citroen lover like myself. When worn, they're horrible. Utterly horrible. And you'd easily spend the asking price sorting it all out.

[cort16]

The timing chain and tensioner is the big issue on these. It's 600 quid at specialist .

The tensioners can fail at will. Other than that they're pretty awesome but not that big inside given the size of the car. The drivers seats quite cosy .

[brickwall]

Plastic water pumps would fall apart.

 

Oh, check for the infamous jerking of the autobox. It should be as smooth as the finest whisky -  any jerking and it's about to go. There seemed to be a bit of a problem with the sealed boxes, but I can't remember the years.

[Pete-M]

Timing chains, some had Nikasil issues, rear shocks, leaky steering pumps. Rusty bulkheads.

 

If it is mint inside, matching tyres and everything works they're normally right.

 

They'll never be this cheap again. Although I suspect the alloy XJ price dropping will set a price ceiling for the X300 in the same way people will always pay more for an X300 than an XJ40.

 

I really want an alloy XJR.

[Partridge]

Must of the Nikasil effected cars were done under warranty.

 

Check the bulkhead as Dollywobbler says and rear arches and sills as well as the windscreens surrounds. They are slightly more rust resistant than the X300, but not by much.

 

The front bushes are pretty much service items and they like to leak oil from the rear diff.

 

If you see the slightest hint of white smoke from the exhaust pipe, run.

 

Make sure it stops straight and tracks straight.

 

The 4.0 AJV8 goes like the clappers, but in my humble opey onion isn't as good as the 4.0 AJ6. The response isn't quite as crisp as the straight six...err fuel bills, the price of one repayment on a 3 series and something about iPhones and what would you prefer I know what I would get it bought great value pretty complex motors ARTHUR DALEY.

[srad34]

The timing chain and tensioner is the big issue on these. It's 600 quid at specialist .

The tensioners can fail at will. Other than that they're pretty awesome but not that big inside given the size of the car. The drivers seats quite cosy .

 

This can be yourself if you are handy on the spanners. Its the tensioners that tend to fail as early ones had plastic bodies. You can replace the secondary ones with later spec metal ones (these do the real damage when they fail), mine on the XKR took about 4 hours for both banks and cost about £80 in parts, no special tools needed    

[HillmanImp]

Must of the Nikasil effected cars were done under warranty.

 

Even if it wasn't repaired, the Nikasil problem was caused by sulphur in the petrol. As there is not sulphur in petrol in the UK any more, if its not an issue it wont be.

[Partridge]

That said, not all the cars were put back together properly because some garage used apprentices to do it...That's what a longtime AJV8 Jaaaaaag owner told me anyway, who had one from new.

[srad34]

Like a lot of things, AJV8's are superb when going well, but a bloody nightmare when it goes shape of tit.

 

Having said that, I want to keep ours as long as it keeps passing MOT's, love it!  

[HillmanImp]

This can be yourself if you are handy on the spanners. Its the tensioners that tend to fail as early ones had plastic bodies. You can replace the secondary ones with later spec metal ones (these do the real damage when they fail), mine on the XKR took about 4 hours for both banks and cost about £80 in parts, no special tools needed    

 

I need to do this on the Shaguar. I wonder if Volksy will do this whilst its in his custody as I 'mended' the lock on the boot of the Celica.....*

 

 

*Lock may not have been broken before I took possession of the car

[smellmycheese]

I done my homework when looking for an xj8. Aparently nicasil liners weren't used after 2000. Gearboxes like to go bang @ 150k as mine did. Lovely car though. Nothing comes close for the money.

[JohnK]

I've had two E39 528i's in the past, their engines were also well known for the Nikasil issue back in the day but both mine were fine (212k and 145k respectively).

 

Thanks for the heads up folks, it's appreciated. With these things in mind I've identified a couple of other X308's either on route to or in the area of the original one, within budget, so I will look at all 3 and buy the best one. Leaving around 8am, hopefully I won't come back empty handed!

[Bren]

I am not sure this site needs another X308.(tongue in cheek)

Have you considered an XJ40?

2.9, manual box and cloth interior.

 

Surely somebody on here has had one with that spec?

[srad34]

If I could recommend one thing, its get the gearbox oil and filter changed asap to avoid later issues. Shop around for bits.

On the supercharged ones (xkr/xjr), the use a Mercedes box. I got genuine oil and filter for about £60. Jag stuff is double that!

Lifetime oil it is not, 100k at most..... 

[JohnK]

I've bought one.

Not the one I originally went to see either.

 

There's a tale of woe to go with this which I will write when I am home. If I get home ...

[JohnK]

 

It's home.

 

Against my better judgement, we left this morning in 1 car, with the aim of bringing 2 back. Only 1 returned...

 

Full story when I'm out of my rage (caused simply by my own stupidity)

[Bren]

Come on John spill the beans....

 

A problem shared is a problem halved.

[JohnK]

Okay, so here is a brief overview of my day and Jaguar collection.

 

It started at 2.30am. God only knows why, but on the one night my 5 month old son decides it would be a good idea to sleep right through, dickhead here is wide awake surfing the net on the iPad. By this point it should have been evident the day was not going to go well. I gave sleep up as a good idea at around 4am and ventured downstairs, watching episodes of Police Interceptors I have saved on the Sky Box, eating curry ready meals and drinking tea. To be quite honest, I should have gone to bed at 7am instead of planning anything else. But no, at 7am I was fully dressed, with cash in hand, perusing various car adverts.

 

Now, the reason for venturing out today was down to me deciding I wanted another Jaguar. Basically, my mate is up shit creek without transport and starts a new job which he needs to drive to tomorrow. After a few drinks it was decided he would buy my Volvo 740 Estate. More on that later. But this space needed to be occupied after today - a good enough reason for any self respecting person to buy another car that they do not need..

 

 

I had identified 3 X308 Jag's in budget, that looked 'about right' to go and see. Now, any reasonable person with a Transit Beavertail would use that for travel/collection, but unfortunately it's with my mate, on a paid job the other side of the channel. Arses.

 

Anyway, after going through the fleet of cars I own, a decision was made on what car would be our steed. Big JohnK was summoned for second driving duties and so was his Omega 2.2. I would drive to look at the Jags, once a purchase had been agreed we would swap over and he would drive his own car home. WCPGW?

 

At this point, it seems an opportune moment to mention that this Omega has had a grumbling diff for the last fortnight and I made a conscious effort to kill it on Wednesday night (to no avail). But that's not important, right?

 

 

We hadn't even made it out of Big JohnK's road, when I was greeted with the a-typical Vauxshite self destruct light

 

 

So we went back, plugged it in and diagnosed a Lambda sensor. Not critical, we could continue the journey and put it on the list of things to do. Surely, at this point, it should have triggered in my head that maybe this wasn't a good idea? No, of course not.

 

Now, there aren't many pictures of this bit for good reason. We got to West Yorkshire bright and early to look at the first XJ8. I spoke at length to the vendor yesterday and was assured it was 'perfection'. It was far from it and there are no pictures as Big JohnK has to physically restrain me from trying to punch the cocky little twat in the mouth.

 

Moving on - Nottinghamshire - Jag no 2/3. What a machine! Okay so it was a 3.2 (I wanted a 4.0) but hey ho Nevermind. A deal was struck and we were on our way!

 

 

So, the eagle eyed of you will notice that I'm in a motorway services. For good reason - it was VERY foggy. And it was at this point that I couldn't see anything in front of me I realised that the headlights didn't fucking work. So I waited... And I waited... Then when the fog went, so did I.

 

I will mention at this point I had (conveniently) left the tools in the boot of the Volvo. You know the car I drove from my house to my dad's and it would have taken 2 seconds to swap them over?

I will also point out, I don't have breakdown cover. I have a truck, why would I need it? Especially when it's in France...

 

Regardless, I was back on the road and it was going well. I saw loads of interesting cars on the road but missed every opportunity to photo them.

 

30 miles later, I look in my rear view mirror (Big JK following to make sure I'm ok) to flashing headlights from him. I pulls into the next layby and a discussion ensued that the diff on the Omega was very loud. At fear of leaving a 70yr old pensioner in the motor, we agreed my dad would scoot off in the Jag and I would take the Omega, this time with the Jag following - first time that the new car has had to follow the car we went down in!

 

The sensible person in me told me it was a good idea to flog said Omega up to excess speed on the private road* in lane 3 when, yep you guessed it, the diff gave way completely and locked up. After nursing onto hard shoulder I kicked the shit out of he car. Literally.

 

I have no photos. I took my anger out on my iPhone and that's no longer working effectively. By this point I wanted my Sunday Dinner and a nice cold pint.

 

A mate with a trailer thankfully was able to pick the Omega up and I resumed the helm of the Jag. What a lovely car. This has 142k on the clock with full history and is in excellent condition. My first V8 as well and it's a lovely engine.

 

When I got it home I stripped the indicator stalk down and repaired the loose connection, which sorted the headlights out and are now fully functioning. To be fair, if that's the biggest fault I can find on a sub 1k Jag, I'm chuffed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Omega is home and I will drop the diff this week and replace it with a second hand item I have since sourced.

 

Moving back to the Volvo, I took it round to my mates this evening. He has a K reg E34 520i Touring which has full sport kit, nice alloys, full leather etc. It's been off the road 5 years and really needs sorting.

 

Anyway I agreed he could borrow the Volvo (not buy) and instead and pump the money into getting the BMW on the road - he pays for parts and I will do the work (free labour - I will make a thread up when I come to re-commissioning it).

 

End result? I didn't sell the Volvo so didn't need to buy the Jag replacement at all.

 

Please feel free to laugh your arses off.

[320touring]

That sounds like wins all round.

 

Raspberry metallic jaaags are for winnars!

[cort16]

All sounds sensible to me. I like the colour. Are the wheels not off an x300?

[EssDeeWon]

I enjoyed that read John, a collection fred with a twist or two. 

 

Just pretend you have sold the 740 to your mate, and everything is fine 

[srad34]

Nice Jaaaaaaag  

[Timewaster]

Lovely jag. Dumb question: what's the difference between an X300 and an X308?

 

That looks like a 300 to my untrained eye.

[HillmanImp]

That really is very nice.

[JohnK]

As far as I'm aware, the X308 was a mid life revision of the X300 (post 1997), with V8 engines only. So whereas my mate had a P reg XJ6 (X300) with the 3.2 straight 6, this is the XJ8 with a 3.2 V8.

 

I do believe the alloys on this are X300 but I've seen a few X308 Sports with them on. I like them though to be fair which is fine so they will stay

[HMC]

Lovely looking thing, coventry- HP reg so maybe registered by jag themselves.

[brickwall]

Win.