Jaguar X-Type - Should I?

[theorganist]

I put my Maestro on Swapz to see if there was any interest.

 

So far I have been offered a Volvo 850 estate - which is vaguely of interest, a Rover 400 which I am not really interested in and a Jaguar X type 3 litre automatic, which although too modern and bigger than I would like is quite tempting.

 

I know nothing about these at all, I like older Jags but never considered the new ones.

 

According to the owner it has an MOT till March, excellent engine and gearbox but needs welding to the rear of the cills.

 

Are these a bit of a risk?

 

It's last MOT had quite a list of advisories:

 

• Advisory notice item(s)
  
  nearside rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

  offside rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

  nearside rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

  nearside rear wheel slightly seized

  offside front inner Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

  rear Brake pipe slightly corroded bpth (3.6.B.2c)

  front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

  nearside rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

  offside rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

 

[Mally]

I know nothing at all about these.

 

N/s and O/s tyre.........its a tyre they wear out.

Brake pads...............they wear out.

TR End.............can't see that being end of the world.

Brake pipe corroded.....only one?

Reg plate..............who cares.

Rear suspension slightly corroded..........wire brush and paint.

N/S/Rear wheel seized..........Ok I'll give you that one.

 

Or course it's a risk.....live dangerously.

[eddyramrod]

Needs welding on sills?  Isn't that part of the standard spec on these?

[Cavcraft]

It's more of a Maestro than your Maestro.

 

 

[Guest Breadvan72]

I have had a 2004 95,000 miler 3 litre auto X Type for two months and so far it has been fine.  No apparent rust, and no big scaries in the MoT history.  Just after buying it I had the engine oil and also the autobox and transfer case oil changed, on a precautionary basis, and also renewed some suspension components and one wheel bearing that was noisy.  The car also needed an O2 sensor swapping out when I bought it.  

 

The car is fast and smooth, and I like the interior (beige leather, green outsidey bits).  Nothing rattles or is broken inside, and it has a working 2004 database satnav and other touchy screen bits.  The satnav screen is hard to see in sunlight, but it talks at you with a posh lady voice, so that's OK.   The cruise control is very easy to use, operated with one thumb, which leaves the other hand free for making coffee beans gestures or cleaning out your ears.

 

The autobox can be a bit meh if you try to drive fast on bendy roads, but you can use the J gate if you want.  I get about 26 mpg in varied driving, but am sometimes a bit cheerful with the go pedal.  The grip and handling are good.  Mine came on newish Hankooks, which seem OK.  The brakes are OK but could be stronger.  The dipped headlamps are poor - be sure to clean them often.

 

The heated front screen is fab in winter - the car de-ices itself in moments on frosty mornings.  The engine warms up quickly and the heater is good.  The estate boot is very spacious, and you can open the tailgate glass to chuck yer shopping/small dead hookers in without lifting the (heavy) tailgate.  Mine came without a luggage cover, but I found one on eBay for eighty quid.

[rantingYoof]

All corrosion related advisories will only get worse, forever.

 

 

 

Other than that, go for it!

[smellypoo]

They have a reputation for the sills getting crusty. Depends on the level of risk you are willing to take - only has a ticket to March so what else will the MOT flag up, bearing in mind that is essentially a basic safety check of mandatory items.

 

Your best bet - have a really good look at it and see if the total £ value from the swap (straight swap or with cash too?) and the risk is worth it. You might be pleasantly surprised, but then you could think 'this is a bit far outside my comfort zone'. 

 

As Mally said above - the advisories don't seem to be that bad - if the sills are crusty then there could be room for an MOT failure, likewise the advisory says 'Suspension Component Mounting Prescribed Area' - if that is particularly bad, then it might need a tickle with a sparkler as well. 

 

They're usually pretty well specced as a 3.0 auto - it's probably going to have leather, climate, various gadgets. If you're lucky, it'll actually be quite lush if the owner went a bit nuts ticking options. People seem to love them or hate them - they did get tarnished unfairly with the 'posh mondeo' label, there are some running gear parts that cross over which can help with maintenance costs.

[Isaac Hunt]

Cracking cars. I've had three of them.  The Sills are becoming a common issue.  Like all sills, they are repairable and the cost depends upon how much you can do yourself.  The X-type forum has some useful info.

 

The sills are hidden under plastic covers and it is a real shame that they suffer because they are cracking cars.  Two of mine went north of 200k on original clutches.  The third, an 2001 Auto 'lunched' it's autobox at 61K.  Jatco transmission and the 'drums' were prone to cracking.  I think the later boxes were uprated.

 

Parts cost is reasonable as a lot of mechanical parts (Discs, pads, filters) are shared with the Mundano.

 

I wished they still made them, cos the XE is just the same as all other plastic and brushed alumininium shite.  Give me a Walnut Vaneer Dash old skool  'Rolls Royce' Style any day

[Guest Breadvan72]

Works for me

 

[robinmasters]

Works for me

 

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Take note: Jag ownership requires swanky water. Tescos own with the label mostly peeled off, refilled from the tap, will not do.

[Guest Breadvan72]

I was slumming it that day as the Badoit delivery van broke down.

[theorganist]

Some interesting views.

 

I will go and look at it but I must admit I am not sure it is really me but the interior looks lovely and I like the style of them.

[mat_the_cat]

There was an interesting thread on here about how badly they can rust! (And be fixed again...) But if you're not planning on it being a long termer, that's of less consequence.

[stripped fred]

I'm always wary when people offload cars shortly before the MOT's due. Just make sure to have a really good look around it.

[Pete-M]

The 2.5 and 3.0 X type is a very nice thing to drive. Far nicer than the FWD ones.

 

They do rot quite badly, but if you get a good one and keep the sill drains clear it'll have a good few years left in it.

[Mr A Lawrence]

Thought they were all fwd apart from the obvious awd ones?

[Pete-M]

Thought they were all fwd apart from the obvious awd ones?

All the diesels and the useless 2.1 V6 are FWD. 2.5 and 3.0 are AWD. Only the AWD ones are nice to drive.

[sierraman]

No, I'd just buy a Mondeo Ghia. It will be absolutely gopping at the back of those sills. The 3.0 will be an absolute fucker to move on as well as the tax will be like a New York phone number. In the meantime it'll drink you dry. For what it's worth I'd just buy an XJ6, similar shortfall in terms of MPG but a proper satisfying Jaguar.

[Braddon81]

I posted this on the other X type thread but this is the typical grot that X types can succumb to and have to look out for. This was a giffer owned 2004 example at my mates mot centre. I know a few people who have owned and have enjoyed them so they do have their fans.

[Braddon81]

I posted this on the other X type thread but this is the typical grot that X types can succumb to and have to look out for. This was a giffer owned 2004 example at my mates mot centre. I know a few people who have owned and have enjoyed them so they do have their fans.

[Guest Breadvan72]

The sills on my one seem OK, but when I get the chance I will jet wash them and spray some Waxoyl or similar chip fat alternative along them.

[theorganist]

I have decided against it. I already have a two litre auto don't really want anything bigger or that much bigger, plus I am really looking for something I can put on a classic car policy. Also, I haven't really got the money (or desire) to be throwing at welding at the moment.

[Pete-M]

I sold my 2.5 to a chap a couple of years ago. He's just had the sills replaced, cost him a few hundred quid to get them done professionally but it's rot free elsewhere.

[MrBiscuits]

I had a 2.0V6 for 5.5years. Taking it from 107k to 160k. No major dramas, worst problem was a dead abs module - fixed with a cheap secondhand unit.

 

Admittedly the Awd has a few more foibles but most are vastly overstated by the armchair experts who will bore you at length with the mondeo references. Actually beyond a few brake bits and the suspension on the 2wd (same as mondeo estate) there aren't that many common parts. They cant all be rotten either, my 53 plate was only just starting from the inside of the sills (checked with cheapy usb endoscope!) at 13years.

 

Style is of course a matter of taste. I loved the baby XJ rear 3/4, less so the myopic front end (headlights are as shite as they look!). For me the 'retro' interior is infinitely preferable to the wall of Teutonic plastic and rock hard black nylon seats of its contemporaries.

 

At todays prices there's nothing to loose.

[alcyonecorporation]

Buy a Xedos 6 instead.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

The 2.5 and 3.0 X type is a very nice thing to drive. Far nicer than the FWD ones.

 

 

 

 

 

I can't think why anybody would want a diesel or a FWD one.

[Guest Breadvan72]

The AWD ones are set up to be 60 percent rear, 40 percent front.  The cornering ability is pretty spiffy, although the steering could perhaps do with a bit more feel.

[Guest Hooli]

As Mally said above - the advisories don't seem to be that bad - if the sills are crusty then there could be room for an MOT failure, likewise the advisory says 'Suspension Component Mounting Prescribed Area' - if that is particularly bad, then it might need a tickle with a sparkler as well. 

 

 

 

 

I'd guess that is the sills, the back of them can't be far from where the suspension fits & I think it's a 12" rule for corrosion.

[Pete-M]

The steering could perhaps do with a bit more feel.

I thought the steering was the best thing about them. They don't send many messages but they grip that well there's nothing to tell until you're really tanking on and then they send all the right signals.

 

They get through large amounts of juice when tanking on, which is why I'd get a 3.0 next time - the 2.5 is probably worse on fuel when 'making progress' than the 3.0 as the 2.5 really does need whipping to keep decent pace although the chassis can obviously happily deal with more grunt. I suspect the 3.0 is deceptively quick in comparison.

[Guest Breadvan72]

Maybe I just need to go faster for OMG steering thrillz.  I do drive a bit more giffer than I used to. Because giffer. Just a few years ago I would rather have dipped my chappie in a bottle of wasps than own an automatic car, but that has changed.