Domes annual broken luxury saloon purchase - Jaguar XJ X350-Post MOT service

[dome]

To understand the thread title click here. A week off a year since I bought the same thing but in German flavour.

This time I didn't go looking for a Jag, in fact I had been sniffing about Peugeot 107s, 3008s and generally anything local, cheap and broken with the potential to give me a a wee project(Yes, I know I have other projects, who are you, my wife?) to fettle and sell on.

Mission creep set in and on Sunday I went to look at a barn find RX8 that was actually in a barn. Owned by the lads uncle who had passed away he had been tasked with selling it after it had sat for a long time.

 

 

Here's the view I was greeted with as I entered the barn. There may* be a slight spoiler alert in this pic.

The chap definitely had a bit of a thing for cars though with stuff ranging from an MGB to a Bentley Continental GT via several JLR products, some of which even worked. Much chat about his collection eventually led me to look underneath the RX8 (crusty, surprisingly), politely decline it and then talk Jag.

Here it is

Despite having sat for months it fired straight up and idled happily with no warning lights. The only thing I noticed was a slightly noisy power steering pump.

It's a 3 litre petrol Sovereign and the guy bought blind it for commuting assuming it was a diesel and not realizing it was a petrol.

Now at this point we were just chatting shit about cars and while that may sound like bullshit the newer X351 Diesel he had bought to replace it was sitting outside... And remember the Bentley Continental and various other things sitting about. It was crazy enough to be true...

The MOT on this had lapsed and a non working horn had stopped plans for getting it in for a test. The undertray bolts had all seized and prevented him getting access and with too many other cars it had just sat in the naughty corner.

We can all guess what happened next...

Ready for collection

And after an uneventful 20 mile trip down the motorway it was home.

 

It needs a bloody good clean, the horn fixed and then sent in for an MOT to see what the results are.

I have the book pack but no service history annoyingly, I may try and see if Jaguar have any records of it.

It looks like it has been loved at some point in the past though.

 

I've had no time to do anything but stick the battery on to boil and check the tyre pressures. Stay tuned!

 

 

 

[Split_Pin]

James May said these were as good as the V8 "you just have to press the pedal a bit harder". 

Superb find!

[colino]

Brilliant car and for the power steering, Jaguar sold a tiny bottle of a red viscous fluid for stupid money that works.  It's Lucas power steering stop leak avaliable from your favorite online emporium. Let me know when you tire of it! 

[dome]

I set off today to see if the horn problem was as simple as it seemed. 

Turned out it was 

Old horn, in front of the passenger side arch. 

Interestingly he had been trying to get in to the drivers side arch, I suspect from reading US forum threads where the driver sits on the wrong side...

Old horns tested as dead so a trip to Halfords later and...

And now...

https://youtube.com/shorts/B8c2xXlCrpc?si=GlmMEKXtAIyjet3o

Sorted.

I then gave it a quick clean.

MOT booked for Monday, will get it hoovered out before then and check it over but plan is to do no more til the man from the ministry has given it a prod.

[N Dentressangle]

Looks great, and no-one's stuck a nasty leaper on the bonnet either!

[Lord Sterling]

Very nice. 3.0 petrol too, sl the 6-pot. I suspect you have the same engine and dare I say, the same spec as my S-Type? I have the SatNav screen and push-button handbrake.

BF-indicates it was first reg'd in Birmingham. 

[dome]

54 minutes ago, Lord Sterling said:

Very nice. 3.0 petrol too, sl the 6-pot. I suspect you have the same engine and dare I say, the same spec as my S-Type? I have the SatNav screen and push-button handbrake

BF-indicates it was first reg'd in Birmingham. 

Yep, it's the same 3 litre Duratec as my old S type too. And yeah, it does have the touch screen and push button handbrake(which hopefully works 😳).

All pretty standard Sovereign stuff I think?

The display feels a bit dated but no more so than my 2006 730d

 

[Spiny Norman]

Nice. The V8 is probably more fun but the 6 pot is all you need in a Superleggera ally Jaaag. 
GLWTMOT.

[NorthernMonkey]

14 hours ago, dome said:

Yep, it's the same 3 litre Duratec as my old S type too. And yeah, it does have the touch screen and push button handbrake(which hopefully works 😳).

All pretty standard Sovereign stuff I think?

The display feels a bit dated but no more so than my 2006 730d

 

I’ll shortly be pulling the engine from one of these to go in my XJR and the rest of the car will probably be pretty surplus as I’ve already got a load of spares in stock so let me know if there’s anything you need.

[dome]

1 hour ago, NorthernMonkey said:

I’ll shortly be pulling the engine from one of these to go in my XJR and the rest of the car will probably be pretty surplus as I’ve already got a load of spares in stock so let me know if there’s anything you need.

That is good to know, thanks! Got any mats? I could do with a set for this one. I'm sure other stuff will crop up too depending on the results of the MOT and actually using it...

I've ordered up rear discs and pads, it definitely needs them. It also came with a set of compressor bushings(?) that the chap bought "just in case." Eep

[cort16]

Aloominum 

[dome]

5 minutes ago, cort16 said:

Aloominum 

It's nice when using the trolley jack that the car goes up at the same speed as the sills. I'm not used to this on a Jag

[cbowditch]

I actually prefer the 3.0V6 to the 4.0V8 in this era of Jags. The 4.0V8 is whisper quiet and the engine is super lazy. I mean if you hammer the throttle it will go, but at part throttle its super lazy, where as the 3.0V6 feels spritely at part throttle, and has a pleasing growl from the standard exhaust that the v8 doesn't have. At least in my X-Type it does

[NorthernMonkey]

7 hours ago, dome said:

That is good to know, thanks! Got any mats? I could do with a set for this one. I'm sure other stuff will crop up too depending on the results of the MOT and actually using it...

I've ordered up rear discs and pads, it definitely needs them. It also came with a set of compressor bushings(?) that the chap bought "just in case." Eep

I should have a spare set somewhere…I’ll dig them out.

[robt100]

Looks like a good little purchase. The fact it wasn't scraping the ground when you went to look at it shows the air suspension is in good nick. Interesting that it has the sport/R wheels and sport/superV8 grille, didn't know they were an option on these. Probably more my lack of non-XJR knowledge than anything else!
I'd suggest popping over to    https://www.jaguarforum.com/threads/x350-358-issues-fixes-mods-a-quick-reference-with-links.112694/    for more UK based info on the X350's, lots of how-to threads etc on there. 

@NorthernMonkey is it an X350 or an S-type you might have surplus parts from? (Also, why have we ended up with the same cars? XJRs and Volt/Amperas! 😅)

[NorthernMonkey]

10 minutes ago, robt100 said:

Looks like a good little purchase. The fact it wasn't scraping the ground when you went to look at it shows the air suspension is in good nick. Interesting that it has the sport/R wheels and sport/superV8 grille, didn't know they were an option on these. Probably more my lack of non-XJR knowledge than anything else!
I'd suggest popping over to    https://www.jaguarforum.com/threads/x350-358-issues-fixes-mods-a-quick-reference-with-links.112694/    for more UK based info on the X350's, lots of how-to threads etc on there. 

@NorthernMonkey is it an X350 or an S-type you might have surplus parts from? (Also, why have we ended up with the same cars? XJRs and Volt/Amperas! 😅)

I have an 03 plate 4.2 with lowish mileage but accident damage to the offside rear and ideally needs a new timing chain…that’s going to lend its lump to my 05 XJR that’s burnt an exhaust valve and is missing a few under bonnet bits thanks to the person who started investigating the engine issues before getting out of his depth and abandoning it, whereupon I picked up the gauntlet 🙂

[dome]

1 hour ago, NorthernMonkey said:

I have an 03 plate 4.2 with lowish mileage but accident damage to the offside rear and ideally needs a new timing chain…that’s going to lend its lump to my 05 XJR that’s burnt an exhaust valve and is missing a few under bonnet bits thanks to the person who started investigating the engine issues before getting out of his depth and abandoning it, whereupon I picked up the gauntlet 🙂

Looks the same colour as mine? 

A trip down for parts may be in order but I'll need to be taken a run in the XJR👀

[robt100]

1 hour ago, dome said:

 but I'll need to be taken a run in the XJR👀

Dont pick a wet day, took me till a dry day to not be interrupted by the TC doing any kind of full throttle runs in mine😅 That could be the 5 year old tyres and 10% pulley upgrade though..

[dome]

Discs and pads for the rear arrived today. NAPA branded so not the best but hopefully not the worst.

£44 for a set of 326mm discs and pads is ridiculous-I guess they are shared with a load of other cars? 

Bottle of wine for scale. Was not influential in the car purchase, honest.

 

 

Will fit them after the MOT as everything seems to work back there for now, there's just a fair old lip on the discs. Also if it's a really bad fail I can send them back😶

[robt100]

£44 is a bargain, and as far as I know, early XJRs dont share their discs with anything, and possibly the calipers are only shared with the Ferrari 360 (or so Ive been told). I need to change mine at some point, been looking at M-Tec stuff though first I need to get the soft pedal fixed, reckon ive got air in the ABS pump system causing it. Sounds like youre making decent progress though!

[dome]

 The car steamed up after I'd washed it so I checked the pollen filter and found it damp and the drain holes blocked. Cleaned and dried it for now and I'll get a new one ordered up. 

I then gave the interior a clean, it was definitely needing it.

It's cleaned up pretty well, I need to get something to condition the leather though. 

 

[Split_Pin]

I recommend Gliptone Liquid leather, inexpensive but effective.

[robt100]

Glad you managed to find the blocked pollen filter area, very important to keep it clear as any overflow just runs onto the ECU situated underneath😬
A good leather cleaner and one of those drill powered soft brushes will be a good start for the leather, then a conditioner/balm etc of choice to look after it.

[NorthernMonkey]

On 12/03/2026 at 23:54, robt100 said:

Dont pick a wet day, took me till a dry day to not be interrupted by the TC doing any kind of full throttle runs in mine😅 That could be the 5 year old tyres and 10% pulley upgrade though..

You do realise I live in Lancashire?

We’re not due another dry day now until August 2028

[MantaGTE85]

I love the colour of the upholstery. This big cat is coming (or is it leaping?) up very nicely. It's always good to hear that a Jaaaaaaaaggg has gone to a good home. They all deserve it TBF.

[Pat Earrings]

On the subject of NAPA, ordered a set of rear discs and pads for the wife’s Evoque..£40 with code else they would have been £44. Alliance automotive have acquired so much recently it’s making prices ridiculously cheaper than GSF/euro etc.

[dome]

The car that keeps on giving. 

The bounty from cleaning the interior 

Kit Kat is still in date 👌

And the cd changer didn't want to play anything or eject the cartridge. I persuaded it by taking the faceplate off and finagling it and it now seems to work.

The Coldplay CD is in the bin along with the vape and I'd love to say I kept the Bocelli one too but that'd be a lie. 

[dome]

I dropped it off this morning and got a phone call about 20 minutes ago...

Whew! I kinda hoped it'd be OK as the history is good and it drove well.

Will clean up the brake lines, change the rear discs and pads and give it a service.

Order placed for service bits from Ashwood Jaguar, they promise it'll be decent quality parts like Mahle, Bosch etc so we'll see...

[robt100]

Not sure about on the 6 (though id assume its the same) but on the XJR I know all the front hardlines are NLA, and have a lot of bends/curves. Might be worth finding a friendly/skilled garage who are happy to make new ones when needed. Think the rear set are still availble from Jag for about £50.

[dome]

I finished work early so went out and changed the rear discs and pads. 

Wasn't too bad although one caliper (funnily enough the one with the advisory) was tight to wind back. I think a new one might be needed at some point but will see how it goes. 

Back together and pumped the brake multiple times, then pulled on the electric handbrake and it sorted itself out with no errors and a strong feeling handbrake.

Old discs were fucked. 

Minimum thickness should be 18mm and new they're 20mm. I couldn't measure these properly because of the lip but I'd say they were around 16mm.

Funnily enough the vibration I'd noticed on the way home has gone 🫣