Hello! I am trying to buy a used car, and I happen to stumble upon these two amazing cars. I am currently deciding between these two (And 2001 Audi A4)
I am wondering which car would be a better choice. The milage is almost the same, and both cars are in good shapes!
Thank you!

 

Welcome to the forum danielbeastsong,

Two very different cars - or three if you add the Audi. The 'best' choice depends very much on the intended use (DD, weekend only etc) and how you propose to maintain the vehicle (dealership, independent or DIY).

Graham

 

The use of the car won't be too crazy. I am planning to just drive around (to school, and just cities) and trying to find a car that is durable and has a decent milage. Thank you!

 

Things I have questions about:
1. Car that doesn't break down easily (Of course, that varies on the car condition, but based on the models)
2. I might drive some of my friends and families, so maybe some conformity
3. Design- Of course I would love a Jag! But I still can't decide between 2002 Jaguar X-Type 2.5 and 2001 Jaguar XJ8
4. I heard that 2002 Jaguar X-Type 2.5 has a transmission problem, along with many others. Is that true?
It is a hard decision, because this is a first car that I am purchasing on my own. Thank you!

 

None of the cars listed are good choices for a first vehicle.

If you want to know about the cars, go to the section for each on
forums specialising in each make/model and start reading.

 

I have to agree with plums that these are not good first car choices. No Jaguar is ever going to be low cost transport in terms of running costs alone before even considering routine maintenance or repairs.

That being said, we have many members who have done exactly that and are very happy with their choice!

Follow this link X-Type ( X400 ) - Jaguar Forums - Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum to the X-Type tech forum and this one XJ XJ8 / XJR ( X308 ) - Jaguar Forums - Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum to the X308 forum. The 'HOW TO' thread at the top of each is a good place to start for info on regular issues.

Graham

 

Daniel, having been an X-Type owner and an avid follower of the XJ8 from that era, I can give a little insight to what you might be facing.

As for the X-Type, it is a good car and I just recently traded in my 2003 after 8 years of owning it. I never had any major issues with the car in the 95K miles that I owned it. The big issues I had were the common vacuum leaks that the motor gets and I seemed to have a fair number of e-brake issues (ie, operating lever would stick, resulting in bound up calipers). The X-Type is a good cruising car. But, if you are after performance, this car is 1) going to fall short of what you are going to expect, and 2) with known issues with the transfer case (which seem to have worked their way out of existance) can be expensive as the transfer case doesn't like repeated hihg power applications. So, if you want something to go light to light a lot with, the car can get expensive to fix ($3000 for a new transfer case for example).

As for the XJ8, it is going to be a much nicer ride and have a lot more bells and whistles than the X-Type could ever think about having. The problem is all these bells and whistles also mean that there is just that much more to break. So, unless you are good with wiring, it might cost you a lot if the car starts having issues. Also keep in mind that the motor that was in that year XJ is known for having timing belt issues. it is a fairly cheap repair ($200 or so) if you can do the job yourself and takes just a few hours to do. But, if you have to take it somewhere, you can anticipate a nice bill (about $1000). This will occur every 60K miles. The parts on the XJ are going to be a little more than your average vehicle (granted, this is true of all 3 cars you are looking at, the XJ is just a little more than the other 2).

THe Audi is not the best of the list either. It has its own issues that you will need to figure out. As long as you have a budget for when repairs are needed or a willingness to learn as you are making repairs, then you will be fine. I can atest that on this site, there are enough people willing to give you a step by step of what you need to do that you can probably get most of what you need done by yourself. This assumes you have some mechanical ability. if you don't or won't have the time, I would have to say that looking for a different vehicle may be in your best interest.

 

I might be able to help; I'm a first time driver and my first car is a 2001 Jaguar XJ8! It was my aunts and.. Wow! This Jag is really amazing, the smooth steering, the smell, the leather, the bells and whistles, the roaring V8! I simply could not ask for a better car and I plan to keep my Jag until the very end. I'd say, if you have the funds to fix a few things if you do get the XJ8, i'd say go for it. Here's a rough estimate of parts/services I had done to the Jag since I got her in March of this year:

1) Got a check up and got the wheels aligned which was ~100.00 ( I don't exactly remember the price on this one. )
2) There was an evap leak caused by a rusty gas cap. The service to find the leak cost around ~65.00
3) The gas cap its self was 35.00.
4) And then I took the Jag in for a regular check up. Got new oil which was ~39.00.
5) Installed a new belt since mine was cracked which was 249.00 with the labor of putting it in.
6) One day the Jag wouldn't start.. It's because the battery has not been replaced in 7 years. Got a new battery for 289.00 including the labor to put the new battery in.

And then obviously; cleaning supplies, antifreeze/coolant ( which i put in myself ) and all the little things; which I won't put the price for those.

So far, that's everything done to the Jag. Overall, nothing too major. I'm not to sure about the x-type; being because I've never owned or driven one.

- Pilotman

 

I think it needs to be clearly said here that the only Jaguars with timing belts are those with diesel engines. The V8 engine in the XJ saloon has timing chains, and it is the tensioners for the two top chains that cause trouble. These are not expensive, and can be replaced on a DIY basis. Later 4.2 litre engines had a different chain and tensioning arrangement so are not affected.

 

Funny you mention those. I have both cars. Same years. I disagree with most people in that I think the X-type is the best mid-size sedan I have ever driven. The interior is better than most in the segment. My mileage in the X-type is great. The car gets better as weather gets worse. The car has been bullet-proof.
I like the XJ8 better, but for a first car IMHO the x-type can be great, if you get a good one.