Hello all,

I'm not sure where to put this post...So I will put it here. I currently own a 1996 XJ6 which I have given up and am selling tomorrow. I would love to own a Jag but I am not mechanically inclined and don't have a lot of money to spend on repairs. It may not exist but does anyone have a recommendation as to what year/model Jag might be good for me? Does one that is relatively trouble free and dependable 99% of the time exist? Does is is exist in the $4000 U.S. dollar range? Or is this a pipe dream and am I deluding myself? Please help a discouraged Jaguar fan.

 

Mac,

I've moved your question from Off Topic to General Tech Help. It's definitely on topic!

With an X300, you already have one of the most reliable models Jaguar built. I put over 100k miles on mine and it needed nothing more than routine maintenance. Many other members here have reported positively on this model. Some other models have known weaknesses (e.g. plastic tensioners on early V8's) which, once resolved, make for a reliable vehicle.

There's two requirements to run a Jaguar:

1. a well equiped tool box
OR
2. a well stocked bank account

If you either can't or don't wish to tackle maintenance and repairs yourself, then specialist help will be expensive.

Buying a good used Jaguar takes time and patience but they are out there. I'll leave it to US members to comment and advise on prices as the market is very different here in the UK.

Graham

 

Might be possible to find a unicorn but be realistic...

 

Macmlds, for your budget, your best bet will be say a 2005/2006 X-Type. May be even able to find a 2007 for around that much. The X-Type is going to be a mid-size car, so, not quite the room that you may be used to with the XJ6. Performance wise, will probably be pretty close. Parts for the X-Type are relatively inexpensive nowadays as we have found some ways around having to buy jaguar specific parts for the commonly failing items.

Where the X-Type may be the deal breaker is if you like performance. At highway speeds, the X-Type will be fun to play with and will do it all day long. You can cruise the highways at 80 mph and that car will love it. ON the flip side, if you want to go light to light as fast as possible, you run a high chance of having lots of expensive bills. While most of the weak transfer cases should be out of cars by this point, no promises. Does this mean that you can't goose it off the line once in awhile? By no means. Enjoy the car. But, the more you do it, the more likely you are going to end up with a $3000 transfer case bill.

The other "negative" for you may be that after being in the XJ6, you may find the X-Type interior a little lacking on the comforts. It is nice, but not XJ6 nice. You will also want to pay attention to whether the car has build in nav or not. You may have your own GPS unit and love that, great. But, if you have the idea of getting a non-GPS X-Type and then adding nav later, it is going to be an expensive and costly upgrade. So, decide if you want/need Nav before buying an X-Type. I would also make sure that it has the "DSC" button on the center console. Not knowing where you are, this can make a big difference. I say this as there was a new transfer case put into the X-Type in early 2004. It is an open differential setup. What this means is without DSC, on dry pavement, all 4 wheels are going to pull for you. But, in adverse conditions, once one wheel looses traction, it is going to take all the power, making the car really no better than a FWD or RWD vehicle. The DSC will correct this condition by carefully controlling power and applying the brakes in a special way.

The other option would be to find say a 2003/2004 S-Type. Parts are going to be plentiful, a bit more than the X-Type, but will get you back the comfort of the XJ6.

 

As your car is a '96, it will be the X300 model series of the XJ saloon with the AJ16 straight six engine. These were generally reckoned on being very reliable, but obviously can suffer rusting. The drive train was reckoned to be very reliable. Can you give us some info on why you're ditching it, please. This will guide us on suggesting a possible replacement.

Notwithstanding the above, you could look for a very late XJ8 from 2001-2002, maybe 2003, the last of the steel-bodied XJs before the X350 came out in 2003 with its aluminium body. Actually for $4000 you could probably get an early X350 but it will be high miles. I'm now on my 2nd X350, actually an X358.

The S-type may suit you as well, but I know little about these cars, I've never owned or driven one. The car uses a lot of mechanical parts common with the Lincoln LS, I believe.

The aftermarket and OEM suppliers now serve the market for older Jaguars very well indeed, and even her in the UK the main agents are now selling some parts that are quite reasonable in price. Jaguar under Tata Motors seems to have recognised that the more Jaguars there are on the roads the better their sales of new cars will be.

 

As Fraser mentioned above, the S-Type (X200 and X202) shares many, but not all, components with the Lincoln LS. You may be able to find one in decent condition for around 4000$US, but as Graham pointed out, keeping her on the road by paying for a specialist shop to do the work will eventually prove to be quite expensive.

Bear in mind that many of these vehicles have been on the road for almost nineteen years and unless you have evidence of a solid service history, I would consider purchasing another mainstream brand until such time as finances improve.

 

My XJ6 has had lights flashing on the dash and then the car will stop at stop lights and the code for defective catalytic converters is coming up as well I have spent a good 3 to $500 US putting new spark plugs new ignition coils in it and trying to get answers from mechanics as to what my problems are on the car. I have also had it to about five different mechanics and none of them can tell me specifically what is wrong with car and how to fix it.

 

If the MIL is flashing, catalyst damage is the result.

List DTCs here, most likely P0420 or P0430. Likely fouled coil units due to being submersed in engine oil.

 

As you have discovered, throwing parts at a Jaguar soon gets very expensive. At the high end of parts prices is catalytic converters so you certainly don't want to let any of these mechanics talk you into renewing them unless they are definitely faulty.

However, this is getting off the topic of this thread which is to find your next Jaguar. I recommend you start another thread in X300 forum to get help with troubleshooting the cutting out at stoplights issue on this one.

Graham

 

Just like there are some people that win lotteries, trouble-free Jags exist. Are you likely to get one? Not at all.

You just went from winning a lottery odds to winning all lotteries at once odds.

You are looking at a cheap Jag with your budget. If you give up on esthetics, find a runner that isn't too far gone, and good at wrenching yourself you might get one that could be daily driven.