Good evening all ,

Before I start I'd just like to introduce my Jag to u , it's a 2003 ( facelift ) Stype 3.0l , automatic gearbox with 238bhp and has done 77256 miles to this date . I bought it second hand in 2010 in Germany where I now live and it still drives and looks as if it's just come off the production line .

Now to the issue :

I failed my German MOT due to all rear bushes being shot . This came as a shock as the car was driving as usual , I never noticed the usual symptoms that occur , - no noise , smooth drive , tyres were ok - so I took it to an independent Garage to see how much play the wishbones had and I was gutted that the play wasn't that bad on the left side but catastrophic on the right hand side . They certainly needed changing .

Not knowing how difficult the job would be I started searching the forums about the issue and got the second shock as the bushes here in Germany don't get sold individually , you've got to buy the complete Wishbone . These here aren't cheap . The lower wishbones cost €580 - €685 each and the Upper Wishbones cost € 350 - € 475 each ( depending on where u get them )

Step 2 of this disaster was finding out if someone here could just change the bushes as I'd taken the plunge and bought a complete set for €260 not really knowing if they were the right ones as I bought them over eBay which is always a risk .

I spent 3 months hunting down every independent garage to see if they could do the job for me but everyone said no . Mechanics here in Germany don't seem to want to touch Jaguar when it comes to doing difficult jobs on the car .

I was also turned down by a Jaguar dealer because I had the audacity to bring the bushes with me . I was told that Jaguar will repair the car But only if they replace the complete wishbone and not just the bushes ! I was gutted with such a statement and was on the verge of saying ok do it .

Lucky for me that in the local area a Land Rover / Jag / Austin Martin garage had just opened . I drove in , talked to them and after 30 minutes consultation they agreed to give it a try as they've never just changed the bushes but the complete wishbones ....they did a good job , bushes changed , a reasonable bill , passed my MOT so I'm a happy puppie .

The reason I thought I'd write this post was to let fellow Jag owners , who live here in Germany , know that it is possible to just get the bushes replaced even if Jaguar Germany say that they won't do it .

The other reason for posting this is that I believe this problem with the bushes is a major Jaguar problem and people should know that a major repair will be imminent when buying these cars even if the mileage is low . I've never owned a car with such a relative low mileage having these issues .- baffles me if I'm honest .

And finally , great site and thanks for letting me on it 😊

 

When not mileage, I think it's the age. Bushes fail for wear on mileage or just with age as they deteriorate with cold/heat, wet/dry, and oxygen (air) as time goes by.

A lot of garages (shops, for Americans, I think) don't like to change bushes here in England. It's awkward and they worry if they'll stress the metal parts or ... well, I'm not sure. Labour rates are horrific (dealer about 200 eur/hr, maybe $250/hr) so swapping a whole piece can be cheaper.

It's best to DIY - but some jobs need tools a typical DIY person won't have.