Hello all,


I know that these threads have come up quite a bit in the past - especially since I've been mining a few of them for information, trying to educate myself - but I haven't actually found one specifically for the questions I have.

If this is repetitious, I apologize, and hope that you'll indulge me a bit.

Now that that is out of the way : I'm looking at the possibility of replacing my daily driver with a 2004 X-Type 3.0 AWD Auto Estate (SportWagon) and I have questions.

First off, here are the stats for this specific X-Type :

PICS !

- 2004 (uncertain of where it falls in the production pipeline - old VS new wiring harness);
- 3.0L Auto;
- Rare Estate body in North America (plus I believe it wasn't available in the US until 2005);
- SALSA RED with tan leather (which looks fantastic);
- 159000 km (just about 100K miles);
- Third owner (don't know how much service history is available);
- Emergency brake cable is shot;
- Rear wheel speed sensor is throwing a code;
- Crack in the windshield off to one side;
- Doesn't need to be safetied for the road again until January 2018.


My current car is a 2014 VW Golf 2.0 TDI FWD that I hope will get bought back by VW Canada eventually. The US process is going ahead and buy-backs should be starting in the next two weeks, but in Canada we don't even know if there is going to be a buy-back, let alone what the values are going to be. Suffice to say, I'm irked at the Volkswagen Auto Group.

What I'm looking for is a dependable car, preferably a wagon, that has All Wheel Drive, that's fun to drive. I don't need massive speed (obviously, since I rocked a TDI) but I do want something fun to drive that can haul itself around.


Are there any concerns that are Wagon specific ? From what I understand, everything forward of the B pillar is interchangeable, but everything aft of that is only wagon, right ?

 

The attachments will give you a lot of background technical info as one describes the introduction of the Wagon/Estate and the other the update/upgrade program for the X Type for MY2004, all of which is included in all Wagons/Estates.
I don't have experience of the wagon/Estate, but my MY 2005 2.5 AWD sedan has been absolutely reliable since I bought it new, 75k miles ago. Go for it; you'll love it!

Meant to say, the brake cable and rear wheel sensor problems should not be difficult to put right and shouldn't be deal breakers - just a reason for a bit more discount! Plenty of help and guidance on here to help you put them right!

 

I have a 2005 wagon as my daily driver: perfectly reliable and perfectly enjoyable. There are no negatives to the wagon, but on the positive side, it is even more beautiful than the sedan.
As with any used car, service history is important and you should start with a change of all fluids, especially transfer case and transmission.

 

Thanks for the info.

Sov, the issue that I could see with a 2004 is salt roads and corrosion. Being on the East Coast of Canada is extremely harsh on cars.

Normally I wouldn't really consider a 10+ year old car to replace a 2 year old car, but then again, it isn't every car that looks that good.


The 2004 wagon doesn't have the viscous-coupling transfer case I believe. So, in that case, the only way to know if you will have effective AWD in heavy snow is to confirm the presence of DSC, right ?

 

I went through 3 X-Types 03-04, I don't see the rust issue, the body paint stand against rust very well, your color combine in and exterior are very nice, the Estates I saw on the market most of them was grey or black interior which I don't like, wheel speed sensor is easy to replace, cracked windshield and hand brake cable are cost little more but not a hard to fix items, you shouldn't have a second thought about should or should not buy this Estate to replace the VW. Even VW is only 2yrs old but probably will give you more trouble than the X-Type down the road, beside it's like compare a maid to the lady.

 

A friend of mine went and checked the car out for me, since I live 2.5 hours away, and it was only 30 minutes for him.

It looks like the MFD date is 01/04.

I read that in the sedan at least, anything after 03/2004 is the new harness, but does that also apply to the Estate/Wagon ?

 

A 2004 Sportwagon would certainly have the revised harness. With regard to rust, I do understand that an eastern car might have suffered from road salt use - but an examination of the car would reveal much *look particularly at the A pillar base*. Cars here in the southwest of British Columbia simply do not rust, so that was not a factor I considered in my answer,
With regard to the Sportwagon as a regular-use car, my wife and I just completed last week a 1200 km trip (high speed, driving rain, mountain roads and highway) in the 2005 car - which does not have the ASC - and it was, as these cars always are (we have owned 3) stable, sure-footed, fast, and very comfortable.
You should be aware that the 2004 model in Canada was a true "sportwagon" in that it was based on the Sport speciification with regard to suspension, wheels, and exterior and interior trim. The 2005 and later cars were based on the sedans in this regard so they are slightly softer-riding and a bit more luxurious (the seats, more wood trim, chrome exterior trim, "comfort" shocks etc).
Do make sure the car is still fitted with the transfer case air duct underneath; if it is missing (very common) it can be easily replaced - the part number is C2S18834 and the single mounting bolt is C2S32665.
Photos of my beauty below.
The best thing about the wagons is that everything about them in terms of the driving, handling, interior comforts - and the sound and feel - is identical to the sedan. There is none of the "cavernous" feel that other wagons often give. They are beautifully finished, as all Jaguars are, and the handling is superb. I would have preferred a manual shift (which my wife has on her X-Type) but the Canadian market wagons were offered only with the 3 litre automatic combination.