'Morning All;

Robert here, late of the X-400 crowd; now hanging out in X-350 group. Can anyone pinpoint for me when the AWD system in the Xs went from the earlier viscous-coupled type to the later version? The car that raises this question is an '04 Estate Wagon SAJGA54C44WE06898. Thanks

 

I believe the viscous coupling ended with the 03 model year, so no 04 and on would have it.

 

The first X type without the viscous coupling had (has?) VIN ending ... D56272, MY 2004. No estate wagons were fitted as they were introduced for MY2005.

 

Depends on where you are, I have seen 04 MY estates in Canada.

 

Thanks All : model year aside, the vin would indicate that this car has the 'newer' AWD system.

 

Robert, the newer AWD systems are good and from what I can tell are a bit more reliable. But, they have a fatal flaw if you ask me if they are not optioned out correctly. The newer AWD system has an open differential style transfer case. So, yes, this gives power to all 4 wheels when they are all spinning at the same speed. But, you get a wheel to start to slip, it will then tend to take all the power, leaving the other 3 to just sit there and not do much. This is where the DSC system is a must for the newer AWD systems. The DSC will limit power and also automatically apply braking to a single wheel to slow it down, giving power to the other wheels. So, if you are looking at a newer X-Type, having the DSC system is a must.

 

I would say the exact reverse! I have a 2007 car and whenever winter comes the first thing I do is turn off the DSC. I find it far too sensitive that it doesn't allow any slip, and it is very aggressive at retarding the power, too much so.

One snowy day I was driving along a snow covered, but otherwise flat and straight road at a steady speed. It didn't seem slippery and the car was making good progress. Out of curiosity I turned off the DSC. I kept the throttle constant and when I turned the DSC off the car lept ahead and I gained 10 km/h. I didn't realize how much the DSC was holding me back. If it wasn't expensive to change the system I'd get rid of it in a heartbeat, it's completely useless for a winter driven car.

 

Don't shoot the messenger please The Jaguar document attached is the basis of my post, but then Jaguar always put its MYs out midway through the previous year in those days.

 

Thanks for the above; I didn't notice if the car had DSC; I'll check next time I get a look at it. My old '03 had the viscous-coupled version, and I loved it. I do remember seeing a thread in the past recommending the DSC option with the new "improved" system.

 

The X-Type wagon was marketed in Canada always as a "Sportwagon", never as an "Estate". And I can confirm what Jagboi has said: while the first model year for this model in the US market was 2005, in Canada the car appeared a year earlier: there definitely was a 2004 model year Sportwagon here. And the 2004 model differed from the 2005 and later Sportwagons.
The 2004 was a true "Sportwagon", trimmed as the Sport sedan/saloon was: no exterior chrome, Sport interior, (but with wood trim on the door panels), Sport suspension etc. The 2005 and later Sportwagons for Canada did NOT have the Sport trim either inside or out (despite the nomenclature); they had what Jaguar termed the "Comfort" suspension and as I have one I can say that it is trimmed identically inside and out, and in terms of driving characteristics and ride, exactly as the saloon (which I also have) - it should be noted that the base-level X-Types for Canada were always trimmed at a higher level than those for either the UK or the USA.

 

If ever there was a case to be made for ignoring Jaguar's Marketing Dep't, the X-Type marketing boondoggle is the gold standard. Wagon, Sport Wagon, Estate Wagon, Shooting Brake, kind of depends on what you're used to calling these versatile little vehicles. My Sister's '02 Sport Sedan, and my ''03 sedan both died a slow death from the "Windshield draining into the non-draining, non-galvanized A-pillar cancer", so I wouldn't consider another example earlier than an '04. Was just curious if there might be a narrow range with the galvanized frame and the V-C AWD system. Thanks.

 

Hi, Did you end up buying this wagon? What is the story? Please share.
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The estate model "Sportwagon" was introduce in Canada (but not the US) for the 2004 model year. The 2005 Sportwagon was different in trim and specification.