Hi Dan,

Do a search on your topic and you'll find a bunch of hits from others who have posed this very question. There is also a great collection of issues in the FAQ sticky.

There was not a 3.5l engine (we wish!), most likely a 3.0 is what you are looking at. As for model years, they are very similar from 2002 on up. The earlier ones had some teething issues but most have been rectified through the years.

See if you can examine the vehicle history and look for replacement items such as transmission, transfer case, fuel sending unit, prop shaft, water pump...those are some of the bigger ones.

General rule of thumb for used cars is get the newest one with the lowest miles you can afford. It would apply here as well.

Good luck on your search.

 

Dan, the X-Type is nice. As long as you drive it nicely, it will be nice to you. THe weak link in the car is the transfer case. THe newer cars seem to have less problems, but still are not immune. if you don't drag race the car, you should be good. Also, doing periodic lube changes (every 30K miles seems to be a general concensus) will help with that too. The transfer case is "sealed for life". I'm sure you are laughing about now. Granted, changing the fluid can be a bear if you don't have a small modification done to the car. There's a few options with that. So, look through the forums and you will find the options. Worst case, respond here and I will pass on what I know.

Also, try to find a very cold day and go out looking at the cars. These cars seem to have issues with the o-rings on the intake starting vacuum leaks when it gets cold. It is an easy fix, but if you can find a car that is having issues, you can try to knock a few dollars off of the price since "you will have to spend a lot of money to get it fixed". The O-rings cost $15 each (requires 2) and takes about 30 minutes to fix. The other vacuum issue is there is a vacuum hose that runs next to the throttle body. IT tends to develop a leak on the underside, throwing engine codes. That part is like $20, but a 10 minute fix.

Other than that, most of the problems are not any worse than you would find with any other car. So, buy away.

 

Hey Dan, you've just received some great advice above, but as Thermo says, check out the site thoroughly, in the x type FAQ quick links etc etc....tons and tons of good info.
As stated there is no 3.5 so you're either lookin at a 2.5 or a 3.0
The transfer case is the weak point and you've already had some good advice about that in previous responses. Problematic cars were 01 - 03 and got better year after year from there. Like most early cars / products they have teething issues that get ironed out over time. If you're lookin at an 07 with low miles and check out all the usual stuff you should be good to go.
Good luck and keep us updated

 

Tell mom to buy it. You should be able to get a very good price and maybe can even negotiate exetnding the warranty if it's through a Jaguar dealer. They depreciate quickly and are kind of hard to sell by dealers, especially now that they aren't made anymore. She'll love it and you get to look like a hero for recommending she do it.

 

I purchased an 07 3.0l in September. I have driven it about 4500 miles with no problems.

 

Someone else has made the good... no great... suggestion to look for the newest and lowest mileage car you can get for your buck.
I'd also suggest that you look for the best spec you can. The SE is great especially if it has the winter pack... heated seats, heated windscreen and mirrors. split (30/70) rear fold down seats are handy too.

Don't necessarily get put off by earlier models (mine is a 2002) a lot of the problems were overhyped. The 2.5l engine is great too. I don't know about in the US, but a little better insurance premium wise in the UK. I've also heard it said that where transfer case problems have been serious its been mostly in seriously thrashed 3.0l models. The 2.5l with not a lot less bhp puts less strain on the gearbox and transfer case.

What sort of traffic will your mother be experiencing... heavy traffic lots of congestion... I'd go for an auto... less strain on the driver, no clutch to worry about. Mine has been great.

On longdistance freeway driving with 4 adults and a full load of luggage I usually return between 32.5 to 34 miles per gallon... it will be a little different in the US as your gallons are slightly less than imperial units gallons.

Oh look for a model with cruise control ... very useful for long distances AND for setting in areas that are known to be frequented by speed cameras.

The X-Type is a brilliant car. Its cross Jaguar ~ Ford heritage is to its advantage.

Mike