I bought a 2004 2.5 manual with 53k, 1st I just want to say thanks all on this forum, I have learned a lot of information here and I thank-you!, I checked my TC case and it was hardly wet, nothing drip out but the gears did have fluid on them. my rear drive took 500 mls, my gear box was full. Thanks to you all, they are changed out with good stuff and at the proper levels. The car ran perfect from the place I bought to home which was 1700 miles. Lucky me! I have a 1985 BMW 325 and have 244K on it and it still runs great, The x-type feels just as good and I think is very under rated. I hope to put a lot of miles on it too! I love the lines of this car...again thanks!

 

Welcome to the X Type Ownership
It's nice to read such good reviews on the forums as well .
Congrats and enjoy your ride and don't forget the pics

 

Nice post JJC....Glad you're all sorted with your X type
Having the 04 most of the issues that the earlier models had you'll probably avoid, nice one!
Got your levels all done and running sweet as a nut....Its all good.
Why not post up some pics when you can

 

What issues were there with earlier models out of interest? I just got an '01 2.5 V6 on Friday and would like to know what to look out for :P

 

Welcome to the forums JJC!

 

Welcome, _Belia (and JJCXtype!),

I have a 2002 2.5 Auto, and in a nutshell the things to look out for are Tranny, Transfer Case and some goofy vacuum hose on top of the engine that seems to cause a lot of people grief.

Our Jag FINALLY came home from the shop last week. After 6 months of ownership, we had it home only 2 months total. NOT that there were insurmountable problems with it, just that being in North friggin' Dakota makes it hard to find a mechanic that would like to work on it, rather than on some farm Combine or Tractor.

The dealership we purchased from let the Service Manager go from his job over the fiasco(s) experienced with our Jag, and finally handed it off to the best -and most expensive - mechanic in North Dakota.

Of course, we had no end of warranty co-pays, and very little resolve from the Dealer. But all is well now: A "new" tranny (rebuilt by the "Ace" and warrantied for 3 years unlimited milage!), the rear-end AND transfer case drained and flushed, and everything refilled with REAL JAGUAR FLUIDS - not any off-brands.

Almost everything I have gleaned from this board points to the fact that the biggest problems are related to items that require lubrication. The best recommendations I have gleaned say "CHANGE THE FLUIDS!" and "CHANGE THE FLUIDS ANNUALLY OR BETTER!!" and "USE THE RIGHT FLUIDS, DON'T SKIMP!!!"

Somewhere, maybe on a link from a forum post here, I ran across a dissertation on the "why" to use only true Jag fluids in the tranny and transfer case. The over-riding argument was that various lubes have various different viscosities - maybe CLOSE to the true Jag fluid, but different enough that the computers, which monitor temps, rpms, etc think they are working with Jag fluids and adjust everything accordingly, but as in the case of the tranny, just a vis point or two different WILL CHANGE THE SHIFTPOINTS!!!

That changes the entire characteristics of the car, and the whole experience of driving it. STAY WITH THE JAG FLUIDS!!! SPEND THE EXTRA BUCKS!!!

As far as Motor Oil, I use Castrol - availible everywhere (including WalMart & Kmart), which for all intents and purposes IS a true "Jag Fluid".

My only advice, as a new Jag owner myself, is drive it like a Classic, NOT like a Sports Car. IT AIN'T A SPORTS CAR!!! Use your BMW to get the power-shifting, fast hard-off-the-line starts, side-slipping and other such nonsense out of your system.

Your X-Type IS a Classic. They don't make 'em anymore!!!

Enjoy!

~Bruce