Im currently looking at getting a xtype, i've been looking and researching them for years and know people that have had em and loved them. Most of them were manuals so i didnt know much about the tranny issues until i read further about the xtype, so im looking for probably a 02, 03 and most of them in my area are going for 4-5k with 100k miles, and i want a manual but harder to find, so if i do end up getting a auto, what should i look out for? and are there any signs of a early failure to the auto tranny? thanks!

 

afstud, while the 2.5L motor is by no means a bad motor, you may find that it is a little underpowered for where most people drive them (RPM wise). The motor will make power and make the car move, but that is up in the RPMs (4,000 and above). The 3.0L motor makes tons of power down low (2,000 and above) and the need to rev the motor isn't as much. This is all the more true with an auto tranny.

As for detecting problems with the tranny, it will be pretty obvious when you take the car for a test drive. The car should shift nice and smoothly and you should not hear any gear noises. But, along those same lines, more people have problems with the transfer cases than the trannies. But, the noises that you will hear from a tranny are pretty much the same ones you will hear from the transfer case.

Buy one, you will not be upset. The only caution I will give you is that if you are looking for a sports car, this is going to be an expensive car for you to own. While the transfer case is adequate for the car and will normally last the life of the car, if you like to go stop light to stop light, the transfer case will give up on you in about 30K miles. A new transfer case is about $3000. Drive sensibly, not a problem. Like to zip off the line and routinely get the RPMs up to 5,000+ when accelerating, stand by. Once in awhile is fine. But, the more you do it, the more likely you are to have issue.

 

If it were me, wait for a manual trans. Either motor is fine.

Condition and history is everything with a used car like this.

 

thanks for the replies thus far, im not unfamiliar with the expensive parts and such on Import cars, i currently have a 2000 Mercedes CLK and I've owned many many other cars such as the BMW 3, 5 & 7 series, Audi A4, A6, few saabs, lexus', Volvo's, acura's and so on, and almost 100% of the work I do myself besides tires of course, but i normally stick with the Germans because im so familiar with all of them and i trust them all and have never let me down, my current CLK has 250k miles and still is smooth, solid and looks beautiful with the AMG package, and running on the original engine and tranny with no problems, Also had a 02 BMW 325xi AWD that was just amazing in the winter and regretfully got rid of it because i wanted a coupe but i want an x-type mainly for the AWD again, and they have always been appealing to the eye just was scared because its a Ford product and tranny rumors, but i would probably stick with a 2.5 since that's whats more to be found around here and i dont race other people or care to have a lot of power. Ill keep my eye pealed for a Manual too as id have less issues but well see what comes up, there hard to find unless i travel 200+ miles for one.