Recently, I bought an 04 X-Type 3.0 with 59K miles. The car was a one owner and was well cared for. During my search for an X-Type, I also considered an 07 model with 64K miles - also a one owner. I test drove the 07 at a Jaguar dealership, and I was shocked at the ride and performance. The car drove like a compact car -- it had little pick up (a slight delay in acceleration, actually), a rough ride on city and interstate roads -- in short, NOT a luxury car feel at all. However, the car was immaculate. I left thinking ... is this what a Jag feels like? The car was gorgeous, but that was it. It was also nearly 20K. Instead of changing my mind about a Jag (because that car was my first experience driving a Jaguar), I decided to go ahead and look at the car for sale by an individual. This car was older (an 04) with fewer miles. It was the 3.0 as was the 07. The drive and ride quality were light years apart. The 04 drove with great response, rode extremely well, and just felt like a million dollars. So, I bought this car and have been very pleased. Now, I am wondering what would make a newer Jag perform so poorly? Were there changes in the ride or performance design? Or could it be a question of care by the previous owner? I mean the cars felt like two totally different makes! Thanks for your thoughts! (-:
Happy 4th to all!

 

Jagman, if I had to place money on it, the 07 that you rode in had 1 or more shocks that had failed and were sticking/frozen. That would lead to the ride quality that you felt. As for changes, there really weren't any changes made over the years other than the addition of traction control and stuff like that. But, all of those traction devices don't affect the ride quality.

 

Based on my experience with two Jag dealers, they tend to run the air pressure up on the tires to keep them from flat spotting while the car sets on the lot. Both X's I bought had 45 PSI in the tires when I bought them, and, rode like ox carts on the way home. The performance issue - may be nothing more than the dealer may have put 87 Octane gas in the car, instead, of the premium it requires.

Regards:
Oldengineer

 

Hmmm. The higher mileage in the 07 could point to a possible root cause for these symptoms...

 

Could very well be the tire pressures, but was one a Sport model and the other not? Depending on how you view the ride the Sport model could have had a slightly stiffer suspension and that could be the reason, especially if it had 18" wheels. Mine has that setup and the recommended tire pressures are 40lbs in front and 35 in the back. That coupled with having a 40 series tire could have been what you felt, especially if where you live has rough roads. Then if the pressures were jacked up a bit that would have exacerbated the issue. I like the ride of my car, but some people might think it feels too stiff, so it could even be subjective.