Hello y'all.
I may have found me a jag for 1500USD (or less), it's an 03 X-type AWD with the 2.5L v6 and manual transmission. I can't imagine a standard jag is that common here in the states, so that's amazing. My only concerns is as states in the title. Seller says it was purchased (by them) under a salvage title. When questioned about it, they don't know why it was salvaged. So far it needs:

• fuel pump
• O2 sensor
• driver front quarter panel
• some paint on boot and rear driver quarter panel

It is not running and thus will need to be towed. I have an excursion, so towing is no issue in the slightest. I'm just worried about buying something that could be MUCH worse than I can imagine. If that's the case, that's sad because I was having a difficult time weighing whether I wanted my next car to be a big cat, or a manual, and this x-type fit both perfectly. Any help would be appreciated. Pics below.

 

X's CANNOT be pulled/towed. They have to be flat bed towed.

 

Turtle65, a car can be totaled for a lot of reasons without showing signs of any damage. The common one is getting submerged in water. Most insurance companies will total a car once they hear that it has been in deep water. The other thing that can total a car fairly quickly and not show signs of outward damage is that at some point the car had its tires leave the ground as it was being driven (does not count if being put on a lift for work). So, could you have gotten a deal, sure. Could you be opening up a can of worms? that too. I guess you could also simply have had someone that was tired of fixing the car and just sold it to a scrap yard not realizing what they could get for the car (the repair quote was more than the perceived value of the car).

I would say that once you get the car up in the air to replace the fuel pump, that will be the most likely time that you are going to find out why the car was deemed "salvaged". The new fuel pump will take more time than money. This will be a good time to do all 4 O2 sensors (if one is gone, the other 3 are probably not too far behind). With the O2 sensors, 2 words of advice: 1) get the sensors with the plugs on the end (too many people have tried to wire them up themselves and ended up pounding their heads against a wall trying to figure out the new problem that they created), and 2) get the special tool that looks a lot like a crow's foot, but is about 3/4" thick (like someone welded a closed end wrench to the bottom of a crow's foot then cut a slit to allow wires in. This tool is like $15, but it will save you so much cussing and busted knuckles, it is money well spent. I have found that the O2 sensor sockets just don't cut it. Get this little adapter and a good 1/2" breaker bar and those O2 sensors will come out with minimal fighting.

 

I have a manual transmission and an automatic X-Type. The manual is MUCH more fun to drive.

Run a carfax and see if it lists the reason for the salvage title. Also, look into Texas laws as to what would cause a salvage title. In some states, it does not take very much.

Any non-running car is a gamble. A nonrunning Jag is a much bigger one, Price it accordingly. I would think not many are looking for this project.

Rember to most expensive car to buy is a low priced non-running Ferrari.

 

A salvage title usually mean the car was in an accident and the insurance company decided the damage was more than the car’s value, a total lose. They pay the owner the cost of the coverage and the title is changed to Salvage

 

The car looks to be in rough shape overall, and not running for unknown reasons. Clearly hit in the front quarter, near the engine bay - which is packed so tight you cannot even get your hands in there.

My advice is to keep looking. I've seen manuals for sale, and you'll want one with the larger 3.0 engine if possible.

Correct color though, cars should all be black.

 

I would love the 3.0L in a manual, but that's already a rare bird on top of a manual jaguar. I did find another 2.5 manual in San Antonio though (live in east texas). All seems fine with it for 3500USD. Just a beige color and black leather interior (fan of the black leather, not the beige paint though).

 

Besides not running, salvage title, and obvious damage, I’d steer away. It appears to have been abused. There’s also the trany, the diff, and the transfer case that you’ll know nothing about until you get the engine running.

 

I wish mine was a manual - so much more fun to drive. I wonder how much it would cost to convert it...

 

If you have the time, skills, desire and a realistic budget to take on a project.....then perhaps you should ponder it a bit more, but the market doesn't see these as a classic yet (will it ever?), so there is a practical ceiling on what it would be worth fully running and tidy (manuals are sought after).
For what it is worth, I would ring around and find out what a wrecker would give you for the car if you sold it as a scrapper. That is what it is worth to you as a "back out" option if you get it home, get underneath it to start looking at what your actual parts shopping list might be.

The clear coat repairs possibly don't need a full respray, as there are some clear coat blending products that (if the base coat is still salvageable) will work quite well to bring a panel back.
The quarter panel damage....most panel beaters are just 'panel replacers' these days, so price up a replacement and respray unless you are actually going to intend on beating that wing back into shape again.
The car has sat outside for a lot of it's life based on the fogging of the acrylic headlights........you can often refurbish them with some elbow grease and an appropriate headlight restoration kit....just be careful of the headlight tilt mechanisms as the adjuster cam gears and headlight bodies themselves can be brittle.

You haven't mentioned the miles this car has done, so nobody can really comment on what you might be expecting to need as part of routine maintenance or known wearing component milestones.
With the inevitable pile of leaves in the photo, you definitely want to make sure nothing has ended up nesting (rodents) in the engine bay....if they have the subsequent wiring issues might be a deal breaker right out of the gate.
Also check for visible chassis rust in towards A pillars and front suspension....if it has run on salted roads etc.
Sills are hidden by plastic dress panel and they are a failure point that can't be readily seen and a major "run for the hills" if rotten.

Shocks, arm bushings (front an rear), sway bar bushings are common wear problems (front sway bushings are a major mission - almost an engine out).
If tyre wear is uniform the suspension bushings might be OK at present.
Transfer cases are failure points especially if the fluid has not been replaced and is contaminated or worse low.
Prop shafts have the centre carrier bearing that will make noise over 40MPH and if so needs replacing.
You will no doubt check you brake discs and pads as matter of course and if the brakes are spongy and it is not air or tired fluid, then you are probably looking at flexi hoses to calipers as they can give that effect.
Air filter, cabin filter, fuel filter. oil changes etc ....the usual stuff.

Don't envy you the fuel pump change...tank drop which entails prop shaft removal and partial exhaust dismantling, fuel and evap pipe disconnects, unless you go the more radical 'cutting an access portal under the rear seat method'.

 

NVM

 

If you want to buy an X-Type; First- you should able to work on it yourself, a lots, at least the engine, parts is easy to find, for now. for the body should find one with good body almost perfect; body parts are harder to find, painting is expensive $3-$5K, color wrapping is cheaper still cost @ $600-$900. so the car you showed cost $1500 could end up cost you addition $2500-$6000 more. I found on Car Guru, Auto trader or Car Fax many good X-Type run from $3000-$5000, save you lots of head ache.