I was checking out a 02 X-Type this afternoon, and the body paint and interior are all good. BUT,

When I revers out of the parking lot, the steeling wheel started to shake while driving.

When I started to drive forward, car speed went up and the whining noise came out from the front passenger side just like this youtube video

from forum search and google search, I take a educated guess, it's the center support bearing problem.

so I was wondering the Greasing approach will also solve the wheel shaking problem? or I have to change the whole CV axle right driveshaft, I read it somewhere that once it's changed the wheel doesn't shake anymore.

if change the driveshaft really solves the problem,what kind of cost are we talking about (parts + labor), is this a job that any garage can do? or maybe DIYable with detailed instruction?

EDIT: seller told me that this noise happened to him once when the car is not heated properly before he drives away.

OR should I stay away from the car, and looking somewhere else.

helps are appreciated.

 

Before you buy it, you should really have that problem checked out by someone knowledgeable who can tell you what you are dealing with. It would be money very well spent. Without being able to see the car it's very hard to help diagnose noises like that.

From what you describe it could be something very cheap and easy to fix but it might be something pretty costly.

 

If it is the right hand drive shaft it requires the transfer box to be removed in order to change the shaft. If not an internal seal is damaged by the wire clip on the inner end of the shaft as its removed. IE its an expensive job.

 

Check the motor mount bracket and see if they're broken. It's surprisingly inconspicuous, but it will cause vibrations when reversing for sure

 

It's a north american left hand drive car.

I did remember when the car was idle, the hood was open and I saw the engine is shake/vibrate but not at a high frequency, and doesn't have unusual sound, let's just say it's not stand still in the bay. When I came back home I saw some youtube videos people are selling x-type engine from scrap car, their engines are more stand still then the one I was

Till then I realize the engine mount may cause the engine not stand still.
The wheel shake also when I drove forward, but if I recall it didn't shake when idle.

Other than these, the car as I said is in good body shape, consider how salty our winters are in Montreal.

It has almost 100K miles (15xxxx KM) ODO, and I talked it down to 3K8, my wife is afraid that we will spend another 3K or more to repair the car.

 

Forgot to say, thanks for all your replies.

Regarding the prop shaft center bearing, I saw that available on ebay for about $100, is this a drive way doable DIY replacement? or it's far more complicated?

the whole prop shaft seems too expensive to replace

 

I guess I cannot edit my own post
the engine and the steering wheel is actually wobble rather than shake, is it possible a bad engine mount?

 

[QUOTE=CarsonKT;973250]It's a north american left hand drive car.
QUOTE]

A right hand driveshaft is a right hand driveshaft, where ever the steering wheel happens to be.

 

It is easy to check for a broken engine bracket. Its a circular ish looking piece of metal attached to the side of the engine cover (where it will say Jaguar v6). Mine was broken and the engine was tilted.

 

I went to see the car the second time and found out

the engine mount wasn't in a good shape
the RPM on idle is not stable, it bounces between 6xx - 8xx
the odb2 read fault codes C1165 and P1000
steering wheel shake when it's idle and driving (forward & reverse)
the high-pitched noise is likely from transfer case

after my first visit, the guy took the car to the garage to check the noise and suspiciously he agreed to lower the price closer to my offer, en.....

anyway I give up the deal, maybe the transfer case is already damaged, I understand that the replacement job is not a driveway doable DIY