Hey everyone, this is my first post here on Jaguar Forums!


Lately I’ve been shopping for a second vehicle to accompany my Miata. The vehicle will serve as a DD in inclement weather, snow and as a commuter car. My only two big needs are reliability and AWD. I completely dismissed any Jag products—especially from the Ford days—due to extremely poor reliability.

Today, however, I drove past a Subaru dealer that had a black on black X-Type 3.0 sitting up front. I’m a huge fan of black on black cars and thins thing caught my eye (I’ve always liked the round headlights on the older X-Type, S-Type, XJ, etc).

The car is fully loaded and the inside looks like it’s never been sat in. I’m impressed someone managed to keep the car’s interior this immaculate. The exterior has a slight dent in the front fender and a scrape on the rear bumper.

I took it for a nice drive and when accelerating hard during turning/when hitting bumps, it sounded like there was an odd rattle/clinking sound front the rear and other times from the front. I couldn’t pinpoint where it was coming from, and it didn’t sound like the traditional clunk from endlinks. The salesman said I could go for a ride with the mechanic on Tuesday so I can point out the noises. At that point they’ll fix it, let me drive it again and then let me determine if I want the car (all subject to a fully-refundable deposit). Does anyone have any ideas what these suspicious noises/clunks could be? Anything we should look out for?

My biggest concern and main reason for this post is regarding the overall reliability of these cars. I was under the impression that the 3.0 Duratec was fairly robust, but what about everything around it? Is this a foolish move and I should be looking at a more reliable car? I didn’t expect to like this car at all. Despite not driving as well as an e46 or G35x, there was something special about this rebadged Ford Countour… and I’m strangely liking it!

 

Welcome to the site, be sure to introduce yourself in the new member area or fear the wrath (jk) but they do encourage a formal introduction in these parts.

I stumbled upon an x type 4 or 5 years ago and it turned into a 3 jag family. Great car, esp. on the used car market. Couple issues that are common esp. with the transfer case and auto tranny but there are fixes for those. My guess is owning it will bring ya to want a proper british sports car to replace your miata.

As for your clunks, might be the rear lower arms which the bushings tend to go (is there a lot of rear camber). Ours a manual tranny has been bulletproof minus an 02 sensor and front cat. converter. Now has 125k. It is a hoot to drive in the snow compared to say a Subie with the rear wheel bias awd system.

 

Welcome to the forum. We are friendly helpful folk.

Lots of good information here. Some folks with lots of know how will be along soon.
It might help if you advise us what US state you are posting from.

Jaguar owners hate this rubbish re Ford that is regularly repeated in the press but have learned to live with it.

The usual actual statement is that there is about 20% Ford in the X Type. (Wiki agrees)
Most of those parts are from a well respected Ford European Mondeo (very similar to the Contour)

Two of the V6 engines form a V12 to power some Aston Martin models

The engine is very very similar to a Lincoln LS as shown by a guy swopping engines.
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...ype-jag-34228/
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The X Type has only has only 17% Contour /Mondeo input ( Modified platform & some brake /suspension bits. Duratec engine is so heavily moddded , a Ford technician wouldnt even recognise it...Dont forget the Miata /MX 5 would never have been built untill they took a Triumph Spitfire & Lotus Elan apart to see a sports car with a beating heart ...

 

Every time I hear someone say "ford" in a derogatory way I laugh. Ford fixed jaguar's electrical problems. Jags had wiring problems well before ford bought the company and now, they don't, and just about all the electrical bits in the x are ford and, work. They did the same thing with Mazda btw. I had an 84 mazda rx7, it had horrible wiring, but the 2nd and 3rd gen rx7s have much better wiring, and the 2nd gen came after ford bought Mazda. Frankly I'm glad ford bought jag and used ford parts in Jags. Oh and other than the F type and the classics the ford jags are also some of the best looking jaguars. Maybe ford should buy them back ha.

 

Sorry everyone, I didn't mean to insult the Ford/Jaguar relationship. I simply meant I never really considered one of these until seeing/driving one.

As of now, my main concern is whether or not I should move forward and have them try and address the noises, or if I should just walk away.

 

A little more details would help on the year, options, price, etc. I came from a Japanese background, having owned nothing but Subarus and Honda motorcycles my entire life. Now I own nothing made outside of England and my reliablity hasn't changed a bit. Granted, maint. isn't just putting gas in the engine but then again I'm not bored to drive anything I own either.

 

Same engine block 2.5/3.0 95-06

 

Well guys, I made an offer on the Jaguar. I'm now awaiting the salesman's phone call to tell me if the manager is accepting or declining. Payment is subject to them addressing the rattles and my approval after another drive.

 

They can be a great car. First thing I'd do is look into changing both the auto tranny fluid (unless you don't have one or you're given a receipt showing it was do within the last 30k and also look into replacing your transfer case fluid. There is a kit to do it made by WildBill if you do search you should come up with it. You can do it yourself but the kit is simple and easy. Just need to buy the fluid and pump it in. When I got my car I did mine and got virtually nothing out of the old fluid so eventually it would have failed due to lack of lubrication.

 

I laugh too because every single Japanese "luxury" vehicle is a 95% recycled Honda/Toyota/Nissan platform and badge engineering, yet car critics and magazines inexplicably kiss up to those vehicles as if they where made by the personal hand of God.

What is even more incredible is that you would never confuse an X TYPE or an S type for that matter with any vehicle from the Ford line up of that time. Not even a little. Like them or hate them, they where unique.

And even **more** puzzling us the fact that the current Jaguar vehicles still share many, many Ford components, and now have gone to a more **ahem** mainstream or generic look and those cars are getting fantastic reviews for throwing all their heritage out of the window., yet still same thing under the skin

Can't help but wonder how often these car industry magazines and ratings are driven by ulterior motives and agendas than an actual appreciation for the beauty of a vehicles..

Ironically in this age of mass instant communication and information people are more than ever told what to think and like, and the Ford era Jaguars where branded as Tauruses, Mondeos, Contours, and Lincoln LS's by the powers that be, so that's what what people regurgitate regardless of reality.

Happy Memorial Day!