Yea the x-type is definitely one of those cars where the owners are the only ones that understand it. (generally)

I mean the car has been on just about every "Worst cars of all-time" list I have seen. Yet most of us on this forum still love our cars. Either we are all stupid or there is something special about this car.

 

As someone said earlier, a lot of it had to do with the car being sold new. With the car not selling so well and whatever else the car's resale value plummeted and ended up being called a "failure." To the people buying them used it's a great car but to those on the other side they were screwed.

IMO my sport brand new with everything but heated seats and navi for $40k seemed like a good deal overall. When I look back now $40k is actually pretty high irregardless of whether it was a jag or not.

 

The X-Type, like all Jaguar cars, is a true piece of junk. But I own one, and I like it anyway.

Automotive design nowadays involves INTEGRATION. Taking a Jatco transmission or a Getrag clutch or a Ford engine or an Alpine stereo, bolting it all together, and making sure the pieces work as a system. This is where Jaguar regrettably falls on its face. For some reason, other companies can bolt the parts together better than Jaguar.

Jaguar has always designed marginal cars. Whereas BMW, Honda, and others have designed vehicles that could last 150,000 miles brainlessly, Jags are designed to last the length of the warranty (e.g. 50,000 miles) and any time beyond that falls in the "borrowed" category. That means it's a post-50,000 mile lottery, and whether your car is a lucky one or not is a crapshoot.

Problems with Jag's engineering are systemic, not just one-off for the X-Type. When Phil Edmonston says "Jaguar is proof positive that the British can't build cars," he isn't joking. Late 90's XJ's would destroy their Mercedes transmissions around the 100k mile mark (while the Mercedes transmissions worked fine in Mercedes-Benz's), Late 90's XK's had their Nikasil plated engines, and the X-Type has its notorious "sealed for death" transfer case and marginal transmission. These are just a few examples over the past decade of how Jag builds cars with an unpleasant "gotcha" that usually happens out of warranty, but not far enough out of warranty to be usual wear and tear. Don't forget that repair co$t$ are out of this world on the X-Type, and simple things like an inaccurate fuel gauge or oil pan gasket (both are common X-Type problems) will cost around $1000 each to repair.

As for the bad car reviews, none that I read really address what it's like to be a long term Jag owner. They blab on about how the car handles, its suspension, etc. I generally disagree with most of the bad car reviews; having driven an ex's 325i and comparing it to the X-Type, each had its own unique positive characteristics. I love the handling of the X-Type, great in the winter time (well, except I have unacceptably MAJOR rust at 6 years and 95k miles), and sport tires in the summer make it a thrill on curves. The initial review in Car & Driver going back 7 years ago was the only one to point out that the X-Type has a 20% more stiff chassis than the 3-series, and it's definitely noticeable.

The best way to enjoy your Jag experience is to lease one, buy one with an extended warranty, or take the sale price (around $5k or less on eBay now), and double it, knowing you'll probably drop $5k in repairs and you've already got it in the bank. Find a reputable Jag mechanic, and find a good junkyard (Coventry West is my fav) and rely on them for parts.

I hate to rain on the parade, the X-Type is a fun car to drive, they're priced at bargains out there, but they're priced at bargains for a reason. Having proper expectations about Jag ownership will keep your happiness in line and avoid frustration.

--Geoff // Ottawa Canada
03 X-Type Sport 2.5 146k km
06 S-Type R (non-Sport edition) 46k miles

 

Very nice post :-)

 

Pretty sure I said more than once that he should save the money that he's not going to spend buying a used x-type for future repairs. There is no guarantee that the car is going to have major problems, it's just nice to be prepared for the worst.

Find something that is better for the same amount of money that you'd rather drive...it wont happen I've tried!

 

My 05 Sport is a certified used and has warranty till 2011 or 100K. From here on out though the warranty fully covers anything mechanical. So belts, hoses, rubber seals etc will not be covered but anything else is w/o a co-pay. So buying a certified used is a good deal in my opinion. That would be the best way to go if I were suggesting buying one.

I think the x-type sports are very nice looking cars. I see bmw, mercedes, lexus on every corner all day long. I live in Des Moines Iowa and I've only seen one other Sport. So mine being all blacked out definitely stands out in a crowd.

 

Yes they were expensive when new. But only for 02 and 03. Had I waited a year, they started giving significant discounts starting 04. Last 3 years my dealer was basically just giving them away. Selling them for $15000 off MSRP!!! Paying $25k-28k for a brand new loaded 3.0 was a definite steal compared to competitors. But this of course shows in the used car market. Same thing happened to the BMW Z4 and M roadster/coupe. Those were going for $8-15k under sticker.

 

Jjones I live in iowa city....nice to know there's another iowan on here. And like you said...there's a total of about 5 or 6 x types around here...so it'll definetly stand out when I get one

 

This is why the car was considered a failure! LOL

 

I just have to get this off my chest: I cant stand the look of the sport X-Type, LOL. I'm tired of you guys telling people to "make sure" they get a sport. Dont get me wrong, if they are looking for a peppier ride, by all means encourage them to get a sport. However, I have a 2005 3.0 and it is fast enough for my driving needs. I didnt exactly buy the X to be a drag racer. And this is coming from a former turbo Supra driver. My point is, I love the look and ride of my X, and its performance is just what I expected of an entry level luxury sedan.

People admire the car because of its unmistakable Jaguar styling, and I think the chrome trim is a part of that. The sport paints everything out in going for a diferent look. Different strokes for different folks. One looks more elegant, the other looks more youthful. Choose the one you want. I did, and I'm as happy as a lark despite it not being a sport.

rant over. )

 

Hey skynyrd4212, I assume you are a hawkeye fan. I didn't go to to college here in iowa, so I support all the schools, but I prefer Iowa Football to the rest.

We have quite a few x-types in DSM but zero sports.

 

that i am, i go to the university of iowa. the only people ive seen driving around iowa city with x types are middle aged men, certainly not any 20 year olds like myself haha.

 

I'm 33 and I seem to be the youngest with a jag around here. Get head turns from hot milfs in lexus SUVs though. That's a plus.

 

9/10 people would prefer the look of the sport.

IMO the non-sport model look cheap with the chrome. There isn't a difference in performance between a sport and non sport. The only difference (that matters car wise) is the seats are snugger (extremely more comfortable than the regular seats) and the suspension is a tad lower. My 3.0 sport was no peppier than a non-sport 3.0, it just happened to look classier!

BTW did you ever drive a sport model to notice the differences? I had a 07 as a rental and the seats sucked...

 

I'm hoping to do the same with some of the 20,000 college girls here haha

 

There's a 3rd Iowan here too..expat. You don't see too many X-Types in Ottumwa, nor do you see many of us under-35's driving one. :-)

 

Yeah agreed, im 16, and we only have 4 other x types int town the rest are the old v12s, or a few s types, and the only 1 xkr, which is nice. I reebr a little while back i was coming home from work, and this guy in a xj12 tunred in front and as soon as we saw each others hood ornament we nodded to each other, wheres ur in a bmw/ mercedes they just act all weird. Not to mention the ladies love the x, thats a big bonous.

 

The sport is not about drag racing. It's about better cornering, lower and stiffer suspension, much nicer seats. I love the more pronounced side bolsters. But the non-sport seats still tend to have bigger bolsters than most other cars. If I could do it again I would definitely go for a silver Sport 3.0 manual.

 

On my x-type rental I hated how I'd slide all over in the seat. If your at all over say 250lbs the sport model seats are a tight and probably uncomfortable fit.

By the end of the first day I had the rental I couldn't wait to have my car back, although I loved having heated seats!

 

Yea I do slide on my seats especially after cleaning/conditioning the leather. But I'm only 142 lbs. I'm working out to get bigger though.

And the heated seats in the x-type are an absolute joke. In winter when you need them, they take about 5-10 mins to get hot. So basically it takes as long as it takes your heater to warm up. Which is ridiculous. The bimmer takes 45 secs to heat up to max.