Most of you X-type guys probably don't know me, but I post a lot over in the XK8 section. I've been looking for a car for my son, and I keep being drawn to the X-Types. He's 21, in college, and his Sebring that I bought him five and a half years ago finally conked out with 180K on the odometer. It's not worth fixing. I've looked at lots of cars in the past few weeks, including lots of American cars and some Saabs and ricers, but I keep seeing X-Types slightly over the price range I was originally looking in. I started off looking in the $4K to $6K range, but I've moved up to the $6K to $8K range just because most of the cheaper stuff was complete junk.

Anyway... What kind of pitfalls am I going to run into with a car like this?:

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/ctd/1931169884.html

It's a 2003 X-Type with 92,000 miles on it. My 2003 XK8 has 83K on it and it's still running great. It has a couple of minor issues that I need to iron out, but I took it on a 7000 mile trip earlier this summer and I drive it to the beach or up to the mountains nearly every weekend. I know that Jags aren't known as the most reliable cars in the world, but what's the consensus on X-Types? Would I be throwing my money into a pit, or would it most likely be a reliable car for commuting to work and school?

 

I have an 03 which I bought in June of this year, so far I have had no problems with it. It only had 23048 miles on it and was owned by a older women. Which I verified as the dealer gave me her phone number and we had a nice long talk about the car. If I talked to her before I bought the car I would have NEVER bought this car. It is going to be a problem an expensive one, once things start to go, and if you read post on this forum U will find out things go on these cars, which in other brands, would last a lot longer. The only advantage for me is this car is fun to drive. I have to say I wish I had not bought this car.

 

Sam, for the most part, if the check engine light is off and the motor is not making any noises, you will be just fine. The common problems with these cars is related to either the transfer case (weak link of the drivetrain), the throttle body (throws CEL codes left and right and in general limits power), and vacuum leaks (throws CEL codes about vacuum leaks). Most of the other problems I see with these cars are very few and far between and normally are not something I would worry about.

The transfer case is a design issue. No way around that. But, as long as the driver is sensible with the gas, the transfer case will outlast the car. You decide to use the power a lot, plan on replacing the transfer case every 30K miles or so (depending on how often the power is applied). When a new transfer case is $3000 to be replaced, it can be an expensive lesson to learn.

As for the throttle body, this is the common failure if there is going to be one with the engine that is an expensive fix. Not many people have issues, but it is worth noting. A new throttle body is $1600 through Jaguar. You can get them rebuilt for around $400, but then the car is down for about a week as you send the throttle body off and then they send one back to you.

As for the vacuum leaks, these are more of a nuisance than anything. THey will throw a code and hurt the mileage a little bit, but in the big scheme of things, they are an easy fix. $3 IMT o-rings, or a $15 vacuum hose on the intake, or a $15 vacuum line between the intake and brake booster (all take about 10 minutes to fix).

If you are looking at an X-Type, give the car a drive. As long as you are not feeling any vibrations and not hearing any strange noises, pick it up. I think you will like the car and it should be very reliable for a long time.

 

I have an 07 x type that I bought new in Aug 06. I've had very few issues. Maintenance costs are at par with my previous cars - Mercedes C 280 and Acura TL.

Since you own a jag, you know the pros and cons

Compared to other cars in it's class I find the x type to be more distinctive. Here in DC and at my office almost every 2nd car is a BMW 3 series or Benz C Class. I get a lot of compliments for my x and most of my friends think it compares to an E Class rather than the C.....

 

I went and looked at the one in the ad I posted above. The battery was completely dead and the tires are nearly bald. The batt was dead as a doornail; no lights, no nothing. He went and got a jumper/charger thingy and I started it up. The dealer was just blown away when I started the engine and the CEL was on! He couldn't believe it! It wasn't on yesterday, he said! LOL! He said he'd go get his OBD tool to reset the code, as if resetting the code fixed the problem. I told him not to bother and I pulled one out of my trunk.

It was throwing a P1000 and a P1603. The P1000 is normal, I think. I looked up the P1603 and it just means that the battery was disconnected while the ignition was on, which makes sense. It was in pretty good shape overall. I'm still interested, but If I decide to buy it I'm going to have to get a serious price concession from the dealer. It obviously needs a battery, 4 tires, new brake pads all the way around...

 

Sam, you know that any car closing in on 100K miles is only going to be as good as the care it got along the way. This is really going to be true with the X-Type. What kind of records does it come with?

 

Hey Sam, you've already been given some sound advice by the looks of it, but do yourself a favour and really check out the X type quick FAQ link thread.
The TC will be your major concern, althought here's been plenty on here who've done a flush and replaced the fluids...sealed for life..no way!
The 02's were the early ones and did have some other minor issues, mostly covered in the X type section FAQ links.
Drivers door handle can be inoperative......easy fix
Dash vents popping up.....relatively easy fix

If the records are good and you're happy with the Transfer case...(no whining) and you get a good price, go for it!

There's some great guys in the X type section for help if needed.

Cheers

 

That was a nice surprise Sam lol
When I saw your post on this forum I was surprized but glad to see you are thinking of buying another Jag .
My best wishes for you and trust you can find a decent one ,parts should be cheaper than your XK too

 

Personally if I were considering a car with 100k miles I'd probably get a Honda or Toyota or Subaru. Europeans tend to be much more expensive for repairs. On my 280 I had my radiator go out then replaced a window regulator and an exhaust component shortly after 30 k. All paid by warranty, but out of pocket these would have been significant. I am sure the same will apply for the x type.

So far I've had to lube the e brake cable to stop a squeak and replace bushings in my rear control arm. Done under warranty, but I'd guess this type of repairs would be on going. My x type has around 35k miles and 4 years old.

My previous Acura TL I kept until 115k miles. Total major repairs other than maintenance work work was not more than 2k in total. No engine or transmission work ever!

Worst money pit was my BMW 325i. I bought it used with around 20k miles and 2 years old. Warranty at the time was 3 years - this was circa 2000. In any case, I was spending several hundred dollars each month to fix things. I loved the car, but it was a maintenance nightmare.

Based on my and others I know experiences, I'd not buy a European or American used car with over 60k or more miles as a daily driver if hassle free were a criteria.

But European cars are more fun to drive for sure. My wife has a Subaru Forrester XT (2009) now and it's tinny and my previous TL was fun but pales in comparison as a satifying drivers car compared to my current x. My wife loves the x as well

Initially I thought I'd keep my C 280 and sell the x for an XF. But we decided to keep the x over the c for better styling, more comfort and (strange as it may seem) the audio system (which includes the Alpine + ACM). Haven't regretted the decision one bit. In fact, it's great to be able to drive it much more now. We take it on all our long trips...

The real second guessing I am doing is getting an XF, which seems too delicate for the pot hole ridden Washington DC roads! After grazing, denting and fixing all 4 rims it mostly sits comfortably at home.

 

Domestic cars get bad raps, but many are the equal or even surpass most other cars, Asian or European. Am I biased? You're darn right I am!

My wife's Buick Rainier (SUV) has 124k miles on it with the only real repair being tires at 84k. It's unbelievably reliable. And with AWD, it goes through dang near anything. Her next SUV will most probably be a Lincoln MKX. Her mom and dad's Honda Odyssey has had problems with the doors opening since day one and the rear hatch (lift gate?) has also given them problems. Her sister's Toyota cost over $3k for brakes, and she complains constantly that it has zero acceleration.

My Caddy has 53k on it and has had its differential replaced (on warranty), not because it failed, but because it developed an audible whine. The new diff is being subjected to nearly 50% more HP than stock and is doing just fine. 0-60 MPH is around 4.3 seconds. It does have two buttons on the NAV unit that are losing paint after 5-1/2 years.

Prior to these, I sold my Ford Taurus SHO with 146k on it. The only issue was that the A/C went kaput and was too pricey to fix so on the block it went.

I've had my '04 X-Type for 2-1/2 months now (73,2xx miles), and it has three significant issues: 1) oil pan leaks a quart or more every 3k miles, 2) has a code related to the MAP that I have yet to find time to deal with, and 3) the trunk doesn't unlock at times and the transmitter in general sucks (pardon my rather crude descriptive term, however, it fits to a T).

IMHO, it depends on what your son wants. If reliability is important, don't discount domestic cars. Many (not ALL) are very reliable. And if something does go wrong, they're easy to repair, and parts are readily available.

Good Luck!

 

Sam, a friend of mine has a 2002 3.0 AWD sport and loves it, but he has only put about 10k on it. I have heard the issues with the transfer case and everything else seems to be pretty manageable.

Myself, I would look at something a bit older but more proven. Here is a '97 XJR in Raleigh. This is supposed to be one of the best years for the XJ6 series as everything was pretty solid at that point. Not sure if it is what I would recommend for a 21 year old, but the price doesn't look bad.

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/1935976772.html

 

Sam,

Your post brings back such fond memories of when I was off at college, and my father was buying his Cadillac Allante (when they just came out). He was driving an 84 Eldorado Convertible and was trading it in. I remember being at the dealership, begging him not to trade it in... He gave me a long smile, and tossed me the keys and said "You can have her for college"... Man did the girls like driving in that Caddy...

Anyway - let’s look at the overall situation. Your son is 21 and at college. Maintaining a car (no matter what car) will not be his first priority. Grades and Girls are all that matter now - as it should be.

Now I just bought my 02 X-Type and I absolutely LOVE it...and I’m coming from a long line of nice cars (Audi A6, Audi A4, Lexus SC400, Porsche 944 Cabriolet, Porsche 928s, etc). The Jag offers a super nice ride, and head turning style...BUT it also requires an owner to make sure it is maintained. In terms of "ignored maintenance" - the Jag will not be as "forgiving" as a German or Japanese car.

With that said, why don’t you look at a Nissan Maxima, or Toyota Avalon? Great cars, that will last, won’t require constant maintenance, and can be purchased in your price range and with the higher miles not being such a "factor"...

If AWD is a concern, then an Audi A4 or Volvo S40 will fit the build nicely...just have to make sure you swap out the timing belt.

 

I ended up buying him a 2003 Saab 9-3 convertible. It is SWEET! It's not as nice as my XK8, but it's still fun to drive. The weather around here has been beautiful for driving with the top down, and I've taken advantage of it the last few days.

But, back to the X-type in the ad up above, I went back to that dealer just to see what I could do on the price. It turned out that the actual miles on the vehicle are unknown (despite what it says in the ad), and that it has a salvaged title. I told him that even at $6000 he's still asking about $3K too much.

Thanks for the tips. I still like the looks of the X-types and I might buy one for myself in the next few months. You can never have too many cars.

 

HEY I GOT MY 2002 2.5 X TYPE WHEN I WAS 16, just saying a young kid can manage just as long as his prorities arnt drag racing everyone.

Im currently in college for pre med pre pharm, and your statment of school cannot be more true. In college you have to choose between three things, good grades, sleep and social life, adding a fourth is not productive lol, o by the way you can only pick two.

Long and short, if your planning on getting him a jag, and he/she live in the winter hit areas, the x type is the best chioce, the awd in this car is amazing. I can speack from experience, just ask me and ill give you a stroy about how the silver leaper guided me through the canadain winters.

How ever it does have a price, its a luxury vehicle, not a "normal" vehicle. If something goes, its going to be a bit more then a "normla" vehicles just cuase of the brand, commonness ( is that a word?) and the damage or repair part itself.

So Its up to you, do you want some style, safety, in general a great reliable car, with a few finicky bits that come up once in a while or something thats more bullet proof say a japense car or a american.

You may see us telling you about the failure points on this vehicle, and may be frightened off. dont be afraid these problems are few in number, many 02s for instance had problems, mines been problem free since the day i got it.

Ask yourself, " If i was going to college, now an days, would i want something expensive, that can be vandalised, and protentailly a headache if not taken car of, or something simple that gets me to and from school"

 

Too late to the chase haha i guess for me

 

Wise choice. That X Type had too many unknowns. If you were looking for a project that is one thing, but a hassle free vehicle for your son that might not have been a great choice.

The SAAB should do you well. They are a very good value on the used car market. I'm biased of course, I've had 8 of them over the past 15 years or so. If he gets into tuning the Saab, there are some go fast goodies for that turbo and there is a tuner in N. Carolina.....