Hi Guys I'm looking at buying a second hand x- type jaguar and was wondering if there is anything I need to look out for ie common problems with different years of the x type, Cheers in advance.

 

Does dashboard display look like a Christmas Tree all lit up?
Price is the key, they can be had often for 2K.
That leaves you some wiggle room for repairs.
May not need any so then you can drink the savings.

Pull the codes if any, then you can get some good advice.

 

I'd say try and find the cleanest, lowest mileage, garage kept one you can that has been well looked after and maintained.

Make sure to listen for any whining or droning noises during the test drive when at speed, accelerating, decelerating, turning left/right as these cars tend to have transfer case, drive-shaft support bearing, and front wheel bearing problems.

Get the car nice and warm to make sure it's shifting properly also as the automatic transmissions are prone to fail as well.

The oil pan gasket tends to leak and the catalytic converters can go bad as well and each of these repairs isn't easy or cheap.

Front suspension lower control arm, and rear suspension bushing wear is pretty common so check the lower control arm bushings, and be sure the tires are wearing evenly and that the car isn't wobbling around in turns or clunking when going over bumps or potholes. The lug nuts are a lousy design so you may want to try and take each tire off to see if they are in one piece or if the cover is spinning on the lug nut or you could easily be in for trouble if you get a flat.

On the top of the engine vacuum leaks are common as the intake manifold gaskets and hoses get old and brittle, and the cooling system tank is prone to leak, and battery cable ends where they hook to the battery can get hot and cause battery lights as well but they are all pretty easy repairs that don't cost much.

Lastly, make sure it's got 2 keys (at minimum) and use a good scan tool to check to see if it's got any codes, or check engine lights as you absolutely want to make sure to get them all fixed as part of the sale as there can be a bunch of little things that aren't too expensive or difficult to fix that can quickly add up to serious money if you have to tackle them all at once.

These cars are beautiful but just know going in that while they are pretty to look at, and drive nice, they do require a bit more maintenance/upkeep than most. If you are pretty good at DIY then it isn't too bad, especially with all the great support on this forum, but if you have to rely on someone else to do the work, it could be costly.

 

What a beautiful, inclusive and easy to digest post. Medal's in the mail.