Hello all,

My 2015 XF V8 Supercharged was backed into by a Jeep Compass a few weeks ago. After initial inspection everything looked fine, just a small indention on the grill where the tow eye on her bumper hit mine. Fast forward about 20 minutes later and I smelled something, and then saw steam coming from the hood. I pulled it over, got it towed to our local european shop. The shop adjuster couldn't find a connection between the engine overheat and the accident--and wouldn't move forward with fixing it--at least not on State Farm's dime. He would however fix it for me if I wrote him a check for just under $24k. His estimate includes an engine replacement. I passed and call the Jaguar up in Richmond VA. The service guy didn't offer much advice, and I didn't get to the bottom of anything there. He did say that the local guy could be right, the engine might need replacement--and that's exactly what they would say as well.

I filled it with water when I had it brought back to my home, and ran it for 15 seconds when I backed it into the garage. Now, I'm looking for some advice on what to do next. I have full coverage via Progressive, and they want me to find a shop that will work on it. I've contacted 2 other local shops. One was too busy and the other said they would have a very hard time finding parts for Jaguars and passed. Anyone have any advice here? Has anyone had a similar situation?

Thanks ahead,

lastcall4dektol

 

Not an expert on any of this, but my experience has been that there's a "squeaky wheel" approach. I'd make it my full time job to call and call and call State Farm to get them to reconsider. Don't just deal with Jeep Lady's insurance, but go through yours as well.

There's no way that your engine randomly went after a motor vehicle accident.

 

If the engine was run for 20 minutes with lots of coolant exiting the system it could be bad for the engine. Just depends how hot the engine got before switched off.
It sounds like the Jeep might have punctured the radiator and that would be a real situation.
This has been said many times before. If you are not a DIY car fixing person spend a few dollars and join the local Jaguar club. Chances are you can get reasonable advice on what to do next. Jag club folks are keen to help you keep your Jaguar on the road, commercial car shops need to make money and they have a different agenda.

 

Was your car engine cold at the time of the accident, i.e parked up and cold engine ? If so you may not have noticed a coolant leak, but if the engine was hot, and the radiator pierced, I would expect steam and coolant to have flowed out onto the tarmac. Driving a car with an aluminium engine for 20 minutes with no coolant is a recipe for disaster, I'm afraid. When you notice steam from the hood, what reading did you have on the coolant gauge ? Did the shop top-up the coolant whilst they examined the car ? How much coolant did you have to add back home ?

Did he expand on the problem ? Surely you got more than a single sentence !

 

when you opened the bonnet was there any coolant

 

Don't start getting too negative and calling it a thing! You have now entered the realm of owning a classic car. Be positive. Every fault you find and repair is a good thing. I am constantly finding something that is worn that could be left for another year but I replace it to make the car more reliable. I am constantly buying second hand original parts that are a little bit better condition than the part I all ready have on the car and swapping them over to make the car smarter. That is just the way with a classic car.
Although my car does not have a name many do. It makes the car more personal to the owner and more cherished.
We are not really the owners but the custodians and we must do anything we can to make the car the best it can be so it will live on with the next custodian and the next. One of the reason I try and keep my car as original as possible. If I change too much on the car it then becomes too personal to me and perhaps not liked by the next custodian as much.