Hi all
I'm planning to make an addition to my stable and put my eyes on a 2016 XF 35t r-sport AWD with 109000km.
Of course its not an easy one (all my cars where wrecks when I bought them): The XF does crank but not start. Display shows 'low battery, please start engine' and 'Smart Key low battery'.
I haven't seen the car with my own eyes yet, so I can't say if the above messages are because they tried cranking for too long or because the battery is really down.
Apparently the car was serviced by Jag, but I do not know yet if Jaguar checked it already, I also don't have any fault codes yet, will try to get that.

Question: is the supercharged V6 known to have catastropic mechanical failures? Or are there other (expensive) possibilities that result in the car cranking but not starting? The selling price suggests that the seller calculated the repair costs with ~10 grand.

Thanks,
Chris

 

No.

Could be anything but the X260 is very reliable. If you read the various forums you'll find few complaints of them not starting or motor failures.

 

I would look around to see what else is on sale in and around Switzerland. A car on sale that won't start and the vendor won't say anything at all about it seems a recipe for disaster for the buyer.

 

I agree, that would be rational. But it also removes the challenge, the opportunity to learn new stuff, and admittely also a lot of pain and troubles and unexpected money spending.

Talked to the vendor meanwhile. Story is that the car apperantly lost coolant and overheated. Never started since then. Jaguar did not provide the codes they pulled but said they need to open the engine to assess the damage.
Chris

 

A very clear "Danger Ahead" signal, and if it were me, I'd not buy the car unless it is sold for parts at a very low price. Overheating with these aluminium engines is usually fatal because the block distorts. This happens because people continue to drive the car after the coolant has disappeared onto the road. The result is the engine is scrap metal for weighing-in at a scrap yard.

However if you have access to a replacement engine or know of one, and are happy to spend a load of money buying and fitting it, then go ahead. Just make sure the price is right ! However, better to buy a running car, surely ?

 

To the veteran forum chaps here:
Is it likely that an overheated, warped engine would still crank?

 

I doubt the block is "warped". Usually it's the heads that come out of true/flat and often they can be milled. That shouldn't stop it from turning over though and most often drastic overheating usually results in a blown head gasket. Then again I've heard "warped engine" several times in reference to the Jaguar/Ford V6 motors so there must be something to it. If you're not prepared to replace the motor don't go there.

 

Due to the design of the cooling jackets in the block, once the coolant has been removed, the block will distort as heat builds up rapidly.

+1 on finding another running car with a service history.

 

So Chris..
Given these admonitions, what price are you facing for this crippled XF?

 

14900CHF, thats 13900EUR or 15900USD. Its a 2016 with 109000km on the clock.
As a reference, a running 2016 with 108900km is on sale for 28900CHF

 

the car is gone, looks like it wasn't that bad of a deal.
Chris