Is it common for these engines to have loud lifters? I've also been reading many CarFax reports and it appears common for water pump replacements. I've even found one car for sale with 17,000 miles and the transmission was already replaced. Are breakdowns something I need to be prepared for?

 

Check out post #20 in this thread:
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...failure-89647/

 

Don't confuse lifter noise with direct injector noise. They sound similar but injector noise is normal especially at idle when injector cycling speed is lowest.

 

Go with the 2012..Most all the bugs have been worked out..

 

Transmission or transmission selector replaced? I've not heard of any faulty ZF transmissions.

 

Be careful of what you read, and careful that you understand it. Jagular is correct; these cars have a very smooth and quiet valve train, the noises heard at idle are associated with the direct injectors operating at extremely high fuel pressure. He is also correct that the "replaced transmission" you have heard of is almost certainly a replacement of the transmission control knob on the console. You needn't be concerned about reliability, the 2010 and later XF's rank higher in build quality and customer satisfaction than anything coming out of Germany and on a par with the very best from Japan. My 2011 XF Premium has been absolutely perfect for 20 months and 25000 miles.

 

I'm curious as to the general consensus regarding 09 model year reliability. Is it seen as being substantially less than 2010+ model years?

 

Dunno about the reliability, but, if you drive both an '09 and a '10 or later you will leave the 4.2 l in the dust and go for the 5.0 l...supercharged or not. The 5.0 is a thing of beauty! I test drove the NA and Supercharged versions of both engines before buying and the difference is significant.

 

Yes, I definitely don’t want the “Slow One”. What I find strange is that the retail value is very similar between the 300hp and 385hp cars. It must not get advertised much that there’s a difference or people don’t care.

I feel greatly more relaxed and comforted knowing now that what I was hearing under the hood is the direct injection and normal.

We’re looking for a 2010-12 XF Premium Certified Pre-owned Jaguar with under 20k miles, one owner, no rentals, no northern cars, no front license plate bracket or holes in the bumper, no accidents or paint work, non smoker, no London Tan leather seats, has to have the Premium wheels 19’s or 20’s, service records, Portfolio a major plus, exterior colors-(Claret, Taiga Green British Racing Green, Botanical Green Metallic, Polaris White, Porcelain, Stratus Gray, Lunar Gray, Indigo Blue, Spectrum Blue, Crystal Blue Metallic, Frost Blue, Azurite Blue), out the door for $34k $35k max.

I found this one that interests me. I just don’t like that they ordered every Chrome accessory from Arden and stuck it all on a black car. Blacked out cars looked cool, black and chrome isn’t my style.
I feel that the chrome on a silver car would look nice. I also hate the pin striping. I really like that it only has 6k miles, is certified, one owner, not a rental, from Fl, no accidents and few other things. I also don’t think I can get it out the door for $34k-35k.
XF 5.0L V8 32V GDI DOHC 4Dr

I would have to get the Coventry Whitley wheels for this car in gloss black with the mirror cut lip 20x8.5 front 20x10 rear.
http://www.coventrywheels.com/jaguar-wheels.php

 

I like the car, but not so much the Leaper on an XF. The only thing I would do is compare the GPS/display systems on the 2012+ cars against the older models. I don't have experience with the <2012 year cars, but have heard many comments that the newer cars are much better.