As a replacement to my 2008 Cadillac CTS (I live in Europe, not the US) I'm thinking about getting an XJ, what I would like the most is the XJL with NA 5.0. Or, alternatively, I'm considering the Lexus GS 350. I didn't find a lot of threads about the X351, hence why I'm making a thread...

So anyway, I know there were several refreshes (as listed on Wikipedia), the 2012 one being the most significant, I suppose. I'm going to have a look at a 2012, but before the refresh ( SAJAA26P4CLV33586 ) .

What are the things one should look out for when checking out a used XJ? Aside from the cooling (tubes, pump).

Can you change the language in the instrument cluster?

I understand there is air suspension in the car, at least partially. How long does it generally hold? I suppose this question could apply to the whole car. Some cars just keep falling apart soon after about 150k km.

 

If you live in Europe, you won't find many 5 litre V8 petrols about, it will mostly be diesels. This is due to the taxation on large-engined petrol cars. The diesel is a 3 litre and propels the car pretty well, almost as well as the NA V8. It is turbocharged, of course, and has a timing belt so there is that to replace when a mileage or time is reached. If you have a look at the forum, you'll see the V8 waterpump is a known issue, as is leaks from the coolant header tank and thermostat housing. Cracking noises from the sun roof were once common, but this has been dealt with more or less now. Suspension is coils front, air rear. Design is the same as the previous model so the short life of some of the bushes, (a know issue with the previous model), is likely carried forward to these cars. Car is totally aluminium like the previous model, (steel subframes, though).

I have test driven a diesel saloon over four days in 2018 and its a very nice car, but a bit too big for me. I can be difficult manoevering in tight car parks. One quirk I found was the high waist level of the doors meant it was impossible to insert the parking ticket into the machine at the exit, so the door has to be opened. Maybe that's because I am short, (5' 5")

 

You want the 8 speed automatic so look for 2013 and up with the lowest mileage. Avoid the diesels.
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I can vouch for the reliability and performance of the 3-litre V6 diesel. Well, pre-2016 anyway. That engine was re-tuned up to 300 H.P & 700 N-m torque but because of a slight re-positioning of the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF), that engine now suffers from oil dilution issues, especially in cars that don't get to drive long distances (enough for the DPF to regenerate properly). So in short, steer clear of the later diesel models.
I have a SWB Portfolio which is pretty well fully loaded except for the nice little toys in the rear (TV screens, vibrating and reclining seats, etc.) that come with the LWB "Autobiography" models. I also have a tuning box plugged in which raises the H.P. up to around 319 H.P. from 275 (if you set it to its max setting) but more importantly, a torque figure around 685 N-m (from 600). This ain't far short of the 5-litre S/C figures and certainly embarrasses many spotty youths in their hot-hatches when taking off from the lights.
But my advice: Go and test drive as many variants as you can and then decide.

 

I can vouch for the reliability and performance of the 3-litre V6 diesel. Well, pre-2016 anyway. That engine was re-tuned up to 300 H.P & 700 N-m torque but because of a slight re-positioning of the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF), that engine now suffers from oil dilution issues, especially in cars that don't get to drive long distances (enough for the DPF to regenerate properly). So in short, steer clear of the later diesel models.
I have a SWB Portfolio which is pretty well fully loaded except for the nice little toys in the rear (TV screens, vibrating and reclining seats, etc.) that come with the LWB "Autobiography" models. I also have a tuning box plugged in which raises the H.P. up to around 319 H.P. from 275 (if you set it to its max setting) but more importantly, a torque figure around 685 N-m (from 600). This ain't far short of the 5-litre S/C figures and certainly embarrasses many spotty youths in their hot-hatches when taking off from the lights.https://discord.software/ https://omegle.onl/ vshare
But my advice: Go and test drive as many variants as you can and then decide.