Tried and failed miserably to get a decent X-type for a winter runabout while my XK8 sleeps. Every one of them so far has been a rust bucket or the sellers just don't respond after questioning.

But I believe in serendipity.

An XJ8 at a bargain price has popped up not too far away from me (less than the X-type heaps of rust I saw). This is actually my preferred "other car". I have loved this model since the XJ6's when I was a kid in England. Cops and robbers ride of choice.
The seller has been very honest (nice middle-aged lady). The car overheats very quickly (15 minutes) so is parked up in her garage. No other issues. She says thermostat, but could be water pump too I suppose. Says car is holding coolant. It's just not doing its job.
Am I right to take a gamble, buy it and fix those things, or am I barking mad and wasting my limited retirement funds? (I don't want a divorce over my Jag obsession.)

We have a truck and I can rent a car trailer for about $120/day. I have asked her to verify the sills' integrity (stuck my fingers right through an otherwise beautiful X-type's this afternoon!). She says gear shifts are smooth, no clunks and reverse engages. It's a 2004 XJ8, 135K miles. I will of course run an OBD2 before parting with cash but will have blown the trailer rental and a day traveling by that point.

What do you guys think? I would love to join the XJ* clan, but don't want a boat anchor... Thanks!

 

Well, it's not going to be rusty because it's aluminum, but the overheating is an issue. How long has it been run while overheated? What does the oil look like? Doesn't matter that it holds coolant, because leaks won't be apparent until it's hot and under pressure.

Conceivable that it's a blocked thermostat. The rubbery material around the thermostat gets brittle with age and breaks off, possibly jamming the thermostat. Mine jammed open, so I was getting codes thrown when the temperature came up too slowly!

Water pump might be the issue, too, but generally a water pump that fails will be loose enough to make horrible noises, or even throw the belt. What does the coolant look like? If it's gummy, as opposed to pure liquid, it's possible an incorrect coolant has been added that doesn't mx with the original OAT coolant and has reacted, formed "gunk" in the coolant, and the result is clogs in the system which will be difficult to service.

My concern about overheating would be the aluminum engine. What does the oil on the dipstick look like? If it's chocolate milk shake, run away and far, as coolant is in the oil. More effort than you wanted just for checkout, but if it's remotely suspicious, I would get under the car and pop the oil drain plug just for a second and make sure it's oil, not water, that comes out. You'd have to remove the aero under-body panel, though.

Personally, I wouldn't buy a car that's got a known overheating problem. Possible that it's an easy fix, but very likely that the fix is more than the car will cost.

 

My question would be; she’s aware of it overheating and says it’s holding coolant but it’s just not doing its job so, how long did she drive it over temp or how many times has she done so. Was it an “it overheated and I shut it down and had it towed” and it’s been parked since or something longer (or even made multiple short trips) where there may be serious damage?

if it was an “it overheated and I had it towed” I would be not quite as concerned about damage.

as wfooshee mentioned; check the oil for water but also check the coolant reservoir for nastiness. A nasty mess could indicate head gaskets or cracks in block or head. If the coolant is going out the tailpipe a lot of the time many people don’t even realize it.

btw; I’m in SW Michigan . I just rented a trailer to retrieve my newly acquired 04 VDP. I rented a U-haul car trailer for $68 for 24 hours. . It’s not a fortune difference but no sense paying more than necessary and it’s actually a decent car trailer. It has built in ramps and fold down drivers side fender.

 

Personally, I would definitely pass on the XJ8 as I suspect that the engine is toast. Yes, the Jaguar XJ8s are indeed great cars, but the ones that are still registered are old vehicles now (with the oldest models on the verge of becoming 21 year old vehicles). If you plan on sticking with the Jaguar, then I would certainly aim my sights at the newer models out there.

 

I would never by a car with a 135k on it! But the other side of this is, it didn't get to 135k without allot of major parts being replaced. So, if the engine doesn't have a blown head gasket or other serious damage, and it's pennies to buy??? How many owners and does she have the repair records dating back to whenever? And don't forget; tires, brakes, muffler (potential leaks), shocks, ball joints, etc., are all expensive fixes after somebody buys a used car. Most likely a thermostat is causing the overheat, but....

 

Another positive aspect of a car with +125k on the odometer is that few extra hundreds of miles won't bother you.
Mine is sub 80k and am not completely at peace with crossing the number (and then 100k...)