I thought it be interesting too see how much people have put into there jaguar mainly too help me feel better for dumping $8k into mine.

my car is a 2004 jaguar XJ8 it has 99350 miles on the dash but I’ve actually only driven like 10 of those miles and I’ve only owned it sense October.

things that I’ve done:

-Steering rack inner tie rods and outer tie rods.
-all new power steering fluid
-Transmission cooler lines
-fog light housings and bulbs
-driver indicator housing
-Driver fender liner
-front lower and upper control arms
-front sway bar end links
-5 air struts(Gotta keep the air ride)
-brake pads and rotors for the front
-Engine drive belt, tensioner and idler pulley
-Oil pan gasket and oil filter adapter gasket
-I’ve changed the engine oil and filter 3 times
-Coolant flushed
-Brake fluid flushed
-rear brake pads rotors and calipers(One was sticking)
-lower and upper rear control arms
-Rear tie rods
-Passenger fuse box
-Rear electronic module
-indicator stalk
-Pats transceiver
-Ignition switch
-Two new genuine jaguar keys

i plan too use this car too do courier driving I know sounds crazy but it’s a very comfortable ride and it’s completely paid off.

Next thing I plan on doing is the parking brake cables rear subframe bushings and the rear driveshaft. Also gotta get tires.

then the transmission fluid and filter also the rear differential oil.

 

46k when I got it 3.5 years ago 60k now,
Headliner
Ignition coils and sparkplugs
Coolant changed
Transmission service: ATF, seals, sleeve bridge seal
New tires
Bag piping Andy compressor kit
Break job
Aftermarket entertainment center with Android Auto
O-rings on front shock valve
Rear suspension arms and stuff, just got parts, waiting for warmer weather
All in all ~$5k
The only parts I paid for labor are :
Headliner
Coolant changed
Tire mounting.

 

2005 super v8
about $12k over 5 years
quife rear diff
race cats
smaller pulley
intake
a coolant hoses
20" sepang, used but $1000 refurbishment and new tyres (another $1000)
gearbox flush
a few oilchanges
sparkplugs
new filters
brake fluid
some sound deadning
bluetooth (jagdroid)
new windscreen
refurbished the suspension compressor
new discs and pads (ebc yellowstuff and slotted rotors)
and a new cd changer

this car has been good to me (so did my previous xj8 4.2)

 

06 s type r. Bought at 136,000 miles. Now 204,000 miles. Owned for 9 years. About 7000 dollars including tires. I would drive this car anywhere possible with no worries

 

I've had my XJR for less than a year. Had it inspected by a Jaguar shop before purchasing. Since then I've spent around $6k on it:

• Right side headlight assembly (shop missed the low beam was out and condensation had formed in the lens)
• Front brake pads and rotors (apparently they didn't test drive it enough to notice the shuddering when braking)
• 4 stereo speakers replaced (they didn't pick these up either, three had no sound and the fourth was distorted)
• Water pump (failed after a month of owning)
• Back bumper panel repainted after wind storm blew over cinder blocks stacked next to it (freak accident)
• Pinstriping redone
• New air compressor, valve block, and rear air struts when those failed after four months of ownership
• Front wheel alignment
• Two step paint correction and ceramic coating

Now two of the tires are leaking air and the tires have less than 3k miles on them. Yep, I got a lemon!

 

Broken XJ......Makes you feel better now doesn't it? Once you fall in love with your Jaguar, the money spent to keep that beauty running is just part of the package. I even feel better myself, I seem to be keeping up with the Joneses....ha.

 

Bought a low milage (94000km) 2004 XJ8 3.5 from Japan 18 months ago for 4500 USD. Car was leaking oil, vibration on drive train, slipping gears, passenger airbag light on.
Money, so far spent on the following areas:
-rear crankshaft seal, valve cover gaskets, VVT solenoid gasket, engine mounts, gearbox mount, ised jurid disks, used passenger airbag control light module and oil and filter change, gear oil and filter change, about 1200 USD including parts
-new spark plugs, new Beru ignition coils, refurbished injectors about 500 USD
- complete rebuild of automatic gearbox, as problems persisted, new everything, including TCM and new torque converter 3500 USD
- android head unit (I know, the tesla style is ugly, but i love it) 800 USD
- catalytic converter repaired with internals of a Ford Catalytic converter 250 USD
- replaced compressor piston seal with part from ali express 6 USD
-new headliner 330 USD
-balancing driveshaft 270 USD
-new rotors front and back, new brake pads, 400 USD
-2 more oil changes including filter about 200 USD
-2 new old stock halogen headlights for LHD 800 USD
Plus add a few minor things like wiper blades, some o rings, for oil filler cover, dipstick, stepper motors for instrument cluster, clone mongouse cable, the total spent is about 8500 USD in 18 months.
Driving now like brand new, no pending problems, but I know, it's a Jaguar, it's a matter of time...
did I regret? No way, would do it again.
Cheers,

Rob

 

I bought my 2003 XJ8 from a private seller for $3000 18 months ago. Since then, I have put about $10,000 into it; new injectors, new plugs, front suspension repairs, heater pump, MAF sensor, and various other repairs. It's running great now, but I consider it a tribute to Jaguar engineering that it ran as well as it did with all the things the prior owner didn't fix.

 

'04 XJ8 VDP. Bought six months ago w/32K miles. Paid about $15K. Only driven about 150 miles. It looks like a car with only 32K miles. Replaced one taillight assembly, trunk release motor assembly, two keys made (long story) and epoxied glove box cover back. Total spent maybe $200 all on my own labor. To make it absolutely pristine the right front bumper chrome "spear" has a small mark on it which would cost about $100 but too much work removing the front bumper for the gain. I looked for over a year for the right car buying the best I could afford with the least amount of work needed. Oh, spent about $80 for a car cover. After seeing what others have paid and then spent on their cars I feel much better about my purchase price.

 

How did you manage to get two keys made and only spend $200? I am extremely interested, as mine only came with one key, and I have not found anyone who can get me additional ones for under $500.

 

Mike, the car came with a valet key and two regular keys. Keys only not a fob. I bought two fobs on eBay, They are easy enough to program for door/trunk lock unlock. Then I dissected the head of the plain keys and removed the "chips" and transplanted them into the fobs for engine start. If I remember correctly you can program another key to the car if you have a working one but the car will only allow up to six keys to be programmed. After that it's a no go. It took a bit of searching but I found a place that would cut Tibbe keys and that cost me $65 for the two keys to be cut on the fobs. I documented all this in a thread about 4 months ago. There was a lot of help from others in the forum in the thread. If you can't find it, let me know and I'll look it up for you.......Jack.

 

Curious was there anything that prompted the coil and spark plug change? I'm hovering around the same mileage and took one out to check on it but avoided it since the manual implies they'd have more life in them.

 

It was misfire. I swapped coils misfire moved accordingly.
So , I went out and replaced all coils. While doing that, I replaced plugs as well. As I was there anyway.
Did I go overboard? Probably, but I felt the extra $$ spent small price for not doing it again.

 

2006 XJR. had it 9 years , spent around £3500, but that includes a £700 Jagdroid conversion, 4 tyres at £600, 2 batteries £300 ( mostly due to lack of use and the batteries going bad ), I now have a battery conditioner fitted. But considering I have covered just over 10,000 miles in that time, I suppose it's a bit high, but not as high as the yearly road tax which is now £750 a year, for a 20 year old car, that's ridiculous, so unfortunatley it's also been unused now for 2 and a half years. I either need to sell it on or recommision and enjoy it again

Oh and then there is the Low Emmissions Zones, it's a 4.2 supercharged V8 that returns about 18mpg, and It IS allowed in ALL LEZ areas in the UK, but the little 1.3 diesel puddle jumping 2006 Corsa my grand daughter had was not, despite it being only £150 a year road tax.

 

2004 XJR - Bought it with like 175k or so around 7 years ago. 186k on it now

Jagdroid upgrade
One strut replaced
New brakes all around. Rotors replaced on rear
Calipers rebuilt
Supercharged ducts replaced
All new plugs
Rear suspension re-build
Rims re-painted - DIY
Radiator replacement
AC leaks fixed
New battery
Air compressor replaced
Front chrome pieces replaced
Various maintenance items - Oil, alignments, and so on

To do-
Front suspension rebuild
Another strut needs replacement

I turn my own wrenches. So most of this was just parts.
I did pay a shop for the alignment, AC leaks, and paid Ben to upgrade my radio.

No idea on cost - Usually one project a year. This year its plugs I am in the middle of working on. I don't think I am going to drive the car that much this year so the strut may wait. It leaks but only slowly. Front suspension rebuild will be.... eventually. The rear was not cheap.

 

@arctic_man Have you figured out where your airspring leaks? I have repaired mine front airspring leak with just an O-ring. For some reason I think you already know this fix.
BTW, what airshocks do you use for replacement? If you do not mind sharing.

 

My air struts were leaking from the strut itself and leaking oil over the bottom of the strut. I am familiar with tracking down air leaks having owned Cadillacs with the air ride suspension in the past. I try to avoid replacing if I can as both Cadillac and Jaguar the struts are not cheap. But alas.... I am a stickler for keeping things as close to OEM as I can, so I want to keep the air ride even though they aren't the OEM Jag any longer, but will do anything I can to not replace a 600 dollar strut lol.

I actually haven't gone through all the steps yet for the one in the front I know is bad. I know the corner that is doing it, but haven't fully dug into yet. I just assume the worst and plan on likely replacing the strut and the front suspension. Then another alignment.

For my XJR I use Arnott Sport. Mine had been replaced previously with Arnott Sport and I plan on continuing until they are no longer made. Actually, the one that is leaking is a weird aftermarket and I cannot read the tag on it. All the others are Arnott Sport.

As a quick aside - Swapped the plugs out today. Found a leaking valve cover and a torn rubber insulator on a coil. But likely a next year problem. I know it has been mentioned before - BUT I did not have to remove all the odd plastic to get plug number 8 - Drivers far rear plug. I also like some other posts here utilized some swivels and saved myself a bunch of time.

 

@arctic_man thanks for reply! So, Arnott shocks, they used not to support CATS, stiffness dynamic change. I hear the recent versions do. What I am looking for is end user confirmation, I do not like answer from Arnott's customer support "our latest air shock support OEM functionality" when I asked if the latest air shocks support CATS.
I know I am on borrowed time: my air shocks are original Bilstein's. I started air shock fund on day I acquired my car.
I am trying to gather as much information I can ahead of time.
I just replaced my rear control arms both top and bottom on both sides, they were original. MY GOD! what a difference! Last weekend my wife and I took a long drive. My wife also noticed that car is much different: ride quality significantly improved.
My next winter project is to replace front control arms.

 

The only shocks that support ECats are Bilstien. I promise you that. Arnott and the cheap eBay airstruts just use a resister too trick the car computer into thinking the valve is still there. You can get genuine Bilstien struts from SNGBarnett just too let you know for an entire set costs about $6k

you can do what I did which is buy the cheap eBay airstruts and install them always no matter what keep the car air ride. These are fantastic cars mine just passed its Maryland state inspection and it drives phenomenal so smooth had it at 110mph yesterday and it felt like was sitting still.

 

Thank you! I expected that much.
Many on this forum, including myself will second your opinion. I never was in MB E class,Bently, RollsRoyce; Maybach, but from more common market correctly configured/functioning suspension is extrimenly satisfying!
I am doing front suspension CA's during next winter.