So I did buy the XJR today after all, against better knowledge I guess.

So. This far I've identified these issues :

1. Heating seems almost second to none. I had to put the climate control to maximum heat to get some heat out of the vents. I guess I have to flush the heater matrix or worse replace it. The thermostat seems to work because the engine reaches the correct temperature like it should and in reasonable time.


2. Turning the steering wheels makes a squeeking sound, is there a quick fix for this?

3. Side mirrors is kind of stuck, they won't go into "park mode" (turning them towards the door) Both mirror budges like a quarter of an inch but they're then stuck.

4. I have some kind of droning sound which I'm not sure if it's the tires or not. The car is currently fitted with the worst and cheapest winter tires available. This doning noise get more noticeable when going faster. It's relevant to speed, not to revs. The sound does not change when going on different surfaces so I'm not sure it's just the cheap tires fault.

Could it be a wheel bearing? I hope it's not the drivetrain and since it just changes to speed not to revs I think it should be something else? (putting the car in N in like 80 mph makes no difference to the sound)

5. The PDCs seems to have a life of their own, it sometimes beeps three times when going on the highway and having no one around.

6. When I washed the car I could hear a high pitch noise near the left front tire, it comes on for 5 seconds and then goes away.

7. Shuddering brakes, front I think. I guess I just need to replace the discs and pads.

No system errors or warnings shows in the dash by the way!

The car drives beautiful and the gearbox changes gear smoother than my new Range Rover Sport.

I guess my biggest concern is the droning noise right now.

I'll be so ever grateful for your inputs! Pictures will come soon!

 

Forgot to tell that the car says 88125 on the odometer.

 

Heater issue could well be the aux pump. This is electrical and mounted on the radiator back side. Fuse is in trunk. They are on whenever the hvac is on. Brushesd wear out. Pump can be disassembled and brushes replaced, with effort. Else pump replaced

Steering noise can often be addressed by adding some additive to the fluid or replacing it. Search for the details.

Mirrors, no idea.

Droning is almost certainly tires.

Shudder could be brakes, but could also be the bushes in the front link. Looseness here causes shuddering. Trailing arm can be removed and bushes pressed out and replaced

When you exit the car, the air suspension vents to dry the desiccant, this may have been the noise you heard when washing.

What is the PDC? The distance alerts I have found go off with any other ultra sonic sounds, diesel trucks, air cooled motor cycles set of the alerts.

 

I had droning. I thought it was tires. I needed new tires anyway so I replaced them. Ended up being both front hubs bad. The bearings were trash.

 

The droning could be tyres or bearings. My last Jaguar some years ago (a 1980 XJ6) had terrible droning that was the rear wheel bearings, but I had a Rover 75 with a pair of Wanli tyres on and it droned so bad, that whilst on holiday in Germany I had it inspected and the bearings were OK. These tyres continued to drone on and on, and in the end I threw them away still with good tread on as they seemed ready to drone on and on for ever !!

The mirror not "parking" will inevitably be corrosion of the Mazak mouldings. Take the front cover off, and clean it out followed by WD40 lubing and it should start working again.

Shuddering on braking is usually the discs.

The noise from the left front tyre is puzzling. Is the engine switched off when it happens ?

 

I've now had the car for two days and over all I'm pretty pleased with my purchase.

Of course I probably should have sent the car to a Jaguar specialist to have a look at, but I didn't have that time.

So. I put on brand new Pirelli P-Zeros instead of those dreadful winter tires. The droning turned out to be front right wheel bearing, the Jaguar specialist I usually turn to for parts told me just to replace the faulty one and not both. That set me back around 700 USD.

Changing tires showed that the wheel badges were broken and glued on. A set of new badges was around 30 USD so no biggie.

Next I'll investigate the squeaking from the rear.

Does this forum have a section for road books?

 

I've searched the forum but I couldn't find any recommendations for a new battery for my XJR.

The car seems to have the same battery it had when it left the factory, so I guess now more than 10 years later it's time to have it changed.

Better to replace it before it goes empty than to be several miles out in the wood when it does!

So, any recommendations?

 

The interior. Not much to fault except a crack in the driver's door wood veneer.

 

If you can install the hub yourself, they can be had brand new for under $200 if I recall correctly. I wasn't in it more than $400 for both. Both of mine were bad.

 

Nice ride. You'll enjoy it!

 

The hub containing the wheel bearings can be a pig to remove as it is steel, and the suspension upright it sits in is aluminium. Best way is to remove upright and get it to a bench.

 

Mine dropped right out after removing the bolts but I have a desert car.

 

Mine had a squeak in the rear. It was the sway bar links. Wiggle the link to see if this creates a squeak.

 

The front link, you are referring to the large bushing at the very front of the car? (under the radiator)

Think it's time for these bushings on my car as well... all the other front suspension parts look fine, but developed a very sudden brake shudder. All parts are new and no runout in the rotors. Was surprised how good the front end looked, as the rear bushings on my car had torn and missing boots, and I am nearly sure the front suspension is original.