Hi all,

Really nice community here. I've always wanted a Jag XJ series and now I'm seriously considering it. Here are a few questions I could use some help with. Called a handful of dealerships but they were very little help.

The model m looking at is a 2008 XJR

1) spring conversion. Im not a fan of air suspensions. Do I need to have the dealer do this or can my local average mechanic whom I trust do this?

2) the Brembo brakes are nice but I won't be using this car on the track. Considering that I've read they wear out ever 18-20k miles, is there a non factory alternative that's less expensive to replace pads/disc? 2k$ for brakes is absurd. If I brought my land rover to the dealer they would charge me $1000 for the brakes or my local mechanic did it for $225 but the pads were not OEM which didn't bother me.

3) what is the consensus on tires for the 20 inch wheels? Im looking for longevity, comfort, and good tires in the rain. The only time the car will hit high speed is on the interstate from time to time and I just don't drive that fast any more.

4) what issues should be addressed on a car with 50k iles? Services required

My local Jag dealer is 2 hours away so I'm wondering what services need to be done there if any and if my local mechanic can manage most things on this vehicle.

5) oil changes every 3k?

Thank you for any insights

 

Hi Straffordite,

Welcome to the Jaguar Forums!

I have retitled your thread so others will have a better idea of the information you are seeking. Vague thread titles tend to generate fewer responses.

I'll start off the responses by saying that in a car with 400 hp, you will be happy to keep the Brembo brakes. OEM pads are available for less than US $100.00 per axle, and the Brembo caliper design makes replacement pit-stop easy and fast.

The air suspension can suffer issues and we are collectively still learning how to address all of them. But in general, the air suspension's self-leveling, adaptive damping and handling benefits are worth keeping as long as the system is operating properly or any issues can be solved without too much effort or expense. The most common issue is a worn piston ring in the air compressor, which is an easy and inexpensive fix using a replacement ring from forum member bagpipingandy. The next most common issues seem to be leaking air hose fittings/O-rings, or a failing air suspension relay. Those who have done the coil conversion report the ride and handling to be inferior, though mostly acceptable. With 20-inch wheels instead of 19s, you might notice the difference even more.

Regarding tires, I would be surprised if you will find any more of a consensus on that topic than you will on oil change frequency. I am personally leaning toward the Yokohama ADVAN Sport A/S for our XJR when the current tires wear out. These are the tires my brother-in-law's Bentley Continental GT came equipped with, and I've had excellent performance from Yokos on our other Jaguar saloons.

Even though you don't drive fast, I would caution against installing a tire with a lower speed/weight rating thatn specified by Jaguar because the Jag engineers tuned the suspension for the sidewall strength, ride and handling of high-speed rated tires designed for performance sedans. The previous owner of our XJR installed lower-speed-rated Pirelli Scorpions before he sold the car, and their handling, sidewall stiffness and traction are not up to the task. Tirerack.com is a great place to compare tires and prices.

I change our oil every 5-7K miles. Others on the forum insist there's no reason to change it any more often than 10-15K, or just top it up and never change it. In my opinion, changing your oil every 5K or so is cheap insurance, and since I change the oil myself (it's easy), it's inexpensive. I use 6.5 quarts of Castrol Edge 5W-30 (5-quart jugs are less than $29 at Walmart) and a Wix filter ($15 at O'Reilly). Total cost with tax is less than $85, with 3.5 quarts of oil left over for top-ups between changes. Others have their own preferences.

I'll look forward to reading the replies of others.

In the meantime, we're a friendly group around here, so please visit the New Member Area - Intro a MUST - Jaguar Forums - Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum so we can give you a proper welcome and so we can learn something about you and the Jag you're considering.

Cheers!

Don

 

Hi Don

Thank you so very much for the warm welcome, changing e thread title to invite more responses, and taking the time to answer my questions. it's wonderful to have access to the knowledge and experience here.

To clarify please allow me to elaborate.

I will need an all season as New England weather is wet, cold, and unpredictable. How I miss the warmth of the South this time of year and the smooth pavement.

I agree entirely, I wouldn't want an inferior tire, I would never compromise safety for a few bucks. I've had the michelins before and they seem to wear quickly. I'll check out your recommendation

The air suspension isn't something I can gamble on. I'm a happy full time single father of a glorious 5 year old and the last thing I want is air suspension issues/reliability. I've had some Land Rovers and I learned quickly that air suspensions are not my cup of tea.

I'm not real fussy, fairly easy to please so the springs I'm sure would be adequate for my expectations and comfort. My main transportation is a Toyota Highlander. As long as the suspension isnt chipping the teeth of my passengers and I haven't read that they are that horrid. You can correct me.

My love affair with the XJ requires no air suspension.

I'm so excited to hear about the brakes! Thank you! Wonderful news.

I'm very excited and really appreciate any other advice or insights

Best wishes,

Jeremy

 

Hi Jeremy. Don is right, you will find as many opinions on tires as there are members in this forum. My two cents, Not sure where you are in New England. I live in Minnesota. All season wouldn't cut it, not even close on a rear wheel drive luxury car. Blizzaks are needed here. I store my Super V8 in the winter but have the Blizzaks mounted on another set of wheels in case I need to drive her.

Had a Mercedes S class for years. Nothing wrong with old school rear wheel drive - winter driving but not with all season's. That said, If your hell bent on them, others can chime in as Don has. And for the other 3 seasons, speed ratings are important and some will say critical. 20" wheels will be a harsher ride of course than 19 or even 18.

With regard to air suspension. I hear ya. Personally it's one of the reasons I own the ride. Many others have happily converted. I assume they waited until something failed first. Certainly nothing wrong with doing it.
It will still ride well and superior to most of its competition.

Enjoy and welcome.

 

Hi Sean

Thank you so much for the welcome.

As much fun as I recall rwd in the snow is haha, where we live the weather is difficult from December to early April. I would require a good rain tire not dedicated snows as I wouldn't want to put the XJ through 36+ inches of snowy ice

Thank you tough, blizzaks are superb rubber

Don't get me wrong, I love to drive and the thrill a good engine can provide. I'm 38 and I can control my impulse most of the time. I just can't be tardy picking up my baby girl.

Are there any mechanical checks I should know about on a vehicle with 50k?

I've read about the control arms. These along with the air suspension related issues seem to be the most common issues.

What else should I look for as far as red flags or that should be immediately attended to. I'm more of preventable maintenance rather than needed. What about a tune up, what mileage does a major service occur?

My apologies for the mundane but the dealers I spoke to were zero help

Thank you both for taking the time to chime in

All the best,

Jeremy

 

Sure Jeremy. It might be easier for you to start at the top of the x350 forum page, What to watch out for in and X350

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...d-know-112913/

Once you're through that, you'll likely have questions, I know I did.

 

Oil changes in my super v8 - every 7-8k miles, and use a synthetic blend.

I've replaced the pads (not the rotors) on front and back (also brembos) with Akebono ceramics, for $170 total, and the labor was DIY...and very easy.

As for other maintenance, you should suck out all that old supercharger oil and put in some clean fluid. I found mine lacking a little volume when I did mine. Again, its relatively easy, and there's a couple threads around the forums showing how to do it correctly and what fluid to use.

Good luck, and hope you get the car!