So, as some of you know I'm in the market for an XJ.

To date I have test driven 3.

The first one was a 2006 XJR with 53,000 miles. Prices $25,699. Now I want to make it clear that I had no intention of buying this car. I wanted to test drive an XJR & this was the closest one located by my office that I could drive without too much hassle.

My impression of this car was nothing short of amazing. The car is a hot rod, but way over priced & out of my budget.

The second was one that I asked advice about earlier, 2008 XJL, located at a honda dealership in PA asking price was $17,100 & it had 89,738 miles.

Comparing this XJ to the XJR would be like comparing apples to oranges everything felt diffrent about both cars. The XJL was more floatly, but in a good way I wasn't sure if this was due to the suspension being a little worn out with almost 90,000. I also felt for a 300hp car it should have had more pep, better pick up.

Today I test drove a 2008 XJ8. 60,000 miles. $20,000 asking price. It was my 2nd time looking at this car. I took it for an extended drive today & It felt stiffer than the XJL but the power output felt the same. It just doesn't seem as pwerfull as it should be. I'm not sure if it's the way the tranmisson & rear diff are geared or is it because it's a rear wheel drive car.

I'm directly compareing this car to the GM Northstar motors I had in my Olds Auora 250hp & my Deville Concus 300 hp & a 2005 STS that I had very briefly a couple of years ago. They all felt more powerfull than the XJ.

Now I know coming from a BMW 3 series vert I have to get used to the size & ride of the XJ but somthing to me doesn't feel right. Am I just nit picking or is this just the way the XJ feels in general.

Also, on the dash there are two lights, a yello light & a red light. I can't figure out what either does. The red light goes out when I put the car in drive so I assume it has somthing to do with the car being in park. Have no clue what the yellow light does.

I do like the car in general, it's a cruiseing car that feels really good when behind the wheel. The controls are layed out well & straight forward, nothing is confusing like in the newer BMW 5 & 7 series. I really like how when the doors close it's sounds like a vault door closing. I could see myself being very happy for quite a few years driving one of these.

 

The yellow and red light correspond with the messaging where the odometer
and trip/milage information is displayed in the bottom on the speedometer just below where these two lights are.

I understand them to be level of severity. For example. I have not closed my hood tight and the red light comes on and the message area says "Hood unlatched". Also the red light accompanies "Door Ajar". I get the yellow light with the "CATS System Fault" I recently dealt with.

I'm not sure what it means if its on and there is no message. Both come on when the engine is started and then go off if there is no message on my car.

I just bought a 2006 XJR with 69k miles for $15,900 out here in AZ.

I test drove a 2006 XJ8, as that was what I was originally shopping for. Then I test drove the XJR. I like you decided they were totally different, and it was an XJR for me after that. I came from a small two seater coupe, so it felt like navigating a yacht in the beginning, but I have gotten completely used to it. As a matter of fact my favorite thing is that acre of hood with the leaper out there on the end

Good luck in your search. The book price on my XJR was 22k, so I felt like I got a deal. Keep looking, bound to find the right one.

 

There where messages on the screen, nothing crazy like an emisson fault. It was the right rear tire was low on air. The idiot light on the dash was on. I am disapointed that the 08' model doesn't have the leaper

 

[QUOTE=The Thomas J;724419]So, as some of you know I'm in the market for an XJ.



Comparing this XJ to the XJR would be like comparing apples to oranges everything felt diffrent about both cars. The XJL was more floatly, but in a good way I wasn't sure if this was due to the suspension being a little worn out with almost 90,000. I also felt for a 300hp car it should have had more pep, better pick up.

Today I test drove a 2008 XJ8. 60,000 miles. $20,000 asking price. It was my 2nd time looking at this car. I took it for an extended drive today & It felt stiffer than the XJL but the power output felt the same. It just doesn't seem as pwerfull as it should be. I'm not sure if it's the way the tranmisson & rear diff are geared or is it because it's a rear wheel drive car.

I'm directly compareing this car to the GM Northstar motors I had in my Olds Auora 250hp & my Deville Concus 300 hp & a 2005 STS that I had very briefly a couple of years ago. They all felt more powerfull than the XJ.

Now I know coming from a BMW 3 series vert I have to get used to the size & ride of the XJ but somthing to me doesn't feel right. Am I just nit picking or is this just the way the XJ feels in general.

QUOTE]

I own a 2005 XJL with a 4.2 litre engine that is absolutely loaded just like a super 8. It takes off like a rocket ship with no lack of power whatsoever. Infact I have found that there are very few cars on the road can keep up with it.

I have also recently driven a XJR and that only had a bit more power than mine but with a much harsher ride. The extra power you get out of the XJR would never have rated as enough motivation for me to want one. I am completely satisfied with mine as it is. It does have a softer ride but at the same time is firmer than most other cars I have driven. Nothing I would rate as floaty though.

I also believe the drive is set up to only allow as much power as the rear wheels will tolerate before the tires break traction and slippage occurs. Turn that feature off and you can easily spin the rear wheels on start off.

 

The amber light will come on with messages like "washer fluid low" or "tire pressure low" and stay on until the issue is fixed.

I also came from the world of N* Cadillacs. The Cad 4.6L has more top end than the 4.2L (Jag has long stroke, smaller bore and smaller valves). The Jag gets up and goes much faster than the Cad because of its torque and extra gears. The Jag engine is also quieter, which is deceiving. No trademark N* scream at 4000+ rpm.

I'm not going to claim being an expert, but I believe the XJ8 and XJ8L have the same gearing. Maybe it just felt different being 5" shorter in wheelbase. The XJR will have a sportier suspension setup than the XJ8 with different springs, etc.

 

You maybe on too somthing. The car was very quiet & the N* does have more of a growl to it oer all, & it sounded sweet when the pedal was put to the floor.

I wasn't aware the suspension was diffrent from the XJL & XJ8. I really wanted the XJL, but I think I would rather have the stiffer ride of the XJ8.

I want to look at another one or 2 before I decide. I'm in no rush at all.

 

Thomas J:

You ask several question and make a variety of remarks about distinctly different vehicles.

BMW and Jaguar approach the design and performance of their cars from a different perspective. Not necessarily exclusionary, but different. Jags sedans offer restrained performance within a luxury environment designed to offer a relatively plush but controllable ride in a quiet environment while BMW aims for a thoroughly more Teutonic embodiment of performance. They create very different ambiances if you will. The BMW's, in general have more sport oriented suspensions and more 'feedback' built into their cars then does Jaguar. They are both very competent cars and it really depends upon ones personal enthusiasm as to which would be the better choice.

The XJL is a longer wheelbase car then either the XJ8 or XJR with an additional 5 inches in wheelbase, with most applied to the rear seating area. Since it shares the same suspension and drive train, for the most part, with the other two models it's greater weight and length mean that it will be more sedate (relatively) then the other two models in the areas of acceleration and cornering.

As you doubtless already know the XJR or Super V8 use a supercharged version of the 4.2 V8 that has 400 HP and 404 ft. lbs. of torque while the non-super charged make due with just shy of 300 HP. In a car that weighs right at 4000 lbs. a 400 HP motor provides the magic 10lb. per HP that made the 'performance' cars of the '60's and '70's so potent. Even the less powerful XJ8 provides nearly 13.3 lbs. per HP which isn't chump change. The reason for your impression of lack of umph. is perhaps found in the use of a 2.87 rear axle ratio which is what we used to call a 'high speed' rear end as opposed to something like a 4.11 which was a low speed but high acceleration rear end. Through the use of a 6 speed gearbox Jaguar, and others, are able to achieve relatively rapid acceleration through the lower 4 speeds while giving quiet and economical cruising in the upper two gears, which are essentially over-drive gears.

The red light you are seeing is just what has been pointed out before with just one slight point being added. I think you were asking about it's meaning when you shift into drive. The Jags use an electronic parking brake activator that employs the brake without your intervention whenever you put the vehicle into park and automatically releases it when you shift into any other gear. You're correct in that in your example it was telling you the brake was on and then off. In any other instance aside from first ignition the red light will signify something serious that needs your immediate attention. This will be accompanied by a short descriptive message on the left instrument cluster. In less important events you'll get an amber light with message. The message can be made to "clear" by pushing the reset button but the amber light will stay on as a reminder that there is a potential problem. In the next ignition cycle the amber light may disappear unless the problem shows itself again.

As you mention in closing I think you would be happy driving one of these cars for many years due to their supple controllable ride, excellent handling, and quiet and unobtrusive nature. This is not to say that they can't be spirited when called upon, they just don't demand that you always be made aware that they "are the ultimate driving machine".

Hope that in addition to the previous responses that this adds to your appreciation of a really fine automobile for what it is and not what it isn't. I must add that in my opinion the XJRs more then 100HP and 100 ft.lb, advantage, which both amount to a 1/3 increase in power, are more then just "a bit more power" peddlarbob <G><G>IMHO

 

[QUOTE=The Thomas J;724980]You maybe on too somthing. The car was very quiet & the N* does have more of a growl to it oer all, & it sounded sweet when the pedal was put to the floor.

A short addendum:

Don't let a factory engineered exhaust sound make you feel there's more power then is real. The builders spend literally millions insuring that their cars not only look the part but sound the part as well.

Top speed for most cars today is computer controlled by the manufacturers, and in many cases it has everything to do with individual nations mandated top speed limits and not necessarily ability.

 

Did you press the "S" button by the shift lever when you test drove the XJL and XJ. This doesn't increase the power, but alters the shift points to give more "get up and go".

I went out in my 3 litre V6 today, (not exported to the US), and on the way back gave it a bit of welly on a local quiet but straight road, and thought I was going to take off ! When I got back I noticed the "S" button was illuminated, so me or the missus must have accidentally pressed it during the trip.

It is true that if you pootle around it can seem a bit low-key, but that suits me fine, and on European autobahns one can cruise happily for hours at around 85 mph. This car gets me from Crewe in North-West England to the Rheintal in Germany in a day without me getting tired or stiff. OK, I get a rest crossing the English Channel, but it must be around 600 miles.

 

Thomas J.,

Later model XJ's (2008 and 2009) did not come with the Jaguar leapers on the hood.

However, these can be purchased at and installed by your local Jaguar service department. They are Jaguar OEM leaper kits.

The only downside to doing this is that if you ever decide you want to remove the leaper for the original factory look, you now have a punched hole in your hood.

 

For the sake of accuracy. The 4.2 engine used in the 2003-2008 XJ8 and XJ8L is a model AJ34 which produces 300HP with 310ft lbs torque.The 294 HP engine was only used in the XK8. I think it is also worth notingthat the weight difference between the XJ8 and XJ8L as in a 3940 lb car, is negligible.

 

Just to clarify--XJ8 and XJ8L share the same suspension. XJR (supercharged) has the sport suspension.

It may be possible an XJ8 could be optioned with sport? I don't know if that was even available.

 

@Thomas

The S/C cars are brutal quick and are always a surprise to people who haven't experienced one before. I like taking unsuspecting passengers out in mine and while they are admiring the wood and leather and commenting that it feels like being in their sitting room, you stand on the loud pedal, drop 3 cogs, awaken the supercharger and take off into the distance. This usually generates a round of expletives, then once we are back out of hyperdrive, a myriad of questions..... "Wow, whats under the hood" "Have you had this thing worked", etc, etc.

The normally aspirated XJ8 cars are also really impressive, but in a different way. BUT, I don't think they feel slow..... they main thing is they do not make a lot of noise and fuss, but if you floor one in Sport mode, it should really take off. If you don't think it's fast, watch the speedo.

I have my phone in a cradle in my car and I have an app running that shows the MPH on my phone screen while I am driving..... I have had to abandon this app when the Mrs is in the car because she keeps telling me to slow down. I am not driving any faster than I normally do, it's just that she can't see the speedo normally, and just can't believe the car is actually going as fast as it is in complete and utter silence

 

Thanks to everyone. I will continue to update this thread as I continue my quest for an XJ.

 

I missed out on this beauty. Got there too late. Silver/black exactly what I wanted.

 

Here is one of the cars that I described in my orinal post. It's ok, I'm not a fan of the tan interior, but it's the year I want & it has the vetillated seats that the silver one did not have.

 

The X350 series is the end of the line for me as to the elegant and timeless beauty as far as I'm concerned but I just can not accept that disruptive chrome slash down the rear portion of the front fenders. It forces the eye into looking at that point on the vehicle and destroys, for me, the flow of the body lines and almost delineates two cars instead of one whole cohesive design.

That's just my personal opinion and I'd very quickly try to find a way to banish those pieces into histories memory hole.

 

I have been test driving XJRs and XJ8s and also feel that some have cranked out more power than others. One XJ I could spin the wheels with traction off. The XJR I drove tonight I could not. Bigger wheels maybe?

 

I agree. I was going to pop them & the grill off & have them painted to match the body color.

What do you or anyone else think of the blue one?

 

I've no idea. Could need new coil packs & spark plugs. A fuel filter in need of replaceing would restrict fuel flow enough to retard power.

Honestly I think what it comes down to is tourge rateing. 310 pounds peak at 4100 rpm.

I have a 2005 Toyota 4runner V8 that is AWD rated 270 hp & 330 pounds of tourge that peaks at 3400 rpm. That's a big diffrence. That sucker is heavy, but it quick off the line & get's up there real quick. Much faster than any of the XJ's I drove.