Hey Guys,

I am interested in purchasing a 04 XJR. Is there anything that I should look for in particular with this car?

It has 55K miles. Can i expect to drive it another 40K miles without an extended warranty, or is that a bad idea?

If its a bad idea, what kind of 3rd party warranty should i buy?

Do the air springs pose a big risk, as in being problematic?

Just trying to do my due diligence before I pull the trigger. Your expertise is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Dee

 

Based on my own experience with an 04 XJR - make sure that the lower front wishbone bushings are okay, no transmission noises, and that all the seals are in good condition.

I decided against the warranty - they seemed overly expensive and restrictive just plan on selling before it hits 10yrs old.

 

Thank you for that.

Did you end up selling yours? My plan is to drive it from 56K to 95K and sell the vehicle. I imagine it will cost me about 10K in depreciation.

Was the cost of maintenance better then paying for a 2500-3500 warranty?

I owned a E39 BMW for the last two years, and the maintenance was ridiculous. I should have purchased a warranty.

 

You are smart to focus on the R version of the XJ. After 90K miles, it becomes difficult to get rid of an XJ for any amount of money. There is always a mkt. for the XJR.

Relative to the air shocks I have replaced one at 50,000 miles and I'm up to 65,000 miles now.

The best purchasing advice I can give you is "look for a car owned by an old perfectionist who kept it garaged and put it away in the Winter. Do not buy a R that has ever been owned by anyone younger than 50. That last caution is not a joke and should be your number 1 criteria!!!

 

Funny you say that. Well the 1st owner of the car must have been an older wealthier person, and the 2nd owner bought the car as a Select Edition CPO car. So i imagine that it has been taken care of.

I would hate to have to replace an air spring at a cost of $____?

Do these air springs go bad frequently like the ones on any mercedes with the Dynamic Suspension?

 

No. Air shocks/springs do not go bad frequently but it is a recognized problem on older cars.

IMHO it's worth the risk. If you can't afford an occasional $1,000 service bill perhaps this is not the car for you. I say this with all due respect. After all it's a $85,000 to $90,000 car new.

 

I am 46 years old. I could argue with you Tarheal, but you're probably right, in most cases. But I wouldn't hesitate to buy my car from me when I'm done with it. Maybe I'm not typical.

 

I still have mine @66k-ish miles on it, no problems with the airshocks - the ultrasonic parking sensors don't like the cold too much and it's in for the bushings on Thursday. I did have an expensive bill when a coolant hose under the supercharger decided to split, wouldn't have been a problem on the the regular XJ but the supercharger had to be removed to get at it which was spendy. Yes maintenance has been less than the 3k warranty - but only if my new orange transmission light can be fixed with an ecu flash....

 

I'm 36 and I'd buy a car from me any day.

I suspect most folks who seek out a forum to discuss their cars are probably not typical. That's meant to be a compliment, by the way.

 

Excellent. Thank you all for your valuable input. I think I will drive the car sans warranty and see how it goes. If it seems problematic, ill pick on up.

I dont unnecessarily want to add $3500 to a vehicle that depreciates so hard, but I also do not think its reasonable to pay $1000 every 3 months for repairs, or hitting that "big one" which cost 2500 or more. However, you guys all sound confident in the vehicle.

Thanks again for the input. Hopefully she's in my hands soon!

PS, where do you find performance upgrades for this cat?

 

DD,

Your last post re performance upgrades makes my point about buying XJRs from folks younger than 50.

How old did you say you were? LOL So late smart, so quick stupid as the Amish are prone to say.

The only upgrade I'm aware of is the super charger pulley and the air induction/filter. The latter being a waste of money for what you get. I hear the pulley upgrade is quite dramatic on the order of 50 to 60 hp, maybe better. Can you spell " new head gaskets" ?

 

HAHAH! So right you are!

I sir am 27 years old. Most of my friends think I am crazy for going after an "old mans car".

My affinity for Jaguars started in 1988 when my Father woke me up at 5am to go pick up a slate gray 1984 XJ6. I was 4 at the time. I can remember that day better then I can any birthday.

So here I am, ready for my own XJ, but of course one of the main drivers is the 399 LB FT.

50-60 HP on a 3900lb car is substantial. Has anyone here done it?

 

I love your story, DD. As you can see, my "R" is slate gray, and every time I fire her up, it's my birthday!

I say go for it. This forum makes Jag ownership viable for me. I know I have the ultimate resource for ferreting out issues, keeping service shops honest, tackling projects DIY, etc. I did spend almost a year prowling around here before taking the plunge, however.

 

Jaguars are not old mans car and so what if they reckon like it lol
Same goes for Mercedes Benz as well .(Same people reckon BMW was not for old mans whereas Mercs were made for olds , that's rubbish lol )

 

Nobody said Jags were old man cars. The question had to do with "what is the smart way to buy an XJR".

I have been buying and selling Jags sense my late 20s. Take it from me. If you want a high risk purchase, buy a high performance car from a 20 something male. If you would minimize the risk of a high perf car purchase, find a 50 plus seller.

All you guys bleating about how you would buy a car from a seller like yourself have missed the point. You would do well to remember it the next time you go hunting for an XJR.

 

Tarheal, I don't think we missed the point. Everyone probably agrees that younger folks might not be as careful with their cars as the over-50 set, but the point we were "bleating" about is that you've painted us with a very wide brush. I take better care of my cars than most people I know.

 

Not trying to give offense, not painting with a brush, broad or otherwise.

I'm just saying that you are more likely to find well cared for unabused XJRs is in the hands of 50+ dudes who spare no expense to maintain them because they got the money and are less inclined to abuse them due to lower testosterone levels.

Interesting how you guys can take offense at plane old common sense and can't understand a simple declarative sentence. I would trade your age for mine in a heart beat but I get to hang on to my brain if you don't mind.
JHC, you probably won't even get that.

 

Okay some real numbers since 02/01/10 55k - 66k miles

$650 bushings replaced
$906 Tires
$1311 - hose under the supercharger (ouch)
$645 - Oil leak - bunch of hoses replaced but was really a cheaper seal between the transmission and the engine
$500 - i forget what for...
$280 brake pads

For a grand total of....
$4292.... man I wish I hadn't totted that up

Paid 19k for the car.

 

Also for the record Jags are old man cars - they are the only folks that can afford them new But they are also fantastic - and I say this as a guy in his thirties (barely..) I wouldn't dare put any performance mods on it - something expensive is sure to pop and surely 0-60 in 5.0secs is plenty...

 

I'm certainly not arguing with you, Tarheal, nor am I offended. I agree with you, in general. Most men 50 plus usually no longer possess the basic reflexes or situational awareness to put an "R" properly through its paces. Based on this alone, buying an "R" from an old fart is probably great advice.