The X300 series of Jags has a well deserved reputation for being really good but as you know, or are now learning, age and miles eventually dull the gloss. My XJR6 was a daily driver for years. For a few years I drove it about 1500-2000 miles/month. Great car but it was by no means a pleasure cruise every mile of the way. I sold it at 171k miles. I think it was at about 125k miles that the (inevitable) problems starting creeping in. It happens.

I've been thinking about getting another. Might be a great hobby car....which of course is a very different thing than having one as a daily driver.

Cheers
DD

 

There are reviews on the substitutions on this site to the Bilsteins ( with some don't get these ) and there is the possibility to rebuild yourself from kits the shock internals

Do you see that you have a air servicing shrader valve on the top of the shocks

They should be serviced between 180 - 200 psi with no weight on wheels and this will change ride height but not the rebound rate as this has to do with replacing the orifice port inside

There is a danger in disassembling the shock internals

 

The Bilsteins for the front are cheap enough and Gaz do adjustable shocks for the rear for £100 a side, for £140 (+£50 for the spring) they do a true adjustable coilover for the rear. I'm tempted by the coilover option for the rear.

 

The full air adaptive ride system did not come out until 98 with the V8 X308 version ( same X300 chassis ) from the factory , To modify your car would be expensive

 

https://gazcoilovers.com/jaguar-xj-g...pers-215-c.asp

These are what I was talking about. My car currently just has the green bilstiens but the rears are £230 each to replace so I was looking at alternatives. It says they only fit up to 1991 on there but Moss have them listed as fitting up until 1996 models

 

These are the relays in the footwell. Any idea what the empty black one on the left is for?

 

I believe you are referring to the accessory power socket. It's a Faston 250 series 3-way connector providing ground, constant, and switched 12v. There's one in the trunk, too.

 

The fwd black module is the variable steering module so you have a servo throw limiter

There might be a way of feeling for it to become warm during a test drive

The 2 brown relays are for the gold film in the front windshield defog beyond the normal blower defog air vents

 

See page 19 and 22 fuse # 12

X300 1996 LWB.pdf (jagrepair.com)

 

britishparts has dampers at a more reasonable price
https://www.britishparts.co.uk/class...rber-24-018647

 

You might focus on the front and maybe later on some suggestions will come through on the rear

 

Regarding my audio issues.

I stripped the door cards after work today and all but one speaker was blown.

I ordered 2 x midbass/midrange speakers for the back doors and two coaxiels for the front. The front tweeters don't sound the best so thought the coaxials might add some highs. I got at the rear parcel shelf 6x9, I didn't need to remove the rear seat as a previous owner has just ripped the top of the rear deck cover up (bending a few clips) which allowed me access to the speaker. I had a good look at it and when I had a look on eBay, I found that a Mini Cooper R50/R53 Harmon/Kardon rear speaker looked almost identical. There was one on eBay for £11.50, a cheeky offer of £10 and it was mine.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/354364190088



I'll let you know once it arrives if it works or not. Trying to find a DVC (Dual voice coil) 6x9 in the UK was difficult so hopefully it works.

 

I've it booked it to a mate/mechanic on the 10th July to get it up on the lift and have a proper look at what it might need before I go throwing money at parts.

I've been tempted to buy this ((XJR Front suspension kit) in advance but I'll hold off and see what he says.

 

The cost of parts is one thing

The cost of labor and effort is another

In my opinion you can look at suspension work in 3 levels or groups

A level would be easiest and involves shocks and their bushings

B level A arm bushings and the ball joints ,

C level the V mount and trailing link

In your symptoms the question would be what would be the target components and the effort / cost to resolve

 

That's exactly my thinking. It 99% needs new front shocks, so I'll start there and work my way round if there and work my way round. That's if there's nothing glaringly obvious when I get it up on the lift.

 

In the department of speakerization the original speakers are 3 number of mounting screws ( checking a spare )

The rear 6 X 9 is shallow height as the vertical fuel tank is there in the way

So this points more to diaphragm foam replacement

 

When on a lift or not you can see the gap in the shock upper donuts and see daylight through the lower shock bushings

Motorcarman ( Bob ) had a recommendation on the lower shock bushing as some replacement manufactures do not last long