I bought my XJR at a steal about 2 months ago and already I must part with her. The reason is simple, I have 3 cars and no more room. I am a college student still living at home (hence the 3 cars , they are my would be dorm expenses). My younger brother recently got a truck and now there is no room to park the Jag. Our home owner's association are real sticklers about cars parking in the street. It was made very clear to me. "Get rid of one of your cars, or move out" . I refuse to part with the other cars, one being the range rover which has been my trustee 4x4 in the winter for several years, and the other being a santa fe thats never let me down ever! Because I don't know how much I can trust the Jag to get me where I need to go, I am coming to terms that it is the one that must go.

So, here is the question. Should I restore her to mint shape and get top dollar, or just sell it as is? She is a little rough around the edges, the moron owner before me put enamel paint on it that will last a year or two at the most before completely peeling. In other words it just looks OK. Someone had backed into it and damaged the hood and grill. I already planned on taking care of this anyways. One of my friends can do it pretty cheap. The headliner has gone (of course) and the brake pads are about to go as well. The driver leather seat needs to be redone, and the front windshield needs to be replaced. Aside from those things, she runs and drives great. I already have about $2300 into the car total and estimate the repairs to make it in great shape to be another $1500 or so. Maybe at that point I won't want to part with it . I want to thank you all for your help, and let me know what you think I should do. Thanks in advance!

 

..and they say there's a recession...pshaw..

 

The market is very low on these cars. Unless you got the car at a super bargain basement price I'm not too confident that any additional investment will be recouped when you sell it.

IMHO, if you must sell, cut your losses and move on.

Good luck
DD

 

I wouldn't bother to fix it up. The market is just too low on these cars. Of course, I would keep the Jag, and sell the Hyundai. Of course, there are many more factors other than my liking Jaguar more than Hyundai.

 

Keep the JAG it represents prestige, class and intelligence the other two show you might be a "0". Keep the Jag you are pass the point of no return on investment. As the other members explained Jags are low in value but super high in image. Stay in the top 10% don't go to ZERO.

 

I think you would have more reliability out of the Jaguar over the Hyundai in the long run.
Danny

 

Sell the Hyundai, between the Jaguar and the Range Rover, one of them will get you where you need to go!!!
Seriously the Hyundai will loose value faster than the Range Rover or Jaguar and thus cost you money.

 

I took the jag for a spin today. I have to admit, there is plenty of charm in the car. Our family has always loved Jaguars. Best car in the world if you ask me.... However, this one seems to be a lemon. It seems like the more crap I fix on it, the more things break. The engine sounds great and the transmission shifts wonderfully. However, there is this very noticeable vibration coming from the rear of the car. I have no idea what it is... if its something simple (which I doubt) I would be grateful to any advice on the issue. If I can't find a solution to the problem, or if the problem seems to be a burden to fix. I will most likely have the body work done to it by my friend, and just be rid of it.

I understand your arguments about keeping it instead of the hyundai. The hyundai is of course not very stylish and bland. However, it has never failed to get me places. I have had it since new and have babied it. The engine runs incredibly smooth and the whole car is in mint condition. The RR, although a 96, is also in impeccable shape and has been a real trooper for me in tough situations. I feel bad for this Jag because it had a though life, but getting rid of it is what I need and must do. It would make more sense for me to sell the X300 XJR and the Hyundai and buy a newer XJ than keep the current Jag, which I very well might do. Jaguars seem to have this wonderful charm about them that I can't explain. Every single one that we have owned seems to have its own "personality" making it a truly great car and the "closest thing we (jaguar) have created to something that is alive".

I will call a Jag tech that I know over the weekend about the vibrations felt in the rear between 45 to 60mph. If its a complex repair, I will get rid of it. If not, I MIGHT consider keeping it. Or at least restoring a few more parts of the car that I had planned on before the vibration. I sincerely appreciate all of your help and support. Thanks again!

 

Selling the Hindi and Jaguar to get another Jaguar could be a smart move. But the vibration could simply be a wheel off balance, especially if she's had a rough life.

 

The vibration feels like... almost like a prop shaft or drive shaft that is acting up. Actually its more of a really loud low pitched humming noise that gets worse with speed and acceleration. In an effort to try to salvage what work I've done to it. I will put it on jack stands to day and set the cruise control for 45 to see if I can pin point it. I guess if it launches itself into the garden, it has full coverage lol....

 

Not sure you'll need to do that, could be a wheel bearing?

 

Yee ha, that sounds like the sort of stunt I may have pulled in the past. (still capable of) DON'T DO IT!!!

At 45 in top gear your engine is around 1300 rpm, equates to Lord Knows how fast the wheels are spinning. Someone can calculate that.

If it has got a bad vibration it may very well shake itself off the stands and rearrange your petunias.

Before you mentioned 'whine' I would have also suggested poping the wheels down to your local friendly garage and having them spin them up on their balancing rig.

If you have an out of round tyre, you will see it when it is spinning on the rig, and from personal experience with a new tyre! this gave exactly the symptoms you described.

Also a boil/lump on the tyre could do this, but you would have to change the tyre, even if you are selling it.

Car would shake your teeth out at just the speeds you quote. (being a stingy old git, I took the car for long fast blasts on the M/Way and worked them back to round, took quite a few attacks) I do not recommend this course of action.

Snag is you mention 'whine' and that is usually an indicator of a bearing somewhere.

So jack her up and do the old pull/push test on opposite ends of the wheel. (usually top and bottom first).

Any real movement would point me towards captainchris.

Others will comment.

 

Sounds like mine when the output shaft bearings were going out. Doesn't take a large amount of slop in the bearing to make a horrible racket. It was about $100 to repair doing the work myself. This was on a XJ40 though so take it for what it's worth

 

Well I haven't had a chance to put it on stands yet, so I'll heed your warning Translator . I plan on switching the front wheels with the rears and see if that at least changes the position of the vibration. Right now it sounds like its coming from the rear left portion. Its not a whine, even though i made it sound like it is. Its more of this low BRRRRRRRRRRRRBBBBB sound that you would hear if you were on a highway with divots dug out on the sides to let you know you are going off the side of the road. Does that make sense?

I'm debating on how much work I want to put into it though. If the position of the vibration changes I'll be hopeful and try to at least get her up on her feat before I part with it. Nobody wants a car that can't go over 60mph. ESPECIALLY an XJR . Otherwise, I'll sell it as is, especially if there is bearing slop. I appreciate the advice, I'll keep you all posted.

 

Did you ever find out what the vibration was? My car has been making the noise for years. Almost like the drive shaft is vibrating underneath. It is like a rumble sound.

 

I'm not the sharpest tool in the box but I spotted the flaw here straight away.
Why are you selling one of your cars?
If I am reading right, and I'm in England so maybe our housing rules are different, you are selling your Jag because there is no room on your drive to keep it along with other household cars. Plus, you are not allowed to keep a car parked on the street.
Where does it say that you have to sell one of your cars?
All you need do is park it elsewhere and everyone is happy.
Just find some old couple living nearby with just one car and give them $10 a week to park your Jag, or the least used of your other cars, on their drive.

 

Well, it sold... Any who, the problem turned out to be the bearing on the rear right axle. The hub bearings seem to be a common problem on these cars. I recently purchased a 98 XJ8 that has had two bearings replaced on it, indicated by the service records.

The home owners association can have the car towed if you park it in the street. Right now we have a ridiculous parking configuration, but it works .