Hello all,

I've been looking for a project/weekend car for the past couple of months and I've seen a handful so far, tomorrow I'm going to look at my first xj300, a 1996 xj6 vdp 4 lt. I've always been enamored of the classic looks of the older Jaguars, as well as the ridiculous luxury of these cars. At the same time I was warded off by rumors of horrible electronics and such, but after doing a lot of research I feel a lot more comfortable buying one.

I've look through the sticky posts and haven't found anything other than the buyer's guide in regards to buying an old xj300. What key things would you guys recommend I focus on when I go look at the Jaguar tomorrow? Any specific rust spots? Any electronics which maybe give up before the others?



Thank you

 

Rear wheel wells are a possible rust area. As far as electronics a lot of the parts are Japanese and fairly reliable. Ignition coils do go bad on these vehicles. The XJ6 does use a lot of relays and fuses with there associated problems. There are also a lot of ground points on these cars that have to be checked and cleaned.

The radios and CD players also can have problems but I fixed my radio recently by cleaning the contacts on the on-off-volume switch.

This Forum and its members will become an invaluable source of information. Most cars have the same problems and any you may have will have already been experienced by other Forum members.

 

Valve cover seal seat area condition ( magnesium not aluminum )

Cracked exhaust manifolds under the removable cover

Rear differential output bearings

Cracks on the 6 ignition coils ( must remove to inspect )

Engine ECU connector corrosion ( 2 ) , can be repaired yourself

Other then that the X300 follows the same physics of any other car , but the Jaguar is a rolling piece of art that people will stare and admire until you gracefully glide out of veiw . Not those short looks . It's like watching butter melt off the top of a stack of pancakes .....................yea .

 

The 1996 is OBDII compliant, so bring your scan tool. It will give you useful information, especially if there is a Check Engine light.

Car fax and maintenance history. Not what you are told, but what receipts show. Proof is not easy to come by these days it seems, but ask the question anyways.

Suspension parts, the crank pulley (harmonic balancer), steering rack, wheel bearings, are things it will eventually need. Any work done already is a plus.

If you can start out with a solid example that has decent paint, decent leather and wood, decent tires and brakes, working air conditioning and a fairly new battery, you are already ahead of the game.

It's a special car that is a near classic but somewhat modern! Not many good ones are left, but they can be found. Hopefully you can save another one. Good luck.

 

The guys have pretty much covered it, and as someone who uses his XJR as a daily driver at 1600000 miles, I would have to say the car makes for a very practical proposition.
Well built, no squeaks or rattles, no structural rust, strong running gear, strong engine. Drives and handles well, even by contemporary standards.
Such issues as there are have been touched on already, and an hour or so trawling through this forum should give you the sense that they are relatively minor in the overall scheme of things. You will NOT find references to overheating, blown engines, gearboxes, or worn out components beyond rubber bushes, shocks, brake discs or the odd wheel bearing, in other words normal wear and tear items.
You will have gathered that my spectacles verge towards rose tinting, but these are very satisfying and rewarding vehicles to own. My only proviso would be that you are able to work on them yourself or have access to a sympathetic (and inexpensive!)mechanic. Drive one into a mainstream garage, and they wont want to know. I dont want to give you the sense that you will forever have the bonnet open, but every so often there will be something to attend to, and it is worth keeping on top of things.
Put aside any baggage you might be carrying about Jaguars of old; the X300 was a fresh start under Ford ownership, and it was a huge change for the better. These cars stand comparison with the best of Mercedes and BMW in terms of build quality.

 

1. spend some time with the Drivers Handbook and make sure everything works. Seemingly minor electrical faults often turn out to be expensive to fix.

2. check for damaged/missing trim. Small plastic parts can be difficult/impossible to source. Jaguar plastic is more expensive than gold!

3. check for 2 x master keys (black headed), 1 x valet key (green headed) and 2 x remotes. The number one question from newbies who arrive on the forum after purchasing their first Jaguar is how and where to source missing keys and remotes.

4. history - servicing is every 10K Miles OR 12 Months. Question any gaps.

With any used Jaguar - if in doubt, walk away.

Graham

 

Since you specifically mentioned "project car" I'm assuming you're a willing and capable DIY mechanic...which puts you at a great advantage. One of the great things about the X300 cars is that most repairs are still within DIY skill/equipment level and most parts are reasonably priced.

Some operations require specialized equipment....calibrating the TPS and orienting the oxygen sensors come to mind.

If cosmetics are important to you then spend the extra money up front to buy a sharp looking car....even if it has some minor mechanical faults. Paint/leather/wood/chrome can be hugely expensive...where most mechanical faults can be repaired fairly inexpensively with DIY labor.

Cheers
DD