Hey,
I just bought a X300 in excellent condition, '96, 4.0 auto with 208k km (bout 130k miles).
....and here are the questions:
-where is CD changer located? I can't seem to find it...
-anyone running spacers? Car feels quite unstable at 100mph+, and I'm guessing some spacers would solve it problem? Steering is also quite numb, I also hoped spacers would stiffen things up a bit?

Otherwise, car is perfect - really affordable, great fuel consumption (average 120kmh on motorway with consumption of 9.3l/100km) + I'm getting LPG conversion done soon (will do a few thousand km first so I see if it consumes any oil - how much oil is "acceptable" per, say, 6k miles - 10k km? )

 

Congrats on your new car!!
My '95 XJR has the CD changer in the trunk. I don't know if all X300s had changers. There was an upgrade audio system in some cars.
My car steered poorly until a leaky steering rack caused me to have the rack and pump replaced. The improvement was amazing?

 

What size wheels are you using? The suspension design on these cars is quite sensitive to "tramlining" and big wheels make it worse. 17" is the absolute max, 16" is better. If it feels unstable have you had a full alignment done? Sounds like the castor is out to me to to be unstable. Are the tires in good shape and not too old? I've had a number of Pirelli's that have had internal belt seperations and gave odd steering. The cure is Michelins.

 

Hi David,

Welcome to the Jaguar Forums and congratulations on your new Jag! It's great to have you with us.

The steering of Jaguar saloons is not known for precision and road feel, so it's possible that yours is working exactly as intended. But given the age and mileage of your car, as 300holst says, it is possible that the internal components of your rack and/or pump are worn. You can inspect for any improper play in the inner and outer tie rod ends, and between the steering column and rack movement.

On the XJ40 steering rack there is an adjustment nut that reduces play in the pinion to tighten up the steering - I don't know if the X300 racks have the same adjustment but it would be worth checking.

A slight improvement can be made by adding stiffening bushes between the rack body and mounting brackets. The thread below shows how I made my own bushes:

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...es-diy-134396/


Regarding your car's stability at high speed, the aerodynamics are designed to make the car very stable above 100 mph, so I would suspect that you have some issues with things like wheel alignment, uneven tire wear or improper inflation, suspension bushings, ball joints, tie rod ends, etc. The suspension bushes in the rear end also have a surprising effect on the stability of the car and the steering precision. If you find any problems like these, look through the photos at the link in my signature - I've replaced all the suspension bushings and other components in our '93 XJ40, which is essentially identical to an X300.

And since we're a friendly bunch, please visit the New Member Area - Intro a MUST - Jaguar Forums - Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum and post an introduction so we can give you a proper welcome and learn something about you and your Jag.

Cheers,

Don

 

Thanks for all the replies, didn't expect them to follow so quickly!

I'm on 225/60 R16, car's been sitting in a garage for past 6 years, and the tires are 11 years old. I'm getting them replaced ASAP with 225/55 R16, hoping to get a bit better and stiffer steering as well as ride.
Just got the car inspected, everything is pretty much fine except for all 4 bushes needing replacement. I've been told they are the one that are responsible for "sideways" movement. And suggestions what should I look for at the dealer, as I believe there must be more than jut 4 bushes for the whole car?....

 

There are 2 upper control arm bushings per side which are all the same. There are 2 lower control arm bushings per side which are different for front vs rear. Then you have the end link bushings that connect the sway bar to the control arms. I changed those with the parts from Uro and noticed an immediate difference. There is also a lower shock bushing that the lower shock mount bolt goes thru. Lastly there are upper shock mounts between the shock and chassis. Get some Bilstein or Koni shocks. Konis are more $$ but provide a bit more "sport" to the car. Lastly, there is a lower subframe bushing to the rear of the front suspension. The only thing that makes older cars "feel" older is the worn out, dried rubber bushings, shocks, springs and tires. Address those and you have the "new car" feel. It's a bite the bullet one time thing and well worth it. I am going through mine bit by bit...