There seems to be a negitive stigma circulating Jaguar cars
I sure have my fair share of problems
but once I get it back to tip top shape what are my odds of keeping it that way stress free
if I maintain it show it some love and frequently change oil and spark plugs.

 

I say good. I havent had a single mechanical problem with it. Only electric and altho simple in the cause of the problem but time consuming to get to it.

 

Expereinces vary. Here's my repair list from 30k miles to 140k miles


-replace steering tilt motor
-replace 2 front wheel bearings
-repair door latch switch, right front
-replace trans mount and spring
-replace power steering return hose
-replace one oxy sensor
-replace intercooler pump
-replace brake light switch
-replace rear wheel bearing, right side
-replace differential
-replace water pump
-replace air injection pump
-replace idler pulleys
-replace both exhaust manifolds
-replace starter
-replace 4 seat heaters
-replace trans solenoids and speed sensors
-repair broken sub woofer speaker
-replace gas gauge sender
-replace multiple ignition coils
-replace antenna mast
-repair door latch switch, left rear
-replace radio (several times)
-clean throttle body (2x)
-replace radiator upper mounts
-replace crank sensor
-replace cam cover gasket
-replace trunk lid supports
-replace u-joints
-replace center bearing on driveshaft
-replace water pump (again)
-replace harmonic balancer (re-bonded)
-replace alternator
-replace 2 fuel injectors



I didn't include expendable items ---brake rotors and pads, belts, wiper blades, spark plugs....things like that.

Cheers
DD

 

I meant to mention that some of the replacements were pre-emptive or optional.

The starter never actually failed. It was making a very odd groaning noise so I replaced it.

The u-joints were a "while I'm at it" replacement while replacing the driveshaft center bearing

The second water pump was to replace a rebuilt pump. Rebuilts are always iffy. Can't blame the car.

The alternator was a misdiagnosis on my part.

So, the list isn't quite so bad. And some of the items are minor (antenna mast, for example)

Cheers
DD

 

right on thanks for the info
Im gonna live with it see how I like it
Its a really fun ride
the only thing I dont like are the positioning of the foot pedals but im pretty sure I could mod that if I wanted to

 

Living with the car is the true test. That includes all that you like about the car, and your attitude towards it.

Our X300s are considered old now, sometimes to the point of needing "restoration." They will only last if someone puts the effort into keeping them roadworthy. There will almost always be something that could use attention, but doesn't necessarily take away from the enjoyment of driving. Problems will come up once in a while, but that is true of virtually any car of this age. Our cars are more complex than many, and so repairs or diagnosis of electrical problems can be difficult.

That said, I consider my cars to be reliable, although I sometimes have a major failure. For instance, I consider Vanden Plas to be reliable now, since solving a starting problem. But, the 6 is on probation for a new stalling problem! I keep up on basic maintenance and avoid doing abusive things, and I believe they will last a long time. It helps to have more than one, too!

I believe it takes a certain "special" person to own these cars now, and most people aren't those persons! People will comment about a stigma, or ask why we keep these cars, but many more will offer compliments and praise, regardless of the car's imperfections.

Last year I was at a gas station in the Vanden Plas, not long after I bought it. It was in rough condition. The car was not particularly pleasing to me at the time, but a passer-by commented on how nice it looked and how it was his favorite model! That was a reminder for me (that I needed) of why I own these cars. Although we see mostly troubles on the forum, we could all probably make a long list of the things we love about our cars. And, that is why we are on the forum, to keep them purring!

Sorry for the lengthy rant here! Wish you the best in your Jag experiences.

Doug, how about a list of the things you love about your car?? Can you beat that list above?

 

Come now, Avioni. How long have you owned the car and how many miles? These cars are NOT "good reliable transportation", no matter how satidfying ownership of one is.

 

How reliable do you think a 18 year old car should be. More reliable than an 18 year kid! I've only owned my x300 xjr for two years and it's the most reliable used car that I've bought in 20 years.

Now, my previous Jag a xj40...forget it. That was a major pos.

 

Exactly.

Over the course of many years and three Jags I've been asked many times about the repair/reliability issues. There was a time when I'd try to explain a bit about the cars. Now I just say "Well, Jags aren't for everybody" and leave it at that.






I'll work on that. I'm not particularly in love with the car right now. We've just been thru a few months of bickering and squabbling.

The X300 unquestionably has huge advancements and improvements versus my 80s vintage Jags but those improvements haven't translated into an appreciably improved overall ownership experience.

But, make no mistake, I remain a dedicated "Jag Man". I can't imagine not having a Jaguar in the driveway. I sorta compare Jag ownership to parenting. My kids have put me thru some trying times and lord knows they've been very expensive but, still, they're the apples of my eye

Cheers
DD

 

If Avioni and Sparkenzap are the end-zone markings, I guess I'm in the red-zone on Avioni's side of the field. Bought mine in '10 with 63K on it, now has 136k+. I've repaired the ABS module but that was needed at purchase. Apart from consumeable maintenance items, I've only replaced the thermostat - and it could be that was stuck open on purchase, as well, and the a/c condenser (and rec/drier) but that was as much my fault as the car's - Bottom iso-mounts wore out/departed and I failed to notice so it rubbed a hole in itself against the structure (Rec/Dr because that's just what you do when your system has been open for some days.) Seat-heaters haven't worked since before purchase but hopefully I'll get that sorted this summer.

 

Whenever these discussions come up, regarding Jags or any make of car, I'm reminded of different owners have different sensitivities.

My ex-wife swears by her 2000 Toyota Avalon. She swears it "never needs any repairs". Well, that's not quite true. She simply doesn't have any repairs done to it

Whenever I drive the car I hear the god-awful noisy suspension struts and growling wheel bearings. The seats heaters died years ago. The RF lock actuator is inoperative. The "SIR" warning light glows constantly. The brakes shudder. But, by god, the car soldiers on admiraby, has never left her stranded..... and "never needs any repairs" !

Cheers
DD

 

Hold on a minute! I did not say I consider my X-300 experience bad at all. I meant that you will be disappointed if you think these cars will not have costs associated with driving them. And those costs will be more than an equivalent aged Taurus, Corolla or some other such car. If you think I don't appreciate an X-300 for what it is, then look after my signature line and understand that I bought three of them after driving my X-300 from 100,000 miles to 275,000 miles or so.

If the measure of reliability is that the don't leave you stranded, as Doug defined it in a previous thread, then I am with Doug that mine was reliable to bring me home. If you want to stack an X-300 vs other european sports sedans, I would say they are more reliable than many of the others. But they are not trouble free.

And I was only trying to put Avioni's enamor of the car in perspective- he is a relative newcomer to X-300 ownership, but it sounds like he has fallen in love with it.

 

In 5 years of ownership it only needed a flat-bed twice and that was after I replaced the hoses and the octopus hose was a faulty genuine part

I have had to spend some money on it mostly trying to recoup the lost performance

I was looking at the new XJR the other day and thought for the cost I could do a ground up restoration at the most expensive shop in the world

They are talking 300 grand here in Australia for the new XJR lets see those electronic dash displays in 20 years time

Remember some of the 80,s cars had the digital displays where are those cars now ?

 

lol sparkenzap, indeed im in love with it. ive owned the car since 2006. and yes i was refering to reliable as in not letting you stranded. but like anycar it needs mantainance. mine has had problems with the sunroof, the ABS pump , the powersteering pressure hose, fuel pump and recently suspension making noises that i atribute to completly gone rear shocks with shock lower bushings and probably spring dampers gone too. at the front end the sway bar bushings and the crossbeam supports. i need to replace all those bushings to hopefully regain the quietness.
On the electronic side is where things get complicated cause corrosion gets into connections, plugs and cause all sorts of weird problems until you find where the circuit is open. the only time its been in a flat bed was when i bought it. it had bad fuel pump i replaced that and it started up imediatly after being parked for about 5 years they told me but it immediatly started pouring oil all over the place because the oil filter had wrotten and punctured. after that years later until recently it wouldnt start and was caused by a corroded ECM plug that took me a whole lot of time and a new crank sensor later to find.

 

I too love my new ride and defend it with anyone criticizing it. My friend keeps trying to urge me to sell it and buy Japanese but as they say Japanese car Japanese legroom. Plus I think he among others is a lil jealous. Can you really blame him they are really beautiful cars. Further more My father in law had a quote from a Mechanic that it would be around 3000 bucks to repair the car. Which is complete bull. I can get all the parts I need and then some with about 1000 and fix it all myself. Not that mechanic was wrong but I rather fix it myself because why let him have all the fun!
I work on my BMW 323i 99 alot too and that thing can be a real pain since you have to unburied parts to get to them. But I still like that ride too.
I rather have a few beers crank the music and work on the car then play video games or whatever else these days anyways.

So far so good
Thank you everyone for making this thread interesting and very informative.
You guys help me believe that this was a good project to undertake and Maybe in a few years I will have a few ;-)

 

Just have to say Japanese car Japanese legroom

The xjr is a small car!

If you are over 6 foot tall as I am I have customised my seat rails so I actually can get into the car LOL

There isn't a car on the market big enough the seat may go back but unless you have arms like a gorilla the steering wheel is out of reach for comfortable driving position and there are other foibles with these cars but there is something about them
I get motivated to sell my car as I dont use it as much as I used to but after driving it I always think nah Im keeping it LOL

 

The thing is, our cars are so overloaded with mechanics and engineering.

It would be a weird thought not to think things will break. Of course things break, maybe it will break sooner with a jag then an ordinary Toyota Starlet.

But at the end the Starlet needs maintenance too. Every piece of hardware needs maintenance sooner or later.

For example I remember a couple of posts earlier about the coils. Japanse/English version etc. Same thing I guess? One breaks easier then the other.

Im not a schooled Jaguar engineer, but I believe that our engine is pretty reliable, as of the parts all around it some are good some are bad.

I think you really should not forget that the car is filled with electronic stuff, those just easily stress or break. And I also see a lot of plastic that after all those years gets weaker, for example the sunroof hinges.

:-)