Got my £500 XJ308 home today. Going to change engine oil tomorrow and run for an hour to check engine is ok before looking over rest of car. What horrors can I expect ? Will she get back on road or spare parts for others ?

 

X300 wheels on a X308? Different. I wouldn’t waste the money on an oil change until you know the engine is good first.

 

As long as there are no serious mechanical, electrical. rust issues you may have a nice cheap Jag.

Good luck, let us know how things go.

 

Why is the car only £500? When did it last pass MOT?

Prior to doing anything else, remove the cam cover(s) and inspect the secondary timing chain tensioners to see if they're still the original plastic-bodied ones or if they've been replaced. Replacing the primary and secondary timing chains, guides and tensioners is vital to prevent catastrophic engine failure, but can cost £1200 to £1800 if performed by a Jaguar specialist.

 

December 19 was last MOT, she’s far from concourse. Needs an alternator, Want to check for anything really nasty before doing that.

 

What year is that car? If it’s a 97’ or 98’, was it common that the early X308’s got those X300 wheels over in Europe?? I know the US cars didn’t get the X300 wheels over here. Things are done differently depending on which side of the pond your on.

 

She is year 1999, don’t know if wheels are original? Had her running a fair bit today. Starts ok, doesn’t appear to be smoking or breathing and no boiling or bubbling in expansion tank. Going to crack on with changing the alternator and then can road test. Fingers crossed

 

So, we have a running engine with electricity from 2nd hand alternator. No fault lights on dash (yet !). Next job sort the Cat’s out they are holy and blowing.

 

Godspeed !

 

Hi NBCat,
I can answer part of the question.
Here in the UK people don`t want a car that drinks fuel like its going out of fashion.
Yes a lot of people love the cars, but the most common comment is " bet it costs a fortune to run,"
I did not buy mine for the economy, that would be silly, but for £250.00 I got a car that is a beauty to drive after a transit all day.
If it is bad you can always part it out.
John

 

So work continues.... Serviced, breaks freed off, hub nuts Re-torqued, rusted fuel line replaced. Next remove Cats & investigate as one appears blocked and both are rusted out. Then check out intermittent misfire, hopefully just oily plug from failed o rings.

 

So good news, I think my timing chain tensioners are done ? Got metal sprockets.

 

The tensioners ... can't see which you have but be afraid if they're not metal-bodied.

 

It's not the sprockets but the tensioners, the shiny alloy bit with the red plastic piece on top.
If the other one is the same you're good.

 

LOL.

I paid $510 US for a 2000 XJ8. Now into it for over $10K.

 

So we have working XJ8 with 12 months MOT for £500. She has issues but used all week, 30 miles per day. Driving home tonight with window down (AC not working) first day it hasn’t rained all week. Thinking there is no finer car in the land. Got plenty of jobs to sort out, not sure how long she will last but definitely better than when pushed into my shed a few weeks ago.

 

Result!

 

ah ha - you checked for the finger-tight rear axle nuts?
Now there's a savvy man! :-)

-ps if shes's quite high mileage, try some Forte seal conditioner in the oil. £16.50 on ebay, and might works wonders.
-pps that misfire might be from the valve seat seals dripping into the piston.

 

Yes hub nuts, scary loose ! next job is to find and remove blockage in exhaust.
I have some STP stop smoke to try in engine, she puffs a bit of blue smoke on start up ?

 

Nice score, I'll have £500 Jags all day long, there's always something good going to come out of them (even if you have to put in a load of blood, sweat, tears and a bit more cash). They have dried up at that price round here though.
(I'd chew my arm off to get another Carnival Red one like my old one - provided it wasn't as rusty!)