There is currently a listing from a dealer for a 2001 XJR I am considering purchasing. For context, I am 18 years old and looking to purchase a new car. I have done a ton of reading on this and other sources about this car and have a couple of concerns.

I have no service history for this vehicle, and only have what is available on CARFAX. It has almost 119,000 miles on it and has gone through 7 owners. throughout its first few years it went through a several owners (this was in Nevada, a state where cat trading is popular to my knowledge so this isn't a huge issue for me) and was eventually sold to a dealer, who sold it at auction to another dealer (If I am reading the CARFAX report correctly) which is where it is currently sitting. I test drove it a week ago and heard no issues from neither the transmission, nor the timing chain tensioners, however I have no way to tell if these have been serviced at all, given that there is no service history available for it. I may also have to replace the water pump, but I am planning on looking at it again to check this. It has had the brakes replaced. as well as the rims, which leads me to believe the previous owners took care of it, but I don't know if these major problems have been taken car of, which are my main concerns.

Given the above, I am wondering if you guys would recommend I take a bit of gamble and pick this baby up. Its either this or I most likely will purchase a Subaru Impreza WRX. I have heard great things about both cars, but something about the XJR calls to me.

 

If you're handy with spanners go for it, if not I'd advise against. Your not going to hear anything until it's too late on the tensioners, they will need to be checked - a case of lifting a timing cover to look, if plastic they'll need changing.
The trans is the Mercedes so no issue with A drum problems the NA cars can suffer from.

 

 

The thing is, I've owned my 00 XKR for almost 8 years and 40k miles and my 98 XJR for 3 years and 15k miles. The XKR is more reliable than the XJR; and it's been a very good car! I daily the XKR 9 months of the year and put about 500 miles during those months on the XJR. The big thing it seems is that the car was loved and maintained. I don't think either car is built better than the other, I just happen to know my XKR lived a much more charmed life than the XJR.

Maintain either and either will be a good car. I agree with basically everything you said, just wanted to expound on the which is built better and which is more reliable point .

 

Sean B is absolutely spot on. At 17, going on 18 years old is young for you, but OLD for an automobile regardless of mileage. Especially in Nevada. Every part made of plastic, rubber or vinyl in that car is by now pretty well baked. If it isn't broken yet, the next big pothole or even a cross look is likely to break something. Add to that 119,000 miles is likely a LOT of heat cycles on all the seals, gaskets, electrical connectors, etc. under the hood. If you have to rely on someone else to repair it, then what you'll spend on repairs over the next few years would buy you several Subarus.

But on the other hand, if you are up for a challenge and have access to alternate transportation for the times the XJR is down longer than you'd hoped, then go for it. Just don't pay too much for it on the front end. Many of us older gearheads started in this hobby the same way. Heck if I were POTUS, every teenager would have to get their first car the same way I did. My father towed home a wrecked car with a smoking engine and said "Son, if you can fix it, you can drive it." He sat in a lawn chair and sort of supervised to make sure I didn't hurt myself, but I had to do everything. Back then I had to go to the library for books (you have the advantage of this very forum), but I was hooked and it was the first of many classic car restorations and race car modifications to follow. But even if as you enter adult life you never pick up a wrench ever again, you'd at least learn enough that no repair shop or car dealer would ever be able to take advantage of you and you'd likely be able to change a flat tire or jumpstart a car without calling AAA. Over your lifetime, the education could save you tens of thousands of dollars.

Now, there are much simpler cars than the XJR to start with and just as cool but we here on this forum are biased obviously. Parts ARE going to be rather expensive and harder to come by than that Subaru. Jaguar parts warehouses sold out of most parts years ago meaning that you'll be hunting for good used parts a lot of the time. The main issue I see with the XJR in question is the lack of service history. Typically, when a high end luxury sedan like this is fully depreciated, the cost of the 100K mile service interval is nearly as much as the car is worth by that point so that 7th or usually 3rd owner will rather skip the service and just roll the dice. If you can get it cheap enough, then it might be worth taking the chance, but its likely going to need a lot very soon regardless if it was maintained religiously. But do realize before you jump in, that an XJR is a lot more challenging than the primitive cars us older geezers started with. Are you up for the challenge? Be sure with a car like this that you budget say at least a couple thousand dollars a year for parts, supplies and don't forget tools. At your age, you probably don't have a full complement of tools. Seems even us old geezers are buying a new tool for nearly every job.

 

 

Amen

 

The car is about $4,500 which seems fair? but you guys will probably know this better than I do. Given it has no service history I may be able to bring it down.


Also here are a few pictures.



Engine is a bit dirty, but seems in good shape

 

I'd walk away myself. Given that there's no history, and judging by those wheels and that el-cheapo air filter thrown on the end of the intake tube, as well as the missing trim plate.. it instantly makes me suspect as to what ELSE has been done to the car, but more importantly, what maintenance HASN'T. I'd venture for the same money, or slightly more, you could find a much more reputable one for sale in better condition. Also, at a glance, tire size appears wrong. Maybe it's due to the wheels but they look way too thin. As in - owner or prior was a younger kid who had a pep boys or something near by, but not the budget to properly maintain the car as it needs to be. First impressions, but with the market of these cars, personally I'd hold out for a better example. That's just my opinion though (and I bought mine on an impulse buy, so take that for what it's worth lol)

 

As I daily my XJR and as I'm very familiar with the spanners on my car I'm with CharlzO - I'd walk away from it.

Judging from the engine there has been somebody fiddling around with the coolant bleeding lines at the expansion tank. Likely they had been repaired due to deterioration - as long as you don't know what's been done to it you'll soon look into a lot more repair on the coolant lines all around the engine. If the bleed lines already had been repaired due to age, then it's just a matter of time and you'll chase several coolant leaks and end up with replacing the octopus, valley and other "prone-to-fail-as-the-years-are-adding-up" hoses.
And I don't get the idea of these two bars behind the grille mesh - they're not meant to be there?!

I'd advise to have a look around for other cars. It took me almost half a year to chase down the right car which suited me and was in the right condition to buy.

Cheers, Alexander

 

 

I look at that air cleaner and see an abused cat. If he will take less than $1500, maybe. What does the oil look like? Leaks, brakes, tires, -- these will easily run you over $1000, doing the work yourself. Then it is going to need fuel filter, dif lube, bushings, shock mounts, maybe shocks, A/C refill, hoses, new water pump, tower and TST. As much as I think these are really easy cars to work on, no harder than a Subaru, the parts will be hard to find and it is dirty and abused. Based on the air cleaner, I am guessing the tensioners have been renewed; the guy who owned it last is a gear head and knows cars, still: dirty and abused.

As an aside -- stay away from dirty and abused women, too.

 

Not so sure about gearhead, myself. Wannabe, maybe. No shroud, and a pretty cheap cone filter, just tossed on, and as you said, as dirty as that engine bay is... But I agree on the valuation. Just feel there are a lot more options on the market

 

I wouldn't touch it with a long pole.



.

 

I wouldn't pay a dime over $2500 since you're going to be dealing with shenanigans. Sketchy wheels almost always means questionable maintenance. There are exceptions, but that rule has served me well in life. Stuff like that trash air filter and dirty engine bay, along with the grill+lower grill+mirror caps immediately sets off my piece of crap sensor.

 

I have an xjr (well, daimler super V8) and a wrx. The jags just get things wrong with them and need fixing. You don't want to really have to rely on it as a daily driver, especially not that one, Like if you've got kids or you're the designated driver for your family. And they do drink a ton of fuel. Not that wrx won't, but not as much as a supercharged 4 litre. So they cost a fair bit to run and to maintain and can be a pain in the ****. That said, the acceleration is fab, they look better than almost every 4 door on the road and when they're running right, no warnings, no restricted performance, they are an unalloyed joy.

A wrx is fabulously reliable and is like driving a go kart. If you get one, get a TD04 hybrid turbo in it and get it remapped. And upgrade the brakes.

I honestly can't pick which is may favourite of the two. Jag is cooler but gives more headaches. So not 'effortlessly cool' I guess. Being towed isn't cool, and that's happened twice.