While doing some maintenance on the brakes last week, I noticed that the front lifting point on the driver side was oddly bent, half pushed inside the body.

Situation looked pretty grim, rusty to the point of seeing through the metal. Unsure how I could let this happen because I'm often under the car but never noticed before (the underbody was damaged but that's all)...
The last mechanic I went to, years ago, had sprayed Blaxon all over so I'm guessing the rust kept propagating beneath that.

So I took it to another mechanic yesterday so that he lifts it and I can evaluate the damage: he couldn't even lift it as both front points started to bend into the body with a creaking sound. I'm afraid it is beyond repair at this point -- more exactly it would cost a fortune and I would still have multiple other issues to resolve.

So I guess this is it, after 8 years... On the plus side, I was about to replace all 4 tyres, so good thing I noticed before.
Now I have a few months left before the next MOT so I can drive it, but it's probably not very safe.

Thinking of finding myself a S-Type as a replacement.

Also, I'm a little sad, and kinda pissed at myself for not handling the issue on time.

 

Unfortunately it is very time consuming to repair inner and outer sills and some of the floors. Therefore very expensive if not diy.
All these years of rust proofing what I have done to my cars. I have seen that anything that you put on the rusted metal is only and I mean only for looks. Rust will always continue under the eye candy. Cavity wax will only slow rust but will absolutely not stop it.
S-type is easily more rusty than XJ. Keep in mind sills and rear subfame when looking an S-type.

 

Ah well. I figured a more recent S-type would be less prone to that issue...

 

Yes sir. Rust is a silent killer that never sleeps. I had a Mark X that had a few
rust spots however I became aware and slowed it down to an acceptable degree.
It is such a shame to see these beautiful cars fall prey to oxidation.

 

Yeah
Can't blame the Jaguar engineers for not thinking of properly treating these cars against rust though... I mean, with Britain's hot and dry climate, that some would even call arid, who would have thought of that ?



Anyway, my plan is to remove the front passenger seat and use it to build an office chair. Should be relatively to find and plug a 12V battery and retain the adjustment capabilities.

 

First thing is the first owners who were not intersted in protecting their new purchase from the rust. Even I'd say that they must have knew about the jaguar rust legacy from the earlier years. Every two years wax and chip protection would have slowed the rusting significantly.

But

This does not concern the first owners at all. Rust is issue with us that can buy car like this only when these are 20yo or older.

 

Yes. It is good to get in on a rack every so often and do a visual inspection.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

 

I could possibly have prevented that, indeed.
But I suspect the issue has started years ago, before I purchased it.

Truth be told, I made multiple amateur mistakes with this car -- I fell for the British lady, ignoring many elements that, in retrospect, should have been red flags : in particular I think it may have been in an accident, and sat idle for several years. Plus, of course, the Blaxon thing.

Anyway, that's how you learn I guess. Just too bad it's yet another XJ to meet its demise.