Hello, I am new here and new to Jaguars as well. I am going to look at a 98 XJ8 with 108K on the clock. It doesnt have any plates on it, but the owner said I can test drive it(maybe he has land I can drive on). If not whats a good way of testing the transmission so I know I won't have any problems if I do purchase the car. I ask that because I like a good 75 miles away. I know I should see the car when its cold as well. What are some common things that can happen to XJ8 Jags? thanks sorry if this post is long

 

There is an exhaustive pre flight check list at the top of the FAQ sticky above.

As you have identified, the premature transmission failure is one of them. All you can do is drive it normally and try to identify anything about the shifting that seems irregular.

Any documentation on tensioner replacement is also important. If the owner cannot document that work as having been done I would automatically subtract $1000 from what would otherwise seem a fair price. You can DIY for $200 but a professional is going to charge $800 - $1000. Tensioner failure WILL kill the engine.

Good luck! You will enjoy the Jaguar . . . and welcome to the forum.

 

I am going to see the car tomorrow, If the tensioners are bad, how loud of a noise will the engine make?

 

If the cam has slipped a tooth the engine will run rough. If the tensioners have not been replaced, they will need to be. If there is no documentation, you should assume that they will need to be replaced. That's what happened to me - the previous owner was ignorant or playing dumb, so I factored this in and replaced them after (they were ready).