Hello,
My name is Bob, and I am very excited to say that I just picked up my first Jaguar. It is a black 1998 XJ8 Vanden Plas. It is higher miles (142K), but I have receipts for thousands in work over the last few months, including the timing chain tensioners and transmission drum. Love the car, drives wonderfully.

Now, this is meant to be a car that I enjoy driving, but it also has to be a family car and will be driven throughout the winter.

I have read that these cars are not the best winter ride, so I am planning on a set of winter tires. I have just picked up a ridiculously cheap set of 16" wheels (I believe they are called 10 hole or starburst, sorry I'm new here). I was thinking about buying the tires now as nobody wants them in stock now, and there are good deals.

I found a very cheap set at Tire Rack. BF Goodrich winter tires at a great price, but they are a bit tall at 225/70-16.

Does anyone know if these will clear? Also, one person told me that if the tires aren't factory diameter, it could set off an ABS code because the trans speed and the brake speed won't make sense to each other.

Can anyone offer any guidance?

Thank you so much and really looking forward to hanging around here,

 

Hello and welcome

I am in the uk so can't really advise on your tyres, but I can say that when the rest of the country has stopped because of snow, and there are 4x4s abandoned at the road side, my XJ8 is the only one that keeps going. In winter, I'd want nothing less than an X308.

 

That is very encouraging. It will be driven in awful cold and snow here by Chicago.

 

You should use standard size for winter tires, 225/60R16 , this is what I am using for the last 3 winters. Try Yokohama I/T , I have them on my Land Rover and they are the best I ever used on my cars.
An XJ8, rear traction will never beat a 4x4 in winter(unless if driven by hairdressers) but in winter(proper winter I mean), a car with winter tires will be always better than a car with summer tires. Where I live, average winter can put 10-20 inches of snow in a few hours, only 4x4 can be used during the storm.

 

Thank you, Flay.
My Land Rover was incredible in the snow. Chicago gets its fair share of snow, and my Rover was solid in the snow when with the worst of tires. An amazing truck.
So, the recommendation is stock tire size, but I'd like to know if there are known issues using taller sidewalls. I do this on my Porsche with great success (Bridgestone Blizzaks, great snow tires), as it gives me just a bit more height over the snow.
Is anybody aware of particular issues it would cause? Or if the tires will even fit without rubbing?
Thanks again,

 

Well, I went by my local tire guy today. He was kind enough to show me what it would look like if we tried to put on the 225/70-16's.
No way they are going to work.
I've got plenty of time, so I'll just be keeping in the lookout for a good price on stock sized winter tires.
Thanks very much.