Happened to be driving home today...and espied an XJ8 in the forecourt of a local gas station with a 'For Sale' sign on it. So, spun the XF around (the station happens to be within walking distance of my home...) and proceeded to enquire.

It's a 2000 XJ8, 173xxx on the clock, but, with a replacement engine from Jag dropped in it in 2005 @ aprx 60K miles under an extended Jag warranty according to the dealer paperwork in the car. Also a tranny overhaul work order (again, by Jag) at aprx 125K miles. All the major paper work for repairs is there...

Has heated front and rear seats (albeit the seats are rough...not torn, just worn pretty much as you'd expect), the headliner is sagging (no surprise, it did on mine too...), pretty good rubber, and the rims look as if they've been taken care of. Door cards are in good shape; the wood veneer trim is cracked, but the whole interior wood is the same (burl) as mine.

Of course, sitting out in the sun, it doesn't necessarily smell the best and could use a good cleaning and refreshing of the interior and the paint (that pretty light blue shade...forgot to look at the tag in the door for the code...) could use a good buffing out. But, no major door dings or prangs that I could see, and the paint was uniformly worn (which would indicate that it had not been panel shot or repaired along the way....either that or it was a complete respray...). Carpets were dry...rear 3rd brake light was loose.

Popped the hood; all the bits seem to be there and not in terrible shape. Got on my hands and knees...no obvious spots or drips on the tarmac.

Radio works. But, didn't check to see if the a/c was operational.

Front driver side wing has a bash (not bad, looks like a toolbox ran into it, not something of a vehicle prang) right in back of the outer headlight. Of course, the paint is a bit rough, but all there, and none of the usual rust spots were in evidence.

Started right up; ASC and Traction Control indications not working right off the bat, and there was a CEL lit besides the ABS warning light. But, the engine was idling smoothly, so, thinking I'll bring my code reader and see what it is tomorrow.

Gas tank and sender replaced under warranty also.

If nothing else, there are a lot bits and pieces to pull off this (the heated seats could be recovered with the refinished covers from mine and swapped out?), it has a second set of carpet covers, all the door stuff, the cd mount and trim from the boot, a spare set of rims, and, assuming the engine and tranny are in decent useable shape, along with other bits and pieces...who knows, right?

Best part is the price: the owner is selling it for his aunt...asking 1700 USD...thinking of offering, as it sits, 1500 in cash on the spot. Worst is that I get a pile of parts to put in the shed next to all the Lotus Europa spares...best that the CEL is a simple fix, the ABS module is repaired with a solder reflow or send off to rebuild, and I tart up the interior and find a replacement front wing...and have a (shoot me) third jag (or let my dad drive it about...he's been trying to buy my XJ from me since he saw the completed work on my own 2000).

Too much? Just about right (considering the new-ish engine (assuming an engine replaced in 05 would have had the updated tensioners) and such and Jag O/H tranny?)?

I guess once I pull the codes, I'll know what the story is re why the CEL was on (and what I'm facing there...), and I'm assuming the ABS may be just the cold solder issue. But you know what assumptions are, right?

Just thought I'd throw this out for discussion or comments.

 

You may or may not be nuts, but that is a whole different discussion! It sounds like a pretty good parts buy, if nothing else. But I suspect you will not want to do that
Good luck and keep us posted.

 

I always hate to see a repairable Jag parted out, so I hope if you acquire it you are able to make it a nice runner again.

BTW, who, besides someone with your knowledge and abilities, is going to pay anything more than salvage value for that car? Given the CEL and other warnings, you might explain to the seller what it's going to take just to make the car safe to drive and licensable. I don't know about PA, but in TN we can't license a car with the CEL illuminated. What would it hurt to offer him even less than what you were considering to see just how badly he wants to sell the car?

Anxious to hear what you decide.

Cheers,

Don

 

Subscribed , seems you know what you are doing, keep it coming....

 

don b here in memphis we can get plates for anything running or not. as long as you have $107

 

I wish I could say that;
Here a car looses its license if not periodically tested (every 1/2 yr if older then 10 years), and it is impossible to re-license it.

Know of several decent cars rotting on the side of the road due to this .

 

No updates...had to pend it to take care of the body damage from a cretin who dropped some conduit on my freshly overhauled/repaired rear fender. Grrrrr....story is in another posting in the X308 forum...but the car is still there.

Can only expend my funds on one car at a time...

 

don what part of tn you in, west tn doesn't mater

 

Hi Jon,

In Nashville and the surrounding counties a car must pass an emissions test, and an illuminated CEL or the presence of any stored Powertrain DTC other than P1111 is an automatic fail.

Cheers,

Don

 

don we had that too until about 2 yrs ago. city & county got to fighting over who was going to pay ,then junked the whole thing. after millions spent on new hardware and buildings. know anyone that might want to buy a 99 xjr engine , tired of mine , junking out jon need it off rack

 

The module is bad. Almost 6 years no issues until one day error message appeared. Just had mine replaced under warranty. I think they said part was almost $700. Crazy.

 

I replaced the o rings on the small plastic tubes on the large air plenum. If I recall correctly, there are two tubes with one o ring on each end for a total of 4 o rings. I knew one was leaking because you could see the dirt collected around the tube. O rings readily available at local hardware store.

RyeJag
2004 XJR

 

Bought a used 2002 XJ8.-2 months ago love the car . Except engine light came on first time 3 days after buying. Friend told me most likely the gas cap. Opened it replaced it , light went out.😊😎. Until today. Cap on & off several times light still on. Gas cap looks as if it is the original.
Does your Recall apply to my car? If so please send it ASAP.
My information is in my Account
Please reply ASAP
THANKS Ron Strait