Hello Everyone,

I'm new to this forum and while I've never owned a car ,nor do I personally know that much about them, I'm a very careful person and I'm looking for some insight from those more experienced in this brand than myself.

I've found a 1999 Jaguar XJ8 for sale, and I'm highly interested in purchasing it. I've always liked the way Jaguars looked, but I never had a particular interest in making it my first vehicle. That was until I saw what else my area had to offer in my price range (around $4500-$5000 USD). The other options were less than impressive to say the least. When I ask everyday people's opinions about cars they recommend Hondas and Toyotas but they're scarce or extremely high in mileage and age in my available area and price range. I've been attempting to do research on the different types of cars for sale and their reliability as well as fuel economy. While this doesn't seem like the cheapest option for potential repairs and fuel cost, I still put it at the top of my list because of the reviews I've read. Out of all the cars I've found this does seem like the most intelligent choice. Not because it's a more luxurious make and model than some of the others in my price range, but because of the reliability reports. I don't have a ton of money to be putting in to repairs, but I do have a steady amount for general maintenance and upkeep. I'm bringing a very experienced mechanic who's worked on pretty much every type of car along with me to look at this car. Because I'm so adamant about purchasing this car, I wanted to get some reliable opinions and input about it before I take the plunge.

A few things about the particular car I'm buying:
-Year: 1999
-Model: XJ8 (not an XJ8L or Vanden Plas or anything like that)
-Mileage: 126,000
-Passed Smog
-One Owner
-Minimal Body Damage (just a few scratches on the hood)
- Perfectly intact interior
- Priced at $3,800 (I believe that's accurate for the body damage, when I checked Kelly Blue Book values.)

My personal usage for this vehicle will be a small range of daily driving to school and back (that's about 2.5 miles one way). Twice a month I'll be taking the car across town for commitments I currently have (about 30 miles one way). I may take it on one or two long distance road trips (150 miles+) within a single year. 95% of the time it will be only for driving to school and back though. I'm also aware that I don't necessarily need a V8 engine for my driving requirements, but it's the car I found available from limited choices so please refrain from mentioning that.

If you've owned this model and year before or have knowledge about it I'd be thankful if you shared it with me. I'm asking for you to fill out the list below in your replies, but if some parts are unknown and left out I understand. Any additional advice would be highly appreciated, thank you.

Reliability: (Rate 1-10, 1 being worst and 10 being best)
Fuel Economy: (Please give a number for city and highway miles per gallon)
Known Faults: (Any common repairs done on this year and model)
Personal Experience: (A short description of your experience with the vehicle if you owned one, you can list any personal repairs that are generally uncommon and wouldn't fall under the known faults section.)
Longevity: (Rate 1-10), I'd like a long-lasting car for usage for 3-5 more years.
Other thoughts: (Anything else you'd like to tell me about your vehicle and/or the one I'm interested in purchasing's description.)

*Please refrain from rude comments or useless information. If you have not owned this year and model Jaguar and/or have no valuable information relating to this year and model specifically please don't comment. I'll answer any further questions you might have about the specific car I'm looking into. Thank you so much for your time and information, I greatly appreciate it.

 

Hello Rainere,

as my signature says I own a 2002 Daimler V8, the luxury variation of the luxury car XJ8, so to say.

Let me begin with the potential repairs. There's one measure that is imperative for the 1999 MY. That is changing the secondary chain tensionsers for the exhaust valves timing chains. The built-in tensioners have plastic bodys which are in high danger to crack, thus causing a failure of the tensioners. Failing tensioners cause the chains to jump over which probably results in severe engine damage, for the valves then get in touch with the pistons. You should in any case put the costs for a change on top of the purchase price.

Other repairs are summarized here:

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...-issues-43702/

AND carefully look for rust! "Rust never sleeps" (Neil Young)


Reliability: 10

I own the Daimler since mid-September so it may be a little bit too early to judge. But there haven't been any issues yet.

Fuel Economy:

I can't give you mpg values. Driving considerately my car takes 12 litres/100 km. It results from a mix of 2/3 motorway and 1/3 city + country roads.

Personal Experience:

This car is exceptional in any way. The engine runs so smooth that you'll hardly notice that it's running. When it's warm it doesn't give more than an unstressed hum, even at higher speeds. That's what I love most about the V8. Yet it's so powerful. If you need power, the V8 provides it nearly effortlessly.

And the ride is not a ride. It's more like gliding over the road.

Even the handling is exceptional. My Daimler is a LWB model (what else? ) with a length of 5,15 metres. But it feels as if it's only half as long when taking the bends.

We don't need to talk about the beauty of the XJ8's shape, do we?

My Daimler will face two repairs in January: both rear wheel bearings have to be changed. And there's a rust hole in the front left wheel housing which needs treatment. According to my favourite workshop (free, but renowned Jaguar experts in the local enthusiasts scene) these repairs are not untypical. I didn't want to list them there though.

Longevity:

I don't see problems here for a 5 year time range. IMO it has everything to become a classic car one day. The support of the electrical systems could become an issue in the long run, but not within the next few years.

Other thoughts:

Without doubt the X308 is a splendid car. If you take good care of it keep an eye on the main troublemakers (see major repair and safety issues thread) it can give you many years of exceptional pleasure. I wish you all the best for your "chase"

 

Hi
Our 2001 XJ8 (114000 miles on it) is the same model series and is almost the same as the 1999 XJ8.

I recommend that you try to get as much repair and maintenance history of this 1999 XJ8 with the 126000 miles on it. Get the Vin number and see what you can get from your local Jaguar Dealership Service access to its online history. There are a lot of stuff that goes wrong and need to be replaced on these XJ8 models. I have been lucky that have 2 different local Indy repair shops that do the repairs at a reasonable hourly rate. Jaguar dealerships service depts hourly rates from $110 to $140 per hour depending where they are located.

If all of the major stuff has already been replaced, then you have a better chance of having a wonderful car with beautiful styling and performance without too much trouble.
Our gas mileage is about 18 miles/gallon (65% local driving & 35% highway). Runs on premium gas.

Here is a PDF file of our 2001 XJ8 Repair/Maintenance History for the last 9 years (look at the large dollar items - Transmission Fix, Timing Chain/Tensioners, Throttle Body, ABS Module Replacement or Repair, Instrument Cluster Module, Valve Covers Leaking, Fuel Pump in Tank replaced, Water pump with plastic inpeller, Heating System Clogged, Front Wheel Bearing, Major Maintenance (flushing/cleaning all fluids), Brake Pads & Rotors, Plastic engine parts (Coolant leaks) and there are other issues I personally have not had (major modules - Door, Body, Sliding Roof, etc)).

https://www.dropbox.com/s/bsu4horx49...20XJ8%20sp.pdf

I still have a low hanging headliner above the rear seating area (another issue on these XJ models).

I still love this car and intend on keeping it for a long time. I have owned a 1990 Acura Legend LS for more than 17 years now. It is a great car and very reliable.

Jim Lombardi

 

Here is my short and sweet take:
It is worth every penny IF-
the secondary timing tensioners have been replaced
the A-drum in the transmission has been replaced

IF NOT- offer $2000-$2500. Stomp your foot, hold out your and and say "Let's have a deal!" I saw this on Wheeler Dealers, and for some ODD reason it has worked miracles when I negotiate.

 

Not to be a grinch, but an old(er) high luxury end car with 100K miles or more is usually not the best choice for somebody that has no cash reserves for repairs. They are extremely reliable (contrary to old stories) but when they do break or just plain wear out, the cost of repairs can easily exceed the value of the vehicle. That's why Jaguars are cheap and available and Hondas aren't.

 

I am a 57 year old ex military pilot. I drive cars and motorcycles since 1969, and I fly airplanes since 1981. I worked on my vehicles all these years, and I accumulated a lot of knowledge, and tools for any vehicle I considered owning.

I WOULD NOT buy a Jaguar if I would be in your shoes. This is a GORGEOUS car for very little money, and I understand how easy it would be to pick this over ANYTHING else in the same price range. But,.....this car needs the upkeep, and you either pay through the nose for someone else to do it for you,.....or you DIY.

If you can't pay someone, you need to learn (not hard!), and be willing to wrench on it. Hanging on this forum WILL give you the knowledge if that's what you seek. There are people on this forum that can offer the advice, and guidance in ANY repair/maintenance you might need.

Still,.....if I would be just starting to drive, I would NOT pick this car. As some other posters said,.....IF you have a complete service records on that car, and IF the IMPORTANT upgrades have been done (or you can pay someone to do them right away), ....go for it. If not,....your lack of the general car knowledge (and particular Jag knowledge), will hurt your bank account badly. Example,.....I know what signs ANY system in this car will give me BEFORE the catastrophic failure, and I will have the ample time to address it (for the simple fact that I have other vehicles at my disposal!). You will keep driving (the only car you have!), until you kill the tranny OR the engine (just an example). Same goes for the electronics on this model.

Be carefull. My younger daughter just started to drive, and she drives a Jeep Cherokee. She doesn't even check the tire pressure! The car is a total mess, but almost indestructible (and completely disposable). I would NEVER let her drive a Jaguar!

 

Agreed.

If these have not been done and confirmed with repair receipts showing the correct matching VIN, then it is going to be very difficult to stay within your budget if you consider the first year of ownership.

 

I agree with daniesand. With all the experience I have repairing cars over the years, I was still hesitant to buy a modern (to me anyway) Jag.

 

Yes, I agree with danielsand, whenever the Jaguar breaks down, then the Acura Legend comes to the rescue (it always start, hardly ever needs anything to fix).

We do use the Jaguar as our primary driving vehicle.

Our XJ8 is not what I would call reliable, even had numerous repairs by the Jaguar dealership while it was within the 3 year new car warranty period and others beyond that with our purchased additional 4 year extended warranty period.

Then the most expensive repairs after both of the warranties expired.

Jim Lombardi

 

Hi there,

I had an X308 as my first car, a 2002 XJ Sport, what
a great car. It seems, though, that the previous years
are not quite as advisable. I'd recommend paying less.

In my parts of the world, Tulsa/ Orlando, a 2002 XJ8 with
60k miles can be had for less than 6 grand. That's what
I recommend you do.

My experience has been very good with these cars, and
I can go into more detail if you like, but I am sure most of
the normal stuff has been covered already.

The 1998-1999 cars are often seen at $3k with 70k miles
and a trans fault or somesuch, 126,000 miles is a risky
proposition even for me. My 2003 XJR @ 92k was the
limit, and I have a lot of knowledge on these cars.

Besides all the issues described above, tensioners, Nikasil,
ZF 5HP24 A-drum redesign; I will comment that almost 0
of the people I have met, my age, understand the attention
that a Jaguar needs. It is not like a VW which will reliably
and consistently break all the time, relentlessly requiring
repairs. It is not like a Honda, which will surely perform as
specified for hundreds of thousands of miles, as long as the
oil is changed.

I think there is a spirit in the car, and it needs to be cared for
as such. If the passion isn't there in the owner, I doubt if the
experience will be the same. A clean car is a happy car, and this
applies to Jags... I have a recurring ABS/ Trac fault and it seems
to only come on when I haven't washed the XJR. This is a common
fault in the X308, and it is usually intermittent.

It served me well in high school, and college, the XJ Sport, 2 notes
for life in the parking lots, keep the car cool. If not garaged,
(or equivalent,) the wood veneer will begin to crack, first the
clear and then the wood itself. Also, extended heat can bring
down an old headlining, and it will also warp the outer dash slightly.
Park under trees and keep Meguiar's quick detailer in the trunk
at all times, to deal with sap and bird droppings from the trees you
will have to take refuge in to keep the car cool.

It's a magical experience to own such a car, though, they are
like a best friend in many ways. Most of my friends (who don't
have a BMW roundel on their car's nose, that is...) make apt
comparisons to Italian cars with the Jag, it really has a certain
something.

If you want to hear anything more from me I'd be happy to oblige.
There are 2 other "young" X308 owners I know of, Burmaz and Stu 1986,
I don't know everyone's age though of course. I am a soph. in college and
on my second X308.

9 for reliability*.

*--for a car of its age, only certain US/ Japanese cars score a 10. And not the
Accord, this car will outlast a 98-02 accord in my view.

Cheers and welcome,

Ian

 

This is not a good idea-all it takes is failure of the secondary tensioners & the gearbox 'A' clutch drum & you'll be left with a heap of scrap that you can't afford to fix.

Also, this is possibly the worst type of car to use for repeated short journeys of such a small mileage-sooner or later you'll get the fuel flooding problem that plagues this design when used for repeated cold starts & short journeys.

If you were an experienced car owner with a lot of practical know-how then it might be worth the risk. But to buy a car like this as your first ever car is to put your head in the lions mouth & hope he isn't feeling hungry that particular day...

Read the threads & posts on this very forum to learn all about the horror stories that could be coming to you if you take the plunge.

I've had 2 Jags now & have needed every bit of my previous car owning & mechanical experience to cope with the maintenance & repairs.

To own a car like this you need to fit into on of the following 3 categories-you need to be either:

1) Rich

2) Good with tools & have lots of them, together with lots of free time

3) Lucky in life-as in always coming up smelling of roses etc, whatever you do in life

As for myself-I'm not rich & I'm the world's worst gambler-I was not born lucky

Therefore I fit into category 2) and have a shed full of tools

 

I got my VDP 8 yrs ago as my 2nd car. I was 17 yrs old at the time, and my Jag was only 4 yrs old. I was lucky enough to have parents who would pay for the repairs that I can't do myself. The car was reliable for 3 yrs, then the transmission failed, and the repair bills rapidly become more expensive and more common.

My first car, which I had for a year, was an old Jeep Grand Cherokee. It was indestructible, and a great car to get me to mature and careful enough for the Jag. These Jags are extremely delicate! I baby my car to death and things still break on it.

I would give mine a 5 on a 1-10 of reliability. If you can't afford (or you parents don't want to chip in) a surprise $500+ repair bill, then I wouldn't get it.

If you are a perfectionist, and want your Jag to be in tip top shape (and not squeaking and falling apart), and you don't do any repairs on your own at all, then I would REALLY not buy one.

 

There's a reason why big old Jags are relatively cheap compared to more 'mundane' cars.

With an old Jag you really do now 'Buy now, pay later', as the finance ads always like to say. But with the Jag you'll never stop paying

If you're feeling lucky & bursting with confidence, then go ahead & take the plunge. But in all honesty I'd stop thinking about it right now unless you can muster up a spare credit card with a large credit limit purely for potential Jag repairs...

As Clint Eastwood might have said in Dirty Harry if he was selling a Jag "I know what you're thinking-did he replace the timing chain tensioners with 3rd gen metal ones-or was it only 2nd gen plastic ones? In all the excitement I've kinda lost track myself-but bearing in mind that this is an old Jag V8, the most powerful money sponge in the world, and will blow your bank balance clean off-you've got to ask yourself one question-do I feel lucky?"

Well do ya, punk?

 

I think, Red October, that you are dead wrong. A
BMW 2.5, 2.8, 3.0, 4.4, 4.9, Mercedes 3.2, 4.3, 5.4, 5.5, Audi
1.8, 2.0, 2.7, 3.0, 3.2, 4.2, 5.2, VW 1.8, 2.0, 3.2, Volvo
or Saab anything, Aston Martin, Bentley, RR, Cadillac 3.2, 4.6,
even Nissan 5.6 are higher cost of ownership engines.

 

One of my favorite movies of all times. The line I use often: "A man should know his limitations." I think it applies in this case, and live by it myself.

 

Seriously, unless you can use hand tools, buy a bike, or a Nissan.

Happy Christmas

 

I've owned 11 BMW's in the past 20 years, from mundane 4 pots through the small & bix sixes & then to the V8.

The Jag V8 had a couple of flaws which the BMW V8 didn't have:

1) The BMW V8 I had in my 540i had double row timing chains & was never known for tensioner issues snapping chains & writing off the engine-unlike the early Jag V8's.

2) The BMW V8 used a metal-impeller water pump & never had issues with plastic impellers falling off & causing destructive engine overheats on the V8-they learnt their lesson with the earlier M52 straight sixes which used plastic impellers on the water pumps. My own 24v 525i had this very failure & I replaced the pump myself with a metal-impeller version after the plastic impeller fell apart.

The Jag & BMW V8's are equally at risk from Nikasil problems, although BMW changed the block material to the safer Alusil at round the same time as Jag were just introducing their Nikasil V8's to the general public & had yet to go through the same trauma as BMW did earlier.

The German V8 in the BMW was in my experience a less troublesome unit with regards to reliabliity than the Jag V8-you only have to read this very forum about timing chains to realise that.

The firing order of a quad-cam V8 places assymetric 'pulse' loads on the cam chains as the cam lobes open the valves, so the single-chain jag design with fragile plastic tensioners was not really up to the job. The timing chain gear may have been light and the single-row chains may have made the engine a bit shorter, but a big price was paid in terms of mechanical strength & long-term reliability.

The older 6-cylinder BMW's had a reputation for camshaft lubrication failure & camshaft wear, as well as head gasket failure-but these faults are considerably easier to fix & less expensive that if the Jag V8 snapped it's timing chains & destroyed the whole engine-necessitating bottom end repair as well.

I've owned several BMW 2.5 engines-one of which ran to 237,000 miles & I never had any failures in the same league as the Jag V8 is known to fail with. I also currently own a 1996 Bentley Turbo R & replaced the head gaskets myself this year. The gasket set was not too expensive & it was only a top-end overhaul job which took me about 3 weeks, as I completely cleaned the engine bay, engine upper block & cylinder heads before refitting everything.

The Bentley was also in a completely different price league when new anyway & is not an accurate comparison with a Jag. The venerable Rolls V8 was a sturdy old unit & not as mechanically 'fragile' as the early Jag V8's.

I had a 1995 Daimler Double Six for a few years with the old 6 litre V12 & this was a mechanically more robust car from an engine point of view-the V12 was a tried & tested unit. The gearbox was also easier to cope with too, as it used the good old Dexron 3 transmission fluid & had drain plugs plus a dipstick for ease of maintenance-just like my Mk4 Bentley Turbo R which shares the same GM 4-speed transmission.

The guy were are advising here has never owned a car before & so I don't think an old Jag V8 with no evidence of secondary tensioner replacement or gearbox 'A' clutch drum replacement is a particularly wise choice as his first ever vehicle.

Also, he said he's only going to be doing very short journeys in the car, which is the worst type of driving possible for an older Jag V8 with it's fuel flooding problems, potential Nikasil problems, potential timing chain problems & potential gearbox problems-all of which are expensive repairs apart from the fuel flooding starting procedure.

You only have to read this very forum to see how many expensive faults can plague this car.

It took me around 20 years of car ownership, several different vehicles & a great deal of spannering before I had the time & confidence to tackle an old Jag V8-and an even older Bentley V8

Therefore I could not possibly recommend an old, early-model Jag V8 to someone who has never even owned a car before & is on a limited budget with limited mechanical knowledge or experience. The guy could buy the car on our recommendation & then be on this forum in a month posting horror stories of snapped timing chains, wrecked engines & a failed gearbox.

 

I wouldn't call Red October wrong.

My dad still has a 2000 528i that he bought new. The abuse that car has put up with would have easily sent a X308 to the junk yard. It has 200k miles and is still on its original transmission. The engine was replaced due to a weak cooling system that failed, which led to a cracked block. The car was driven while overheating until it stalled. The cracked block and cooling issue are really the only major issue this abused car has had. The same can't be said for my babied X308 with FAR fewer miles. When cleaned inside and out, the BMW feels and looks almost like its new. The interior can really take abuse without an issue. The suspension also seems to be more rugged than that of the X308.

My friend had an '89 BMW 525i that had almost 300k miles on its original engine and trans.

I'm sad to say this, but, are there ANY mainstream drive trains built during the X308 era with more wide spread problems than that of an early N/A X308?

 

I have seen a 2.5's cooling problems in the flesh,
my friend overheated one on a 160 mile journey.
It lunched a cooling reservoir en route to watch
some racing, so you couldn't even cool down the engine
with the heater. Mechanically, the M3's engine is less
stable, with more valvetrain issues. Of course, the
M V8, 4.9, (S52 I think) is known for needing rod
bearings at 100k miles, because a redesign took 3
years to introduce.

I said in my first post though, I wouldn't call the
99 a good call, at that mileage it is far too risky.
A 98 with 30k miles is just as risky, or 200k, or
100k.

The Jaguar V8 is not the biggest money pit ever.
That's why I say you're wrong, I've put 30,000
miles on Jaguar V8s, and they have been strong.
Barely touching oil consumption, great gas mileage
(except the XJR) and runs well. I personally think
the 99 XJ8 would outlast a 99 E430, or a 99 740i,
or a 99 A8 4.2. The 4.2 is belt driven, which is another
game of Russian roulette with the belt change. The
4.4 BMW ones are famous for what you noted, and the
VANOS gears getting wonky and making noise.

Ian

 

I wouldn't recommend it, unless you and your dad are adept mechanics. If you must have a Jag I'd recommend the 1994-1997 XJ6 or the S-Type with the 3.0 V6. A little cheaper to maintain in my opinion.

If you're looking for European cars specifically, other good starter vehicles could possibly be an early model Mercedes E-Class diesel or pretty much any Volvo from the 1990's.

Just my 2 cents.