Hi gang,

It's been a really long time since I've posted on Jaguar Forums,
and it's simply because I have been so busy. I'm doing a maxed
out courseload at university and working an internship 10mi away
from campus during the week, so I am constantly swamped with
work.

The X308 XJR has been treating me relatively well, but car anxiety
is getting the better of me. I feel like I'm drowning in car stuff!

I purchased a W123 Mercedes-Benz 240D for commuting duties,
As my fuel bills climbed. (The XJR @ 300 miles per week was using
up $70 every week!) The diesel gets 26-29 in mixed 50/50 city/hwy
driving, so It is really saving me fuel costs! Of course, other expenses
have mounter on the car. Between the new windshield, new seals,
new stereo, new steering wheel (Most of these were elective!) it's
getting a bit of funding. All of it goes to adding permanent value to
the vehicle (in theory!)

The XJR, now that has been relegated to optional use. (except that the
glow plugs in the Benz are wired in series, and 1 recently commited
suicide, taking its friend with it, for a total of 2 powered plugs, and
a non-running car) So, the XJR is back to daily driver use.

I am having some worries about continuing to run an XJR.

My replacement diff (used $1075) seems to have the desire to whine
in the future. I noticed a couple of whines when backing out of
parking spaces at different angles. The diff is a huge source of
worry about the X308 to me. I can't replace the axle seals, ($550
each at dealer), and no aftermarket.

The parts availability has just gotten worse and worse since I first
got an X308 in 2010. Anyone else feeling the pain?

I am now getting a bit of a coolant leak, and it isn't coming from
the upper hoses anywhere. Until it gets warmer, I can't see where it
is leaking from, is it possible that it is the radiator? What should I be
looking for?

Also, the subwoofer foam has let go. Wish me luck on the repair to
The foam. (The forums have great resources for the sub problem!)

Cheers!

Ian

 

At least on the coolant leak there is a simple answer. Check with one of the national chain auto parts stores to 'rent' a coolant system pressure test kit. Pump up the system cold and your leak should show itself. I have obtained kits from two different companies and both required the use of the universal connector to fit the Jaguar rather than one of the dozen or so others. You have to seal the reservoir from the overflow connection is the issue.

 

Champagne taste, beer budget I'm afraid Ian

 

Here's hoping it's not the radiator!

Oh man did I have problems with that one.... I work on my own cars, as a former technician, so I don't trust others. Well, the guys at my shop decided to "help me out" by putting an alternator in for me, and one of them put the wrong bolt into the fan shroud, or something, and punched a hole in my radiator. Couldn't rebuild it, couldn't find a new one anywhere locally, including places that are wholesale *ONLY* and don't sell parts to customers.

I wound up having to get a USED one from a scrap yard for $100 and the first one they gave me had a hole on it so I had to bring it back and swap it out. Best I could do online was $400+ for new or Rebuilt (IIRC) Aftermarket, or $800+ for OE Jaguar!

I paid $800 for the whole car (salvaged title or not, I practically stole it).

 

Heh heh.....yeah...the obvious question is "Has your savings in fuel expense been gobbled up with the costs of running a second car?"





So, the MB is the car that let you down but you're worried about the Jag?




Teasing aside....

How many miles on the Jag? Just wondering.

I went thru "the 100,000 mile blues" with my XJR. Seemed like a lot of things sorta cropped up at once. That happens on any car, eventually. I just worked thru 'em. I'm a bit over 150k miles now and all's well....but I'm fully aware that the car is no spring chicken. Anything can happen. If a major failure (like the trans going TU) occured I'd really struggle. The car has almost no market value.

But, if I can get another 50k miles out of it with just small repairs along the way....$200 here and $200 there, I'm OK with that.

None of this helps you.

If yours is really nice you might wanna fix any glaring faults and sell it while it's still nice enough to sell ...and nice enough to bring a decent price.

If high miles and only fair/average condition then you might wanna do what I do: keep up on the servicing, repair small items as they come along....but avoid major expenditures that will marry you to the car.

Cheers
DD

 

my junkyard diff also makes uncomfortable noises sometimes. It's not if it will fail, but when unfortunately.

I certainly advocate a supplementary car whenever possible, the XJR does not seem to take kindly to constant usage.

 

My 02 xjr is in constant usage and apart from a seatbelt light has been trouble free at 80k miles

 

My diff also occasionally makes a humming noise when reversing. Do these diffs fail that often?

 

The nice thing is XJ8 family share the same diff unit, and it's not beyond people to exchange it in the front garden, the diff carrier/rear subframe are fairly simple to remove and exchange.
The problem I've got is the reliance on TRAC control over mechanical limited slip diff on these cars, every Jag prior had an LSD fitted. Another thing down to price (from a FORD perspective). The Quaife option or OSGiken LSD's are too expensive for standard cars, a shame.
It's an on going gripe some owners have with these old warriors, even a Jaguar development engineer slagged off the powers that be about it. To find a good low mileage diff, change the output bearings, fluid and breather should be enough for another lifetime on the car. Finding a cheap pozi is a whole different debate we've been down on this forum with Plums, Adam etc having good input, but so far no clear cheap and easy solution.

 

@Sean... Your first comment is a little ill-informed.

This is true of your second comment as well,
unfortunately, as I had new fluid, and a 48,000
mile XJ8 donor diff (02 model) installed by the Jaguar
specialist and it bought me 10,000-20,000 miles max, by my
estimation. It is exactly the same as the 1st diff in my
Jag was at 90,000 miles, (Having been replaced by
dealer at 82,000 miles according to the Jaguar Genuine
replacement plaque on the diff itself, and the receipts
from a main dealer.) This diff began leaking at ~102,000 miles.
The current diff has some odd whines at various times, as did
the diff it had when I bought it, leading me to believe its days are
also numbered. I think molybdenum disulphide may be the answer,
will report back if it is.

XJR02, are you more of an 'enthusiast' driver, such as myself,
by chance? If the traction control is never turned off, I suspect
the diffs will last a lot longer. I guess this is what the killer is,
sadly.

The Quaife option relies on the very same axle seals as the
factory option, and relies on many of the gears of the original,
So i suspect that my 2 leaking axle seals and whine from the
last diff would not have all been solved by a £900 Quaife in any
way.

@Doug, as my signature says, the XJR is at ~111,000 miles currently.
At 100,000 I did have some issues as well. I do have an enormous
investment in this car, no engine/gearbox, but total expenditures have
gone over 50% of the market value. I'm on my second set of Michelin
tyres even. Mine is a nice one, but not perfect. I have been having thoughts
of selling it, but I consider all replacements to be inferior in performance,
quality, styling, and handling. (not all simultaneously, but at least one of
the above). Unless, of course, I had a $100,000 budget.

I think the XJR likes daily usage, mine seems less happy if it isn't
driven. It is all a dark science, but I think parking a Jaguar is much
more harmful than driving one.

@Doug, the fuel savings have easily been eradicated by the costs
of that second car. I do enjoy it, though, so it has that value.

@Jagginitup... yes, I seriously don't want to get involved with radiator.


Ian