So. After a fun roadtrip to CA, I let my youngest son borrow the XJR to visit Stanford.

There was a torrential downpour, and the streets of the South Bay were not sufficiently engineered to dissipate the accumulated rainfall. I suspect that my son drove through some deep water and then called me at the office to tell me that "the Jaguar is stuck in an intersection and it will start but I cant get it to go anywhere".

I ubered to his location and sure enough, the Jag was started but no power. I could idle it and got it to a nearby parking lot. We were sort of stranded. So I killed the engine and decided to wait a bit. (Still raining).

Here's where I really messed up. I restarted the car. It seemed to have around 30% power, I thought "let's drive it and see if it rights itself" and I planned to drive it out of the rain, essentially to Los Angeles (I know, dumb. I wasn't thinking.).

The poor thing did 40 miles. I put gas in it, the skies cleared, and then power loss. Applied more gas, and saw a plume of white smoke. Then parts started flying out of the rear of the car. No kidding.

I suppose you can kick a man whilst he's down if you're the type to do so, but I know I really messed up. I suspect I could have driven it to a local mechanic and parked it in the lot until it dried out and then had it checked for operation. I was just 1400 miles from home and in N.Cal where I knew exactly zero car people at the time.

I donated the car; but now it turns out that the donation didn't go through. It's at an impound lot and I have the option to save the car. Am I looking at a full engine swap at this point? Trying to figure out if it's worth saving. I do love the car. 2001 XJR with around 110k miles.

I can buy a nicely sorted one for $14k, but not in my preferred color.

Thoughts? (kind and helpful ones please!)

 

As someone who has blown an engine in an X308 XJR, I'd say keep it and fix it. If you're handy, just swapping the engine isn't too hard! If you have to pay someone to do it, probably isn't worthwhile unless the car is in top notch condition.

 

There was an (in)famous water-ditch in a small town in GB - just type Rufford Ford into youtube and you can see them killing their cars.
It's not that easy to understand: The compression motor can compress gasses (air), but not liquids (water) coming in by the air intake...
I assume that this is what killed you engine.

What to do next all depends on what you can buy for how much (whole car or engine)...

 

Personally, I would price an engine, delivery and installation for a comparison.
Then see how that might fit with your preferred color addressed.

 

Take a look at Bring A Trailer site. I see some for sale on lt.