So we went down to the local dealership here... friendly folks super nice and lots of info on the local Jag owners club but the techs there told me some interesting things that I would like to have some second opinions on...


1) I told them that I had bought a XJS that had been driven very little in the last 12 years and was going to be using it as a daily driver so wanted to do a fluid flush wire spark plugs etc... his answer was that a tranny flush which I had also mentioned would require a signed waiver and it probably would toast the tranny... any thoughts?

2) the XJS has 64K on the clock he asked me if the timing chain had been done indicating it was about 3K to fix.

3) he also told me since they opened in 04 and mine was a 93 they really couldn't work on it at all because they didn't have any of the required tools or diagnostic equipment going back that far?


Thanks in advance !

 

Also he asked what motor I had.. I told him the 4.0 he asked 6 or 12? I said it's the 4.0 so it's the 6 he told me that a 4.0 could be either? I though the 12 only came in 5.3 and 6.0 variety? I know they made a 4.0 v8 as well as the 6 but a 12?

 

Replace "...probably toast the tranny..." with "there's a very remote chance that it will toast the tranny".






Neither the 6 or 12 require timing chain replacement based on specific time/mileage intervals. In fact, they seldom break at all. Belongs on the bottom of your worry list




Almost certainly true.

And obviously the staffer you spoke with doesn't know the older models

Cheers
DD

 

He isn't familiar with the older Jags. You know more about them than he does

Cheers
DD

 

Thanks Doug for the prompt reply and restoring a bit of my confidence. I've worked on most all of my own cars at first out of financial necessity and later out of pride. I thought perhaps a good once over by a dealership might be the best thing, but now think maybe I'd be better off just doing it all myself.

 

i would never trust a dealership with my xjs. Plus they'll charge outrageous amounts of money for work that they don't know how to do. Find a good british car mechanic over a dealership if you do not wish to work on the car yourself.

Just my 2 cents :-)

Welcome to the family!

 

I understand it just saddens me that the people that should be experts on this sort of stuff just aren't anymore

 

Dealerships do not necessarily now anything about cars. I will not go into the long story about why I brought my wife's Toyota to the dealership but here is what happened. At some point the check engine came on and my (non dealership) mechanic said to bring it in and he would check it for free. The code was for an oxygen sensor. He said that sometimes that code comes up even when it was not the oxygen sensor. He said he would look into this further. Eventually he said that it was the cat that was bad and that it wasn't worth fixing on this car. When a mechanic tells me such things i tend to believe them as they can't be trying to cheat me. So we lived with the check engine light on for the next 4 years having moved in between this period. Then the car started driving terribly and getting single digit mpg. I took the car to autozone and they did their scan and said it had a bad oxygen sensor. I did not believe it as I was told it was the cat. I then took the car to the dealership. I described exactly how the car was driving. The service rep said that did not sound like the systems of a bad oxygen sensor. He test drove the car and experienced the car acting up. Again he said not an oxygen sensor problem. He had the car for two days and could not find the problem. He did say that I needed an oxygen sensor but this will not fix the current problem. I do not mind spending a little over $100 on a car part if I know it is the problem, but hate to spend it and it does not need to be replaced. It was near Christmas and I told my wife that I will buy her an oxygen sensor as her present. I installed it in a few minutes and after driving the car for a few minutes the check engine light went off, the car drove great and the fuel mileage went back to normal. At that point I did a google search of the symptoms of a bad oxygen sensor. Amazingly it said exactly what I said to the Toyota service manager.
Since computers have been put into cars I think that the quality of mechanics have declined. Years ago mechanics understood cars, now they just plug the car into the computer to see what is wrong (and sometimes they do not even believe the computer). Computers are useful in cars but you still need to know how to use the information.
The main reason I like this forum is because the leading members here know and understand their cars.
Thanks,
Jomo

 

I'm not so sure about the 'should be' part, to be honest. As the years go by it's natural that fewer and fewer service people would know about the XJS. And I'll wager that all "factory training" for the XJS petered out circa 1996-97, if not earlier.

To illustrate a bit generically....

You can easily find car mechanics nowadays who have never installed a set of points, never touched a carburetor, never repacked a wheel bearing, and never worked on drum brakes !


Cheers
DD

 

I would second the advice of finding a reliable British car mechanic nearby. Chances are that some of the techs at your dealership weren't even born yet when the XJS was launched.

The fact that he thought Jaguar ever made a 4.0L V12 would be a conversation stopper. You indeed know more than they do.

Also very likely that they don't have the tools required.

Where I take my XJSC, it's probably one of the newest Jags they work on.. surrounded by XKEs, XK120s, Mark Xs, Mark IXs, etc.

If you see those kinds of cars around the lot, you're in the right place (probably).

 

Chances are that some of the techs at your dealership weren't even born yet when the XJS was launched.

I called my local Jaguar dealer and he told me that my car was older than the tech's (not mechanics). Kinda says it all.

 

93blkcat,

If we're stereotyping, Jaguar Dealers are no different to any other tpe of mechanics / garage / specialist. There are good and bad ones in all categories. My local Jaguar Dealer here in the UK has a number of technicians who worked on XJSs when they were current and I occasionally use them for diagnosis. I also use some well-respected Jaguar independent specialists and I also do a lot of my own work on the car. It's a case of finding people you respect, understand your own capabilities and using specialist support when you need it.

I think, from your post, that you've verified that your Dealer is not the place for you as they are far too new and don't seem to understand anything about the XJS. Have a look around for other Dealers and specialists, ask lots of questions and seek input from local owners.

As regards your list of potential jobs:

- If the auto fluid has not been changed before, it definitely is overdue at 64k. A fluid flush on those ZF gearboxes can cure a lot of change problems.

- Timing chain doesn't need changing, but listen for any noise at the front casing which can indicate that the tensioner is wearing. Unusual but possible at 64k.

Fit the right plugs. Lots of owners report running issues with different types of plugs. Many people say that only the original grade Champion plugs work ok for them Read up well on the subject.

- Change the diff oil whilst you're doing all the rest. Make sure that the filler plug on the diff will undo before you undo the drain plug. Lots of people have got caught out with an empty diff and seized filler plug!

Enjoy the car!

Paul

 

Thanks all for the replies and helpful info. I'm taking delivery Weds morning so will throw some more pics up !

 

1. Not surprising. the chance is extremely low, but some very neglected trannys have stuff break up in them once the cleaning power of the new fluid is put it. It is pretty normal to hear for a change on an older car

2. Idk where he got that. 64k, is timing BELT territory but certainly not chain territory. The chain itself if pretty cheap, quite a good bit of work but certainly not THAT many hours. No reason to change the chain.

3. You have to understand dealerships worth almost exclusively with new cars and new cars from their lineup. Some techs only know about the newer cars, but more importantly most techs only have the tools they need, because they are expensive.
I think they could fix your car, but because of a lack of tools and familiarity they would lose money because it would take so long.

I went to a german car/foreign car repair place in my town (where there is no dealership) and saw an XJS in the bay, that is the kind of sign you want. Anything british is a good sign they can do it, because it isn't anymore complicated, there is just something about some brands for people. British and sometimes german cars, techs tell themselves its too hard or different, instead of just remembering fundamentals and working on a car as a car.

It is not weird at all for a dealership to not work on older cars. Where do you draw the line? Do you think you could drive a 64 mustang to the local ford dealership and they will have the tools, knowledge, or parts on hand?
Most new techs don't even get taught about carburetors anymore, the time could be spent learning about something more relevant

 

Thankfully jaguar installed a "leak" on the GM transmission so that fluid comes out a little at a time. Genius engineering, this means you can just top it off every once in a while and overtime your transmission gets new fluid.

 

Quick hijack:-

- Timing chain doesn't need changing, but listen for any noise at the front casing which can indicate that the tensioner is wearing. Unusual but possible at 64k

Is it like a whirring/shirring sort of noise because I've got that; what is involved in the job and what else should be done at the same time?

 

My own expierences mirrors the OP. I called a new dealership and was told my car was too old and I got a phone number for an older dealership in another state. I was told that a radiator for my 84 XJS was discontinued.
I needed a radiator and did a internet search and there they were, advertised at the bottom of Terry's Jaguar.com page. The radiator was available from Terry's so I don't get it.
I am in agreement with the do it yourself mindset.

 

The original radiator almost certainly has been discontinued by Jaguar. The radiators sold by on-line vendors are usually aftermarket....not the genuine factory item.

Typically the dealer does not sell aftermarket parts.

Cheers
DD

 

Yeah dealerships are limited to their techs, the techs factory training, the techs tools, and the parts they can order from their company. Jaguar does not make a brass radiator for the old XJS anymore, so you can't get one at the dealer and the dealer can't get one to put in for you.

 

I bought my XJS so I could repair it my self. As did many of you. Thats half the fun of owning an older car. You get to know so much about it while repairing and maintaining.