Hi all,

I'm new here, but a long time fan of Jags (I'll own an e-Type before I die, guaranteed) and have an opportunity to purchase a "repairable" 2010 XKR. It is said to have "water damage" and require "electrical repair" as a result of the water. Visually the water damage is not visible on the inside or in the engine bay.

I'm a fairly competent DIY guy in that I'm restoring a 1966 mustang and have done many repairs on my daily drivers over the years. I've also bought a repairable before that required electrical repair. Having said that, I've never owned a Jag before, and if they are like other brands, I'm sure there are idiosyncrasies that I've got no clue about.

So, their is obvious risk in buying something like that, but can you guys give me some guidance on things I can do/check/bring/etc. to help mitigate my risk, or decide that I should just walk away? I do have an OBDII reader, but of course it won't have any of the Jag extension codes on it.

Thanks for your time and advice,
John

 

My solicited advice... "just say NO". They may be able to mask the issues for a short time but the electronics and leather won't ever be the same. Unless it's a parts car I'd personally never consider a water damaged car a reliable car regardless how much you think you're saving on the front end. This is not an older mustang, this has MANY computers which are a bit adverse to water... water teens to make the magic smoke leave rendering the car no bueno

 

+1

 

No. Don't walk away, run.

 

Is it water damaged or a flood car. Not knowing the extent of the water meaning was the car under water or partially submerged or just a few inches of water in on the floor. Also what kind of water was it , fresh or salt. Was there water in the oil or in the intake system. Does the motor run . As I mentioned you need to know the extent of the water. You may need to put in all new computers and maybe a new wiring harness. At the least you'll need to clean or replace all of the connectors. Now it it was salt water then I would look for another car unless you either want to race or part out the car.

 

Sorry.... I'm a better than average tech myself....

Just say no....

Vince

 

OK, that's five out of five that say not to touch it. Disappointing. Thought I had a chance at one, but not if it's going to break the bank to fix it up. Guess I need to wait a few more years.

Thanks guys,
John

 

Or you can spend a couple of bucks and bring it to Jaguar to have them do a full diagnostics on it and come back with a complete report of what is wrong and how much it will cost to make things right. Maybe its not so bad after all.

 

I think you have to ask some questions first:
Does it run?
Are there warnings all over the screen?
Does it throw any codes?
Are all electronic features and systems working? If not, which ones are not?
Any body damage (since aluminum will be expensive to fix)?
How cheap is it, 'cause it's sure not going to be cheap to repair?
Are you going to keep it or try and flip it?

Lots of questions like these and many more should guide your decision.
Great car, by the way, if everything works out.

 

a PPI would only address issues that are current which is why a flood damaged car is such a gamble... water damage often manifests itself in intermittent issues with the electronics and absolutely destroys/breaks down leather but much of that won't likely be seen on a PPI. You'll never know how much it will be to "make things right" as water damage shows over time unlike crash damage

Older cars, like mustangs and such, are simple mechanical engines with minimal electronics, no leather, but can be prone to rust, newer cars, especially these Jags are packed with electronics and even a slight issue could be quite expensive to just troubleshoot let alone directly address... once you get into computers failing, connectors failing, etc you'll be facing not only large repair bills but probably be chasing that rabbit for the life of the car.

As I've repeated here many times, and read on a Mercedes forum "there is nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes", the same holds true here... If you are trying to save money you're looking in the wrong place . I've got mechanical and electronic skills FAR beyond most and I'd NEVER touch a water damaged car. A good example of a 2010 XKR will likely run you @$32K, if you ain't got that cash then look for another car.

Another few reasons NOT to buy a salvaged car - some insurance co's will not insure them. Some banks won't loan on them, selling one once you've realized you got stuck is extremely hard and often takes a while as the market is MUCH smaller. You are simply gambling even if it checks out. Crashed cars are easier to determine IF you know about body work and have it properly checked out otherwise once again you are simply gambling

Good luck

 

+1. Sorry to sound harsh, but restoring a Mustang of that vintage and design will not help you with a modern XKR. It is a bit like expecting someone with knowledge of bi-planes to repair a space shuttle especially where electrics (aka electronics) is concerned. The XKR is as much a mobile computer as a car. Do not be tempted, find a different one.

James

 

I read the first few posts and once I hear water damage and Jaguar (or most other cars) I wouldn't go on any further regardless of fresh or salt water. There are enough good cars out there that any price is not cheap enough for our cars with water damage. Stay away.....Far AWAY!

 

Hi all,

A couple of you have apologized for potentially sounding harsh, but please don't worry about that. That's why I'm asking. ;-) However, part of the reason that this opportunity came up is because I have successfully purchased and put into service a 2012 Honda Odyssey that had been crashed in the front left corner. For that repair I had a shop do all the body work and I did the electrical (air bags, controller, some sensors, etc.) and some of the mechanical stuff. To do this, I purchased access to the on-line Honda repair manuals and worked with a local Honda dealer that read the extended OBDII codes for me (for a nominal fee), which allowed me to pinpoint the stuff that remained to be fixed. I just worked the issues one at a time until all the messages were solved. We've had it for 3 years now and so far it's been great.

BUT, that is far different than the damage that water could do to the electronics. That's the big unknown for me and it's clearly a big concern to all of you, which was the reason I asked this question in the first place. ;-)

I may still give the guy a call to get some additional information, but you've made it clear that this is a very risky proposition. So you can feel confident that I'm just going to have to suck it up for another few years until I can save enough to buy one that hasn't been salvaged.

Thanks all.
John

 

John, best of luck. It's rare to see someone like yourself actually heed advice in the face of excitement and emotions. There are awesome cars. A flood damaged car is a total different beast than a crashed car.

Feel free to hang hear and hear more bad advice from myself and others we need more like you

 

This one might be worth a "THOROUGH" investigation... only at ~$2500 right now.


https://erepairables.com/salvage-car...eries-16722148

 

For any price under $5K this would make a great parts car or even a track car. It depends on whether the water level was 6" or 6' or fresh water vs salt water. Lot of parts there .

 

The listing says fresh water, but not how deep, or how long.

 

It would be hard to total a car in 6 inches of water. If that were the case our XK would be dead a hundred times over, we get 6" about every day.

 

Sorry but to clarify I meant 6" inside the car.

 

The AD states it "Won't start". Possibly Hydro-Locked if the engine was running and it sucked up some water. It may also just be wet plugs.
It would need a thorough examination before purchase.