Sold the XJ-S, looking for an X150
 

I'v recently sold my much loved '76 XJ-S, after 38 years of ownership. Now I want a more reliable Jag but still in the sports lineage.

After much reading in J-F and elsewhere, and talking with fellow members of the JOC- LA, I've learned that the 4.2L XK from '07 to '09 are favored. However, I believe the later models, i.e., 2012-2015 XKs with the 5.0L engine are better suited to my needs. I'm at the point where I don't want to be constantly dealing with car issues. Although I did many repairs & upgrades to to the XJ-S, I'd like to not spend so much time in the garage now, and the independent Jag shops in my area have become few and far between. Also, I care little about performance. I'd rather have reliability (real and perceived.. i.e., she has to believe it will get us home:icon_wink: ) modern features like good navigation, backup camera, comfortable ride. So, I'm now back to J-F for help finding the best car for these attributes.

My first question is about the major engine failures sometimes reported for the 5.0L V8, i.e., 2010-2015. I've read of a couple true horror stories like the engine running wild, and complete destruction due to low oil. Are these isolated cases attributable to constant redlining as Jaguar seems to believe, or common among more cautious drivers such as myself?

I've moved your question from New Member Area - Intro a MUST to X150 forum.

Graham

You will find every horror story imaginable on this forum, and to be fair, these cars are not without their issues. The 5.0 models in particular are prone to water pump failures without warning. There have also been a couple reports of severe engine damage caused by oil starvation, but I wouldn’t call them widespread. Other smaller issues are quite common: supercharger torsion isolator on the XKRs, shuddering in the electronic differential, sagging headliners, leather dash delaminating, and soft touch buttons turning into a sticky goo to name a few.

For what it’s worth though, I have put 14,000 miles on my 2012 XKR over the past two and a half years and I’ve only had to invest in a few oil changes and new brake pads.

You will find several posts on the topic of the 5.0 cars reliability . They are all opinions based on little or no data to support them. Think about one of your statements/concerns regarding running out of oil. In order for that to happen you either have a leak or you are burning excessive amounts of oil or someone screwed up on changing the oil. The water pump is another area where the general conciseness is it might be a weak area. Considering Jaguar has changed part numbers there would be a concern on reliability with this part but whether you get 25 K , 50 K or 100K on one it seems to be a matter of luck. Other areas seem to be general likes such as navigation or the infotainment system or music streaming and other technology that have grown but not improved year after year with these cars. Continue to do your research and look for a good car . These cars are a bargain to buy but if not maintained they will be costly. Enjoy the hunt and good luck from a previous old 76 XJS owner.

My 2007 XK (4.2 N/A) has been fantastic during the two and a half years I've owned it. I had a few suspension bushings to replace when I first bought the car. Then I had a problem with the thermostat (replaced this and the plastic housing around it) and a headlight issue which I fixed by buying a used light on ebay for $300. Everything else has been perfect, and I have been adding 10k miles a year including long drives across the country and a few track days. It's a lovely car and I've seen many high mileage XK's (including a 2007 with over 290k miles on it!) Changing fluids on schedule, keeping the battery charged up with a CTEK when not in use for a while, and using an insulated sunshade for parking in heat/sun (to aid with headliner problems and dash shrinkage) will all ensure a pleasant ownership experience.

Happy hunting!

Six people have had major problems with their 5.0 liters and have posted those problems. Sixty Thousand people have NOT had problems with their 5.0 liters and have NOT posted those non-problems.
Yes, the 4.2s are probably slightly less problematic, but they are also less powerful. And older. Probably more miles although that shouldn't be a concern. And they also come in the older bodies.

Another data point.
The 5.0 is a current engine, available in several JLR cars.
The 4.2 was last available nearly a decade ago.
Think about that from a standpoint of availability of a relatively low mile engine should you need one 10 years down the line.

Used Jaguar is not a good way to reach this goal. My suggestion to look at Lexus.

The issue with 5.0 is that it doesn't have a dip stick, doesn't warn you about running low on oil, and JLR recommends unreasonably long oil change intervals. When all of these factors are combined, less prudent drivers have an ample opportunity to run engine out of oil even with mild leaks or oil burning.

Buy what you want, just be aware of what may and will happen down the road. I don't think either are a good buy for someone who can't / won't work on their own vehicle.

Easy to check and should be a weekly routine along with checking coolant. It is more of a task to check your oil with a dip stick then using the e-dip stick.

I was gonna say the same.

Yep. Something we all just need to do.

I pop the hood each time I get fuel, check the oil, coolant level and see if anything is coming unglued. Quite a few folks check it out while I do.

Perhaps should have said I already did that. Well, almost. We bought a 2019 Avalon in January. However, it's a bit embarrassing to be driving an Avalon to Jag Club events:)

I have now owned 3 X150's, all convertibles, an 08 XK, 12XK and 13XKR which I bought new in 2016. For my money go with the 5.0 litre engine and if you want more power and tighter handling go with the 5.0 litre with the supercharger. When buying today, if it were me I would look for a car that has been well maintained. I would have a PPI done by a Jaguar dealer (with estimates for any required repairs). I would also have a Jaguar approved body shop inspect the car for any prior damage and how the repairs were done. Don't forget you are talking about a semi-exotic car. Finally these cars a re very reliable if properly maintained. My better half and I have taking various road trips in each of the three verts; some as long as 2,000 miles. Good hunting.

This is always a good idea. Amazing what you can catch early on to be minor when you just don't mentally check out when you pump it up every 100-200 miles.

Glue a leaper on its hood? :P

I don't think X150 is particularly troublesome car by Jaguar standards, but you still getting a used Jaguar and it would be foolish to expect it would turn out different this time. If it isn't your only car, then reliability doesn't matter as much, get a convertible that is easy to get in and out of and take inevitable Jaguar issues in stride.

The OP has extensive Jaguar knowledge and experience as a result of his 38-year love affair with his 1976 XJ-S. This is most interesting and informative: » Ed?s Jag

Based on his stated objectives of creature comfort, reliability, and keeping the Mrs. happy, I believe that a 2014 or later XK would be a better choice than an XKR. The NA 5.0L engine with 380HP has more than enough power for normal driving and used ones probably were not driven as hard as some 510HP 5.0LSC XKRs. The XK is fast! The XKR is scary fast!
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Most people dont care about reliability.
What they are actually asking is how inexpensive is it to maintain.
Well, nowadays like before, no $100k+ exotic is reasonable to maintain, even the old standards like Merc and BMW have become tear-jerkingly expensive to maintain. Same for Acura and Lexus when you get into the exotics.
Believe it or not, in the scheme of things a Jaguar is on par and to some degree less to maintain.
Because after 2009 Jaguar did 2 things its never done before...
1. It released many more successful models than its ever had on the market before, think XF, Discovery, Range Rover, Ftype, XJ and more.
2. They used the same parts across the range and they used mainstream parts like from ZF found in Hyundai. Meaning, the 5.0 XK can get an entire donor drivetrain from any of the cars mentioned above. Thats a first for Jaguar.