My Jag has been parked for 4 months do to the Norwegian winter.
Recharged the battery and started the car yesterday, but after 10-15 minutes it started to smoke quite well from the engine. It turned out to be a coolant leak at the reservoir.
The temperature has been between -20 to -30 degree C (-4 to -22 F) for several weeks, so that could be a part of the problem.
The question is; will you recommend the original part or are the aftermarked reservoir just as good?

 

Go with the original. I had to return an aftermarket part (URO) because the second day in operation it’s coolant level float and sensor were faulty and gave me the low coolant warning even though the system was full.

This happened in January.

 

I installed an aftermarket version in September 2017. No issues with it thus far....

 

A few years ago there was a recurring problem with the aftermarket ones incorrectly showing low coolant levels - I had one of the troublesome ones from SNG Barratt and they kindly replaced it with a genuine part at no additional cost, because of the widespead problems.

I don't think the genuine part is much more exoensive than aftermarket, so I'd suggest a genuine part (unless they are horribly expensive in Norway).

 

Washer Bottles from the Wrecking Yard work just fine......Anything without a hole in it! So long as it is for an X-100..

Billy Clyde.

 

The OP is after a coolant bottle, not a washer bottle. I would not suggest a used coolant bottle beacaue they all leak eventually and a used one is a false economy if you then have to buy a new one a month later. Coolant loss and a damaged engine isn't worth the gamble for a few quid.

 

I would go with OE. Consistent quality and includes level sensor and pressure cap.

Jaguar plastic comes in for a lot of criticism but your original has lasted 20 years. When I started driving Jaguars, the cars used to disintegrate in around 5 years.

Graham

 

Whoops! wrong Bottle.....What's a "quid" anyway?
BCP

 

It's patois for one pound (UKP).

Graham