It showed up today, arriving from Ft. Lauderdale, FL. The previous owner had lived in Ft. Myers ( a fellow named Adam ). I bought it from a dealer over eBay.

I'm surprised how fast these things are! I bought it sight unseen for $8600 with 137k miles. I love it! The tires are like new. Engine looks and sounds great. Transmission shifts nicely.

Issues:
-Broken rear view mirror.
-Driver's seat won't move forward or back (motor just slightly buzzes), but it is currently in a good driving position.
-It has the worst erratic chirping that comes from under the dash pad, just under the top surface. THAT I'll have to fix RIGHT AWAY! It is a high pitched chirping, almost like it's from a speaker or high pitched buzzer that is shorting out. It is toward the windshield, near the center favoring the driver's side. It chirps about 2-3 times per second on really bumpy roads and not at all on smooth roads, and not at all at idle or sitting still revving the motor. It seems to exist ONLY while moving over bumpy roads. Unfortunately, Tucson now has really bumpy roads... hah! Has anyone else had a mother-effing annoying dash chirp like that before?!
-Dealer did not supply key with fob. I have a valet key and a door locking key. It is stuck in valet mode and it won't go away using either key to lock/unlock the doors. I'll go to the local Jaguar dealership to get a new fob made. I'm told that the boot cover and car cover are in the trunk, which won't open with dash button or either key.
-Codes in dash say, "Valet mode", ASC not available", "Traction control not available" (did I paraphrase? those are the code types, though).
-Rear speakers are dead.
-Paint fade at the top of the right front fender due to an old minor repair. It can't be seen from afar and you have to walk up to it and look down to see a greyish primer appearance (still shiny).

The nav system has been updated to the 2003 version with the clock. A/C is cold. The top MUST be new on the outside... it's perfect. Folks are already yelling out, "Cool car!" =)

Regardless, I love this car! GET UP AND GO! It has always been my dream to have a fast and comfortable convertible.

AAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh.......

 

Give it a good tune up, refresh also the transmission oil! Regarding the ABS codes (so asc and traction), best to have it readout with a professional code reader (or at a dealer), the codes will pinpoint what the issue is (so write them all down). Also, get a cheap obdii reader (I like the ultragauge) so you will be able to read codes and live data (except of course teh ABS ones). Enjoy!

 

Valet Mode locks out the luggage compartment dash button and lid button. Although Valet Mode is cancelled with the fob, the Black headed key should still open the luggage compartment with Valet Mode set.

Graham

 

Your dashboard squeak is most likely coming from the defroster vents. To test, have someone press down on the vents while going over bumps to see if the noise goes away. There are many good threads on this problem in this forum, so do a search. Here is one thread that may be helpful:

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...irvents-37645/

Good luck with your new purchase!

 

Is the Valet button (on the dash, lower left behind steering wheel) physically stuck in a depressed position? If so, try to work it free with some silicone spray lubricant.

Thanks for sharing your first day! It always reminds me why we love these cars!

A secondary tensioner check should also be at the top of your list unless you know they were upgraded. With this mileage, a supercharger oil change should also be planned soon.

 

Exactly..or another possible reason is your upper strut mounts are going and this will cause a very loud chirping sound slmost like a small bird is under the dash as well. Mine drove me crazy the day before it was to go in to have them replaced.

 

Thanks, guys. I'll try the vent procedure first and have the strut mounts looked at when I take it in.

This forum is great because of its members' input... that means YOU!

Have a great weekend.

 

Upper strut mounts. How much did you pay for the parts?

 

If you tap on the button does it feel solid like its stuck or loose? If it feels loose it could be that the spring mechanism has detached from the button. I had a similar problem with the driver alert button which was resolved after snapping it back together and plugging it in.

The panel under the column hooks at the top and is held in place by two bolts at the bottom.

Good luck, the fun is just beginning!

 

The valet button seems to be connected to power properly, depressing it results in a pleasant 'bong' sound, then the trunk remains locked as the dash says valet mode.

 

Do both green (valet) key and black key start the car? If the black key is not programmed to start the car, you will never get out of valet mode.

 

Ordered new fob and programming from the dealer today. It'll be here in 3-4 days. Cost: $430.

 

If you decide to get a second key, the remote fobs are usually on ebay for less than $50 and you can program them yourself (instructions are on the forum). You are still married to the dealer for the key itself, however.

 

Thanks to the advice given here, I inspected the driver's side (LHD) strut mount to find this scenario...



Before removing the cap, I pushed down on the car and heard a faint version of what I hear when driving over bumps. Ah-hah! The other side is old, but not as degraded as this one. I now have the Jag at Falconworks (independent Jag & Rover specialist) for new struts, bushings, and (to keep things cool and safe in our hot summer climate) coolant hoses (plus upgrade to metal screws instead of plastic). They'll look over more during the repair session, but their initial impression is that the motor/trans are in decent shape.

I figure that it will be in the shop for about a week and a half, since they are all booked up with work. I gave it to them now so that they could get in in early or do work on it between other clients' Jags. Their shop is only a mile from my factory, so it is quite convenient!

...and so begins my journey into owning a fun car! My $8600 Jaguar will soon be a $12,000 Jaguar after the repairs are made . After I put in the new interior, it will be a $13,500 Jaguar. After I install the twin screw supercharger, it will be a $22,000 Jaguar. After I paint it, it will be a $27,000 Jaguar. After I put a new stereo in it, it will be a $29,000 Jaguar. So... for $29,000 I'll have an awesome classic with 5-600 horsepower. I can accept that!

Of course, there will be other fun things to spend my money on pertaining to the car, but I can handle building up my vehicle in sections. I'm not the kind of guy to plunk down $100,000 for a new ride. I build them up to suit what I want. Aw, yeah!

 

The top shock mounts can be had for about $450 for the pair. You might as well replace the shocks at the same time because they come with new lower bushings...about $100 each. All front bushings and other wear-outs should be done at the same time. Brake rotors, etc? Wheel bearings? Rear suspension stuff?

Good luck.

 

Jeff:

Please check your email as I just sent you an message concerning upper shock mounts.

Thanks.

 

Even if you "know", check anyways. Better safe than sorry... I speak from recent experience.