So, thanks to all of you for unknowingly convincing me to join you! The wealth of knowledge and experience available here, and the sense of community were key to my purchase decision.

So driving my newly acquired jag home put a huge grin on my face, and I want to keep it there. I believe there are lots of great things about this specific car, but I also have a couple of concerns going forward (based on everything I have tried to learn here).

So first the background:
The car is a BRG 2000 XK8 convertible
One owner from new; always serviced at the Jag dealer in San Jose; No serious problems and a grand total of 31,200 miles accumulated steadily over 14 years!

I went through all the records and apart from the regular servicing, here's what has been done:
2005: lower control arms replaced under warranty
2008: new battery
2011: Valve cover gaskets
2012: inside mirror; thermostat, radiator hoses and coolant; oilpan (sump) gasket
2013: brake fluid
2014: fuel pump
And thanks to the forum recommended dealer inspection, I was able to get a brand new set of roadforce balanced (thanks forum) Continentals that are wonderfully smooth and quiet.

But since it's a 2000, here's my list of concerns going forward:
1. Tensioners
2. Green shower
3. Battery
4. Water pump
5. Gearbox filter & fluid
6. Gearbox A drum

So my question is which of the above do I need to prioritize and what, if any restrictions should I self-impose prior to addressing any of the critical ones?

This is now my daily driver; but that's a bit of a misnomer, since I work from home; but I do need to go down to S. California once a month or so, and that's ~1000 mile round trip; and that's a much more enticing prospect in this than our X5d....

Appreciate any thoughts.
John

 

Welcome John,

Good to know the information available here helped with your purchase.

I'd always put tensioners at the top of the priority list. The records from the dealer sound comprehensive so they can't have been changed. Failure is at minimum a huge repair bill and at worst is an engine killer.

These cars need a good, well charged battery. As you work from home and presumably don't drive daily, keeping it on a tender will reduce the risk of many of the electrical issues which can result from a partialy discharged battery.

The water pump was an issue on the early MY's (plastic impeller breaking up) but is an easy and low cost change if you are in any doubt. Sticking thermostats are a more regular issue than failed pumps on the later MY's.

The vehicle has been very lightly used at only 31K miles so a transmission fluid change, although both desirable and advisable, can be moved lower down the list.

I can't comment on the green shower as I've never had a convertible but it does seem to be a horrible experience!

Graham

 

As always, Graham has provided sage advice. The plastic tensioners can kill your engine, inflicting havoc on your checkbook when it does. They need to be addressed immediately. Everything else can wait its turn....

 

+1 on the above advice. Tensioners are the only item on the list that should be on your must do list.

For any new (to me) car, my first item of business is fluids and hoses, although it looks like the coolant system was done about two years ago.

So drive it and fix things as they come up. Sounds like you found a good one.

 

+2 on all the above, Tensioners #!, fairly easy job and worth the piece of mind. The rest can wait for a rainy day. However since your car lived in San Jose (dang hot there) I would at least check the top hoses, they might just be brittle, you can get a pressure regulator and prolong their life. Sounds like you found a good one, having the radiator hoses already swapped out it a bonus, but I doubt they did the tunnel hoses. Welcome to the club and kudos on doing your homework first!

 

Thanks for the inputs -Graham, Jon, Mike & Jeff - that really is a global support team! I hear you all re the tensioners, and that's definitely top of the list. I'm thinking I'll go with the Ford equivalents - I don't recall reading that anyone had a bad experience with them.
And per Jeff's advice on cooling, I now really need to dig into the manual and parts info I've downloaded and identify the tunnel hoses so I can check them!

John

 

My 01 Phoenix had its tensioners changed at 18000 milies
cracks were evident on both sides. 3rd generation plus labor $1000
This should be your first priority

 

i'd also go to the dealer and ask for a print out of the cars service record and any tsb's that may apply to the vin# tell them your interested to use them for future service. hard to catch a fish without bait and they might just bite. also check the condition of the trans cooling lines as the trans takes about 12 qts and is very expensive for factory fluid. as for the green shower the problem is usually in the top latch {where mine is currently leaking 2nd time} i've disconnected the hoses to the latch and have capped the ports at the pump. i now use a star socket ( 55 if i remember right will dbl check if you need it) to open and close the latch and operate the top with the switch. seems the heat buildup in the header plays havoc with the hoses. theres a thread on here about manual top operation.

 

There's a off chance you may have new tensioners but you'll need to check. Per your paper work 2011 Valve Cover gaskets, now if someone went to the trouble to pull the covers and replace these it takes about 15 mins to replace the tensioners, and this was in 2011 and a 'known item of concern'. Good luck and safe travels.

 

All of the above is very good advice. When I bought my 2002 XKR, I had the tensioners checked within the first month of ownership. One thing I would add to your list is installation of RealGage, a product offered by forum member WhiteXKR (TheJagWrangler - Home - About Us). The stock temperature and oil gauges are little more than idiot lights. This mod makes them actual functioning gauges. Otherwise, welcome to the club and enjoy yourself.


Mark

 

In the not too distant future, consider changing the transmission pressure regulator control valve to the ZF recommended update version:

http://jagrepair.com/images/AutoRepa...%20ZF5HP24.pdf

It is easily done in one hr. while doing a filter change and may save the A drum.

http://www.thectsc.com/products/main...p30-81-32.html

 

Small thread highjack... is replacing that control valve best left for a professional or something that is very doable for someone who is handy with the wrenches - there looked like a lot of springs in that valve body ??

ALSO, regarding the filters they sell at CTSC, how do I know which transmission I have (i.e. they have the 5HP24 and the 5HP24A)?

I've got almost 30k on my car so I would like to replace that valve and change the oil if it will help in the long run

 

Changing the valve not difficult. There are about 20 torx heads of two different lengths holding the forward valve body to the case. I used two bar clamps when taking the cover off the valve assembly on the bench. Even easier if you have an extra pair of hands.
Bought my filter and gasket from Rockauto.com.