2005 Jaguar XJ 3.0
Discussion
Up until now my car history has been completely boring, short and nothing to write about all:
Mondeo Mk 3 TDCI
Skoda Superb II 1.8TSI
Yawn, I know. I had five trouble free years with the Skoda, then one day I was taking the kids on a day trip and the bloody thing broke down. It was a very low mileage example and, having kept it in excellent condition, I’d hoped to run it for many years to come. I was increasingly aware of the problems with the TSI engines and given the unexpected breakdown, I wasn’t prepared to keep going with a boring car which was still depreciating and had the potential to throw up larger repair bills. So time to get rid.
What to buy instead (I didn’t want to spend any more than the value of the Skoda)?
Well I could’ve bought an Astra or something similar, but frankly, I’d rather walk than own an Astra (sorry Astra fans).
So, I looked around and found that Jaguar XJ (the x350 version) was well within budget and far, far nicer than any bland modern alternatives. They even seem to have acquired a reputation for being solidly built… Yes, I’ll need to spend more on servicing etc, but my logic was/is that they won’t depreciate much any more and it’ll work out roughly the same cost wise as the Skoda (fingers crossed). I don’t do much mileage (4k a year), so petrol cost isn’t an issue. Insurance is virtually the same. I even talked my wife around...
A Jag it is then!
I was looking for either a 3.0, 3.6 or 4.2. Condition was more important than the spec. After looking at many for sale, a 2005 3.0 SE caught my eye. It had only 42k on the clock, seemed to be in reasonable/good condition and came with a private plate as part of the deal. An email conversation with the seller lead to a train ticket booked and off I went to view.
A good test drive and a little haggle later it was mine!
Obligatory photo after collection:
The drive home was fun, but highlighted some jobs I needed to do: wiper blades & adjust headlights amongst others already identified.
I'll update more shortly.
TLDR: Boring middle-aged family man goes mad & buys an old Jag.
Mondeo Mk 3 TDCI
Skoda Superb II 1.8TSI
Yawn, I know. I had five trouble free years with the Skoda, then one day I was taking the kids on a day trip and the bloody thing broke down. It was a very low mileage example and, having kept it in excellent condition, I’d hoped to run it for many years to come. I was increasingly aware of the problems with the TSI engines and given the unexpected breakdown, I wasn’t prepared to keep going with a boring car which was still depreciating and had the potential to throw up larger repair bills. So time to get rid.
What to buy instead (I didn’t want to spend any more than the value of the Skoda)?
Well I could’ve bought an Astra or something similar, but frankly, I’d rather walk than own an Astra (sorry Astra fans).
So, I looked around and found that Jaguar XJ (the x350 version) was well within budget and far, far nicer than any bland modern alternatives. They even seem to have acquired a reputation for being solidly built… Yes, I’ll need to spend more on servicing etc, but my logic was/is that they won’t depreciate much any more and it’ll work out roughly the same cost wise as the Skoda (fingers crossed). I don’t do much mileage (4k a year), so petrol cost isn’t an issue. Insurance is virtually the same. I even talked my wife around...
A Jag it is then!
I was looking for either a 3.0, 3.6 or 4.2. Condition was more important than the spec. After looking at many for sale, a 2005 3.0 SE caught my eye. It had only 42k on the clock, seemed to be in reasonable/good condition and came with a private plate as part of the deal. An email conversation with the seller lead to a train ticket booked and off I went to view.
A good test drive and a little haggle later it was mine!
Obligatory photo after collection:
The drive home was fun, but highlighted some jobs I needed to do: wiper blades & adjust headlights amongst others already identified.
I'll update more shortly.
TLDR: Boring middle-aged family man goes mad & buys an old Jag.
Edited by Welsh Pirate on Thursday 29th August 07:38
The following weekend, I gave the car a good wash, polish & wax, changed the front number plate (the old one was looking manky), fitted new wiper blades, cabin filter & cleaned out loads of dead leaves & crud from the drain holes etc it looks like this:
(Hopefully these pictures will work better)!
(Hopefully these pictures will work better)!
I managed to pick up a charcoal grille on ebay for notverymuch and fitted it (improves the look of the front IMHO):
The wheels & tyres need sorting - the current alloys could do with a refurb and the tyres are from 2009, so could do with being replaced. I've picked up some winter wheels/alloys so once they are on the car I'll get the summer wheels & tyres done. On that note, has anyone got any recommendations for some mid-range summer tyres?
I've got the car booked in for a gearbox oil flush, aux drive belt & brake disc change as well.
The heater matrix is doing the XJ thing of heating the passenger side & not the drivers. I've given it a flush, but it's no better. I might try the steradent approach as it costs pennies before biting the bullet and replacing the heater matrix...
I've also just changed the battery & fitted a Ctek charger as the old one was not in the best of health and sometimes the car doesn't get used for several days at a time.
So there you are: I'll try and keep this thread updated regularly(ish). I hope you all enjoy!
The wheels & tyres need sorting - the current alloys could do with a refurb and the tyres are from 2009, so could do with being replaced. I've picked up some winter wheels/alloys so once they are on the car I'll get the summer wheels & tyres done. On that note, has anyone got any recommendations for some mid-range summer tyres?
I've got the car booked in for a gearbox oil flush, aux drive belt & brake disc change as well.
The heater matrix is doing the XJ thing of heating the passenger side & not the drivers. I've given it a flush, but it's no better. I might try the steradent approach as it costs pennies before biting the bullet and replacing the heater matrix...
I've also just changed the battery & fitted a Ctek charger as the old one was not in the best of health and sometimes the car doesn't get used for several days at a time.
So there you are: I'll try and keep this thread updated regularly(ish). I hope you all enjoy!
Thank you for the positive responses.
All I've done to the leather is a quick wipe down with some leather cleaner - the interiors of these Jags appear to be pretty hard wearing, even the ones that have done mega miles.
Regarding the grille, I know what you mean. I was unsure at first. Fortunately it's an easy and quick swap to change the insert. The problem with the chrome one is that it's a pain to keep clean and you can really see water spots (which don't really show in photos) close up unless you wipe down every single slat. The charcoal one also looks better in the flesh than in photos.
All I've done to the leather is a quick wipe down with some leather cleaner - the interiors of these Jags appear to be pretty hard wearing, even the ones that have done mega miles.
Regarding the grille, I know what you mean. I was unsure at first. Fortunately it's an easy and quick swap to change the insert. The problem with the chrome one is that it's a pain to keep clean and you can really see water spots (which don't really show in photos) close up unless you wipe down every single slat. The charcoal one also looks better in the flesh than in photos.
I'm not sure about mpg for typical driving yet. The journey back from collection wasn't representative and having just changed the battery, I've just lost my MPG data... I'll post when I know more!
I'm using this leather cleaner (which I picked up at random for a couple of quid):
It's been ok at removing some of the dirt off the leather, although I'm sure there are better products out there!
I got a few more jobs done this evening:
Replace the passenger side mirror motor as the old one wouldn't adjust:
Success! The mirror now auto-dips when reverse is selected!
I used an air con bomb to freshen the interior a touch. Not sure how it'll work long term, but worth a go for £5.
I'm using this leather cleaner (which I picked up at random for a couple of quid):
It's been ok at removing some of the dirt off the leather, although I'm sure there are better products out there!
I got a few more jobs done this evening:
Replace the passenger side mirror motor as the old one wouldn't adjust:
Success! The mirror now auto-dips when reverse is selected!
I used an air con bomb to freshen the interior a touch. Not sure how it'll work long term, but worth a go for £5.
Congrats, a great choice Sir, and hopefully a bargain, I will follow the thread with interest.
Had mine virtually a year to the day ..
https://www.pistonheads.com/news/general-news/jagu...
Had mine virtually a year to the day ..
https://www.pistonheads.com/news/general-news/jagu...
Yes! This is a great idea. I did the same thing when the kids were little, so glad to see someone else doing it!
I finally found an excuse to get rid of a Nissan Almera which refused to die and made too much 'head' sense, and replaced it with a 'heart' decision 51-plate XJ v8 - so the previous generation to yours.
I was told repeatedly that you "can't drive a thing like that as a family car" but it was fantastic. My son must have been about 4 at the time. He's 12 now and still points out XJs like 'ours' when he sees them.
I sold it for a diesel Mondeo while we saved to move to Canada, so I think it was my last interesting car! I'm now stuck in a downward spiral of minivans...
I finally found an excuse to get rid of a Nissan Almera which refused to die and made too much 'head' sense, and replaced it with a 'heart' decision 51-plate XJ v8 - so the previous generation to yours.
I was told repeatedly that you "can't drive a thing like that as a family car" but it was fantastic. My son must have been about 4 at the time. He's 12 now and still points out XJs like 'ours' when he sees them.
I sold it for a diesel Mondeo while we saved to move to Canada, so I think it was my last interesting car! I'm now stuck in a downward spiral of minivans...
Cheers all for the positive comments!
I did think long and hard before buying a car like this. Eventually decided that it was worth taking a risk on because:
1- I didn't want to regret buying a car like this when I still had the chance
2- hopefully the kids will remember it with fondness in years to come
3- we don't rely on our car (we cycle to work/walk to school), so if it's out of action for a couple of weeks, then it's not a disaster
4- these Jag's have a reputation for being well built and cheap-ish to run
sjc - seeing your thread was one of the reasons behind pushing me to get one, so thank you!
Someone up-thread recommended some Bridgestone tyres, but I can't find the post any more. Thank you for the thumbs up on them - I will add them to the list of tyres to look out for.
Today I took the kids on a trip to the Wensleydale Railway:
They do like being in the Jag:
In terms of mpg, I managed 26mpg (trip computer calculation) for a 90-odd mile journey up and down the A1 and some around town driving as well. Half of
the A1 journey was in shockingly bad traffic with lots of slowing down & speeding up. About what I expected really.
When I got back, the replacement air filter had arrived, so I've just fitted that:
The old filter didn't look too bad - a little grubby perhaps.
The air-con bomb that I detonated yesterday seems to have improved the cabin/air-con smell (not that it was bad to begin with), but the slightly sweaty smell has now gone thankfully!
Another job I did was to replace the inner door seal - one of the previous owners was clearly a powerfully built director type and had damaged the door rubber through repeatedly rubbing past it getting in and out of the car. It was an easy job and has tidied another bit of the car up (& might have even quietened the cabin a bit as well):
The old seal:
The replacement seal fitted:
Other jobs on the to do list:
I need to investigate the rear parking sensors as they only work intermittently. I think that there may be a loose connection somewhere. I've cleaned the sensors themselves gently with a soft toothbrush and got a fair amount of crud out of them. They often work when the car has just been started and don't after a longer run. Anyone got any tips/other ideas on these?
Renew the front earthing bolts as these appear to cause many of the unusual electrical faults that can sometimes show up.
Waxoyl (well Bilt Hamber) the subframes and fuel tank straps before the weather turns.
Mudflaps (yes I am an old man): I always like fitting manufacturer mudflaps to my cars. Unfortunately, for some reason the rear ones on these are around £45 a set, which is way too expensive for two bits of plastic! The front ones bizarrely are only £13.
Thank you for reading, that's it for now! Looking forward to some fish & chips tonight and a couple of beers!
I did think long and hard before buying a car like this. Eventually decided that it was worth taking a risk on because:
1- I didn't want to regret buying a car like this when I still had the chance
2- hopefully the kids will remember it with fondness in years to come
3- we don't rely on our car (we cycle to work/walk to school), so if it's out of action for a couple of weeks, then it's not a disaster
4- these Jag's have a reputation for being well built and cheap-ish to run
sjc - seeing your thread was one of the reasons behind pushing me to get one, so thank you!
Someone up-thread recommended some Bridgestone tyres, but I can't find the post any more. Thank you for the thumbs up on them - I will add them to the list of tyres to look out for.
Today I took the kids on a trip to the Wensleydale Railway:
They do like being in the Jag:
In terms of mpg, I managed 26mpg (trip computer calculation) for a 90-odd mile journey up and down the A1 and some around town driving as well. Half of
the A1 journey was in shockingly bad traffic with lots of slowing down & speeding up. About what I expected really.
When I got back, the replacement air filter had arrived, so I've just fitted that:
The old filter didn't look too bad - a little grubby perhaps.
The air-con bomb that I detonated yesterday seems to have improved the cabin/air-con smell (not that it was bad to begin with), but the slightly sweaty smell has now gone thankfully!
Another job I did was to replace the inner door seal - one of the previous owners was clearly a powerfully built director type and had damaged the door rubber through repeatedly rubbing past it getting in and out of the car. It was an easy job and has tidied another bit of the car up (& might have even quietened the cabin a bit as well):
The old seal:
The replacement seal fitted:
Other jobs on the to do list:
I need to investigate the rear parking sensors as they only work intermittently. I think that there may be a loose connection somewhere. I've cleaned the sensors themselves gently with a soft toothbrush and got a fair amount of crud out of them. They often work when the car has just been started and don't after a longer run. Anyone got any tips/other ideas on these?
Renew the front earthing bolts as these appear to cause many of the unusual electrical faults that can sometimes show up.
Waxoyl (well Bilt Hamber) the subframes and fuel tank straps before the weather turns.
Mudflaps (yes I am an old man): I always like fitting manufacturer mudflaps to my cars. Unfortunately, for some reason the rear ones on these are around £45 a set, which is way too expensive for two bits of plastic! The front ones bizarrely are only £13.
Thank you for reading, that's it for now! Looking forward to some fish & chips tonight and a couple of beers!
Welsh Pirate said:
Cheers all for the positive comments!
I did think long and hard before buying a car like this. Eventually decided that it was worth taking a risk on because:
1- I didn't want to regret buying a car like this when I still had the chance
2- hopefully the kids will remember it with fondness in years to come
3- we don't rely on our car (we cycle to work/walk to school), so if it's out of action for a couple of weeks, then it's not a disaster
4- these Jag's have a reputation for being well built and cheap-ish to run
sjc - seeing your thread was one of the reasons behind pushing me to get one, so thank you!
Someone up-thread recommended some Bridgestone tyres, but I can't find the post any more. Thank you for the thumbs up on them - I will add them to the list of tyres to look out for.
Today I took the kids on a trip to the Wensleydale Railway:
They do like being in the Jag:
In terms of mpg, I managed 26mpg (trip computer calculation) for a 90-odd mile journey up and down the A1 and some around town driving as well. Half of
the A1 journey was in shockingly bad traffic with lots of slowing down & speeding up. About what I expected really.
When I got back, the replacement air filter had arrived, so I've just fitted that:
The old filter didn't look too bad - a little grubby perhaps.
The air-con bomb that I detonated yesterday seems to have improved the cabin/air-con smell (not that it was bad to begin with), but the slightly sweaty smell has now gone thankfully!
Another job I did was to replace the inner door seal - one of the previous owners was clearly a powerfully built director type and had damaged the door rubber through repeatedly rubbing past it getting in and out of the car. It was an easy job and has tidied another bit of the car up (& might have even quietened the cabin a bit as well):
The old seal:
The replacement seal fitted:
Other jobs on the to do list:
I need to investigate the rear parking sensors as they only work intermittently. I think that there may be a loose connection somewhere. I've cleaned the sensors themselves gently with a soft toothbrush and got a fair amount of crud out of them. They often work when the car has just been started and don't after a longer run. Anyone got any tips/other ideas on these?
Renew the front earthing bolts as these appear to cause many of the unusual electrical faults that can sometimes show up.
Waxoyl (well Bilt Hamber) the subframes and fuel tank straps before the weather turns.
Mudflaps (yes I am an old man): I always like fitting manufacturer mudflaps to my cars. Unfortunately, for some reason the rear ones on these are around £45 a set, which is way too expensive for two bits of plastic! The front ones bizarrely are only £13.
Thank you for reading, that's it for now! Looking forward to some fish & chips tonight and a couple of beers!
The Bridgestone Summer recommendation was from me, along with Nokians for the Winter, but the post was removed (along with many of my other Jag related ones) because it had a link to another site in it, not the end of the world; I'll try to copy and paste some of the more useful stuff directly here, as and when I have the time.I did think long and hard before buying a car like this. Eventually decided that it was worth taking a risk on because:
1- I didn't want to regret buying a car like this when I still had the chance
2- hopefully the kids will remember it with fondness in years to come
3- we don't rely on our car (we cycle to work/walk to school), so if it's out of action for a couple of weeks, then it's not a disaster
4- these Jag's have a reputation for being well built and cheap-ish to run
sjc - seeing your thread was one of the reasons behind pushing me to get one, so thank you!
Someone up-thread recommended some Bridgestone tyres, but I can't find the post any more. Thank you for the thumbs up on them - I will add them to the list of tyres to look out for.
Today I took the kids on a trip to the Wensleydale Railway:
They do like being in the Jag:
In terms of mpg, I managed 26mpg (trip computer calculation) for a 90-odd mile journey up and down the A1 and some around town driving as well. Half of
the A1 journey was in shockingly bad traffic with lots of slowing down & speeding up. About what I expected really.
When I got back, the replacement air filter had arrived, so I've just fitted that:
The old filter didn't look too bad - a little grubby perhaps.
The air-con bomb that I detonated yesterday seems to have improved the cabin/air-con smell (not that it was bad to begin with), but the slightly sweaty smell has now gone thankfully!
Another job I did was to replace the inner door seal - one of the previous owners was clearly a powerfully built director type and had damaged the door rubber through repeatedly rubbing past it getting in and out of the car. It was an easy job and has tidied another bit of the car up (& might have even quietened the cabin a bit as well):
The old seal:
The replacement seal fitted:
Other jobs on the to do list:
I need to investigate the rear parking sensors as they only work intermittently. I think that there may be a loose connection somewhere. I've cleaned the sensors themselves gently with a soft toothbrush and got a fair amount of crud out of them. They often work when the car has just been started and don't after a longer run. Anyone got any tips/other ideas on these?
Renew the front earthing bolts as these appear to cause many of the unusual electrical faults that can sometimes show up.
Waxoyl (well Bilt Hamber) the subframes and fuel tank straps before the weather turns.
Mudflaps (yes I am an old man): I always like fitting manufacturer mudflaps to my cars. Unfortunately, for some reason the rear ones on these are around £45 a set, which is way too expensive for two bits of plastic! The front ones bizarrely are only £13.
Thank you for reading, that's it for now! Looking forward to some fish & chips tonight and a couple of beers!
In the meantime, enjoy the car.
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