XF (XFR) buying, Corrosion, and Quality

[snotrag]

Went to see an XFR over the weekend, 2011 pre-facelift, pretty low mileage - expecting to have found a gem of a lightly used, well kept car.
Price I felt was high for an early car but presumed this was going to be reflected in condition.

Left quite dissapointed - its not a looked after car, lots of little bits and pieces that needed sorting.

Undertray broken and hanging off
Wheels all needed refurb
One vent didnt open properly
Bootlid chrome strip needed replacing
Rear seat leather damaged
The paintwork was appaling, like it had a life of being washed by brillo pad or tree branches, and needed a bonnet respray at minimum.

But the big one - corrosion underneath! I did not expect this, but it was properly crusty underneath, not just bolt on bits but the rot was really starting to take hold on the rear inner sills, just like an old MX-5 or Ford Focus. I was really quite surprised by this as it wasnt expected, and my similar vintage E-Class is like new comparatively. I can imagine it needing MOT patches in the not so distant future and that is not great at all for such a 'premium' car.

If these cars are susceptible to rust like that, its going to really put me off an XFR - I've done lots of reading up on here and it doesnt get mentioned much, but then I guess typical XFR owners are not crawling underneath them regularly doing their maintenance like they might on aforementioned MX-5 or similar.

I've had plenty of rusty cars and done my fair share of welding and rust proofing, fine on a weekend toy but this will be my daily transport.
Is this common? Do I need to rethink and go back to the Germans?

[Jim the Sunderer]

Mine [3.0 petrol] was getting advisories for subframe corrosion at about 9 years old.

And all the brake pipe were annihilated too.

I suppose 3 year/50,000 Scottish miles from the first owner isn't ideal.

[aland75]

In my experience, most Jags rust far more than other marques.
My mate has a 2010 XFR, which is starting to go underneath like you describe.
Another has a 2015 XE, which has surface rust forming in the inner wings, and crusty looking brake lines.
Another has a 2005 S-Type which is probably not far off needing a restoration.
And I'm 3 years into restoring my 2003 XKR - which was rotten in many places, yet my 2003 Volvo on double the mileage has zero rust anywhere.

[Evercross]

Jim the Sunderer]Mine [3.0 petrol said:

was getting advisories for subframe corrosion at about 9 years old.

Mine did at 10 years, so I undertook a complete rear subframe refurb complete with new suspension components - either bushes or complete arms where bushes could not be replaced. Only thing I didn't change out were the rear springs and the hubs.

Thankfully the shell itself was absolutely sound so took the opportunity to give it a good rustproofing while the subframe was out.

[bmwmike]

Rear corrosion around the end of the rear sills and suspension, not just the subframe, and also the 5.0 timing chain risk was what put me off them. Pity as lovely place to sit.

[Monkeylegend]

There were some pictures on here sometime ago of the underside of an F Type that was only 3 or 4 years old showing extensive underside corrosion, far in excess of what you should expect from any car of that age.

Apparently it is a common issue with the F Types as well as other models.

It seems that Jaguars underbody protection leaves a lot to be desired.

[CarlosSainz100]

Everything I read about Jaaags and JLR products in general means I wouldn't touch them. I know other manufacturers are also capable of making cars with problems but I also know JLR don't make as many as ze Germans and yet seem to have just as many if not more issues. I wish this wasn't so as they drive great (and the job that I do depends on JLR continuing as a going concern).

I had a Volvo S60 a few years ago with 100k miles on it. Not a spec of rust on the underside and still had the original exhaust on it which was also spotless. I don't know what material they're using but maybe JLR should take heed.

[snotrag]

Thanks all - Whilst I can handle some 'character' for a weekend car (and Lord knows I have had some cars with 'character'), this was something I did not expect to be an issue on an everyday Jag. I've bought another Mercedes in the meantime!

[TheRainMaker]

The faults you describe like vents not opening are a cheap fix and if they haven't bothered I would walk, as clearly they won't have spent any money on it.

Mine had a very small amount of rust on the passenger front door where it had got chipped in the past, but that was it, the boot trim looked like new.

There was surface rust on the rear frame, but nothing to worry about and if I had kept it I would have treated it.

The only thing that was starting to show its age was the headlights, they had started to haze very slightly which happened before I got it.

There will be nice ones out there, but you will need to look, they are epic if you can.

[reddiesel]

Complete junk and avoid at all costs . I have an old friend in his eighties with a complete minter bought from Taggarts in Motherwell many year back . Its done about 6000 miles in all this time and sits outside his bungalow in Bedfordshire . Good ones can be found but owing to the Model and the Buyer it was aimed at , you will have to search .