Smoker Barge 1997 XJ6
Discussion
Back when they were current-ish (in smoker barge terms) I ran a couple of X300/X305 Jaguars to pretty big mileages over a couple of years and remember them very fondly, and have watched them become almost extinct or very expensive with some sadness.
Anyone who keeps half an eye out for these will have noticed that 4.0 models, which were always much less common, are not vastly outnumbered by crap spec 3.2 models and asking prices are high.
I was utterly unconvinced by the X308 V8 model even at the time, thinking that even as a new car it had very obviously been aggressively "value engineered" and I tried a late 3.2 low mileage XJ8 to scratch the itch but it just felt like a sad, crap imitation of my XJ12 and 4.0 Sovereign of beloved memory.
So when a 4.0 Sovereign turned up late one evening due to go on sale at BCA early the following day (the short gap between listing and selling really matters on interesting old crap because it doesn't give any other weirdos a chance to see it) I was interested. A very short MOT but excellent history, a few really rubbish fuzzy photos that show the paintwork is awful, and no report or other details at all. My kind of car. It gave me a good vibe though, most of them are really rotten but from the crap pics it looked ok.
Nobody else bid, so for scrap value I owned a 150,000 mile XJ6 Sovereign 4.0 with 2 days MOT. It arrived on the BCA delivery truck today
Anyone who keeps half an eye out for these will have noticed that 4.0 models, which were always much less common, are not vastly outnumbered by crap spec 3.2 models and asking prices are high.
I was utterly unconvinced by the X308 V8 model even at the time, thinking that even as a new car it had very obviously been aggressively "value engineered" and I tried a late 3.2 low mileage XJ8 to scratch the itch but it just felt like a sad, crap imitation of my XJ12 and 4.0 Sovereign of beloved memory.
So when a 4.0 Sovereign turned up late one evening due to go on sale at BCA early the following day (the short gap between listing and selling really matters on interesting old crap because it doesn't give any other weirdos a chance to see it) I was interested. A very short MOT but excellent history, a few really rubbish fuzzy photos that show the paintwork is awful, and no report or other details at all. My kind of car. It gave me a good vibe though, most of them are really rotten but from the crap pics it looked ok.
Nobody else bid, so for scrap value I owned a 150,000 mile XJ6 Sovereign 4.0 with 2 days MOT. It arrived on the BCA delivery truck today
Edited by GeniusOfLove on Friday 30th August 22:15
There are a couple of small areas of cosmetic rust but nothing serious, but the paintwork is terrible pretty much all over. The history is fully stamped until about 2019 odd with dozens of invoices, including about £2,800 spent in I think 2019, it looks like it was very much loved until then but has been a bit neglected since. Lots of nice bonus items like recent new coil packs and dampers at 100k or so.
It drives fantastically well, it's like a four wheeled nostalgia machine
Immediate to do list includes front discs and pads and rear pads, oil, ATF, brake fluid and diff oil change, then off for an MOT.
It drives fantastically well, it's like a four wheeled nostalgia machine
Immediate to do list includes front discs and pads and rear pads, oil, ATF, brake fluid and diff oil change, then off for an MOT.
The wood wheel of win was 90% of the reason I bought it. My X351 Supersport has a wood wheel and it's a thing of joy to be every time I drive the car.
I'm going to sort out the bits and bobs and then decide. It's perfect for a rolling restoration because it's very nice but there are plenty of things to fiddle with, and everything on these is pretty easy. Once it's got an MOT I'll take it to my tame bodywork guy (affectionately known as Fillerman) to get his view on the paint.
I ran these for years and never realised they have two blower motors for the HVAC, one in each footwell, but no dual zone climate. The nippodenso system in the X300 was all new over XJ40 or I'd assume it was some crap 70s throwback, so I've no idea why it was done like that. Anyway the drivers side one makes a VERY annoying noise so pulling that to remove the fluff or replace the motor is job number one.
Also got a cam cover gasket coming as that is weeping, new plugs just in case, discs and pads for the front and rear, diff oil, ATF fluid and filter, brake fluid, and some other odds and ends to fit. Should be a nice gentle day or two of spannering and getting to know the old bus.
The 4.0 AJ16 is much better than I remember, I came to it last time from a 6.0 V12 so it seemed rough, unwilling to rev, and gutless but against the anodyne rubbish in modern cars it's wonderful. It's also very slow
I'm going to sort out the bits and bobs and then decide. It's perfect for a rolling restoration because it's very nice but there are plenty of things to fiddle with, and everything on these is pretty easy. Once it's got an MOT I'll take it to my tame bodywork guy (affectionately known as Fillerman) to get his view on the paint.
I ran these for years and never realised they have two blower motors for the HVAC, one in each footwell, but no dual zone climate. The nippodenso system in the X300 was all new over XJ40 or I'd assume it was some crap 70s throwback, so I've no idea why it was done like that. Anyway the drivers side one makes a VERY annoying noise so pulling that to remove the fluff or replace the motor is job number one.
Also got a cam cover gasket coming as that is weeping, new plugs just in case, discs and pads for the front and rear, diff oil, ATF fluid and filter, brake fluid, and some other odds and ends to fit. Should be a nice gentle day or two of spannering and getting to know the old bus.
The 4.0 AJ16 is much better than I remember, I came to it last time from a 6.0 V12 so it seemed rough, unwilling to rev, and gutless but against the anodyne rubbish in modern cars it's wonderful. It's also very slow
J4CKO said:
Is it going to be a weekend car, or are you going to run it as a Daley 
Are these that much better than the replacement then ?
No it won't be a daily, although I think it could be used for that.Are these that much better than the replacement then ?
The X308 seemed better when they were current when more power, greater efficiency, and the 5 speed gearbox really mattered a lot and the swoopy interior felt all up to date but even at the time I thought the trim seemed a lot more brittle and the leather didn't feel as good, and the wood looked pretty crap. When I started running these in the early 00s I initially wanted an X308 because new is better, but after trying a few it was V12 or straight 6 all the way.
Now they're all relatively slow and crap the positives don't seem to matter so much, and time has shown that my doubts about quality were correct; you see X308s with very modest miles with absolutely ruined interiors whereas X300s seem to wear very much better. The "up to date" X308 interior now looks pretty cheey and mock tudor too, it was clearly another step along the wrongheaded path to Jaguar by Epcot that Ford took them down.
They're often riddled with electrical gremlins, and while the AJV8 came good in the 4.2 it had plenty of issues early on and is much more fragile than the AJ16.
I also didn't find the X308 as satisfying to drive in a lot of intangible ways, the straight six is objectively not as good as the V8 but has much more personality, the whole thing feels much more "proper".
I wouldn't be arsed with an X308 at any price now, probably not even an XJR, I'd just get an X350, but this X300 feels special.
I feel the same about XJS vs X100 XK8 vs X150 XK. If I want a classic I'll get the XJS, if I want a good car I'll get the X150, the X100 just feels old and crap and a bit shoddy to me.
Edited by GeniusOfLove on Wednesday 4th September 12:32
GeniusOfLove said:
J4CKO said:
Is it going to be a weekend car, or are you going to run it as a Daley
Are these that much better than the replacement then ?
No it won't be a daily, although I think it could be used for that.Are these that much better than the replacement then ?
The X308 seemed better when they were current when more power, greater efficiency, and the 5 speed gearbox really mattered a lot and the swoopy interior felt all up to date but even at the time I thought the trim seemed a lot more brittle and the leather didn't feel as good, and the wood looked pretty crap. When I started running these in the early 00s I initially wanted an X308 because new is better, but after trying a few it was V12 or straight 6 all the way.
Now they're all relatively slow and crap the positives don't seem to matter so much, and time has shown that my doubts about quality were correct; you see X308s with very modest miles with absolutely ruined interiors whereas X300s seem to wear very much better. The "up to date" X308 interior now looks pretty cheey and mock tudor too, it was clearly another step along the wrongheaded path to Jaguar by Epcot that Ford took them down.
They're often riddled with electrical gremlins, and while the AJV8 came good in the 4.2 it had plenty of issues early on and is much more fragile than the AJ16.
I also didn't find the X308 as satisfying to drive in a lot of intangible ways, the straight six is objectively not as good as the V8 but has much more personality, the whole thing feels much more "proper".
I wouldn't be arsed with an X308 at any price now, probably not even an XJR, I'd just get an X350, but this X300 feels special.
I feel the same about XJS vs X100 XK8 vs X150 XK. If I want a classic I'll get the XJS, if I want a good car I'll get the X150, the X100 just feels old and crap and a bit shoddy to me.
Edited by GeniusOfLove on Wednesday 4th September 12:32
So your tutelage on matter Jag is very useful, basically for me its X350 vs X351, an old mat eof mine from school has a very good YT channel and website called "Old Classic Car", he is usually into like 40s and 50s stuff but has just got an X308 and is ironing out a few gremlins, bumped into him at a car meet recently, hadnt seen him in like 30 years !
I've had a few X350s and two X351s and if your budget can stretch to an X351 that's the one to get, it's leagues better than the X350 to the point it's very hard to believe only 7 years separates their launch dates.
I'd only have another X350 if my budget topped out at 2k and I saw a nice 4.2.
I'd only have another X350 if my budget topped out at 2k and I saw a nice 4.2.
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