I saw a very nice red Vanden Plas today, 98 or 99 for sale.
I stopped to look, it is very tempting. Didn’t check the
mileage but it started right up and purred. I would say it
was a 9 out of 10. The headliner was in need of repair,
seats were 98%, other trim was 100%, a bit of cracking of
paint on the rear bumper.
One thing I looked at was under the gas flap. They no
longer had the rubber pool like liner and it was hard
plastic with what looked to be a drain. They must have
gotten a lot of flak about the earlier models and the hole
clogging forming a small swimming pool
I would guess that $6,500 would make the deal. There aren’t
too many people that are willing to write a check for $6,900
nor are they going to take a personal loan which normally
high interest.
Not sure about the 8 cylinder. I’ve had straight head sixes
in this car and the SIII and I know them and all their nuances.
Any thoughts?–
John 90 XJ40
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In reply to a message from John S sent Thu 17 Dec 2009:
I had a 3.2 XJ8 for a while. I spent a great deal of my time
of owning her worrying about its well-documented weak spots:
timing chains and tensioners, water pump and, to a much
lesser extent, Nikasil engine liners. I’m much less edgy
driving my 4.0 95 XJ6 as the issues they have tend to creep
on you and make themselves known to you before they get
‘‘fatal’’ - unlike a snapped timing chain!
Driving-wise, in order of pleasure gained, my list would be:
4.0 XJ6 (and not just because she’s my latest)
3.6 XJR
3.2 XJ8
I have no hankering for another 8, not even an XJR. I would
probably satisfy that scratch with a 6.
Is the headlining drooping, a la XJ40, or perhaps split? If
the former, I’d be poking around in depth as it would point
(at least partially) to a previous owner’s neglect.–
JagFab,89MY JaguarSport XJR 3.6 (RHD), 96MY X300 Sovereign
London, United Kingdom
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In reply to a message from John S sent Thu 17 Dec 2009:
Suggest you check EBay ‘‘completed listings’’ for 2002/2003
MY- much safer proposition if you want a V8 and
inexpensive.Try Craigs List and remember these are very
difficult to sell to anyone but an enthusiast so bid low and
keep the ‘extra’ for repairs.The salvage title cars may be a
bargain IF(& only IF) it was superficial damage recently.
The reason is that body parts are so expensive that it takes
a trivial amount of damage to cause a ‘‘salvage title’’ on a
5+ year old Jaguar.The 1998-2001 cars are O.K. if they have
had their weaknesses addressed(see archives).The real
bargains are the 6 cylinder cars!–
95 XJR, 69 E-Type ots ,07 Miata ,‘X’-type SUV
Sierra Madre Ca 91024, United States
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In reply to a message from JagFab sent Thu 17 Dec 2009:
I bought a 2001 and got all the tensioners, chains, water pump etc.
updated to the latest design, and don’t have Nikasil. So now I
don’t need to spend all my time worrying. I still have change from
selling the BMW it replaced.
If you are buying the 98/99 make sure you get a Nikasil blow-by
test done, if the results are good it will probably stay good for a
long time. Then budget for the timing gear upgrade.
Just what neglect would lead to a sagging headliner? Do they need
regular preventive maintenance like changing the headliner oil?
Mine just suddenly sagged on a windy day with the windows open.–
1990 XJ-S V12 Convertible, 86 XJ6, 01 XJ8
Santa Clara, CA, United States
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Just what neglect would lead to a sagging headliner? Do they need
regular preventive maintenance like changing the headliner oil?
Mine just suddenly sagged on a windy day with the windows open.
Not neglect at all. The glue doesn’t hold up well to having the
amount of force put on it from driving with the windows up and the
sunroof open, or just the front windows open and the sunroof closed.
There’s just no place for the in rushing air to go. Do it at slow
speed and you’ll see how much force the air can exert in the rear of
the car, especially where the rear window meets the headliner. It
must be something to do with the actual shape of the car, since I’ve
not heard that X350 owners experience this problem…