Wise Buyer: Jag XJ
Bag yourself a good X350 now!
60,000 miles cost twice as much. When you consider that for £3000 you can buy a V8, it’s hard to see the diesel’s appeal, although you’ll be doing well to find any XJR for under £6000, with really nice examples priced from £8000. In the middle are the naturally aspirated V6 and V8 models; genuinely good cars will cost £5000.
Mike Kennedy is the X350 co-ordinator for the Jaguar Enthusiasts’ Club. He says: ‘Those within the JEC who have X350s all agree that they are the best cars that Jaguar ever produced. The X351 lacks that classic Jag appeal and jarrs badly with traditional marque enthusiasts. One thing is certain; we won’t see the likes of the X350 again in the future, which is why now is the time to buy, before all the good ones get snapped up.’
Make it better
The X350 is a relatively modern luxury car, so little needs doing to improve it. You get all of the safety, performance and luxury kit that you could want, but if the factory suspension needs replacement it can be worth swapping it for a coil spring conversion kit for around £1500 from Arnott (arnotteurope.com).
Early V8s suffered from induction and exhaust systems that were strangled, but it’s possible to fit a sports exhaust and the induction can be opened up with a die grinder. Remapping the ECU and fitting a smaller supercharger pulley on the XJR will also lead to power gains.
Tips and myths
Says Mike Kennedy: ‘Avoid neglected cars, those with little or no service history, or with significant electronic or mechanical issues; look for fluid changes every 10,000 miles, or 5000 miles for the V6. Repair costs can spiral, with a gearbox rebuild easily running to £3000, and replacing an engine can cost anything up to £8000. Service history is all – scrutinise it, as the biggest bills tend to come after 70k-80k miles when many parts start to wear out.
‘Despite its complex construction the X350 is holding up well, with only localised corrosion likely, including the steel subframes. The air suspension spring units are generally reliable but the Wabco air compressor will probably need piston-ring replacement or a new compressor after 80,000 miles. Aftermarket replacement ring kits cost around £15, with new air compressors from £265.
‘OE suspension bushes are poor quality and best replaced with Powerflex items. Wheel bearings last around 75,000 miles but Jaguar didn’t smear galvanic isolator paste between the aluminium vertical leg and the high-carbon steel bearing cartridge, so they fuse together. Once separated with a 10-ton press, the legs can be reused.
‘On the XJR, below the supercharger is a rubber hose which runs to the back of the thermostat housing. This hose splits and replacement is involved because of poor accessibility; budget at least £500 for a specialist to do the work.
‘The X350 can cover huge mileages with regular maintenance. Parts replacement costs are no worse than for a Ford Focus and even for an XJR fitted with Brembo brakes, replacement of all discs and pads needn’t cost more than £170. For its size the car exhibits exceptional fuel economy and an X350 V8 will beguile and seduce all those who drive it. Many regard it as one of the best Jaguars ever made.’