help-slip-franklin

Hi all,
Just a guess, but is this group UK? If it is does anyone know of a US group?
I'm looking into buying an XJ as a birthday gift for my wife and would like
to "talk" to the experts on Jag ownership.
Thanks
H-S-F

Phil

About alt.autos.jaguar
Start a new topic - Unsubscribe or change membership - About this
group



Activity: Low
Description: Britain's Jaguar automobiles.
Categories: Recreation > Autos
Usenet: > >
Activity: Low
Members: 10-100


Access: · Public - Usenet

webserve

This is an internet group. It is a USNET list and is posted by people all
over the world.
If you are looking for an XJ than either go 1997 or earlier or 2000 and
later. The 1998-early 2000 XJ8 engines were Nikasil lined and depending
upon how well they were maintained and how high the sulpher content of the
petrol that was used was --- you could be looking at an engine replacement.
(Same for BMW and Mercedes of the period).
You may want to take a look at www.jag-lovers.org

Webserve

"help-slip-franklin" <blacknospam1988@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:0OiRe.7158$__1.957@trnddc07...
> Hi all,
> Just a guess, but is this group UK? If it is does anyone know of a US
group?
> I'm looking into buying an XJ as a birthday gift for my wife and would
like
> to "talk" to the experts on Jag ownership.
> Thanks
> H-S-F
>
>

help-slip-franklin

What about the time period just prior to the Ford transition? I've heard
that was a bad period for reliability.
H-S-F

webserve

Ford started to invest into the Jags around 1990-1991. Like any car,
reliability is a matter of owner care and understanding. I have a 1988 XJ40
which was supposedly the worst Jaguar ever made. Currently it has around
210,000 on the clock and I expect it to go another 100,000 to 200,000 before
it is all done. I am not alone in that there are '88s and '89s with over
300,000 on the clocks and still going. On the other hand you have '88s
which went 50,000 miles and the owners junked them. My personal opinion is
that it is a matter of how much time and education an owner wants to take in
learning the car. But then again -- that is true of any car.

Another personal opinion is that the best value in Jaguars that is out there
is the 1995 -1997 X300. It has the 4.0 liter AJ16 straight 6 cylinder
which has been used and refined since it came out as the XK engine in the
1940s (with modifications into the AJ6 then the AJ16). The 1997 XJ has all
of the refinements of the years of Jag development and the culmination of
improvements to engine and drivetrain and electronics.

If I were to buy a 4th Jag for my stable and I was to go more modern -- I
would go for a 1997. You can find REALLY decent ones for under $10,000USD.
Then again, my buddy's 2001 XJR is pretty impressive -- but so are the
maintenance bills. He only paid $20,000USD a year ago with 59,000 on the
clock so there are some deals out there.

Webserve

"help-slip-franklin" <blacknospam1988@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:FYFRe.28076$Bc2.15243@trnddc06...
> What about the time period just prior to the Ford transition? I've heard
> that was a bad period for reliability.
> H-S-F
>
>

David Betts

On Thu, 01 Sep 2005 16:26:13 GMT, "help-slip-franklin"
<blacknospam1988@yahoo.com> wrote:

>What about the time period just prior to the Ford transition? I've heard
>that was a bad period for reliability.

Not really, no. Early XJ40s did have problems with their advanced (for
the time) electronics. The bad period was during the mid-'70s, under
the stewardship of British Leyland. There was a dramatic improvement
with the S3 and the return to independence. New model development and
investment in improving the manufacturing process then became the
limiting factor and it became essential to find a major investor to
maintain the continuous improvement. Ford stepped in and provided
that, together with a great deal of advanced production expertise.
Jaguars are now right up with the best of the Japanese in terms of
build quality and customer satisfaction......and way ahead of the
declining Germans.

Of course, one must always look at things in context. Cars today are,
in general, better built and far more reliable than they were even 10
years ago. The Japanese have forced everyone to up their game They
also require far less routine maintenance to stay reliable. On the
other hand, when they do eventually fail they are generally a lot more
expensive to fix and you are less likely to be able to do it yourself.

It is also important to try and filter out the 'perceived wisdom'.
Those things which everybody knows and yet which don't necessarily
have a great deal of basis in fact.....like 'it was a bad period for
reliability just prior to the Ford transition'.

David Betts (davidb@motorsport.org.uk)
The Classic Car Gallery: http://www.ofoto.com/I.jsp?m=17830847103&n=398038677