2008 Jaguar XJ - experiences ?

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Loggie

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Random auto trader searching on a Saturday night and stumbled onto Jag XJ’s again. My granda owned a new 2008 sovereign just before he passed and I always loved it. Was so well finished with full leather/tvs etc. Would love his exact one but can’t see that happening.

Seem to be a great car for the money - unless there are major horror stories with them?

Anyone one here own one or have any experience with them?
 

Loggie

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This was my grandas;

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Coog

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V8 petrol is the one to go for.

Mechanically all are pretty robust, more so the petrols and the 4.0 V8 is a good going article and feels a lot more modern than the X308/X300.

Biggest issue you'll have is finding a clean one here. I looked at a few and they were all pretty poor. The aluminium corrodes and reacts with rivets over the body plus they can get a bit of a battering with the size of them.

Also the low speed ride quality is poor with the air suspension compared to the older XJ and I felt it was just a little bit jiggly round town. On the open road though they're much better and the 4.0 (and XJR) are rapid and handle surprisingly well.

They really opened the size of them up too so they're more user friendly. Mine is like a reverse tardis, it's longer than a transit van but you can barely squeeze a child seat in the back.

Plenty of guidance online for them. Find a good V8 in a sensible colour and I think it'll be timeless.

Quick pic of my X300 beside a X350. I think 2008 is X351 which is basically the same but with different plastics? I'm not an expert.

IMG_20180810_080325237_HDR.jpg
 

Loggie

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Thanks for all that @Coog ! Much appreciated :grinning:.

In an ideal world I would love to buy his old one back but can’t see it being for sale any time soon. If I was to go for one it would have to be the diesel offering with the miles I do.

Having looked more into it his seemed to be quite a rare spec as I can only find one or two in the UK for sale with all the options!

Looks to be an x358 as the model. Yours looks great! You got a thread up? Must go nosey
 

roverspeed

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Would a petrol with a lpg conversion me an option if you can't find a diesel?

No idea if possible, just thinking out loud
 

Coog

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The diesel is the same engine as the Discovery and Citroen C6 (among others). Have a tendency to snap cranks and spin the bottom bearings in the Lawn Rover but don't think it's as much of a problem in the lighter Jags. Might be because they're under less strain. There's some good info on Pistonheads about them if you do a search.

Should be plenty of diesels about. My biggest challenge was finding a good one that wasn't diesel!

There's a thread here: Jaguar XJ6

She's a lovely old girl and a complete indulgence. 11mpg, impossible to park and wouldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding but it's absolutely wonderful lol

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big_pete

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I would absolutely love one of these. Such a handsome car but I just don't fit in them
 

mayweather

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You’ll find a lot of the pre aluminium xj’s on eBay for breaking, virtually all due to rot....
 
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