Gotta love a Jag! 2 absolutely beautiful Jaguars in CAR WIZARD's shop. '99 XJR & '06 XJ8 Vanden Plas

When one Jaguar is in the shop the only thing that can make it even better is two! The CAR WIZARD 🧙‍♂️ has both a 1999 XJR and a 2006 XJ8 Vanden Plas in the shop. Let's just see how much a like they really are.
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[@davidvivian596]

Maybe it's just me, but I prefer the look of the '99 compared to the '06. Perhaps it's the colour?

[@heiner71]

No, the older one looks sleeker. The newer ones are too tall.

[@wayland7150]

They are lower to the ground. Almost like getting in a sports car. The newer one is a bit bloated. The 99 is basically the same car as the ones in 1985. I have a 1996 straight 6 XJ Sport, very similar. I fit in mine OK.

[@jsz2619]

@@wayland7150 The X308 generation is the last that retains that perfect and beautiful Jaguar proportions. I'm 6'1" and fit perfectly in my '94 XJ40. My head doesn't touch the headliner.

[@mcapps1]

It's the supercharger don't lie

[@mihailhidler5400]

Everybody likes the x308 better, why write "Maybe it's just me"?

[@BlairAir]

I've owned a 99 Vanden Plas, an 06 XJ8L and my current 2007 Super V8. A Vanden Plas wirh 400HP SC Engine plus every goodie Jaguar offered. Ford learned Aluminum construction doung these cars even if they never made money on the huge investment in Browns Lane. Theres something about full sized Jaguars, but whether you love XJ's, or detest them, I challenge you to find an aluminum monocoque bodied uber-luxury 400HP supercharged 4.2 liter V8 in a luxury flagship w/quad-zone climate, reclining heated/cooled, rear seats (no massage- boo!, DVD changer & screens -LOL, Voice control for each rear passenger, 19" or 20" stock wheels (35 aspect ratio), alacantara headliner etc for under $10k - it was $140k in today's money, in an era that Bluetooth phones were considered bleeding edge. Oh, and all 3 have been the most reliable vehicles I've owned in 40 years of driving, owning 50+ vehicles. I do all my own work.

[@detonator2112]

Most beautiful sedans ever made. 4-doors rarely become classics but these will. I mean look at them!!!!

[@jfv65]

The general shape of the XJ cars is so iconic that even Italians tried to copy it: just look at the DeTomaso Deauville. You car clearly see the XJ design cues ( the Deauville is a Tom Tjaarda design but made in Italy) The cool thing about that car is that it has a US-Ford Cleveland V8 in it!

[@stevemcraemanager7119]

I actually have to disagree with the Car Wizard. I have owned a few x350s. They have been extremely rock solid and low on maintenance. The most common failure. Would be air ride shocks. 350$ a set. I can change a rear one on the ground with a jackstand in 20minutes. And I can change a front one in 30 minutes. Also parts are shared with Range Rover and Lincoln LS and some Fords. Doing your research can save you a ton of money. Intake seals from Jaguar is sold as a whole unit $1,300. Range Rover shares parts counter and building with jaguar in my city. Range Rover sales individual intake seals 20 bucks each 🤷🏾‍♂️ do your research.

[@bond0666]

Am in uk and jaguars upto 2000 were the best, xj6 series 1,2,3, xj40, x300, and x308

[@jamesward5721]

Because they rust so badly, they are also becoming rare - which is obviously a huge plus on why to choose one if you have managed to live a problem free, boring life so far. Why be Dull? Bring some Drama into your life - buy an old Jag. Men will respect you, women will want you, because, erm, everyone loves a money-pit lover, right? I'd vaguely go for a clean MK2 - with eyes wide open - but I'd pass on ALL the other Daimler-Lites... Unless I fancied some finger-nail-pulling/you live close to us - we fix 'em. We don't much like 'em, but we do fix 'em. Ok..I kinda like 'em - but they make no sense on a spreadsheet basis.. Them curves tho...

[@youtube-shorts]

@@stevemcraemanager7119 you are true. car wizard has much knowledge in cars, i was surprised that he made such verdict.

[@mikiscruf]

If I had the money and an elderly British mechanic to look after it, it would be the Jaguar E-type for me and none other. A work of art!

[@Gohot229]

I can feel your fondness for the 'E' type, indeed they were sleek and stylish, but inherently a pita. These days I would find them only a curiosity, more of a show car, one that you trailered to automotive car shows. My fondness has evaporated to now just admiration of the shape/picture content they invoke. The world has come so far in the Leud, curvacious shapes and lusts......... look at Lotus or ven domestic offerings....

[@ken2tou]

I bought a 42k mile 2000 XJR in 2004. It was a great car. I drove it for the next 11 years! The instrument panel had to be replaced at 48k miles. Also the catalytic converters had to be replaced at 110k miles. In california, they cost $1,200 each. At about year 8, the track on the sunroof failed, so it wouldn’t open. I don’t use sunroofs that much anyhow. So it was not repaired. Other than that, it was an amazing ride and iconic British Racing Green beauty. I paid 28k and drove it until I needed a truck.

[@SS-uq6wv]

that's a lot of fuel!

[@terencewilliams789]

I probably worked on both cars. The cat face is called a growler face. I was the manager for the wood production and veneer shop. Which is Californian burr walnut via Milan Italy as is the Wooden steering wheel. Love you guys. Xx

[@RustyZipper]

That’s fantastic! Quality craftsmanship

[@h7pubg]

you all did an amazing job, truly respect it, no other cars have as beautiful of interiors aside from the extremely expensive bentleys and rolls royce’s. those interiors were art and still hold up well, everything nowadays is plastic junk and soon to be obsolete screens on interiors, maybe some carbon fiber stickers as well

[@peterrenn6341]

The face on its own is the "growler" the leaping profile is the "leaper". One thing I can't stand is the way they put the leaper on the bootlid of newer models. - It's asymmetrical and looks silly but the marketing people insist on it being more recognisable. - which of course they need as they no longer look like Jeaaaaaags. 🙂

[@garysandiego]

I bought new a ‘06 XJ Super V8. Loved that car. It was a special occasion every time I drove it. Put 166,000 miles on it.

[@msalzberg4962]

It's just anecdotal, but I've owned 3 Jags ('04 X Type, '15 XF, '18 XE). They were no more nor no less problematic than any other car I've owned. I brought them in for routine maintenance, and that was it (the 04 X Type did have the ABS problem at 93,000 miles. I traded it in for the XF)/. The '15 Xf with the supercharged V6 was probably the best car I've owned (and certainly the most beautiful; inside and out). And 350hp of smooth power with that lovely supercharge whine.

[@rci-tf2zc]

yep ive had several and lots of friends had them too from this era there actually reliable.

[@h7pubg]

they are very reliable after 1993 , have daily driven an xk8 for a year now, 11,000 miles in that span and only issue has been it needed an alternator, $600 with labor. never let me down otherwise

[@msalzberg4962]

@@rci-tf2zc As I've said, my Jags have been pretty much as reliable as every other car I've owned (1970 Plymouth Duster, 1967 Triumph TR4A [ok, that had Lucas electrics], 1975 Fiat 850 Spider, 1977 Toyota Celica, 1980 Toyota Tercel, 1988 Ford Taurus [MT5 - manual transmission], 1993 Honda Civic, 1998 Ford Taurus, 2005 Ford Taurus, 2004 Jaguar X Type, 2015 Jaguar XF, 2018 Jaguar XE, 2018 Ford Fusion Plug-in Hybrid, 2020 Ford Fusion Plug-in Hybrid, 2020 Land Rover Discovery Sport). The two I kept the longest were the Civic and the X Type, both of which I traded in at 93,000 miles. The fact that I've had 3 Jags in a row, and then another JLR product tells you what I think of their reliability.

[@snownd675]

It's a shame Jaguar didn't stick with and revamp the half streamlined half retro design, the newer Jags kinda look too Honda-esque

[@msalzberg4962]

@@snownd675 Jaguar needed to update to the 21st century. To my eyes, then ew design language is fresh, and yet still very Jag. Definitely not Honda.

[@pcar00]

I did a supercharger pulley swap on my 04 XJR. Was told i needed the special jaguar pulley puller as well. I have the gm 3.8 SC pulley swap kit and it worked perfectly on the XJR to swap the SC pulley. And the kit was much cheaper and much more readily available.

[@clintonm1868]

the ol'3800 doing the trick! :D personally, i really believe they tried styling the park avenue a bit from the jag xj8.

[@Devocated]

Did you need a reflash or just swap it out and no tune

[@pcar00]

@@Devocated there are 2 common size pulley swaps, i went with the smaller 2.5lbs pulley which required the snout of supercharger to be lightly machined which i did by hand. I did not do any tune or reflash, runs great, no issue. it claims 30hp increase, dont notice much change below 2k rpms, but massive midrange power increase, must really increase torque, then it feels to level off toward top or rpms range.

[@srsalhany]

To me, the '04--08 XJs are the most beautiful, archetypal Jags ever. I love the look. I own a '14 XF and it looks great, but I really love the classic lines.

[@rjs4494]

I was leaving my high school campus one day in 1965 when a British racing green XKE roadster slowly rolled past in front of me. My jaw dropped. Still the most beautiful car I have ever seen.

[@billd66]

None other than Enzo Ferrari said that the XKE was the most beautiful car ever made.

[@biggiefitz6275]

These right here are what Jaguars should look like. Beautiful interiors l miss the piping in the leather and the fold down wood trays for the rear passengers. Very classy style.

[@kathy9399]

I had an 83 XJ6 until I ordered a 96 Impala SS. She never gave me any problems until I went to sell her, the AC went out but other than that she was trouble free. (Side note, just sold the SS in 2019, wish I'd of waited until the used car market went crazy.)

[@rollinronin8125]

You should get matching Jags with personalized liscense plates with "Legs" on 1 and "Torso" on the other.

[@AUTOdidact77]

Three major differences: - steel body on the old vs aluminium body on the new - nikasil cylinder liners vs cast iron liners (so no problems with "bad" gas any more) - 5 speed Mercedes vs 6 speed ZF transmission

[@Thanos.m]

The X350 was completely different car and platform from the old x308 also the newer is lighter dispite being much bigger

[@SRMWorkshop]

And while the newer x351 generation was a major change in styling, it's almost the same as the 2006 x350 under the skin except they went back to the coil springs in the front end.

[@AUTOdidact77]

@@SRMWorkshop However, they managed to get rid of all the comfort in the new model. Besides that, interior quality now is inferior - the black piano finish turns purple over time...

[@SRMWorkshop]

@@AUTOdidact77 my 2011 is holding up pretty good so far. I did really like the x350 XJR I looked at a couple years back, felt a bit too much like my 1999 VDP though.

[@Rypsolisti]

Only the early X308 XJs had those troublesome nikasil cylinder liners and most cars had them fixed/replaced under warranty or later, so basically there are no X308 XJs on the road anymore with nikasil in their engines. X308 XJR had the Mercedes transmission but X308 XJ8 had a ZF unit.

[@scottleyva8656]

I had a 2001 Vanden Plas. It was my favorite car I ever owned and one of the lowest maintenance. I had it 11 years and at 137,000 miles the timing tensioners broke which is common on the pre 2002 because they are plastic. I kept it in immaculate condition.

[@johngennace4045]

I had a 2015 XFR and loved it. Such a beautiful car and fast as hell. I had it for 2.5 years as a daily driver and had absolutely no problems whatsoever. Zero. The only reason I sold it was I moved to the Northeast and did not want to see it trashed by bad weather and bad roads.

[@timfountain98]

I had an XFR as well. Hell of a car. The peeling leather dash was very vexing on such a nice car.

[@azaz911c]

XJ Series III is quite possibly the most beautiful sedan ever. These later models are still beautiful compared to other cars

[@jsz2619]

It's because Pininfarina did the design. Jaguar was focusing on the XJ40 back then but it was delayed so they had to extend the classic XJ design and outsourced it to the Italians. The series III is technically just a gap filler, never supposed to come out but I'm glad it did. The XJ40 is the last car Sir William Lyons approved before he died in 1985 and every bit of worthy for the Jaguar name.

[@zaphodbeeblebrox5973]

@@jsz2619 Pininfarina only did the roof and bumpers, and only on the SIII XJ, the really pretty ones are the S1s and those are pure jaguar

[@ericanderson1691]

Out of forty cars I have owned, my two most comfortable were 1977 xj6c and 2001 xkr coupe.

[@curtcoeurdelion]

XJ and the 2004-2012 Quattroporte are battling it out, both Pinninfarina designs.

[@jumolbureanu2415]

What s XJ Series III my american dude?

[@garyrains5996]

Gee, Car Wizard. I think I'm a Jaaag guy, too! I have a '97 XK8 Convertible with 75K miles. Incredible original car, always garaged and amazingly reliable. Then a '98 (150K miles) and '99 (90K miles) Vanden Plas just because these are the most beautiful automobiles on the road. Just pure beauty from any angle. The '99 is a similar burgundy color to yours with original chrome rims. These cars seem to make folks out there happy. When I drive the Jaguars, people smile and wave and talk to me about the cars. I took the '99 to Phoenix the other day and had to turn down the air conditioning cause it got too cold! These are truly great cars and are well worth any problems you may have.

[@richardpayne2625]

If tou have not already replaced the timing chain do, th hey blow at around 100k and then the engine is toast.

[@garyrains5996]

@@richardpayne2625 Thank you for the information. I have actually replaced the chain and tensioners on the 98, but the engine went anyway. It has a new engine now. The other ones have been done.

[@paulchevrier9961]

The 1999 Jaguar has to be one of the most beautiful car's ever made. I would love to have that car, and the Car Wizard to maintain it.

[@jbullock1878]

agreed the most classy- simple and powerful

[@TheGhiaDriver]

Might be a US thing but I've got an XJ '07 X358 in the UK, it's been super reliable and has never given me any grief. Anything it has needed has been fairly inexpensive.

[@wayland7150]

I've not had any reliability problems with my 1996 XJ6. It always starts, never broken down.

[@Sophiechic]

I had an 06 for a few years other than nearly bankrupting me with air suspension and electrical issues it was quite nice.

[@h7pubg]

they are very reliable with some preventative work, they do not typically have unexpected bank breaking issues, the issues are expected: (on 4.2, do thermostat, coolant hoses, and at some point air suspension will fail as in any air suspension car, you can inexpensively convert to springs) on pre 2003 they need timing chain tensioners as well, and a PR valve. on the convertibles, the top hose. all normal stuff.

[@theshield1613]

2000-2008 jaguar was reliable under Ford.

[@wayland7150]

@@theshield1613 From about 1994 to 2008 Jaguar was very reliable.

[@Cloud75770]

I own 2 Jaguars, a 1995 and a 1996 Vanden Plas. I do all the work myself on both cars and each saved me over $10,000 worth of repairs. I drive them every day. One of my Jags is at 320,000 milies (daily driver)and the other is at 160,000 miles (weekend driver). Yes, they can be reliable if you know what to fix and how to fix. My Jags have not seen a mechanic in 11 years. All the work done by me. Every Saturday for the last 11years, I have been doing a Preventative Maintenance. Now I saved enough money to buy a 3rd Jaguar and have 3 cars and enjoy my life.

[@JBsC6]

Must be nice to tinker every saturday with your 2 jaguars. Beautiful cars.

[@Cloud75770]

@@JBsC6 Yes, it is all worth it. When you do the mechanical repairs yourself and you learn how to do them right, the Jags return the favor 100% and you have dependable cars for longer trips. Now let's not forget that both cars are almost 30 years old and yes, they will act up sometimes, as each sensor, seal, bearing, wiring harness are simply old, but with patience and dedication all can be salvaged and extend the life of the car. My goal is to reach 400,000 to 450,000 miles on the green Jaguar before putting it to rest. These inline AJ16 engines if driven daily with the correct type of oil can clock 500,000 to 1,000.000 miles easily and put lots of modern Japanese and American cars to shame. Let's not forget that each X300 model was designed and build under Ford ownership at the time when quality control still mattered. If a car after 30 years out of production is still on the road and passes emissions test, it shows excellent built quality.

[@mercedesvan-doors34]

Been maintaining and rebuilding old Jags for many years, you are on the same hook I've been for 30 years. Grace, Space, Pace. Lovely video and 2 nice examples, 99 for me every time. I get a lot of upturned noses and oh you drive an old Jag, then people drive them and it's always the same they get out glowing with comments like it made the drive to work like an event.

[@michaelclose7756]

currently own a 1999 Jaguar XJ8 VDP in British racing green and I absolutely love it, bought last year for 1500$ and it has 75,000 miles. My 8th or 9th jaguar in the last few years and one of my favorites. aside from the 1995 XJR6 i had. would love to see more content on these!!

[@KOOOOPATROOOOOPA]

Car wizard already has 760K subscribers?! Wow that really shot up fast! I remember when we was at 200K seems like not to long ago & his channel isn’t even that old! Good job wizard!

[@francis2811]

The sound and power delivery of the Jaguar supercharger is so thrilling!

[@LondonSteveLee]

Even the NA engines sound amazing - they rev so high they sound like a NASCAR engine!

[@grandtrousers]

One difference you forgot to mention. The later (X350) is an aluminium bodied vehicle which is not only lighter but more rigid. It's a firmer ride - still very comfortable - but more fun and also more economical. The electrics are better as well.

[@John_O_Maoilearca]

Has anyone yet done a compilation of how many times, Mr. and Mrs. Wizard say ‘oh I loved that car’ / ‘what year was it was it - 01? / Yes, 01’. Super subtle humor.

[@lrochfort]

The 06 had a newly designed chassis, too. It was very modern really, more so than the styling makes you think

[@jesperremington1204]

Nothing like a Jaaaaag and a Range Rover classic 👌

[@peterrenn6341]

That's the most honest summary of Jeaaaaaag ownership I've heard in a long while. I've had a succession of them from XJ6 series IIs through to my current '04 XJR. There will always be something needing attention! However, as you say I accept that as part of the price of owning such gorgeous cars. Oh and yes, the X350 isn't as sleek a shape as the older cars but it's still very nice!

[@sandyyuen2172]

I love Jaguar, still driving 2005 xj6

[@senatorchinchilla5389]

People love to hate on these years of Jaguar because Ford got involved. But these years were some of the last when Jaguar was still innovating and building cars that looked and felt like jags. They tried out aluminum construction and fibre optics and AWD during these years. And they shoehorned in the biggest engines they could get their hands on. Now you only get a bland blob of an SUV and that V6 where they couldn't even be bothered to chop the back two cylinders off the V8 block.

[@theshield1613]

Ford early and mid 2000 made reliable vehicles

[@1331RECIPROCITY]

Don't change.. seriously.. as of now, I've watched a few of your videos..and have not been able 2 find any deception or false statements... you are the definition of a true professional... You have no idea how rare you are.... Thanks..

[@Henry_Jones]

The 99 is a proper JaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAaaaaAaaaaAAAAaaaAaaAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaag.

[@Henry_Jones]

jaAAAaAAAag

[@user-zo4wp4lg8i]

I did over 100.000km with my 350. No problems so far, no expensive parts were needed, very reliable car, in a shop only to change oil mostly. It's now close to 200.000km.

[@5ebra1]

Enjoyed the video. 2 lovely cars. Surely the biggest difference between these 2 Jags is that the body of the 2006 one is made almost entirely from Aluminium. Why wasn’t this mentioned?

[@gstevens6948]

Jags were always the most “bespoke” vehicles to me, when you saw one you just thought wow some rich person or diplomat. 🤣

[@joeychicago6436]

Jaguar's are so/ (WERE SO) beautiful, you'd never mistake them for anything else. The new cars just flow into the background and look like everything else, more than once I though I was looking at a new model of the Taurus.

[@craigshriver4953]

I had a 1996 Jag XJ6. I can honestly say that the interior seemed like it was assembled with chewing gum and boogers. But I have to hand it to Jaguar. The engine (straight six 4.0) and transmission were absolutely top-notch. Solid, durable and quick. Nice car overall.

[@toolzshed]

That red Jag is beautiful

[@Moparornocar74]

I absolutely love my 2001 XJR, it's fast, comfortable and relatively easy to work on, and so far (knock on wood) has been very reliable and the stuff that has gone wrong (coolant bleed lines, S/C belt, regular maintenance parts) have been pretty cheap, fuel filter is $7, it does take a lot of oil for an oil change, and more coolant than your average car, but really a good reliable car in the 8 or so years I've owned it. It's getting pretty close to 200,000km on it now so I'm expecting some larger bills for the timing chain and a few other things

[@throwback19841]

Well that coolants got a lot of cooling to do lol was about to stick the cover on my XKR today and decided to leave it 30 mins when I felt the heat coming out of the louvers

[@peoplehavetherights]

I owned a '98 XJ8 Vanden Plas X308-era with the fold down picnic trays from the front seatbacks. It needed some ball joints and brake pads but otherwise ran fine up to 110,000 when I sold it. My second one, coincidentally same gold paintwork exterior with very light tan interior leather was same color as my '98. As the narrator went over the cars he did not mention that the older car which lasted until 2003 (Ford owned Jaguar until 2008 in their Premier Automotive Group) was built of welded steel, while the newer X350 series XJ's were made of riveted, spot-welded, and epoxy bonded aluminum. These cars resist corrosion very well and my current 2007 runs like a top. About to have the transmission flushed and have the rear brake rotors replaced but otherwise at 101,000 miles the car runs like the proverbial top without any issues. Mine is a long wheelbase sedan but not a Vanden Plas so there are no fold down food trays. It also gained a six-speed automatic transmission which greatly improved fuel mileage compared to the 22 I used to get out of the '98. This was a huge plus as the final drive gearing allowed for 29mpg at 75+ mph. EPA estimates were at 25mpg, no slouch for a 4300lb sedan. The biggest difference is the solidity and the very apparent structural rigidity in both bending and torsion. The '07 is a FAR superior car to drive long distances on curvy roads that might not be the smoothest. I will drive this thing until she dies.💂

[@johnanchovie2b]

These are lovely cars. Thanks for the walk around!

[@jeffzekas]

My dad had an E type, it was always in the shop, until he hit a tree and totaled it. His comment was, “well at least I don’t have to take it to the shop anymore!”

[@msalzberg4962]

I think. Jaguar has come a long way in the last 60 years.

[@williamegler8771]

@@msalzberg4962 So has every other vehicle on the road. They are still problematic compared to most vehicles.

[@FPVphilly]

That’s why English cars sucks in the reliability department. They look beautiful but not the type of car I would buy. I prefer reliable cars.

[@msalzberg4962]

@@williamegler8771 Are you speaking from personal experience? I've owned 3 Jags, and currently drive a Land Rover. I've owned Toyotas that have died on the road, Hondas with suspension issues, and a Ford that was returned under my state's Lemon Law. My British cars have had fewer, and more minor, problems.

[@williamegler8771]

@@msalzberg4962 Automotive "UNICORNS" do indeed exist. A reliable/durable Jaguar isn't out of the realm of possibility but it doesn't reflect the ownership experience of a majority of the people who buy them. I am a fleet manager for a large pharmaceutical company and we have approximately 1200 vehicles in our fleet . Everything from Chevy Sparks to Tesla's . Over the 25 years I've worked for the company there have been quite a few Jaguar's in our fleet. And overall they have been some of the most troublesome vehicles in that fleet. There has been improvement over the years but they are still near the bottom of their class for reliability and durability usually the only vehicles more problematic are Range Rovers and Alfa Romeo's. I actually drive a Lexus because of experience with those vehicles that are in the fleet, they are by far the most reliable and durable, and have comparatively low running costs for luxury vehicle as long as exceptionally high resale value . None of which Jaguar enjoys. The chairman of JLR admitted in a speech a couple months ago that their reputation is costing them at least 100,000 sales per year and they are working around the clock to get their warranty costs in line with competitors because it is the highest in segment.

[@petescarport]

My channel is dedicated to Mercedes w140s but I picked up an 06 jag xj8L recently and it’s become my favorite daily. Light years better than the w220 Benz and less expensive but as impressive as the Lexus ls430.

[@peoplehavetherights]

Same exact car and model year that I have. Good for you. Great reliable ride. 29mpg too at 75mph.

[@petescarport]

@@peoplehavetherights yes I got 32mpg on my trip to work the other day cruising at 70

[@charliegoodwin8949]

I've had 7 jags ( 86 xj6, 91 xj6,95 xj12 96 xjr, 98 xj8, 03 xj8, and an s type r) they are the most beautiful cars in the world

[@dontuno]

Both my Jags rode like magic carpets and handled extremely well. No real problems other than constant nagging doubts bought on by watching review videos. Try one, you won't be disappointed.

[@Barbarapape]

The 99XJR is almost identical to the one i owned, i specified a black interior as i can't stand the light coloured ones. THis meant a special order, but was worth the wait. At 5ft 11 my head was close to the roof, so the extra head room of the 06 would have been welcome. It was replaced with an 08 one, and it lacked the power of the 99 model. Once you have fixed all the known weak spots, these are superb cars, and have an air of class that is lacking in the German alternatives, and with a fully sorted suspension they ride far better. Sadly Jaguar replaced them with a car that is totaly lacking in style both inside and out. and they drive you nuts with the squeeks and rattles, i rejected my sample and relaced it with an Audi, no more rattles!🙂👍

[@Barbarapape]

@@Seenoevilspeaknoevilhearnoevil I agree Audi front styling is not a good one, the whole car lacks any imagination and lacks the air of luxury that Jaguar are so good at.

[@stevenbrannan9775]

Maybe I missed it but a major difference between these models is that the later cars (2003 on) are all aluminum. Much lighter and the x350 is still 300HP. I have a 2003 and love it. I do my own maintenance and apart from a full transmission service and front air strut rebuilds it is very reliable and needs no more than my 2016 Audi A8. These Jags are as cheap as chips lol

[@vamosaltemacongabrielmende3965]

I had a ‘98 in green with camel interior. Beautiful car, super comfortable yes, it requires a lot of maintenance but is well worth it.

[@wedjr97]

I’ve had three 95-97 x300 XJ6s and and an XK8 (loved it -wife hated it and put a ridiculous cheap price on it and sold it when I was in the hospital) but my dad gave me the $1800.00 for an old 97 VDP at 78k miles. I’ve been driving it for the last 5 years. Put another $1700.00 into it over the years. Drives like a monster!

[@golach420]

Vanden Plas was used on other brands. When i was a kid, our neighbour had a Rover Maestro Vanden Plas (VP) - terrible "old manny" car as we say inScotland. I think VP was their "luxury" marque, so that Jag is probably considerably softer than the R.

[@frglee]

Vanden Plas has a long and very interesting history going back to 1870 in Belgium. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanden_Plas

[@Rich-on6fe]

Allegro VP was pretty special.

[@forfluf]

8:15 CW: "...we will be calling this a bonnet." me: I wonder how long till he calls it a h... 3 seconds later CW: "You can see under the hood..." 🤣

[@wayland7150]

He also says sway bar, it's an anti-roll bar. Also trunk pan, it's the boot pan.

[@williamdunn9053]

I love how low and sleek the XJs were (and are). Even as far back as the 70’s they just a low sleek line and a litheness that no other luxury sports sedan could match. I drive an XE currently and I like it a lot. Outside styling is a little drab but the interior is a blend of modern and traditional Edwardian style points. I think they look great, if no longer classic. 80,000 miles and not a single issue

[@OldDiogenese]

I have a 2004 XJ8. Love it! Yes, it is very needy, but she’s a head turner. Get a compliment on her almost every day. I agree with Ms Wizard! When she purrs, she’s wonderful. Enjoy your posts.

[@wayland7150]

Th 99 looks the best.

[@hsproyaya]

That 99 looks good

[@kellingtonlink956]

Pure elegance. Thanks for the video.

[@DEEuroworks]

Love Jaguars. Thanks for posting.

[@0623448]

Nice to see more Jaaaaaaaaaags on the channel I'm getting ready to tackle the timing chains on my X350 2006 XJ8 needless to say I'm shaking in my boots

[@AUTOdidact77]

You don't need to (shake), those newer AJ-V8s already came with much better chains and tensioners (aluminium vs plastic).

[@rci-tf2zc]

@@AUTOdidact77 yep the chain guide issues was fixed in the 2001 models

[@h7pubg]

2006? if I had one prior to 2003 i would worry about it, 2006 it is not an issue lol. worry about your thermostat, upgrade coolant hoses and you should have a solid engine, i have a 99 and 08 but the xk8 and xk and not sedan, same internals. also do your transmission fluid.

[@markgiles1239]

@@h7pubg How many miles?

[@chestnut01111]

The 06 is an aluminium body and even though its bigger, its considerably lighter. New XJ from 2010 was Alloy body also, XF from 07 to 15 was steel, XF from 2015 and XE are Ally

[@wayland7150]

Are you sure about that? I heard they weighed the same.

[@adamcecere1571]

I have the X308 3.2. Very nice to drive. Makes my perfect condition 07 Camry feels like I have no suspension. Love the twin headlights, more so the older X308 been the same size. My favourite styling quirk.

[@nisemonoyarou]

Had these as Daimler-Double Sixxes and Sovereign V12 (I think) to drive (and many more), these were just pure smoothness, luckily we had a Jag-dealer on quickdial. But after a long time growing up, just as my 5th car got a very special Audi 100 for 100 Euros. Had to put in 2 years of work and 6600 to make it roadworthy and TüV-Safe, just some love after being saved in a shed, but wouldn't exchange it for a Jag. Just too expensive to own in contraire, but I still love em!

[@Buffalobulltofta]

I've had plenty of X300, X308 and one X350, they all been very good cars and in my experience a lot more reliable than the contemporary German alternatives. X300 drivetrain is almost at Volvo redblock longevity if you take care of it. Ended my affairs with Jags after getting tired of feeling like an old rotary member.

[@samuelzhang7821]

Time chain tensioner issue....

[@Buffalobulltofta]

@@samuelzhang7821 yes, i'll guess mainly a problem for the first owners, over here in northern europe at least pretty much all of them have been replaced many years ago, including the poor plastic thermostat housing (if we are talking AJ-V8).

[@LondonSteveLee]

@@samuelzhang7821 Soon sorted under recall. how many thousands of BMW engines have blown apart from ingested Vanos flaps? STILL happening after 20+ years.

[@pascutia]

You love them and 2 Jags are in the shop kind of explains why you love them😂

[@thegearknob7161]

I find parts for Jaguars to be pretty cheap and easy to find. One of the cheapest cars for parts actually, but I live in England which might be why. Brake discs are like £30, pads about the same, a complete set of engine bay hoses is like £70, front droplink bushes are like £5 for a set. I think the most expensive part I've bought for one was an oil cooler. £150, not outrageous at all. I don't find they go wrong much either, especially the ford era ones. Much earlier and they need a lot of preventative maintenance, but will keep going so long as you don't let them sit dormant or bodge repairs.

[@tedbrookins]

Nice rides! I bought a neglected base X308 for cheap and had to do: Secondary timing tensioners Valve cover Vvt seal Plastic coolant junction Chime speaker Trunk wire loom Fuel filler drain Upper rear valve body, pressure solenoid update and rubber fluid damper check Crankshaft position sensor Great ol’ pothole gliders.

[@MyRetroWatches]

Love how you Americans say Jaguar. Us Brits use the U in the word. I am from Coventry which is the ancestral home of Jaguar but unfortunately Browns Lane factory has long gone and now is a housing estate and a massive Amazon warehouse. Really sad to be honest given my city history on automotive. Jaguar are making batteries here now and still some design and machining but production of cars is all now mainly in Birmingham.

[@theshield1613]

Unreliable jaguar

[@paulsengupta971]

@@theshield1613 If you have an unreliable one, yours has probably been neglected or misused. All of mine have been very reliable indeed.

[@theshield1613]

@@paulsengupta971 2000-2008 jaguar are reliable because it was under Ford but after ford sold Tata it went down hill.

[@paulsengupta971]

@@theshield1613 My 2012 XF hasn't had any issues really apart from a snapped window cable on one side.

[@theshield1613]

@@paulsengupta971 those years xf still uses ford parts

[@PieterBreda]

It is hard to imagine nowadays that in the past, the size of the ashtray was a buying motive.

[@Ntrglycrn]

At 8:18 Yes it is an English car, build in Coventry, so we will be calling this a bonnet. You can see under the hood....... :)

[@ashleyschfer7483]

Of course all mechanics love Jags they help put a lot of mechanic's kids into college, new boats and braces.

[@wayland7150]

Not true of 90's Jags.

[@theshield1613]

Most of them are unreliable piece of junk

[@h7pubg]

not true on jags after 1993

[@ddutsie]

So Wiz, how do you like those 2 Fords........LOL

[@LondonSteveLee]

What's Ford about the X308? The chassis and electrics are based on the XJ40 and the engine is Jag. I'll give you the heated windscreen - the biggest Ford influence.

[@dbpole]

Based on my experience with my 2008 xj8l, these cars are very reliable. I am not sure where the wizard is coming from regarding unreliability of the x350 and x358 variants. While I had to change the air suspension after about 10 years, that is no different from any other car that has air suspension such as many Mercedes-Benz', Audis, Teslas, Cadillacs and others. The only other things I had go wrong in about a decade of ownership were the bonnet security sensor, fuel rail pressure sensor, and the windshield washer fluid level sensor. Two of the three were FoMoCo (as in Ford) parts and the fluid level sensor cost me a whopping $50 for a genuine Jaguar part. I truly have no idea where the nickel and diming the wizard mentioned is coming from. The x350 and x358 variants of the XJ8 share many parts with Fords, so picking on these cars while not mentioning the unreliable Fords that share the same parts in the same sentence is disingenuous. Do not get me wrong. I am not saying that all Fords are unreliable, but with so much part sharing between Ford and Jaguar those days the unreliable Fords must be mentioned when complaining about any lack of reliability related to the x350 and x358 Jaguars. Same goes for the supposed unreliability of the Jaguar air suspension when other brands use similar Bilstein setups that last just as long. Well I like the wizards videos and I'm a subscriber for multiple years, this video is in my opinion the first true dud which came from the Wizard.

[@h7pubg]

you are correct, most everyone who owns these cars agrees with you. people who don’t work with them much or own them, always regurgitate the myths. any car with air suspension will fail one day, you can convert it to springs. I have a 2008 X150 with the same internals. I regularly see these XJ8s beat up on the road still going with over 200k miles

[@markgiles1239]

Check out my screed north of you. The Wizard is tops, but he missed a chance to be realistic about the X350. One person in the thread was upset by the cost of maintenance. Wha. . .? 100k tune ups, no T-belts, the durability and quality of the paint, bodywork, interior materials. And the design--actual, not fake, class. Glad to hear from you.

[@MegaBigMac4]

I just seen a 2008 xj8l for sale for 15k with 65k miles. Are they reliable enough to get in 2023

[@3ducs]

There are a lot of Volvo parts in the XJs, I consider that a plus. I've had to replace the HID low beam bulbs in my '06 VDP, a real pita job, very tight clearances. Mine had been converted to coil-overs while in Canada so that potential issue is gone. It has 80,000 miles, everything works, lovely car to drive.

[@dbpole]

@@MegaBigMac4 Looks like I am about 11 months late responding. 🙂 The answer depends on how you define "reliable". If you expect to buy a 15-17 year-old car and drive it without doing anything to it first, you may get lucky, but I would bet you will find things that need attention with it. A more realistic approach would be to buy the used car you want, spend $x to make it right and go from there. If you take the latter approach, the XJ8 will be a solid daily driver for you. That being said, expect to spend $3-5K on the 2008 if you do the work yourself. Mine did not have anything wrong with it per se when I bought it, but you should plan on replacing items like tires, brakes, suspension bushings and ball joints, fluids, etc. That's true of any 17-year-old car. As to the air suspension, replacing it with new air units is a pretty straight-forward job, but it will cost you ~$500 per corner to go with good quality Arnot replacements... or an arm, leg, liver, and assorted other organs to go with the OEM Bilstein ones. Conversion to a conventional suspension will run in the $1,500-$2K range, maybe a little less.

[@trevorgrott9875]

RHD '96 XJR (4.0L Inline 6 Supercharged) Owner here. Can confirm they will nickle and dime you to death and you will spend more time under it than in it. I've had to do a lot on mine. They are rust magnets too, and those repairs are expensive. I've had to get the lower door sill, ALL the jacking points, and parts of the subframe mountings re-fabricated and welded. As well as custom exhausts, manifold welding (cast iron), Suspension bushings, coil packs, bastard hose (look it up), injectors, brakes. It's also worth mentioning all of the broken fasteners, and it you work on your as religiously as I do its worth it to get some good screw extractors, drill bits, and a tap and die set. Was it all worth it? Absolutely, yes.

[@flavioc5389]

Didn’t know that. Disappointed to hear since I was looking fir a XJR6.

[@MM_in_Havasu]

We have a 1952 Jaguar XK120 fixed head coupe in our garage, it belonged to my deceased father-in-law, quite the cool vehicle! Thanks for this cool video, Wizard!

[@27zacmaklea35]

Legend has it: The Car Wizard can prepare steak using only his bare hands.

[@jazzjokesjalopies]

Steak Tar Tar Vanden Plas

[@Ijusthopeitsquick]

Don't get it.

[@wayland7150]

@@Ijusthopeitsquick It's a Top Gear thing. Clarkson would always come out with an impressive anecdote about The Stig. Who incidentally has not been seen since he was recorded piloting a Tesla Roadster to Mars on top of one of Elon's rockets.

[@Ijusthopeitsquick]

@@wayland7150 Yes, I realised that. I just didn't get the joke. What does it mean to "prepare steak"? Cook it by rubbing it between his hands? Seasoning it? The joke makes no sense. Maybe the poster has a completely different culture and language in which the joke makes sense, but it's meaningless for an English speaker.

[@wayland7150]

@@Ijusthopeitsquick It's funny because steak is already prepared, it's created by the butcher, there is nothing to do, perhaps rub some salt in it but it sort of sounds badass because well... 'steak'.

[@davidnelson7149]

Sir William Lyons (the founder of Jaguar) played a heavy roll in designing this style of Jag. I've seen an interview with him where he states that he personally felt it was the best iteration of a Jaguar saloon car.

[@BangerFleet]

Lyons died in ‘85. The red car body style came out in 95. You’re thinking of the previous version, the XJ40.

[@markstott6091]

@@BangerFleet Which was the same body as the red car.

[@ckm-mkc]

@@markstott6091 Not really - they are similar but if you put them side by side, they are significantly different.

[@BangerFleet]

From 1986 XJ40 to that 98 X308, they only changed the front end, rear end, doors, roofline, glass and overall length of the car. Other than that, you are correct.

[@markstott6091]

@@BangerFleet No. The front and rear styling was changed to make the bonnet curvier for the round lights and the XJ S3 style rear lights and the body engineering was modified to eliminate the welded join at the base of the c-pillar that they thought looked ugly. Aside from that, the centre section and the chassis was identical. If you don't believe me, check out the glovebox on a car with a passenger airbag... There isn't one, because the airbag occupied the space where the glovebox had been on the XJ40. They couldn't afford to re-engineer the bulkhead with the budget available. I know. I had a very late model XJ40 and my neighbour had an X300. I worked on both. (Yes, a later update put a glovebox underneath the knee roll, but it was tiny!)

[@rogerpritchard]

Wonderful cars. Excellent honest review of the Jaguars by the Wizard.

[@ChrisGBusby]

Love Jaguars. I have a Mk.II (1964) and have had various XJ series as well, all lovely. The Daimler Double Six was probably my favourite (bar the Mk.II of course).

[@vibingwithvinyl]

That '06 Jaguar is the last model that looked like a Jag. Newer models look much more generic and not nearly as classy.

[@msalzberg4962]

Oh, I think my 2015 XF was stunning from every angle. And that supercharged V6 was brilliant.

[@Pericles777]

Yup, they completely gave Jags a facelift in 2009, so we had that same body style from 61 all the way to 2008, what a gorgeous car.

[@vibingwithvinyl]

@@msalzberg4962 Thank you for your completely unbiased and objective opinion.

[@msalzberg4962]

@@vibingwithvinyl Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as they say. The three best car designers of the 21st century: Ian Callum at Jaguar, Gerry McGovern at Land Rover, and Ed Welburn at GM.

[@houseofno]

Jaguar is now owned by Tata Motors, an Indian company that, stylingwise, seems to have no clue about the company's heritage. This British company was owned by Ford briefly, but at least Ford seemed to honor the car's tradition and heritage. Tata only seems interested in two things: making them cheap and ugly, the company's build culture.

[@Imp5011]

Jags aren't styled by Tata.

[@h7pubg]

ford truly strengthened jaguar, blending their mass market reliability knowledge with all the positive attributes of british class and design. best years to own one if you want to enjoy it. 1993-2009

[@houseofno]

@@h7pubg I agree about Ford. I respectfully disagree regarding Tata's ownership. A shame to see them treat this legendary mark as a tool to increase market share and volume at the expense of the car brand's heritage.

[@h7pubg]

@@houseofno no I totally agree with you, I wouldn’t buy one after 2009 when tata really kicked in. it’s a shame wizard makes these cars out to be so unreliable though. never had that experience myself and most owners in this era speak well of them as well. truly the best of both worlds, hope jaguars new refresh in ‘25 will come back to their senses

[@houseofno]

@@h7pubg As much as I would like to see that happen too, don't hold your breath. Look what happened to Nissan before the year 2000. Wonderful products before they got bought out by Renault. Now it's all CVTs, the cars getting old and stale while going more than ten years between redesigns (pre Renault buyout the refreshes came about half that interval, or every four to six years). The Maxima is being discontinued after the 2023 model year, a nameplate only exceeded by the Z for its longevity. After that, it's just the Z, the Sentra, the Pathfinder, and the Altima, remaining from Nissan's pre buyout period. Actually the Car Wizard did a "buy this not that" episode on the Nissan brand, and I think he did one on Jaguar too. Might be worth reviewing.

[@gregjarvis3288]

To put a bit of perspective on things here in the uk. Seven years ago I purchased a 2001 xj8 se..last of the line 308 model so all the engine mods had been done. Full service history and 41k miles.........for 3.5k pounds.!! Still got it and apart from a sports rear exhaust and regular servicing and consumables it has needed a water pump, one coil pack and a thermostat. They are very sensitive to battery voltage and do benefit from a gearbox oil and filter change at 50k. They run better on premium petrol. Other than that puts a smile on my face every time I drive her😊

[@mercedesvan-doors34]

Meant to add to previous, I would strongly recommend changing this over to waterless coolant. At this age all the hoses are weakening and the reduced coolant pressure is a life saver. Evans tested theirs on one of these cars so it works. (I'm not connected to Evans in any way just a fan of their product)

[@duster71]

I've been a private chauffeur for over 30 years for 7 different people. Many of my employers had Jags and Range Rover, probably over 15 of them,every single one whether brand new or slightly used were nothing but trouble and the dealerships were worse than the cars. I remember one instance when I went to pick-up one of the Range Rover that had many electrical problems, as all of them did. I wondered why the porter was taking so long to bring me the car once he found it in the lot. Well it turns out he put the window down and now wouldn't go back up,this worked before I dropped it off. So he gives me the car without telling me about the driver window.Because it was hot in the car from sitting in the sun I drove away. 30 minutes into my trip home the window would not go up.Since it was now after 6 pm the shop was closed and I did not have someone to take me back to the dealership, so I had to go to the store and buy plastic bags and tape to cover the window. ALL English cars are terrible.

[@toolzshed]

LS swapped XJRs are awesome 🤘🏽

[@ckm-mkc]

No, just no.

[@h7pubg]

why LS swap an XJR, what’s the point, might as well LS swap a regular XJ8, the motor is what makes them an R. maybe if the motor blew up, but it’s pretty rare if the cars have basic preventative maintenance

[@garfixit]

I've worked on a jag you are 100% correct always broken but fun to drive

[@ZedTee190]

I'm on my 2nd Jag, a 2017 X351 XJ. The one I have wasn't sold on your side of the Pond though, as it's a diesel. 3L, V6 Bi-Turbo which will hit 0-60 in 6 seconds and on a long run, at a steady 70mph I hit an indicated average of 47 mp(UK)g, fully loaded with 2 adults, 2 kids and associated luggage for a week away. Fabulous car and 60,000 totally reliable miles!

[@johncollier608]

I loved my Jag, too. You missed the feature I have only ever found on a Jag - the sunglasses cubby above the rear vision mirror. It is inicredibly handy and I have missed it on every car I have had since. Thanks for sharing. From the UK.

[@lyfandeth]

They are on many models including Nissan and Audi for over a decade now. Of course the Audi one is just large enough to hold small sunglasses, like John Lennon used to wear.

[@garysandiego]

@@lyfandeth Maybe so, such as my 2011 MB S600, however, only Jag covered that sunglasses cubby in glossy burl walnut. :-)

[@pierrelindenstrand6273]

Appreciate your wiew on those cars, and the dialogue - fun and yet very informative. I own a X308 xjr myself, can't really say I ever drove a car more rewarding in the long run until this day. IMO It's near perfect blend of looks, performance, apperance and comfort. As the saying goes "they don't make cars like this anymore"

[@gregortega9655]

Love Jaguars, currently have three. XK, XFR and a F Pace

[@frasermitchell9183]

I remember when the original XJ6 came out; it was 1968, and I was about to start university. I didn't even have a licence to drive cars then, only motorcycles. Jaguar made and sold an XJ model right up to 2019, but there were essentially only 3 basic cars, the 1968 that went on to 1986 in 3 iterations, the XJ of 1986, (factory model XJ40), the 1994 (X300)and the X308, basically the same but with different engine layouts, the X308 had the V8. Then came the two all-aluminum cars, the X350 and the X351. The best made were the all-alloy cars., (I had two, but now with an XE). The last XJ bore no resemblance to previous models, it was quite "avant garde", but still a lovely drive.

[@merakrut]

I own a midnight blue (black) 2004 XJ8 4.0 and a carnival red 2001 XJR. The headroom is way better without the sunroof, as in my XJR. I am fortunate to have my wife as a mechanic who enjoys getting dirty in various ways. 😉

[@timdoyle3028]

01 XJR sitting in my driveway right now, bought it about 5-6 weeks ago and have put around 1300 miles on it. Had to replace the entire gearshift assembly due to a dual linear switch failure and the D to 4 shift on the original shifter was problematic, used unit off EBay works great. ABS light just came on for the soldering joint problem that seems like it was universally problematic on so many makes and model in the early 2000's. This is my daily driver but I have a spare vehicle to drive so I'm ready for it be temperamental.

[@josueelombre931]

Beautiful junk. Perfect lawn ornament.

[@h7pubg]

internet myths, people that actually own the cars (after 1993) say otherwise. most of these regurgitations are people coping trying to justify why their soulless tin can is better.

[@stevenmorris2293]

As a Brit living in the US. Always wanted one. Very affordable used now, but pretty sure I couldn’t afford the maintenance costs.

[@no.7593]

Brilliant show as always!

[@ryanpatterson9526]

I have a prestine 99 XJR and it probably gets more looks and compliments than any other car I’ve ever had. Its proportions are SO LOW and long. It looks like it’s about to pounce, however its shape makes the interior very cramped.

[@31dknight]

Another great video from the wizard. Thanks

[@mattross8131]

I had an 86 XJ6. Loved that car. It was Maintenance intensive, but I like puttering around with cars. What is all the oil above the differential in the 99?