I Bought A £500 Jaguar XJ (X350) | How Bad Can It Be and Should I Save It?

[@christopherroth6723]

The X350 is such a brilliant platform, my VDP 4.2 V8 X350 is such a joy to own. In America, where I live, we never got the V6 X350 but I wish we did. I'd say save the poor thing, it's got some life in her.

[@fuelupclassic]

Fingers crossed! It's currently at my mechanics and as long as the list of jobs isn't too extensive, I really do hope we can save this one. Thank you for watching and I hope you continue to enjoy your VDP 4.2.

[@richardbatty6520]

Hi Matt, I am a highly enthusiastic X350 owner an i have shared this with the Jaguar X350 group on Facebook. Hope it boosts your channel.

[@fuelupclassic]

Thank you, it's much appreciated. I really do hope we can save this one.

[@michaelscales5996]

Jaguars tend to be owned by older people who don't abuse them,andoften cherish them with regular servcing and cleaning.This is unlike certain German makes popular with younger drivers who may not look after them that well. Nothing quite like arriving at the golf club in a large Jag..

[@AAWT]

Very true. That's one of the reasons I like them. I would NEVER even think of buying a used BMW (except maybe a motorbike, or if I was a car collector, an Isetta or one of the classic-looking 1950s BMWs).

[@davidroberts3914]

That car needs saving for sure, £500 was a steal, couple of wings from the breakers along with a front bumper, a bonnet latch and window regulator and the car will still stand you less than a bag of sand. Great content

[@fuelupclassic]

Absolutely! Fingers crossed there's no hidden horrors and we can save it. Thank you for watching.

[@markmoore2625]

I would put an MOT on it and drive it as it is for the next 12 months. £500 doesn't even get you a tatty old Yaris nowadays.

[@fuelupclassic]

Very true!

[@stevebass3992]

The left hand wing can be repaired, The Rh needs replacing with a new bumper. These cars can do 250k miles so not an issue with the mileage. Once repairs are done you will have a bargain good car

[@fuelupclassic]

I certainly do hope to save this one :) Thank you for watching.

[@EdAb]

You've got me thoroughly hooked, I can't wait for an update!

[@fuelupclassic]

Update coming very soon! Thank you for watching

[@jedw]

These are a great car, I have one that I use daily; same 3.0 V6. I bought it 4 years ago and have done about 15k miles since, all of which felt like you are floating on a cloud. The bad parts: the air suspension did fail, and yes it was costly to fix (I might have just been unlucky) but it never actually left me stranded, it just keeps going even when there are things wrong.

[@fuelupclassic]

Thanks for sharing

[@Fabulousprofound168]

Can I ask what broke with your air suspension and what needed to be done to fix it at what cost?

[@jedw]

@@Fabulousprofound168 The air compressor had failed and had to be replaced. As I recall the parts were not the major expense, it was the labour as it had to be done at a specialist jaguar garage who probably saw me coming a mile off. It was about £1000 in total.

[@Fabulousprofound168]

@@jedw I just came from a video from a reviewer saying the air strut assemblies are non-rebuildable part and are no longer in production… is this true?

[@jasbagri9821]

For £500 that's a steal. I have a X350 XJR in Black and absolutely love it. 184,000 on the clock and runs perfectly. Engine and gearbox will be fine, electrical issues/air suspension are a pain. Parts overall are not that expensive. Enjoy!

[@fuelupclassic]

I really do hope we can save it! I've got a real soft spot for the XJR and it's definitely a car i'd like to tick off the bucket list. Thank you for watching. Matt

[@ivanfernyhough3851]

These cars are superb.on my 2nd now,a super v8.160000 miles on these is nothing at all.i have had loads of jags,xj40s,300s,308s,xf and series 3 jags and these are far and away the best jags of all.well worth saving,a couple of 2nd hand bolt on wing, and maybe a bumper and some paint and it be great.my cars are kept immaculate,not sure why the brand of tyre is not a good sign.my car has loads of money spent but i only use cheaper tyres as i only do about 3000 miles a year and have never had issues with khumo or nexen tyres.look forward to more on this one.

[@Isaac_Gbornor2k]

On your second cJ now nice

[@moodiblues2]

I’ve owned 2 XJ6 Vanden Plais an 81 and a 91 and I loved them both. I notice that the newer ones have nearly the identical interior as my 2002 XK8. I have always loved British cars having also had a 1966 Sunbeam Alpine. I hunger for an Aston Martin, a Bentley and a McClaren. I think It’s ashame that these wonderful machines are no longer British owned.

[@Isaac_Gbornor2k]

You ownd 2 XJ nice

[@moodiblues2]

@@Isaac_Gbornor2k not at the same time 😎I do like my Jags. My father bought a 1966 Jaguar XKE new, back when they cost $6000. I used to steal it and daily drive it to school whenever my parents were away, which was often. I used to disconnect the odometer because my father made a big point of writing down the mileage before he left. I was a rotten kid.

[@Isaac_Gbornor2k]

@@moodiblues2 😀😀😀😀😀 that is bad boy ,a very bad boy ,I wish to drive Jag one day ,I recently bought one BMW E39 , it is a Great Car but I fell in love with the Jag XJ at first sight, very Classic Car 🚗

[@paulhann3288]

That ZF six speed should be serviced around 65-75k miles or 10 years whichever comes sooner!

[@fuelupclassic]

Although officially Jaguar claimed it was 'sealed for life', which I am always highly sceptical of. Thankfully i've found two invoices in the history that suggest it's been done at least twice on this one. Thanks for watching.

[@Roddy_Zeh]

"Should I save it?" Absolutely. But I'm biased, I'd almost always resort to saving a car, only in very rare occasions when there's pretty much not enough to rescue due to it being like 95% compromised by severe rust or something like that.

[@fuelupclassic]

Absolutely! I am much more keen to keep an older go going than buy a new one. It's currently at my mechanics, and as long as it's not an extensive list of jobs, I really do hope we can save this one.

[@Roddy_Zeh]

@@fuelupclassic Fingers crossed! 🤞

[@tonymatthews7342]

Well worth saving this one, a true modern classic, hope the air suspension and bushes ok X350 still a beautiful looking car looking forward to hopefully a positive pre M.O.T. enjoyed.

[@fuelupclassic]

You and me both! Thank you for watching.

[@superchargedxjr]

Definitely worth saving. Get yourself to a breakers yard and buy the "body-bits"! The important stuff sounds good; regular maintenance has kept this vehicle running well.

[@fuelupclassic]

That's exactly what we did! Pleased to say it's now back on the road and i've given it to my mum who uses it everyday. Soon it will have a complete rear suspension overhaul, as after 21 years and 167,000 miles, it's getting a bit tired.

[@superchargedxjr]

Just running-in then! My 2002 X308 LWB 4L Sovereign currently has 226,000 miles. Mind you on 2nd Autobox and 2nd differential. The 2nd Autobox is tired (actually torque converter 5th gear slips occasionally!). My Jag Specialist says if you can live with the fault for now, it's better to get a good s/h autobox complete with torque converter. Either he will source or I will purchase from Autoreserve or Eurojag and have delivered for him to fit. My engine is very strong and smooth, frankly not far short of my previous XJR8 (sold @ 160k miles). I have had 5 Jags over a period of 20 years, inc. V12s. The trick with Jags is to run them regularly. Only use E5 at 97or 99 octane and add petrol cleaner. Every 6 months clean K & N filter (if dirty), clean MAF and inlet track. Keep throttle body meticulously clean. Have oil and filter service every 6 months and a general check over by your Jag Specialist. I work on the basis that once you get on top of any issues, and there will be issues, better the Jag you know than changing the vehicle ( for the unknown!). The X350/X358 is the better car but I prefer the sleek profile of the last of the true XJs! Also, I hear a lot of stories from my garage of electrical gremlins and suspension faults. One of my friends has a superb X358 Daimler Super V8 but alas had terrible, and very expensive, electrical issues. His car also, predictably, had suspension woes!

[@babylon5mh]

My main concern would be the fact that whoever had it previously, skimped on tyres. If that's been done, then what else has been done with cheap parts despite the folder of invoices.

[@fuelupclassic]

The budget tyres is a strange one… The folder is full of specialist/main dealer invoices but absolutely no idea why they cheaped out on the last set of tyres 🤷‍♂️. Knowing the previous owner, they probably had no idea that they weren’t getting premium tyres.

[@steveadams8799]

Hi, definitely worth saving. If you can find second hand wings and bumper in colour then your onto a winner. Even if you have to get them painted, and you mechanic doesn’t find anything to expensive it’s still well worth it. Looking forward to watching further progress. 🍻

[@fuelupclassic]

Thank you. I will do what I can to save it :)

[@Vince_uk]

Definitely worth saving and the plate if it is genuine that is, is worth a few quid.

[@fuelupclassic]

I hope so! It's currently at my mechanics, and as long as the list of jobs it requires isn't too extensive, I really do hope I can save this one. Will be keeping the plate on the car too :)

[@anthonym6401]

Finally had time to watch this, my instinct says brave - but not foolhardy! Good mechanics and tatty bodywork is a much better combination than vice versa. Nice to see a car being saved from scrap too, especially now the XJ as a model is no more. Amazed by the MPG, my 330Ci of the same age wouldn’t get past 29 in mostly B road driving. That extra ratio in the gearbox must help I suppose (the BMW was a 5 speed auto).

[@fuelupclassic]

Thank you for watching. I will do what I can and I do hope we can save it. MPG is really quite impressive on these, even the N/A V8 models can easily achieve 30+ mpg on a good run.

[@nigelbryant5932]

New to your channel. Great job. Chunk out of that front near side tyre. Worth saving

[@fuelupclassic]

Good spot! Thank you for watching

[@colindavis8579]

I have an 08 x358 LWB sovereign and although it’s been a bit of a money pit I love it! Thought I’d ironed out all the problems then in the recent hear the headliner has begun sagging- another job on the list!

[@fuelupclassic]

Ahh yes! There's always something to keep you busy with an old Jag. Thank you for watching. Matt

[@ivelinrb]

Yes, brother! Do it! Bring this baby back to life!

[@fuelupclassic]

We did :) back on the road and being used daily.

[@rarevhsuploads4995]

It stands out to me because it’s a V6 which is my preference. I know that will go against the majority who will favour the V8 but I’m entertaining one of these XJ350’s as a future car & would rather the 3.0L engine. I don’t want a big powerful engine, just a smooth running floaty barge. ULEZ compliant is a plus point as well. It’s a car that could go either way. If you can throw a £1000 at it & solve a bulk of the cosmetic issues (window regulator being high priority) then I think it’s a car that’s worth saving. If your trying to make a profit then margins would be tight. From what I’ve seen this specification is going to be a sub £2000 car even if good running order. For channel content, saving it will generate more interest. Personally I don’t like the wheels & would want a set of matching new tyres on different alloys but that is certainly going to break the budget. The XJ53 number plate suits it.

[@fuelupclassic]

Yes the V6 suits the X350 well in my opinion, although the N/A 4.2 V8 is noticeably more powerful and silky smooth. I will definitely be giving it my best shot to try and save this one. It's definitely not one to try and make a profit, just the joy of saving an old Jag from ending up on the scrapheap. The wheels are standard Jaguar (probably from an XF) and desperately need a refurb. I may replace them depending on what else we find that requires more immediate attention. Thanks for watching.

[@ronschwolsky1626]

She's a keeper. You know it makes sense!

[@markpirateuk]

I think it would come up a treat with a good machine polish & a wheel refurb, the nearside wing just needs paint, not replacement. Replacement of the bonnet mech, front bumper, grille & window regulator are all simple driveway fixes, even the offside wing is not beyond repair. I think you stole it, I would happily pay £500 for it!

[@fuelupclassic]

Thank you for watching :). There's quite a bit to do but I am really hoping we can save this one.

[@roygardiner2229]

I really hope you and your mechanic can keep this car on the road. It's a grand model. Clearly it depends upon how much you are prepared to invest. It seems to me that the external cosmetic stuff is essentially just that, cosmetic, superficial. The wheels in my humble opinion are really ugly but I don't know enough to comment further on how that can be put right. I like the car and I shall certainly be watching to see what the outcome is.

[@fuelupclassic]

I will certainly be giving it my best shot to try and save it. It's fitted with standard Jaguar wheels (probably from an XF) and really they just need refurbishing, however a different set may be fitted depending on what other problems we find that require immediate attention. Thanks for watching :)

[@michaelarchangel1163]

I wonder if the lack of aluminium corrosion is related to paint colour ? The silver ones all seem to have it.

[@fuelupclassic]

That's an interesting point! I have also seen silver and lighter coloured ones suffering much worse from reactions/ bubbling. This one doesn't seemed to have been affected anywhere near as much but whether that is down to paint colour, i'm not sure.

[@palandi]

you scored a nice find, Matt. I hope your mechanic doesn't condemn this cat to the crusher. then you get it MOT'd, feed the leather (I like to do it from the start, even though yours is in good shape), throw a new set of mats, fix the window switches and buy a front grille. that's how I would do it, at least. then you just have to wait for the right deal to source the exterior bits, refurbish the wheels and, when you least expect it, your gentlemen's club on wheels is shining again. nice Barbour jacket, by the way. what model is it?

[@fuelupclassic]

Thank you for watching. We are going to do our very best to save it :) It's a Barbour Bedale. Not the sort of thing I usually need to wear in the middle of summer, but hopefully some sunshine is on the way.

[@marcelcovaci9922]

The Sepang wheels( XJ wheels) look amazing if you think about changing the wheels.

[@fuelupclassic]

Exactly the ones I would go for! They always suit the XJ so well in my opinion. Thank you watching. Matt

[@gavc6442]

Beautiful car, deserving to be saved. A few used spares and some paintwork, will be stunning.

[@fuelupclassic]

That's the plan! Thank you for watching.

[@colinburns4965]

Hi, Try and save it. They are very good to drive and still turn heads. I think you will need to invest around 2 or 3 k to get it where it should be. They are a future classic. Best wishes.

[@fuelupclassic]

Certainly going to try and save it. I will post an update very soon. Thank you watching. Matt

[@kevinpalmer7452]

Yes they are XF wheels same as fitted to my XF.

[@fuelupclassic]

I thought as much :). They're in desperate need of a refurb but I quite like how they look on the XJ.

[@michealhaskell7258]

I think this Jag (350) is worth saving - as it's MOT- ed so the sills etc should be ok. Hopefully then any suspension repairs in the near future(and cosmetic) don't put you off?

[@alanbrowne9875]

The sills will be fine as those and the rest of the body are aluminum.

[@bobBob-yg9br]

Save it, if you don’t want to can I have it!

[@scottthompson7605]

Great video. Good luck, Will you have an update video soon?

[@fuelupclassic]

update coming very soon :)

[@chrispenn715]

I was surprised that there were no dog hairs inside from the previous driver's guide dog 😂. Looks eminently saveable, but not economically viable sadly.

[@fuelupclassic]

Me too! haha. We are going to do our best to save this one, even though it probably doesn't make any financial sense.

[@albertknight1971]

Worth restoring it for the plate, " Fly ".

[@fuelupclassic]

It does suit the car well.

[@Johngaltconsultingtv]

I'll buy it off you for a grand. I need the engine, box and wiring loom to put into my 2005 MX5 NB2

[@fuelupclassic]

Let's see if we can save this one first :). Love the idea of MX5 with that V6 in it though. Best of luck with your project.

[@moodiblues2]

I don’t particularly like the new Jaguars’ style. I think very different people are now styling Jags. The Astons still look hot to me, though.

[@fuelupclassic]

Aston are certainly still making some greta looking cars! With modern Jags it's a slightly different story - the F Type looks good and I really liked the last incarnation of the XJ but can't say i'm excited at all about the styling of the I-Pace or F- pace etc.

[@moodiblues2]

@@fuelupclassic The thing I like about my XK8 is it looks like a relative to the XKE, which is still the epitome of Jaguar style. I am tempted to buy an XJS, the style of which also appeals to me. My wife would kill me if I add another car to my collection of four (a Jaguar, a Corvette, a Thunderbird, and a Mustang).

[@fuelupclassic]

@@moodiblues2 An XJS would be a lovely addition to your collection. For now, I think they are still very much undervalued too!

[@moodiblues2]

@@fuelupclassic I agree! Would you please speak to my wife😎

[@Fabulousprofound168]

If it’s mechanically solid, I would see the low purchase price as room to spend money to restore it cosmeticallly, and not reason to let it deteriorate further? I’m glad to see you are going to save this. It seems that it has suffered more from careless neglect than lack of maintenance? I get depressed seeing them showing up in banger racing 😢

[@fuelupclassic]

Thank you for watching. That's certainly the plan, it has in many ways been cherished by the previous owners but certainly suffered cosmetically as they began to struggle with such a large car and their advancing years. I'm determined that this one doesn't end up on a banger track.

[@uhn100]

I think you have done very well for $500 a good dent man can probably get them out so unless your mechanic finds something serious throw a couple of grand at her and save the old girl Regards Andy Allen.

[@fuelupclassic]

That's the plan :) Thank you for watching.

[@alundavies5171]

love the redge

[@fuelupclassic]

It certainly suits the car well. Thank you for watching :)

[@1970sthrowback]

Just found your channel , great vid and definitely think its worth saving using second hand parts. Have you got a follow up video on this ?

[@fuelupclassic]

Thank you, glad to hear you enjoyed the video. Full update is coming in the next few weeks. Thank you for watching.

[@wayland7150]

It's too easy to find yourself with a lot of Jaguars. I have two XJ6.

[@fuelupclassic]

one is never enough :)

[@69Phuket]

I'll give ya 500 for the reg!

[@NewtonInDaHouseYo]

The number plate would be great on an XJ12 5.3 …

[@fuelupclassic]

It certainly would :) unfortunately you cannot transfer it here in the UK to a car older than 2003, which rules out it being transferred to an XJ12.

[@NewtonInDaHouseYo]

@@fuelupclassic I see. But of course it would be great if the plate stayed on the current XJ. Good luck with the project!

[@Betty_Feltersnatch]

Looks like someone tried to squeeze through a gap smaller than the car :D

[@fuelupclassic]

I think you might be right haha!

[@alundavies5171]

look like a motorbike hit that driverside front wing to me

[@fuelupclassic]

Turns out, they hit a lampost at about 2mph when reversing out the driveway.

[@modelcitizen72]

Good driving car! Leave the cosmetics alone and enjoy the vehicle, if it were me.

[@fuelupclassic]

we've done quite a bit to it since this video :) Thank you for watching.

[@AAWT]

These are the last generation of Jaguar worth preserving simply because of it's beauty. Scrapping one of these would be a criminal offense if I had my way ;-) It's remarkable how cheap used cars in the UK are. Even if the car was in worse condition, you'd easily pay 2k for one of those in continental Europe. The seats alone would be worth 500 GBP if in good condition.

[@fuelupclassic]

We do have it quite lucky here in the UK, when it comes to cheap luxury barges. My £500 XJ is still going strong and used daily by my mother, who absolutely love it! It's just passed over 170,000 miles and still plodding along. Early next year we will probably look at doing a bit of a refresh of the suspension, brakes, full service etc..

[@davidrichmond282]

How did you get that jagggggg for £500 I love these big boats great post

[@fuelupclassic]

Thank you for watching. Matt

[@goodfest007]

It’ll polish out son….😮

[@fuelupclassic]

😅 you reckon?

[@garywinterbottom6073]

For 20years old id just ru as is or break for parts should double your money 😂

[@gulfstream7235]

Reg must be worth the money alone...

[@fuelupclassic]

It probably is but I hope to keep it on the car :)

[@Yorkshiremadmick]

You were certainly moaning about the lovely old girl. Only £500 and well worth saving

[@fuelupclassic]

Not moaning at all :) just pointing out the obvious issues before it heads up to my mechanics for a closer inspection. We are going to do our best to save it. Thanks for watching.

[@Isaac_Gbornor2k]

Please save this beauty ,

[@fuelupclassic]

After lots of hard work, it’s now well on the way to being saved :). More updates to come.

[@martincolin6445]

I love Jags but you can buy a pretty decent one for £2-3k so with regret why go to the expense and hassle of sorting this out… just doesn’t make any sense

[@fuelupclassic]

It seemed like a fun thing to do at the time! I have to admit, I thought the same but i'd known the car near enough from new and didn't want it to end up on the scrapheap. As a result of lots of hard work and a relatively small amount of money, it's now looking great and still putting in reliable service every day.

[@martincolin6445]

@@fuelupclassic I understand sentimental reasons are strong even if they don’t make sense..but we’ll done for saving it

[@fuelupclassic]

@@martincolin6445 Thank you for watching.

[@nickspence5269]

Its not going to be a £500 car for long. Especially as Jaguar has lost the plot.

[@ivanfernyhough3851]

Indeed,these cars are allready appreciating in value,especially the daimlers snd super v8 ones.superb cars and the last proper styled jaguars.

[@ianblakesley3349]

This car is well worth saving, but please don't spend a fortune on it. One day it will be rare and valuable.....but not quite yet.

[@fuelupclassic]

That's the plan :) I do hope we can save this one.

[@TwizyMan]

PLEASE save it

[@fuelupclassic]

I will do my best :) thank you for watching.

[@kevinmason5140]

Should have gone to SPECK SAVERS. !!!!

[@brianpearson8782]

Mate £500 for a luxury car 2003, mate must have issues

[@fuelupclassic]

I like a challenge :)

[@sohchinhin4006]

Please save this car thank you.

[@2.fresh767]

Bargain