1999 Jaguar XJ8 4.0

Summary:

Awesome, buying another new as soon as my Audi's lease expires next month

Faults:

Drivers Side Window Motor

Faulty Sunroof Switch

Headliner Issue.

General Comments:

The vehicle is as stable and smooth as my former 560SEL. The acceleration is powerful and the car just feels solid. It is more comfortable than my Mercedes, the seating firm and not so much like a living room sofa.

The issues that I've had are unbelievably minor. I've own a variety of luxury imports from the Ferrari 308 and 348, a classic 911, 3 S Class Mercedes and 2 Audi's. They all have the same thing in common... steady service. You pay to have your baby pampered. Don't pay and she'll start to stink and fall apart on you.

A Jaguar is no different. Pay attention to the service bulletins and recalls. Make the dealer accept the recall repairs. Service the car according to specs at the DEALER not "Joe The Budget Jag Man" and stay away from Jiffy Lube and you should be just fine. If you get stuck with a car that hasn't been serviced properly, dump it. Sell it before it buys you.

Be smart! Don't fall in love with the idea of owning the car. Fall in love with the fact that it is a good car. Pull a Car-Fax, investigate the ownership AND the servicing of the vehicle. If it isn't documented, assume it has not been done.

Remember, these are 60k to 80k cars brand new. They are not junk when they roll off the lot. With rare exception, The majority of problems revolve around procrastination and an owner who really doesn't care if it falls apart. After all we usually "refresh" after 20k to 30k anyway.

My XJ8 was purchased as a secondary vehicle. We have put a good 5k miles on her and the majority have been highway miles. No major issues, just a couple of little relays and glue...

Good luck!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 5th February, 2005

28th May 2006, 02:15

What a great summary of the most sound advice!

If you have not already spent your hard-earned cash on a Jag, take every word of the advice above! Good looks can fool you, too. Documented history and service is mandatory.

You see two kinds of owners of these cars: happy and unhappy. Happy ones are those that care for the car; unhappy are those that don't bother (or the previous owner didn't - there are many who can afford not caring for their car and dump it early.)

Taking care of a Jaguar requires you are involved in the pampering, too. Obviously according to your skills, though everyone of us can always follow-up and demand for the best service. Sometimes it is a head ache to find someone to trust your car to. Very often it is not the big dealership, but one person you will learn to know and trust. Take care of the rust protection from new - only then it will pay back.

I have had four very reliable Jaguars since 1992 (XJs and an XJS). Three of them were daily drivers, also through harsh winter conditions. The only bigger fault was a burned head gasket at 100,000 miles (1991 Sovereign). That is all!

Just swapped my perfect 2000 XJ8 for a 1998 XJR - my appetite just grows and grows...

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1999 Jaguar XJ8 4 liter V8

Summary:

Beautiful, fast, but still very far from perfect

Faults:

Excessive wind noise above 60 m.p.h.

Interior and exterior trim parts loose and rattling.

Drive train harmonic vibration at 55 m.p.h.

Chassis shake at 75 m.p.h.

Erratic and jerky transmission shifts.

General Comments:

The car is beautiful inside and out, with excellent materials used in construction, particularly the interior.

The cockpit is low and cramped, difficult to get in and out of if you are 6 feet tall and not much leg room in back.

Far too much wind noise for a car of this caliber.

Excellent, smooth V8 engine with amazing acceleration and reasonable fuel consumption.

Poor automatic transmission which is reluctant to downshift and quite jerky and erratic in operation for a car of this class.

I had several problems with this car at delivery and annoying ones like the chassis/drive train vibration are difficult to pinpoint and correct.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 16th May, 2002

23rd Feb 2009, 15:53

I had the shaking problem with my 1999 XJ8 for 9 years. The dealer could not fix it after 7 visits. I just change my shocks and 90% of the shake has gone away. My problem is the tilt column motor does not go forward or backward, just up and down.

1999 Jaguar XJ8 V8

Summary:

Better than Lexus

Faults:

Nothing has gone wrong with this reliable machine!

General Comments:

Is the Jaguar of the Jaguar! Comfort, performance, reliability and a beautiful car! So, of course, the suspension is too soft and the engine takes a lot of fuel. The Jaguar XJ8 has the same engine as the S-type and the XK8. My old Lexus was a bad car!!! I found a lemon with my LS400. So my Jaguar is very comfortable, just like a Rolls-Royce!!! This is the best quality of the car and also the reliability, I think that everybody knows that Jaguar had a bad reputation 20 years ago, but now, it's very good for the quality and reliability! 12 years ago, I had a XJS, and I had a lot of trouble with this lemon!!!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 18th June, 2001

6th Jun 2002, 22:09

I am a fellow admirer of the British Cat. However, I'm a current owner of both a '02 and '92 LS series cars. Their reliability has been flawless. The 92 model has had no defects. I hate to state the obvious, but Lexus has ranked #1 in Reliability consistently since its inception in 1990. Jaguar to its credit has risen from 13th to 3rd as of late. But still overall they have yet to win the "Official" critics over. Only time will tell, but still the XJ8 is an elegant car.

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