2000 Jaguar XJ8 4.0

Summary:

Most reliable car I ever owned.. I've owned over 80 cars!

Faults:

Replaced electric motor on drivers seat, 21800 miles, but under warranty.

Replaced power antenna at 78000 - $39.

Front shocks replaced at 80000 for air shocks, $168, installed myself, very easy, not sure I should even include this as shocks were still fair.

General Comments:

Ride is unlike any other sedan, feels like a sports car.

Interior still looks as good as anything made in 2009.

Improved fuel economy by changing factory air filter type and upgraded to 4 point spark plugs.

24 mpg city and highway if operated under 70 mph.

Excellent power for a small block V8.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 9th May, 2009

18th May 2009, 17:21

I also have a 2000 XJ8... silver with just a wisp of magenta and black leather inside. I love the thing, however, the transmission started going around 73,000 miles and I also had to change the shifting mechanism. That was five grand.

Had the driver seat motor stop working... but after unplugging and replugging it in seems fine again.

I occasionally get a fail/warning light that says I have no traction control, but it comes and goes and has been doing that for a year. Even though I have it lubed every oil change, I am starting to get consistent squeaking from the wheel areas when going over city bumps. It uses about a half quart of oil every 8 fillups or so...

Never liked the chunk sound it makes after slipping into first with the brakes on from neutral. Don't like its tendency to move forward when at a stop sign... always need to apply the brakes and hold them... British Motors states this is not adjustable, and normal. It's quite fine when sitting on a hill, though, and this is San Francisco.

With its magenta silver color, (very very slight magenta),and all it's chrome on the body and around the windows, (they cut way back after this year) and a good wash job, this car looks gorgeous, girls dig it, and having bought it used for $9000 last year at 64,000 miles... and especially having the black interior with the wonderful wood trim, (which has also been cut back in design) I am completely hooked on it... even after yesterday, when I hit the Concourse De Elegance car show in Marin County, and looked at the unreal interiors of the Aston Martin DB5 from the sixties, and the gorgeous Mercedes Gull-wing interiors with their massive side areas and brilliant chrome dashboard schemes... when you get back into the black leather XJ8 world, it still smokes...

20th Oct 2009, 21:15

I also have the 2000 XJR, it is OK at best. I have about 65000 miles on it. I like the drive, wish it had more power, it has been a money pit. Bought it new and it was in the shop often. I also hate the truck button which I bump often, the alarm system is a mess and it is coming apart little piece by little piece. I also have the all wheel drive X-type, a total die hard car. No problems with that one at all. But all in all, my Lexus beats them both hands down for style, drive, and reliability.

2000 Jaguar XJ8 4.0L

Summary:

I should have bought that Mercedes instead

Faults:

At 44,000 miles the heated seats stopped working. Took it to the dealer. Said they work fine, just they're very subtle.

At 44,000 miles the CD volume would fluctuate by itself. Adjusting that setting didn't seem to make a difference. 2 or 3 months later it magically works.

At 46,000 miles a transmission line blew and I was charged almost $700 to fix.

At 46,000 miles the stock wheel rusted in a place that made the tire unable to bead. So I bought some wheels off of a BMW M5.

At 50,000 miles the car shut off unexpectedly on the highway and registered 10 different faults on the ODBII codes. Upon restart, it was fine. I cleared the codes and never had a problem since.

At 51,000 miles the car needed a new mass airflow sensor. Cost around $600.

At 55,000 miles the rubber hose that carries the washer fluid to the wiper broke. A little bit of super glue fixed that.

Recently the car will not lock when I press the lock button on the ring. It makes a loud beep like the door is still open. It also dings when the door is open like I still have the keys in it. Does it every now and then. Still have not fixed this.

Now at 56,000 miles my ABS light is on, and I'm getting a problem saying TRAC NOT AVAILABLE, ASC NOT AVAILABLE. This is bad especially in Wisconsin when the roads are icy. Would help if I had winter tires instead of all season.

General Comments:

For such a beautiful car, it is very unreliable. It's fun to drive, the performance is decent (would be better if I had the XJR).

It is amazingly comfortable (minus the lack of rear legroom).

I should have got that CLK430 I was looking at instead.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 4th February, 2009

16th Jun 2009, 11:16

UPDATE: 60,000 miles, the transmission blew. I still owe $11,000 on the car. I'm just letting it sit in the driveway while I drive my Cadillac.

3rd Sep 2009, 21:29

My friend, I'm very sorry but you are in the same boat I was in. I also got the ASC warnings, then bam... no more tranny. It's a shame something so comfortable can be such garbage.

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