1996 Jaguar Vanden Plas 4.0L six from North America
Summary:
Best Jaguar ever built
Faults:
Seal on rear end.
Coils.
Brakes.
Ball joints.
Shocks.
Rear view mirror.
Clock.
Stereo.
Cup holder.
Seat memory.
Steering wheel tilt.
Head liner.
Cable in driver's door.
Passenger door lock actuator.
Driver's door spring.
EGR valve.
O2 sensors.
Idler pulley/tensioner.
Auxiliary hot water pump for heater (new brushes and all working).
Glove box cracked at top where it screws in.
Wooden door trim cracks clear coat.
Buttons on door lock remote.
Paint faded and clear coat beginning to peel (not garaged).
Trunk hydraulic lifter hold open slow close.
Trunk wiring near hinge broke; needed to be re-soldered.
Replaced antenna after car wash damage.
Rubber shock mounts on radiator.
Fuel pump relay.
Most of these I have fixed myself. I only have about 3k in repairs over the years.
General Comments:
This has been the best car I've ever owned. It is a pleasure to drive. If you keep up on the maintenance you'll find it's mostly small irritating stuff. I have had no major repairs or big bills. It's never left me stranded and is an absolute pleasure to drive. Handles like a giant sports car, yet is quiet and smooth. It leans into corners and drives as easily at 120 as it does at 40. Mileage is not stellar but it's a heavy car. Average is 21MPG, but if you're careful you can do much better. I've gotten 26 cross country at 55, but in town I get 16-17.
I've now bought another 96 with low mileage on it so I'll be driving it for the next 20 years I think. I'm pretty sure I'm going to get over 250K on these motors. They are wonderful engines.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 23rd July, 2018
29th Jul 2018, 03:40
So the, engines are solid.
But what about the peripherals?
30th Aug 2018, 22:22
Actually at 196500 miles these are only small things. And it's never left me stranded. I didn't start having any of these problems till over 120k miles.
30th Aug 2018, 22:34
As with any Jag, the devil is in the details. And the sheer complexity of the vehicle makes it prone to irritating problems. If you don't keep up with the maintenance then it will "feel" as if nothing works when in reality it's just small stuff. If you fix each little thing as soon as it breaks, then it never becomes overwhelming. Remember this seeming long list is 20 years worth. Check out the maintenance problems of 20 years and 196000 miles on a Porsche or BMW, and it will be terrifying. These things were all very cheap to fix.
For example. Replacing seals on the rear end was $300-ish, but if you don't replace the seals, the rear end replacement is 3000. This is where people get themselves into trouble with a Jag. The coils cost $75 each and there are 6 of them. They wear out at around 100K miles, so you only need to do this 1 time in the life of the car, but if you don't replace them when they first start sparking, you'll end up with computer problems and complete destruction of your magnesium valve cover, which is irreplaceable. So delaying replacing $500 in coils results in $2500-3000 of damage later.
If you don't keep your seat leather well oiled, you'll end up with torn seats which are over $1000.
Remember... it is true... there is nothing as expensive as a cheap Jaguar...
3rd Sep 2018, 17:19
Buying a really cheap $ wise used antique, classic or sports car rarely is worth it in the long run. As is buying a less desirable make or body style. Or one in primer that costs a lot body and paint wise. You may break even if lucky, but why not wait and save up a few more years for the best used one you can afford. Or even do a brief loan that turns out to be a smart investment that could sell for 10 times as much down the road. And enjoy them as well. Maybe you grabbed up a mid 50s Jag roadster or XKE and wisely still have one. I passed on a 3k XKE once over reliability fear. Should have bought it anyway.
24th Jul 2018, 13:01
So, you basically replaced everything. This is the best Jaguar ever built?