1995 Jaguar XJR 4.0 6 Cylinder Supercharged from North America

Summary:

If other examples are as good as mine I'd have rate a used XJR as "performance bargain of the year."

Faults:

Front wheel bearing failure due to lack of lubricant.

Interior lamp flickering due to dirty switch.

The "Memory" function of the seat works, but not quite correctly.

General Comments:

One of the best bargains on the used car market today. These mid-90s Jags are seriously undervalued.

This car is very powerful... not terrifyingly so, but lots of ooomph in any gear or at any road speed. You get quite a strong pushed-back-in-the-seat feeling when you tromp on it. This combined with the tight suspension and powerful brakes make this sedan more fun to drive than many would expect. The Jaguar styling is just icing on the cake.

In typical Jag fashion the car is quiet and comfortable although, being the short wheelbase model, the rear seat is a bit tight for space.

This is my third Jag and certainly the most enjoyable. After 5 months I've had no significant repair/reliability issues.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 12th November, 2006

12th Nov 2006, 20:46

One of my best friends ran an exclusive repair shop for Jags and other exotic cars, and he told me the newer ones are really great. Since Ford took over Jaguar it has lost its reputation as one of the world's most unreliable cars. It is now one of the best. Congrats on a great car.

1995 Jaguar XJR 4.0 from UK and Ireland

Summary:

I love the looks,but I want the car to perform like I know it is meant to

Faults:

The car seems to be very underpowered, it has not got the power it is reported to have. The supercharger is noisy, and making a squealing sound.

Also when you press the accelerator pedal, power totally drops away for four seconds or so. Then it starts to move, but at a slow rate.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 10th November, 2006

30th Nov 2006, 11:48

Could the squealing you are hearing possibly be the supercharger belt slipping. This would explain the lack of power.

1995 Jaguar XJR 4.0 supercharged inline 6 from North America

Summary:

Sporty and cheap to buy, but expensive to run

Faults:

Few major thing have gone wrong with the car, but that makes it almost more annoying, since the things that have gone wrong are with the electrics and other comfort items.

The heated seats no longer work and I haven't taken that in to be repaired.

The fan belt/supercharger belt spontaneously shredded itself, one day after a major dealer service. Their response? "Oh, we've been noticing that XJRs seem to run through their fanbelts more quickly". Maybe they should put a note in their system?

The clock no longer displays the time (it is an LCD display).

The exterior temperature gauge is often wrong by up to 7 or 8 degrees Celsius.

General Comments:

All in all, a good touring car. Gas consumption isn't good, but with 322hp, it wouldn't be.

Interior space is below par, with the back seats being roughly the same size as a Golf I had for a while.

I would recommend a later version of the XJR, post-1998 when the engine changed from the 6 cylinder to a V8. Reliability improved then and the interior was redesigned to a more modern look.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 15th May, 2004

1st Apr 2008, 13:20

Stick with a 96 or 97 XJR, the last two years of the extremely reliable real Jaguar 4.0 I6 supercharged engine. I owned a 93 XJ40 with that engine for four years and then purchased my 97 XJR6. The V8's were NOT anywhere near as reliable as they were aluminum Ford built engines. 1998 (first year with V8), 1999, & 2000 I advise staying away from. Look up the Nikasil issues on the Jaguar Forums site I'm part of. Complete engines and transmission were replaced on A LOT of those years far before hitting 100K miles. That's the reason those years are so cheap today, yes they're gorgeous with minor exterior tweaks compared to prior generation XJR but I don't recommend those years. Aim for a 2001-2003 before they were redesigned again. By those later years the timing chains/tensioners, and the Nikasil issues were resolved. My dad leased a used 2000 XJR and it was amazing but I'm glad we didn't buy it out at the end when it was around 75K miles. Just a word to the wise!

13th Jun 2008, 08:25

I have a 95 XJR and owned a 96. I love the inline 6 supercharged cars. I also own a 95 BMW 540. The Jag is a better built, although heavier car but more robust.

The neck snapping torque is nice too... and since my ABS / trac lock function shuts off at 15 mph, the car can lite em' up just fine.

The little things that break are annoying but the car is nice to look at and I consider it a modern classic Jag. The V8 cars are lumps in my book...LOL.

24th Jun 2008, 18:23

Which is quicker out of the two; the BMW or the Jag?