I have an XJ40, the grandpa of this car. The suspension is amazing. But beware it's a car for old money, with old money repair bills if you don't do it yourself, as I do. It is such a sweet car!
ULEZ COMPLIANT - I’ve owned my 308 since new in 2001. I wrote to Jaguar and received the certificate of conformity, which TFL accepted and changed its status to ULEZ compliant. This is a game changer, as without this the car would probably have been sold or scrapped, so it’s well worth challenging the status.
I am the lucky owner of a 1999MY Daimler Super V8 with 94.000 kilometres. It is the best car I’ve owned and the quality of production is very high. I have owned the car for more than 10 years and I am the second owner. As I live in Spain there is no rust. The car looks, drives and feels like new. My recommendation is buying the best Daimler/Jaguar X308 you can find and enjoy it.
Salut Jaguariste..félicitation..pour cette belle auto !...bien que je prefere le vrai moteur jaguar encore dispo sur ma 300 4.0 sovereign black..jusqu'a la 308..j'accepte..😂
loved my 308 - bought for £3.5k as a stop gap but then fell in love with it then set about improving it over covid lockdown. A great enjoyable car. Mine had the Nicosel engine and as said in this video it presented no issues even with 90k miles. Currently running a 358 Super 8. great car but the ride is not as good as the 308. Funny how many people used to stop me andf compliment the car (pacific blue). Not had that with the 358 yet!
In my experience of welding up cars for MOT's, most of the rot spots mentioned in this video apply to virtually ALL car makes. Just back in November I repaird an Audi A4 estate rear subframe that had rotted through. Have done sills on VW Polo's, Toyota's, Ford's, Mazda's and more. It's not the end of the world if it needs welding up.
Brilliant video, lots of information. Always wanted a Jaguar x300/x308 model's because they remind me of the Jag's of the 70's and 80's. Ended up with a 2006 4.2 v8 sovereign ( x356 ), would love a video on the x350/x356/x358 models!!!!!!
Virtually everything said in this video applies to most cars of any make. I know this because I have welded up Audi, Citroen, Fords, Toyota (Aygo and Hilux) Mazda and more.
True cars are built to last 10 years - they (mostly) don’t rust and need fairly basic maintenance with maybe 1 timing belt and a couple of sets of tyres plus oils changes etc. Then they are cheap as chips and binned off
I'm actually thinking of picking up an X308, figured it may be a fun new daily. I have an X350 VDP as my daily and its brilliant, but I want to keep it in mint condition, because it's my first (and only) car to date. Most other Jaggggg guys seem to love the X308 but I've never been crazy for it. But, they are dirt cheap, so I've been thinking about buying one. This is brilliant info to know ahead of time.
I've been driving XJ's since early 1990's; XJ40's, X300's and X308's. All great cars especially the X308 and its V8. Certainly rust can be an issue in the earlier cars but do your homework before you buy. No-one buys a house without checking for woodworm and ensuring that the foundations aren't subsiding! I've always found that tax and especially insurance have been reasonable and running costs very acceptable. Provided you keep up with routine servicing which is not difficult these cars are reliable and great fun. I'm about to buy my 8th and can't wait. Affordable luxury which turns heads across the age groups every day. What's not to like.
Point taken; but I used them every day and did mega miles in them, travelling the length and breadth of the country and abroad ++ so there comes a point where everything wears out. And it's always pleasant to change specification/model/ engine size etc.@@MagnyCoors
Had 3 of these. All XJR, all rotten at the nsf wheelarch area and floorpan to chassis both sides. Rusty subframe mounts, but hell, I still repaired em, and I still love em. Even low milers need to be checked though.
Can we please all take a moment and enjoy the proportions - particularly in side-profile of this Super V8. In my mind, the best looking of all the XJ's, bar perhaps the C-12. All imho...
My XJ40 had in 15 years of daily use rust problems only where there was worked on earlier. My X300 ist completely rust free and it is not a garage queen, living outside most of the time. My X308 was a rust bucket but astoningly easy to fix. I am looking after several X308‘s and they need so much more attention than the sixes that I would not recommend them to a „no spanner“ person. And I am also not sure about the body quality compared to the X300. Here on the continent we don‘t have so much trouble with rust as UK and UK cars usually look horrible in comparison. If someone would ask me to buy a Jag I‘d always recommend the sixes. Nothing else.
Tech tip.: with transmission (and filter) change, I do the diff. fluid too. Does not cost much, maintains fluid viscosity and performance unity in drive mechanism, eliminates noise and potential issues. Also, the presenter would make a brilliant “Top Gear” reviewer, I think.
Generally - as with any used Jaguar - buy the best you can afford and avoid neglected clunkers. 2000 to 2002 4.0 and 4.0 S/C are the pick of the bunch.
As an ex XJ owner you really have to be invested in Jaguar ownership to want to own one they really will rape your bank account and give you grey hair. I gave up on them 5 years ago and bought a Lexus LS. Jaguars are luxury ownership but they also have luxury problems still have the 2008 Lexus 460 and nothing has ever gone wrong and it cost £500 a year to service which is nothing.
I own a XJ X308 SC 00, for 4 Years now. Did 33K Kilometers in it. Next to maintenance, Cars like these will eat Ball bearings, because of Speedbumps an Roundabouts. The X300/X305/X308 is different from other XJ's, because it is the Lowest XJ ever build. With a Height of just 1,31M there is no comparison.
I don't own or run a car but I AM interested in them and I love Jaguars. Based upon the rust problems that you (rather frighteningly!) described if I were to buy a Jaguar I would try to get an aluminium bodied one.
I do a lot of welding repairs to cars and own a 2001 XJ8. I can tell you, today I welded up a 2010 Citroen C1 that was rotten on the offside sill. Nect week, I have a Toyota Aygo on the same year coming in, BOTH sills are rotten and where the rear subframe mounts. it will take three days to do the repairs. My Jaguar on a 2001, needs rear wheel arches and nothing structurally. Jags DO NOT ROT as bad a people think!
Apart from rolls royce and bentley,the greatest and definitely the best looking luxury cars ever made.i wont have any other car but jaguar.have owned lots over tge years including 1 x300 and 2 x308s and theyre are superb,especially the 308s.this really aint a great review to be honest.makes them sound far far worse than they are and lets face it,the british weather and the amount of salt they chuck around will destroy any car thats neglected by its owners.
I can't recall the last time I saw a '308 that wasn't rotten. Sills, arches, wings, bulkhead - just everywhere. X350's are cheap enough now to make the 308 waste of time - examples that are 'rust free' won't be for long. If anything they seem worse than the 300 and XJ40.
😂😂” make sure the rear suspension is FIRMLY attached to the car” Ah, British build quality. They used the best steel for the braziers they all stood round when striking to keep warm .
I had one of these , it was only 6 years old at the time . Worst car I ever had . Thermostat leaking , wheel bearings needed replaced . Rust , and then the timing chain snapped . I had a so called jag expert do a ppi on it before I bought it too !!’ It’s a shame it’s put me off Jags for life .
Jaguar is a love but it is famous for unreliability and bad build quality.You have one because you love the difference between that and the Germans and Lexus.
I have an XJ40, the grandpa of this car. The suspension is amazing. But beware it's a car for old money, with old money repair bills if you don't do it yourself, as I do. It is such a sweet car!
ULEZ COMPLIANT - I’ve owned my 308 since new in 2001. I wrote to Jaguar and received the certificate of conformity, which TFL accepted and changed its status to ULEZ compliant. This is a game changer, as without this the car would probably have been sold or scrapped, so it’s well worth challenging the status.
Great tip!
My XJ8 is exempt from the Bradford clean air zone fees, I couldn't believe it!
my 2002 XJR was exempt straight from the off as was my friends 2001 3.2 XJ sport, strange you had to apply for yours
I am the lucky owner of a 1999MY Daimler Super V8 with 94.000 kilometres. It is the best car I’ve owned and the quality of production is very high. I have owned the car for more than 10 years and I am the second owner. As I live in Spain there is no rust. The car looks, drives and feels like new.
My recommendation is buying the best Daimler/Jaguar X308 you can find and enjoy it.
Salut Jaguariste..félicitation..pour cette belle auto !...bien que je prefere le vrai moteur jaguar encore dispo sur ma 300 4.0 sovereign black..jusqu'a la 308..j'accepte..😂
What kind of fuel consumption you average with it?
@ Around 11 to 12 litres per 100 kilometres
@ very reasonable! I do simular with my 94 xjs 4.0 aj6, looking to add a daimler six or super v8 to my garage also in the future.
loved my 308 - bought for £3.5k as a stop gap but then fell in love with it then set about improving it over covid lockdown. A great enjoyable car. Mine had the Nicosel engine and as said in this video it presented no issues even with 90k miles. Currently running a 358 Super 8. great car but the ride is not as good as the 308. Funny how many people used to stop me andf compliment the car (pacific blue). Not had that with the 358 yet!
In my experience of welding up cars for MOT's, most of the rot spots mentioned in this video apply to virtually ALL car makes. Just back in November I repaird an Audi A4 estate rear subframe that had rotted through. Have done sills on VW Polo's, Toyota's, Ford's, Mazda's and more.
It's not the end of the world if it needs welding up.
I nearly bought a X308, but ended up buying a X300. I like these every much… they just exude class
Brilliant video, lots of information. Always wanted a Jaguar x300/x308 model's because they remind me of the Jag's of the 70's and 80's. Ended up with a 2006 4.2 v8 sovereign ( x356 ), would love a video on the x350/x356/x358 models!!!!!!
so just to clarify - they rust everywhere?
It really depends on how it was stored and whether it was used in the winter. Mine’s 100% rust free.
Complete rot boxes. Such a shame.
Not in Australia 😂. Not a spot of rust on my 1998 4.0 Sport spec
@@colino72 to be fair that is the only place he didn't mention!
@@The_Car_Stalker lol - yes!!!!
That’s a L O N G list of possible problems. 😳 I get the message.
Virtually everything said in this video applies to most cars of any make. I know this because I have welded up Audi, Citroen, Fords, Toyota (Aygo and Hilux) Mazda and more.
True
cars are built to last 10 years - they (mostly) don’t rust and need fairly basic maintenance with maybe 1 timing belt and a couple of sets of tyres plus oils changes etc. Then they are cheap as chips and binned off
I'm actually thinking of picking up an X308, figured it may be a fun new daily. I have an X350 VDP as my daily and its brilliant, but I want to keep it in mint condition, because it's my first (and only) car to date. Most other Jaggggg guys seem to love the X308 but I've never been crazy for it. But, they are dirt cheap, so I've been thinking about buying one. This is brilliant info to know ahead of time.
same here, can't stand the rear end of the x308
I've been driving XJ's since early 1990's; XJ40's, X300's and X308's. All great cars especially the X308 and its V8. Certainly rust can be an issue in the earlier cars but do your homework before you buy. No-one buys a house without checking for woodworm and ensuring that the foundations aren't subsiding!
I've always found that tax and especially insurance have been reasonable and running costs very acceptable. Provided you keep up with routine servicing which is not difficult these cars are reliable and great fun. I'm about to buy my 8th and can't wait. Affordable luxury which turns heads across the age groups every day. What's not to like.
That doesn't speak volumes in terms of durability if you've bought 8, just sayin..
Point taken; but I used them every day and did mega miles in them, travelling the length and breadth of the country and abroad ++ so there comes a point where everything wears out. And it's always pleasant to change specification/model/ engine size etc.@@MagnyCoors
Had 3 of these. All XJR, all rotten at the nsf wheelarch area and floorpan to chassis both sides. Rusty subframe mounts, but hell, I still repaired em, and I still love em. Even low milers need to be checked though.
XJR more likely to be driven so hard that the body flexes, cracking sealant and giving corrosion a head start I think.
Dont recognise the rear suspension at 3:50 looks like a 350 not a 308
I live in Australia, my old Jag is rust-free only because we don't pour salt on our roads.
Can we please all take a moment and enjoy the proportions - particularly in side-profile of this Super V8. In my mind, the best looking of all the XJ's, bar perhaps the C-12. All imho...
Can you do a buyers guide on the X300 as im pretty sure you did a buyers guide on the X308 last year?
Still a great guide on buying an X308.
Why has that Daimler you’re using in that video got XJ40 door lock pins, not the flush 300/308 ones?
My XJ40 had in 15 years of daily use rust problems only where there was worked on earlier. My X300 ist completely rust free and it is not a garage queen, living outside most of the time. My X308 was a rust bucket but astoningly easy to fix. I am looking after several X308‘s and they need so much more attention than the sixes that I would not recommend them to a „no spanner“ person. And I am also not sure about the body quality compared to the X300. Here on the continent we don‘t have so much trouble with rust as UK and UK cars usually look horrible in comparison. If someone would ask me to buy a Jag I‘d always recommend the sixes. Nothing else.
Dip stick tube? Only the XJR with the Mercedes-Benz transmission
I had one once...I enjoyed this great automobile for nine years! This video is shocking, the rust everywhere...
Tech tip.: with transmission (and filter) change, I do the diff. fluid too. Does not cost much, maintains fluid viscosity and performance unity in drive mechanism, eliminates noise and potential issues. Also, the presenter would make a brilliant “Top Gear” reviewer, I think.
Generally - as with any used Jaguar - buy the best you can afford and avoid neglected clunkers. 2000 to 2002 4.0 and 4.0 S/C are the pick of the bunch.
Great info and presentation, thanks
As an ex XJ owner you really have to be invested in Jaguar ownership to want to own one they really will rape your bank account and give you grey hair. I gave up on them 5 years ago and bought a Lexus LS. Jaguars are luxury ownership but they also have luxury problems still have the 2008 Lexus 460 and nothing has ever gone wrong and it cost £500 a year to service which is nothing.
Hi Guys, would your team consider doing a buyers guide on the X300 series XJ?
I own a XJ X308 SC 00, for 4 Years now.
Did 33K Kilometers in it.
Next to maintenance, Cars like these will eat Ball bearings, because of Speedbumps an Roundabouts.
The X300/X305/X308 is different from other XJ's, because it is the Lowest XJ ever build.
With a Height of just 1,31M there is no comparison.
I don't own or run a car but I AM interested in them and I love Jaguars. Based upon the rust problems that you (rather frighteningly!) described if I were to buy a Jaguar I would try to get an aluminium bodied one.
Another good video 🚘🚙🚗⭐️⭐️⭐️👍👍👍👏👏👏👏
Sealed for life period is a good indicator of how long they expect the vehicle to last
I do a lot of welding repairs to cars and own a 2001 XJ8. I can tell you, today I welded up a 2010 Citroen C1 that was rotten on the offside sill. Nect week, I have a Toyota Aygo on the same year coming in, BOTH sills are rotten and where the rear subframe mounts. it will take three days to do the repairs. My Jaguar on a 2001, needs rear wheel arches and nothing structurally. Jags DO NOT ROT as bad a people think!
The question of quality is can you barely hear it running or is it barely running.
You can hear it rusting from a mile away though
A lovely form.. apparently made of All-bran. Can see why people go for the uglier but aluminium x350..
USA loves Jags despite the issues and land rover, range rover
So, in brief.. generally walk away! lol
X308 = Tony Blair, XJ40/300 = John Major
Like the jaguar XJ 2008 (X358)? Like the jaguar XJ Daimler Super V8 or the XJ Daimler V8
Would have helped if Jaguar put any paint protection underneath rather than just the primer and basecoat…..
Rusty then?
Apart from rolls royce and bentley,the greatest and definitely the best looking luxury cars ever made.i wont have any other car but jaguar.have owned lots over tge years including 1 x300 and 2 x308s and theyre are superb,especially the 308s.this really aint a great review to be honest.makes them sound far far worse than they are and lets face it,the british weather and the amount of salt they chuck around will destroy any car thats neglected by its owners.
I can't recall the last time I saw a '308 that wasn't rotten. Sills, arches, wings, bulkhead - just everywhere. X350's are cheap enough now to make the 308 waste of time - examples that are 'rust free' won't be for long. If anything they seem worse than the 300 and XJ40.
You still get corrosion with aluminium. Plus the rivits are steel
So if you don't want an XJ that rusts like a Datsun just buy an x350/356/358?
In short… it’s a rust bucket 🪣
So at a guess, rust. Unfortunately that’s what gets most jags and Citroens here in NZ…bugger
Daimler SOOOOPER V8
Jaguar wee expecting Customers to choose this over the S class W140. Lexus LS400. Audi A8. BMW 7 series.
Such an Expensive Joke🤣😅
Actually I would choose it from them all. They cant even compare by design or the glamour you get driving it
😂😂” make sure the rear suspension is FIRMLY attached to the car” Ah, British build quality. They used the best steel for the braziers they all stood round when striking to keep warm .
I had one of these , it was only 6 years old at the time .
Worst car I ever had .
Thermostat leaking , wheel bearings needed replaced .
Rust , and then the timing chain snapped .
I had a so called jag expert do a ppi on it before I bought it too !!’
It’s a shame it’s put me off Jags for life .
You have to describe 308 😆 how bad its is when it comes to rust.
Rust, rust and more rust. JLR have NEVER solved their rust issues. Even my Evoque rusted!!
Why they never teach us how to sell problematic car easier 😢......
Jaguar is a love but it is famous for unreliability and bad build quality.You have one because you love the difference between that and the Germans and Lexus.
You know what I think I'll give it a miss 😮😂
Don’t buy one…save them for me please. 😇
A rust bucket walk away
In under 5 minutes, I've been completely dissuaded from ever wanting one. Sounds like cancer on wheels.
Absolute rot boxes but the earlier x300 seems to fair much better 🤷♂️
So they are a rot box on wheels! 🤪
very bad cars !!!
tHE STRAIGHT SIX WAS FAR SUPERIOR IN BUIILD QUALITY AND RELIABILITY !!
I highly doubt that. X300 and X308 essentially share the same bodyshell/material and axles. Interior is a different topic, of course.
Controlling your keyboard seems beyond you so why would I trust your opinion on any car never mind a jag…
Well he is right in saying that the inline 6, either AJ6 or AJ16 is more of a bombproof engine than the V8 ever was.
Horrible cars
The most unreliable piece of crap I've ever owned
A luxury car built on the cheap - avoid avoid avoid