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Martian999

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Everything posted by Martian999

  1. Dave, These things do happen, (although the MOT issue is a concern), as any vehicle is a complex beast and, (even with the best will in the world), things will wear out and there comes a point in time when things will physically fail! I usually try to purchase privately and attempt to ascertain a reasonable idea of the condition of the vehicle by the usual methods, (good visual inspection followed by a thorough drive), but that is still not guaranteed to identify ALL of the areas of concern, (if they do exist), and the previous owner, (and surroundings), usually serves to reinforce my initial conclusions! I have also bought 'blind', (if the vehicle is something rather special and worth a 'gamble' - primarily motorcycles), and had a few 'interesting rides home, (with no brakes, speedo, lights, etc), but I will have made an appropriate offer that takes all of these possibilities into account! And I have been very fortunate apart from two specific occasions - one was when I bought a 'brand new' £20K motorcycle, (several weeks old with 50 miles on the clock), back in the early noughties from one of the most prestigious main dealers in the UK, (and they also ran a top notch race team), and the bike was gorgeous but it developed a misfire on my ride home. Cutting a very long story short I took it back FIVE times yet the fault was never resolved and they would not give me my money back, (although consumer protection existed - it didn't seem to carry much weight), and my pleas for assistance fell on deaf ears with all of the various consumer protection bodies! On my last visit to the dealership I was assured that the problem was finally 'fixed' but, (on my approach to the A444/A4600 roundabout), it cut out, (once again), and the car behind me had to swerve in order to miss hitting me!! Fortunately I resolved the problem, myself, (it was due to a very 'agricultural' problem), and enjoyed many years of pleasure from my Italian thoroughbred! So do not lose heart as sometimes, on occasion, a little pain is well worth enduring if the vehicle ticks the majority of your 'must have' boxes! Fingers remain crossed with my latest acquisition, (the XF), but one month on and she hasn't missed a beat and she is a really lovely car, (famous last words)! Take care and I hope it all works out but, (as Peter has pointed out), if you are not happy then let the dealer know as I believe that you are still within the timeframe for demanding your money back if you are not completely satisfied with your purchase.
  2. Rich, Excellent news! The plugs do look rather 'tired' and the gaps look a tad large too, (but I am probably incorrect in my assumption)! From my last 'adventure', (checking plugs and packs on the S Type V8), I do recall that a couple of the plugs were very difficult to access! I have just ordered an upstream O2 Sensor for my X Type, (as I am getting the 1646 error), and I am sure that I will have fun and games accessing, (and removing), the suspect sensor, ('upstream' rear bank), so I have also ordered an offset removal socket for £5!! Will now be making a fuss of my knuckles as I suspect there won't be much left of them after this job!! I will start a new post in the X Type section for this particular task. Martin.
  3. Rich, I am presuming that she was running fine before your little 'mishap'? Rightly, (or wrongly), I occasionally 'jet wash' my engines, (2.5 V6 X-Type, SLK and my trusty Volvo V40), but I always do it with the engine running as it is the only way to remove 'road grime'. I have experienced coil pack issues on an S-Type Jaguar, (several years ago), and, more recently, on one of my motorcycles. The S-Type issue was caused by rain water running through the wiper mechanism drain and the water then ran into a couple of the spark plug recesses, (which house the Coil packs), and upon removal the coli packs, (and the top of the plugs), showed signs of rust. Once cleaned and dried the engine ran perfectly once again and I added clear bathroom sealant to the top rubber seals. The motorcycle problem was a little more complex - but may be relevant. My bike developed a misfire and it became totally random as the bike would always start ok but would then lose a cylinder once on the move. Upon examination, (after about an hours labour removing the fairing and air ducts), I found a similar sight - rust evident on the Coil packs which indicated water ingress due to poor seals. But even after cleaning the misfire remained and I decided to replace all of the Coil packs as they were hollow, (somewhat silly design), allowing the water to enter the coils themselves and, presumably, corrode the wiring from within! If the engine was fine before you washed it and you have yet to remove/clean the Coil packs then I am reasonably confident this action will resolve your issue, (you could be very unlucky and have a very dirty plug - due to it getting contaminated with soot from a partially burned charge - in which case new plugs may be required - but they should be fine). Good luck with your investigation - these days it is the access that is more of a problem than the fix!! Martin.
  4. Geoff, Very interesting indeed! I have more adjustment on my X Type!! I keep meaning to try the passenger seat just to check that both have the same range of movement. Well done with the spare wheel - I have yet to fully explore my boot as I need to put the petrol filler protection tool back in its proper place so I had better check my wheel, Jack, brace and any other tools that I may find!! I took her to work again, today, and I am still very pleased with her and it really does make the journey so much more pleasurable. Martin.
  5. Hi Everybody, Not sure if I have a problem or not but my drivers seat back does not apear to reach the 'bolt upright' position, (never mind moving any further forward than the 12 o'clock position), and I wondered if this was normal or whether my seat back moment is a tad restricted? All of my other cars, (including my X-Type), allow the seat to move to the 12 o'clock position and beyond. I have yet to sit in the passenger seat and see what range of movement that seat back has! A relatively minor issue but I do like to have my entire back supported but I find myself leaning forward and there is about a 9 inch gap between my neck and the rear of the seat in its upper most position! Martin.
  6. Welcome aboard David! I have only, (very recently), joined the XF Fold - and I am now the proud owner of a 2010 3.0 XF S Diesel. I believe Steve has already highlighted the fact that you have to be a little more cautious with regards to the diesels as there are a number of additional systems that are there to ensure the emissions are kept as low as is possible. My XF has extensive service history but, at the end of the day, it is a second hand vehicle and I have entered into my 'relationship' with my eyes wide open, (although I hope at I won't be donning my overalls too soon)!! I undertook quite a bit of research before I purchased my XF and I decided on the diesel because of the fuel economy and the road tax but the performance of the dual turbo V6 diesel, (271 bhp), is very impressive and once I had test driven one I was smitten! Do plenty of research and try and get the highest spec model that you can afford within your budget, (otherwise you may regret it later)! I would have loved to get one of the supercharged Jags but it would have need up being a Sunday toy, (just like some of my bikes), and I needed something practical! Just beware as, once you have bought one, you will be worrying every time you park it in a supermarket car park!!!! Take care out there. Martin.
  7. Tony, Welcome aboard! That is quite a list - all of which, (at a first glance), are totally unrelated other than they share the same power source - your battery, (as already pointed out by Frank)! I note that most 'modern' vehicles, (both cars and bikes), can suffer a whole host of 'esoteric' electrical problems when the battery begins to fail but it is also worth re-tightening the battery terminals as the continuity, (betwixt the battery terminals and both the earth and positive leads), can decrease, (due to both corrosion and oxidation), and this will only start to show up as the current draw on the battery increases, (ie - when the vehicle is running and when high current devices are switched on - such as your heated windscreens). Just a thought! Martin.
  8. Andy, With no intention of 'hijacking' your thread I am also considering a tow bar for my 04 MY 2.5 AWD X-Type and just wondered if ALL models have the mounting points pre-drilled and threaded? There are a multitude of tow bars out there for the X-Type ranging in price from around £89 upwards, (many with the electrical kit thrown in too), from the infamous online auction site! In addition to the above I also need to know whether the rear section of the exhaust system needs to be removed in order to gain access to the mounting points? Regards, Martin.
  9. Hi Gary, Welcome aboard! Your new acquisition looks very nice - I haven't had mine very long either and have yet to reach for any tools, (just hope I am not tempting fate)! I also have a slightly older 2.5 V6 AWD X-Type, (which did me proud last week and never got stuck despite the bad weather), and she developed an intermittent offside mirror fold problem and I traced that to the fuse. The fuse was fine - it just needed to be re-seated in the fuse holder and everything was fine afterwards. Obviously there will be little similarity between the X-Type and the XF but it is still worth looking at the simple things first. I would presume that the next area of interest to focus on will be the central locking module which will control the mirrors, windows and sunroof for the 'total closure' functionality. But I am sure that other, (more learned), forum members will chip in with the benefit of their experience.
  10. Welcome aboard Stuart! I have recently purchased a 2010 XF and have no regrets. Although she has been tucked up on the drive during the recent spell of bad weather whilst my trusty 2.5 AWD X-Type Estate has kept me moving in some very bad driving conditions, (during the past few days)! Take care out there. Martin.
  11. Welcome aboard Jason, I have owned 2 S Types in the past - they are very nice cars. Despite being an experienced electronics engineer I have not done any retrofitting of 'earlier' kit - it is usually the other way round! Take care, Martin.
  12. Hi Geoff, Firstly in response to your questions re the XF, (as I certainly do not want to appear to be using this invaluable forum as another 'social media' channel)!! 1/. Spare Wheel v Repair Kit? I have been fortunate to have a number of lease/company vehicles, previously, and the last one was supplied without a spare wheel and just the 'repair' kit! I will always remember picking up a puncture on the A1, (just outside Grantham), on a dark, cold and very wet winters evening and I managed to limp onto a side road and pull up in order to see what could be done. I had no spare - just the repair kit and the mini electrical compressor and a set of instructions, (which I had never read of course)! I followed the instructions but, despite being careful, managed to get some of the liquid rubber sealant onto my hands, the alloy wheel and the bodywork! I then connected the compressor to a 12v socket in the car and inflated the tyre and I was lucky that the puncture was sufficiently small to allow the sealant to do its job and I had to move off smartly in order to spin the fluid around the tyre before it fully set. I was very impressed with the mini compressor as it didn't take long to inflate the tyre! Therefore, (if the puncture is only slight), the repair option will suffice to get you home and negates the need for too much physical effort, (removing and replacing wheels by the roadside - and OUR wheels are rather large and heavy - despite being alloys)!!!! At the risk of turning this missive into a short story you would not believe the problems that I had with my X Type wheels when I started getting the, (previously mentioned), punctures on these fine Lincolnshire roads. I found myself stricken at the side of the road with a flat tyre, (and I had a wheel brace, jack and wheel brace), but I couldn't get the wheel off as two of the wheel nuts were seized and the, (brand new), official Jaguar wheel brace just twisted before my very eyes as I applied more and more pressure in an attempt to undo the nuts! Cutting a very long story short I had to drill and chisel at least 1/2 seized wheel nuts from each of the 4 wheels and that was a nightmare of a job - trying not to damage the wheels as there was only about 3mm clearance between the nuts and the wheel casting itself!!! 2/. Cam Chain Replacement? Although I have never neglected, (and suffered from consequences of), a cambelt failure I did have a 'mishap' with my Granada Cosworth Scorpio when the cam chain tensioner snapped! The result was 24 bent valves, (3 Litre V6 with a 24 Valve Cosworth Head), and that cost me a fortune to have the top end rebuilt! I would be more than happy to undertake the XF cam belt replacement myself but I would like to see the procedure first before I make the commitment, (I suspect that, like most modern cars, the task is further compounded by the need to remove numerous ancillary devices just to gain access to the belt)! The most important issues are that of locking the cams, (prior to removing the belt), and then ensuring that the cams do not move once the belt has been removed, (the slip of just one tooth will be enough to turn the Cat's purr into a stifled rasp - and reduce your bank balance considerably)! I would suspect that there are specific tools available that will lock the cams, (whilst the belt is removed), but that will, ultimately, add to the cost! I have also read, (elsewhere on this great site - many thanks to ALL of the other forum members), that it is good practice to also have other components replaced, (such as the water pump and the Serpentine Belt), replaced at the same time as this will save further expense, (and heartache), at a later date! I have heard figures of anything between £400 - £800 for the belt to be replaced, (by an 'independent' Jaguar specialist), so I would presume that we would need to ask our fellow Forum members as to who they can recommend in our respective locations. I will undertake a more 'in depth' search of the site regarding this very subject once I have a 'spare' 5 minutes!! With regards to the Lancasters - I had the privilege of being at East Kirkby for the '3 Lancs' event and was able to watch the UK and Canadian Lancasters perform a number of circuits overhead whilst 'Just Jane' was taxiing along the airfield so we were all treated to the aural melody of 12 Merlins roaring in the summer sunshine! It was shortly after this event that the Canadian Lancaster suffered an engine problem and was grounded for a while! It is whilst walking around the Heritage Centre, (home of two Bomber Command Squadrons), that you really do get a feel for the bravery of the crews that flew these aircraft, (in most weathers), across to hostile skies and many, of course, never returned - serious respect and gratitude to them all. Take care. Martin.
  13. Welcome aboard Steve, She looks very nice and I have also taken the plunge late last week!! Take care.
  14. Welcome aboard Gareth, I too had a V8 S Type and the engine and gearbox were both rock solid. I did have problems with mine although it was a little older than yours so they may have made improvements by the time that tours came off the production line! My first issue was with the windscreen wiper assembly - as it tends to seize due to water ingress into the brass sleeves, (that serve as bearings on the drivING shafts), but It is a simple fix to remove, clean and lubricate. There was a knock on effect, however, and that was the fact that the water would then drip over the top of the cam covers and run into the spark plug recesses and cause misfiring. Another simple fix however!
  15. Welcome aboard! She looks lovely and has been very well looked after. I have just purchased an XF saloon as I already have an X Type estate which is also serving me well. Take care. Martin.
  16. Welcome aboard Guy, I have had a couple of S Types and enjoyed them very much and only had a few issues during my times of ownership. Always opted for the largest engines, of course, and it was always a luxurious drive. My last S Type had to go to make way for another Ducati but I have just returned to the fold, recently, by purchasing an X Type estate and an XF for work! Take care. Martin.
  17. Sometimes you have to let your heart rule your head - go for it!!
  18. Geoff, Many thanks, once again, for your very kind comments! And, (as you have lived in this fine county previously - and were probably treated to many impromptu 'Red Arrow' displays), it will probably will not surprise you to learn that the roads in Lincolnshire are now pretty dreadful with new potholes, (and ruts), appearing every day so the prospect of encountering a little mud is not such an inconvenience after all! I am convinced that it is the local roads that have broken BOTH of the front springs on my Volvo, (I have just replaced them both), and I have had 3 punctures on my X Type in the past 6 months and I am convinced that it is the roads causing the problem. Yes I do enjoy a little photography and can, occasionally, compose a reasonable picture but my success ratio is still very much against me - just as well we are now in the digital age otherwise I would still be throwing away a large number of prints! Our cars are something special and a cut above most of the competitors although we will always encounter the occasional problem purely due to the level of technology employed in the automotive industry today. This was the 'privately' advertised XF and the owners were an elderly couple who appeared to be very genuine and I was offered tea on both of my visits, (always a positive sign)! They also picked me up from the station when I popped over to collect it last Thursday. There are a fair few XF's, (as well as all of the other Jaguar 'variants'), out there and it is impossible to view every single one that appears to be worth a visit as there simply are not enough hours in the day, (and work tends to get in the way too), so there comes a point in time when you have to make a decision and I would appear to have been lucky, (let's hope that I am not tempting fate)! I am hoping that this will turn out to be the very bargain that it currently appears to be but I will also remain level headed as I fully accept the fact that things will go wrong from time to time and, (although I can handle most of the electrical/electronic issues myself), I would be a tad reluctant to change the timing belt myself, (although I have changed them previously), but at least that is another 30K away for now!! Give me a shout if you are ever passing by as you would always be most welcome to pop in for a cup of tea, (I live relatively close to the East Kirkby Aviation Heritage Centre which has the grounded Lancaster 'Just Jane' on site), so always an excuse to return to Lincolnshire! The picture, below, is the British and Canadian Lancasters 'peeling off' above the airfield at East Kirkby - a very poor picture as I had no tripod or fast telephoto lens and the light was poor and I hadn't got a piece of my lucky sea weed with me . . . . ! Take care. Martin.
  19. Well here she is everybody! 200+ Miles to date and no issues to report - early days I know!! Martian.
  20. Geoff, Many thanks for your reassuring words - which are just as well as I had one of those, (somewhat rare), moments when I let my heart overrule my head! I already have three vehicles, (Volvo V40 Estate, Mercedes SLK and a Jaguar 2.5 AWD X-Type Estate - not to mention a 4.6HSE Range Rover 'project' vehicle!), and it was time to reduce my toys and save some money, (I also have three motorcycles - but that is a story for another day)! I made a decision last Monday and that was to reduce the number of vehicles on my drive and I thought that the best way to achieve this would be to purchase something a little more 'special' that would then allow me to let go of some of the others. I have owned a number of Jaguars and I undertook some research into the 'newer' models, (post S and X Types), and the XE and XF series caught my eye and I firstly considered a possible lease hire of a new one but, (once I looked at the deposit required), I thought it may be worth looking at something a few years old and around the price of the leasing deposit and that gave me a 'ball park' figure to set my sights on! By Tuesday I had found a local 3 litre, (240bhp), XF in a reasonably local second hand dealership and also found another 3 litre, (275 bhp), XF S on the other side of Lincolnshire so I popped over to take a look at the nearest one on the Tuesday afternoon. It was a rather unusual colour, (brown), and in good condition and I took her for a spin round the block and was very impressed, (she really pushed you back into the seat when accelerating but it just wasn't good enough to meet my high expectations, (and it was located in a rather uninspiring 'back street' used car lot), which didn't inspire confidence and I was conscious of engine fumes in the passenger compartment whilst driving her, (although she behaved impeccably - apart from the 'brake wear' warning that came on occasionally)! So I arranged to pop over to the other side of Lincolnshire , (the next day - straight after work), and managed to get there just before it got dark! This model was the 3 Litre S Premium Luxury in a very fetching metallic bright blue colour with amazing wheels that really stood out and the overall appearance, (both inside and out), was excellent and, (when I lifted the bonnet), the entire engine compartment was 'as new' with no dirt or grease visible anywhere, (I know that most of the engine is covered on these models - but it was still clean enough to eat your dinner off it)!! There was one important caveat with this vehicle, however, which had been explained to me by the owner when I spoke to him the previous evening and that was the fact that it was a 'Cat D' write off, (5 years ago), but I was also informed that the damage was minimal vandalism key scrapes, (although not sure of the reasons why of course), and the vehicle had been professionally repaired and the current owner had owned it for the past four years. I took her out for a drive and she behaved impeccably with no obvious errors or warnings but I was unable to check everything as there was just too much to check and I was more concerned about the engine, transmission, suspension, steering and brakes - all of which were fine. I then spent an hour going through the huge pile of service receipts, mots and various other documents, (the owners handbooks were 'as new'), and there was also a boot liner and a good length of wheel rim protection tape! I was very smitten but made no commitment at that moment in time and decided to sleep on it and see what else was available in the area. She does have the leaping cat on the bonnet, (both my XJS and my S Type also had the leaping Jaguar on the bonnet), which does concern me for safety reasons - but it does swivel which may serve to make it legal, (I am sure that either yourself or other Forum members may be able to provide me with more information regarding this particular issue)? I spent the following morning looking at other XF's, (both locally and further afield), but none matched the one I had viewed the afternoon before so I took a look at the Parkers valuation for that vehicle, (an approximate guide I know), and I also researched the cost differential for similar 'Cat D' damaged vehicles, (this is not an exact science and the differential drops as the vehicle gets older), so I made a decision to offer the owner 2/3 of the book price, (which was substantially less than he had advertised it at), and after a bit of haggling I agreed to up my offer by £200!! Needless to say Thursday afternoon saw me catching one bus and then three trains, (!), to collect her and the drive home was totally uneventful, (other than the rather large smirk on my face of course), and I drove to work in it, yesterday, and she didn't miss a beat. So I am now an XF owner, (as well as an X Type owner too), and I now need to sell the Mercedes and the Volvo! Apologies for the very long winded response to your very kind reply! I will, of course, post some pictures as soon as I am able - and yours looks very, very nice by the way!! Martian.
  21. Good Morning All, I am seriously contemplating joining the 'XF Fold' and I have already looked at a couple of 'local' XF's and I have been quite impressed. I have owned a number of Jags during the past few years so I could say that I know what I am letting myself in for - but that is a rather unfair comment these days as reliability has improved - albeit at a similar pace to the ever increasing level of auto engineering complexity! I am hoping to purchase the 3 litre S variant, (270 BHP or thereabouts), as I was very impressed with the engines performance and the reasonable fuel economy, (as compared to some of my other cars and bikes)! I have found one user guide but just wondered what to look out for - although I am entering into this venture with both eyes wide open as my budget will only stretch to a 2010 model and an approximate price around the £6k - £7k mark. Despite undertaking most work myself, (specialising in the area of electrical/electronic modules and systems), I am still a tad concerned about the lifespan of engines and turbos on these models, (currently looking at a 3 litre S with about 80k on the clock). Also have the 2.5 AWD X Type estate which is a fine car. Regards, Martin.
  22. Martian999

    Martian's XF 3.0 S

    Another 'Stray Cat' Joins The Family . . . .
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