N6 JMX

Hi Andrew, I assume you have not yet undertaken a trial fit of your 18 inch space saver, at least to the front axle of your XKR? As Jim has stated above, the 18 inch, red wheel WILL NOT FIT the XKR as a consequence of the larger front brake callipers. It has to be the 19 inch space saver for the XKR, which in Jaguar supplied days was black in colour, whilst the 18 inch was red. Nowadays, there are multiple companies offering space saver spare wheels and one can no longer rely on selecting by the colour of the wheel. I have spotted black space savers that are only 18 inch. Anyone who needs / wants to procure a space saver spare wheel needs to take due care and attention so as not to be caught out. And, DEFINATELY do not elect to purchase a suitable standard (front) road wheel as that would be dangerous if fitted to the car in a puncture situation. In these cases, it is not a diameter issue to fit over the rear callipers, but it is an "offset" issue to avoid binding on the spokes on the rear. Look at a company called Road Hero, who use Kwik Fit as a retail agent. They offer a complete kit, including chocks and jack, which all came with the Jaguar supplied version. N6 JMX

Hi Howard, there is quite a bit of information around on various Forums in regard to the New XK (X-150) model, which production ceased in 2014, despite some registrations taking place in 2015. The 5.0 litre engines are very reliable, but there are some areas to watch out for, like the supercharger coupling. A relatively simple and cheap fix, but not if you go to a dealer. Listen to the top of the engine at tick over. At 86k miles, the gearbox oil should have been changed, probably around 60k miles so check that has been undertaken. Supercharger belts and serpentine belts should have been changed at 10-years, so check service records. Look at the MoT history on the free DVLA check website. The aluminium bodies are very good, but can still corrode. Areas to look at are the boot, above the plinth. Here is a water trap and if the boot plinth is loose, it can rub through the paint allowing the corrosion cell to develop. Other areas are on the A-pillars and the front of the roofline, where stone chips have been allowed to progress - check for bubbling. Easily fixed, but the bodyshop needs to know how to work on aluminium panels. Aluminium corrosion that hasn't broken through the paint looks surprisingly like rust bubbling, so check these areas, the leading edge of the bonnet and the rear bodywork after the doors, ahead of the rear wheels Biggest area of concern is underneath where the subframes meet the monocoque. If the car has been used all year round, and at 86K on a 2012 model, that sounds to be the case, then exposure to salt roads can cause significant corrosion on the underside. It also may not need to be a year round car, there is a suspicion that living in the salt laden air by the seaside can cause the same issues, so spend plenty of time scrutinising the underbody. Inside, the interiors are very robust, but wear on the driver's seat could be an issue to be sorted with a repair kit, or a good trimmer. All of the switchgear should be tested and all of the various screens / menus on the centre touchscreen should be checked and working. A lot of functionality is controlled via the touchscreen. Obviously check there are no warning lights illuminated on the dash and if available, check for stored codes via the OBD port. Depending on your own abilities, or skill levels, it may be worthwhile investing in a full inspection of the vehicle by an "expert" either from a Club, or one of the motoring organisations. If you have any doubts, come back here, with details / photos and the community will get back to you. N6 JMX

Jaguar Classic Parts offer period correct looking radio heads with all of the modern technologies incorporated - they cost circa £1,000 + VAT, so your desire is available, but at a cost. Alternatively, you can visit your local Halfords or Auto Store and speak with the incredibly young looking technician who will set you up with everything you need at a fraction of the cost from Classic Parts. N6 JMX

Hi Alan, check out the Scottish Jaguar Enthusiasts Day happening at the Riverside Museum in Glasgow on Saturday the 29th of June 2024. This is one of the few opportunities to meet and chat with fellow Jaguar enthusiasts north of the border and without making a 600 mile round trip to somewhere in the south. There is further information on this Forum, in the Events section near the bottom of the page, but if you cannot locate it and want more information, send me a PM and I will get back to you. N6 JMX

Hi again Robert, Auto Reserve Jaguar are the primary ones that come to mind and the link to their site is below. Huge range of Jaguar Spare Parts - Fast delivery UK and Worldwide - Auto Reserve (autoreservejaguar.com) N6 JMX

Hi Robert, unfortunately there are many beautiful X-100 cars around, but the beauty is only on the surface. The ungalvanized steel bodies are very prone to rust, with many built-in water traps that, unless carefully managed, will practically guarantee MoT failure as you have just experienced. You are right in thinking that the online scrappers will not treat you as fairly as one might, but there are a number of specialist Jaguar Breakers who would be interested in your car - it will still have a lot to offer and one never knows, there may be some folks out there who are wanting a "Project". I recently, a few years back now, had a request for assistance from someone who needed rid of a car with similar issues to what you describe. Before committing the machine to an inglorious end, I advertised the car in specialist Jaguar Classifieds for a very reasonable sell price and had several takers. You may wish to consider that option as well. Keep us posted here on what you finally decide. N6 JMX

Hi Dave, there is a full information site at the DVLA website on how to register an imported vehicle, but you may be short of relevant paperwork. Best place to start is DVLA and if you follow the link below, you will see what it entails. Importing vehicles into the UK: Registering an imported vehicle - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) Alternatively, you may wish to approach some of the other Jaguar Clubs, such as Jaguar Enthusiasts'' Club, see www.jec.org.uk who have access to specialists in touch with DVLA and they too would be able to assist. N6 JMX

Hi Shaun, you can try, if you know a good independent, but the Jaguar suspension system is unique in some respects, so you may need to resort to the Auto Logic or Jaguar Diagnostics to get a full description fault code. Good luck. N6 JMX

Hi Todd, it depends where you are of course, but for the XK8 parts, I would naturally direct folks to DCR Auto Parts, speak with Dave Roche who is a great solutions provider. Link below will take you to his website and contact detaisl. https://www.dcrautoparts.com/ N6 JMX

Hi Shaun, you need to get it plugged in to a suitable Jaguar specific diagnostics unit to obtain the stored codes, otherwise it will be a case of chasing component replacement which becomes increasingly expensive. N6 JMX

Hi Guillaume, welcome to the Forum. The XJS is a great car and I had a V12 Convertible back in the day, which we used to undertake road trips to Europe, mainly Italy. I live in Scotland, near Aberdeen in the North East of the country, so if you have any questions or need advice on visiting Scotland, just send me a PM and I will try my best to help. N6 JMX

Hi Martin, I have contacted Neil Campbell at the JDHT, just along the road from you and he would very much like to come and collect the cutaway Jaguar. Can you contact Neil on the following email address, thanks. [email protected]

Hi Wynne, go to the Kwik Fit website and type in your registration number to see a range of tyres that will be suitable for your car. You don't need to buy from Kwik Fit, but they will show you the best options to suit. Any worries, come back here and there's lots of assistance. N6 JMX

Look forward to a positive outcome. Let us know. N6 JMX

Hi Pete, yes Euro Jag are good for second-hand parts and trustworthy. If all else fails, type "jaguar xk8 X100 waist window door seals" into your search engine and there are several options for rubber seal extrusions, some as little as £50 per side. N6 JMX

Have you approached Jaguar Classic or the JDHT to see if they would like it? Seems too good to scrap. N6 JMX

Hi Nige, try speaking to Dave Roche at DCR AutoParts, link below with website and contact details. Dave can be a great source of inspiration to solutions. https://www.dcrautoparts.com/ N6 JMX

Hi Pete, these strips are no longer available from Jaguar or their suppliers, but several options have come to light using either reclaimed parts, or a rubber moulding procured from eBay. The problem is that they have an internal metal strip, which corrodes, swells and then lift the seal away from the door top. A company up near Inverness, DCR AutoParts, will usually be able to source good second-hand replacements, ask for Dave Roche. This is a link: https://www.dcrautoparts.com/ to his website. Email and contact numbers are on the home page. If not successful with Dave, come back and I will locate the rubber trim moulding option. N6 JMX

Hi Andy, if you don't find any tucked away in someone's hoard, it looks like a prime candidate for 3D printing. Local college would be a decent starting point. I was at the Auto Show at the NEC in January and there were quite a number of folks offering 3D printing as a service. N6 JMX

Could it possibly be something stuck in a vent of the cabin sensor? That's the little grille in the lower bolster of the dash, usually driver's side. N6 JMX

Hi Bryan, that does look quite nasty, but I don't know the ins and outs of plastic welding. Some plastics can be welded successfully these days, but one opinion is not conclusive. Possibly worth checking with another bodyshop or 2. The front nosecone / bumper is usually a damaged part in any accidents, so you may need to try a few breakers before you find someone with a suitable version in stock. People like Auto Reserve are usually a good first stop, but simply type "Jaguar Breaker" into a search engine and you will get several hits. Good luck. N6 JMX

Hi David, a battery drain over 3 - 4 weeks on a late model XKR is NOT unusual due to the quite high quiescent current that occurs on modern cars due to all of the background modules "humming away". I assume that you are aware of the "double lock" facility on your car? When locking the car, press the lock button on the fob twice in quick succession (it will then beep at you) and this put the electronics "to sleep" after a few minutes, meaning that quiescent drain is as low as practical. In addition, the fobs should be stored in a suitable location - a Faraday Pouch, or Box, is best, but in any event at least 20ft / 6m away from the car if simply left on a shelf / key hook. This stops the car from "seeing" the keys and coming / staying awake in anticipation. I am familiar with the C-Tek unit, but my preferred smart charger is the Ring Automotive RSC 612 unit, which works specifically for 5.0 litre engines. These do so much more than just charge the battery as there are test functions as well, plus they are suitable for AGM batteries on stop / start enabled vehicles. I have several of these chargers and leave them connected to the vehicles long term - like all over the winter when the Jaguar does not poke its nose out. One very handy function is the LCD screen which indicates the state of charge / condition of the battery as a percentage. These Ring Automotive Smart Chargers are not cheap at circa £100, but in my view they are worth it. N6 JMX

Understand about main dealer labour costs and was not indicating that's where you should go, simply asking about what your handbook states about the various warning lights. Without fault codes from Jaguar specific diagnostic equipment, there is not much else can be advised but wait and hear what your independent says about the investigation. Sorry. N6 JMX

Did you get any fault codes from the Green Flag folks? Do you have a code reader to plug in and read the codes stored yourself? A red light usually means an immediate stop and investigate, whilst an amber light means stop, investigate and limp home, but don't set off on any long road trips. What does your handbook say for the warning lights? Presumably something like "Consult Main Dealer". N6 JMX

Isn't there a function in the Touchscreen that allows you to have the rear view camera on without reverse being selected? There is on other JLR branded vehicles. I would be reluctant to dive into changing the actual camera, when nothing is hard and fast about the fault and my thinking would still be on the wiring where it transfers from the body to the boot lid, which is a known weak point. If you can bring up the camera through the Touchscreen and drive with it on the display for a few miles, you may see if it glitches out - or not. With the camera on the display and the vehicle stationary, try opening and closing the boot lid several times whilst someone watches the display. This may confirm the boot lid wiring one way or other. N6 JMX