New 2010 Jaguar XJ starting to growl

I ran across an online brochure of the new 2010 Jaguar XJ. It's quite a looker, with clean exterior lines and a hi-tech interior.

The new cat will be powered by a 5.0 liter V8 and I think I spotted 240 mph on the speedometer in the dash. You'll have a choice of three sound systems, with the top choice being a Bowers & Wilkins 1200W premium system with 20 speakers.

The panoramic glass roof shown on earlier images seems to be a reality. It'll have electric blinds to keep the sun out when needed. The new XJ will use hues of blue throughtout the interior, including a blue illumination on the Jaguar sill plates by the doors.

I can't wait to see the 2010 XJ at the local Jaguar dealership. Check out the new XJ brouchure below.

A new Jaguar XJ sedan is coming soon

The folks at Tata Motors are designing a new Jaguar XJ. We only have a curious top view at this point of what the new Jaguar sedan will look like. But based on the clues, it going to have a full moon roof and bulging fenders, along with what looks like a shorter boot and bonnet.

Tata Motors acquired the Jaguar and Land Rover brands from Ford Motor Company in June 2008 for $2.3 billion. Ford had previously paid $2.5 billion for Jaguar in 1989and $2.7 billion for Land Rover in 2000.

Although Tata Motors is based in Mumbai, India and is the country's largest automobile company, the Jaguar Land Rover’s manufacturing facilities are in the United Kingdom.

Tata Motors has announced that it will bring some of the Jaguar and Land Rover models to India in June.

Vintage Jaguars stalk auto museum

The Tupelo Automobile Museum, located in Tupelo, Miss, opened in 2002 and features 120,000 square feet of display space and additional bays for vehicles that are under restoration. In addition to a couple of vintage Jaguars, you'll also find other classic cars, trucks and tractors, along with other auto-related antiques and memorabilia.

A really nice Jaguar XJSC with a V-12

I photographed this really nice 1986 Jaguar XJSC in the church parking lot. It belongs to a friend of mine, who purchased the car from it's original owner.

According to the owner, aside from a few common Jaguar mechanical issues, the car has been a joy to own and drive. I can just imagine the power the V12 engine has and the smoothness of it all. On top of that, it's a convertible.

This particular model of the Jaguar is desirable and worth purchasing if you can find one that has been cared for.

A 2006 Jaguar S-Type joins the stable

We have a new Jag in the family. It's a 2006 S-Type with the 3.0 liter V6 engine, which is rated in 245 hp. I also like the 17-inch alloy wheels and navigation system.

This S-Type joins a 1998 XJ8, and it's unfortunate that I got rid of the 1982 XJ6 that was around for a while. Maybe another 1980s Jaguar will show up at some point as a show car for my antique car club activities.

The S-Type will be a daily driver for my wife, who is fast becoming a Jag fan. She has already purchased a Jaguar chrome front license plate. It was kind of pricey at around $60, but it's Jaguary original equipment and not a third-party brand. The chrome finish looks good on the silver exterior with chrome accents.

I'm looking forward to getting to know the S-Type better and it's behavior. I can already tell that the navigational/bluetooth phone system is going to be a challenge.

But that's Jag life.

Click here to view more S-Type photos

Jaguar Fix: Water Pump going bad

I had been noticing a whinning noise coming from the front of the engine for a few days. It sounded like a fan bearing going bad and would increase along with the engine speed.

The noise was diagnosed by my Jaguar mechanic as a failing Water Pump and Idler Pulley. He said had I let the problem linger on, the pump and pulley would probably have broken apart and damaged more engine components.

So I was lucky and my wallet is about $380 lighter for parts and labor. But I'm pleased with getting around 145,000 miles out of the original Jaguar Water Pump.

I'm back on the road and Jag is running a lot quieter.

Actron diagnostic code reader a handy tool

The Jaguar has been running poorly lately and I decided to invest in a Code Reader to help troubleshoot the problems.

I choose the Actron CP9125 on Amazon.com for around $62. The code reader will hook up to vehicles for model years 1996 and above.

As the above photo shows, it was simple to hook into my 1998 Jaguar's onboard computer via a connector located alongside the transmission hump near the accelerator pedal.

After starting the engine, the code reader went to work and returned several codes that I was able to lookup using the included software, such as the "P0171" code shown on the display in the photo. My problems include a lean mixture on engine cylinder banks 1 and 2. It also returned a transmission error that I need to get checked out right away.

So it looks like I'm headed to my local Jaguar mechanic in a few days and I'll already have an idea of what my problems are.

That's always valuable information for a Jaguar owner.

Lost and found: I have my Jaguar key

Hooray! I found my Jag key after a long night of worrying. I arrived at the bank early the next morning and had to pace around the titled lobby until they opened.

As soon as the big, thick metal gate raised, I raced up the escalator, took a quick glance at the table where I suspected I had left them. Then I went straight to a teller window.

"Did you find any key," I asked. "Let me check on the table down here." said the teller. "What color are your key," asked the teller. "Jaguar green," I replied as I breathed a sigh of relief.

Sure enough, a good samaritan had found the keys and turned them in to one of the tellers. I told them my story and they couldn't resist the opportunity to fuss at me, like my wife had when she had to drive down to the office the night before to pick me up. They all said I should have had a spare key made years ago.

As a backup plan, I had called the Jag dealership and they could have replaced the key with proof of identity and ownership of the car. It would have cost around $70. But that's only for the key and not the security remote. In addition to getting a security remote from the dealer, they are also available from online retailers.

Anyhow, I'm a happy camper again, with plans to get a spare key made.

Lost my Jaguar key and security key fob

Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later. I lost the only key to the 1998 XJ8 yesterday. I think I left it in the bank when I went to make a deposit. Probably left them on the counter where the deposit slips are located.

The Jag is resting in the office parking lot. It stayed there all night. Today, I'll retrace my steps by starting with the bank. If no luck there, then it's a call to the local dealership to start the replacement process.

I'm hoping someone honest at the bank found them and turned them in at one of the teller windows. Hopefuly I will not have to update my parts database.

Stay tuned for the latest on this Jag problem.

What Jaguar parts cost

When it's time to purchase a part for you Jaguar, the first question that comes to mind is how much will it cost. In most cases you don't know until you reach the parts counter.

This database will give you an idea of what other Jaguar owners have paid for parts for their cars. If you purchase parts from the dealer, I imagine the costs should be about the same as what's listed here for local Jaguar dealer purchases.

I'll start with costs that I have paid for my own Jag, a 1998 XJ8, and if you have a cost to contribute to this database, drop an email to JagLifemail@gmail.com. I'll be happy to add your entry to the database. Just include the model year, part purchased, the cost and where it was purchased.

Thank for helping out other Jaguar owners.

Gas flap magnet needed on the XJ8

The magnet that my gas cap attaches to on the underside of the fuel flap on my 1998 XJ8 needs some attention.

The yellow, torn-up part in the photo is supposed to contain a magnet, which the gas tank cap attaches to it by way of a metal plate underneath the gas cap.

So I’ll be visiting the dealer soon to see if I can order a replacement part. Let’s hope I don’t have to replace the entire fuel flap.

Welcome to JagLife

Welcome to the first post of the JagLife blog. This blog will be devoted to the enjoyment and care of the Jaguar automobile.

My Jag is a 1998 XJ8, with around 142,000 miles. I've owned it for around four years, with mainly routine maintenance and a few electrical parts replaced. And a new set of Michelin tires.

I'll be sharing these issues and repairs in later posts to share with other Jaguar owners.

I would also love to hear about your Jaguar and the experiences you have had. If you have a good photo, email it to jaglifemail@gmail.com and I'll put it on the blog. Also send a short article on your car to go with the photo.

Drop by often to see what's new in the world of Jaguar drivers.