2002 2003 vandenplas

[craigfromiowa]

ok guys, you talked me out of the 2000 & 2001 jags.....what are your thoughts on the reliability of the 2002 and 2003 VDP's?

 

[John S Farrington]

By 2000 the major problems on the 4.0 V8 were solved as far as the Nicacell and the timing chain guide/tensioner. As far as I know the reliability of all of the V8's is satisfactory since 1999

 

[Exotexs]

I have 40 and 21 year old Jaguar engines that don't have the reliability problems of 6 year old Jaguar engines. It just sounds like Ford "quality" (or the lack of it) to me. Maybe I'm wrong, but there's nothing like a 3.8 and a 4.2 Jaguar engine. I'm not saying the old Jaguar engines are perfect, but they are more reliable engines no doubt, they are time-tested. But of course, I am talking about well-cared cars and their engines. You can buy a Jaguar, or you can buy a choice Jaguar. The last option takes time and a lot of research. I spent 10 years looking for a choice 1960's S type, traveling and checking dozens of S types before I found my car in San Francisco, a perfectly preserved example. Yes, the car brought me home 2,900 miles from San Francisco with only a flat tire and NO knockoff hammer in the trunk. It had everything but the hammer! Thanks to a Texas rancher, who had a sledge hammer in the back of his truck, I was on my way in 30 minutes.