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Vanden Plas

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brdave

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I am considering the purchase of a 98 Vanden Plas with 135000kms. Is there anything in particular to watch out for in such a vehicle? I notice it idles a bit high (800rpm) and subsequently downshifts hard when almost coming to a full stop. Is it a simple adjustment to set the idle down or is this a computer issue? Could this high idle be do to extreme cold weather we are experiencing?
Thanks, Dave
 
Have someone really knowlegeable evaluate the engine before you buy the car. I mean a Jag main dealer or a really good independant shop. There are issues with the nickasil cylinder walls failing, requiring at best a full rebuild with 8 steel sleeves. The secondary timing chain tensioners fail with catastrophic results.Bent valves galore!! Both of these problems are big bucks to fix, so you need to find somebody that really knows the cars,and the problems, and pay for a real in depth checkout.My advice, to my customers, is to avoid the V8 cars, and buy a pre 98 six cylinder version.
 
Thank you very much for the info. I was aware of this problem with the XK8 but did not put it together that the same engine was in the VP. I along with many others are terrified of going to the local dealer due to abuse so I will try to trace the service history of the car to see if the problem had been corrected. The car is offered to me at a bargain price but if these problems exist it will be less expensive to pay up for a 2002-2003 model.
Thanks,
Dave
 
QUOTE: "I along with many others are terrified of going to the local dealer due to abuse..."

Seems like these car dealerships never learn! I stopped going to car dealers a long time ago for the same reasons, i.e., I felt ripped-off!

Nowadays, when I buy a car, I pay cash, I buy from the owner. Never from a car dealer, and never finance it, that way you have the Title in your hands from the start and nobody can force you to buy collission insurance coverage, which is another rip-off in itself! Just imagine having paid an insurance company for the last 30 years, have you done the math? It's the biggest racket on earth! Politicians and insurance companies are "in bed" together. Insurance companies have an attitude that They Are The Law! Imagine nowadays, they use your CREDIT RECORD to determine your premiums! What a SCAM!

And what do our Politicians DO? Nothing. Absolutely NOTHING! We are at the mercy of those scam-artists, the insurance corporations, and at the mercy of impotent politicians. Think about it.
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]I stopped going to car dealers a long time ago for the same reasons, i.e., I felt ripped-off![/QUOTE]
Precisely. I am not sure what the situation is in the UK, but in the US dealers charge top dollar for repairs. For instance I bought a 1999 XJ8 with about 52,000 miles last May. Out of curiosity I called my local dealer to see what they charged for an oil change. They told me $110. I got the same job done with the same oil at an independent shop for $25 - and this is using synthetic oil. I also asked the dealer about fixing my power antenna, which stopped retracting. They quoted me $400 for a replacement. I bought a mast kit on eBay for $15 and fixed it myself.

As for the Vanden Plas - the comments about the engine echo what my research has revealed. I managed to get an extended warranty for my car due to its low mileage for its years, and a rebuild will cost me $100 if it ever needs to be done.
 
I recently acquired a 1995 Vanden Plas, instead of a newer one because of the reputation of the 4.0 litre inline six cylinder vs. the newer V8 models. Mine had only 67k miles on it and so far, all I've had to do to it is replace the hinge mechanism on the fold down picnic tray on the back of the driver's seat which had broken on one side. After going around with our inept local Jaguar dealer's parts department, I found two of them from an independent parts vendor, used, for $25 each.
Overall, the VP is a dream and I'm amazed at the excellent fuel mileage it is delivering on the road.
 
I recently purchased a 99 Vanden Plas, but circumvented the engine problem by getting one that had a 2001 (steel liner and better tensioner) retrofitted. I agree with the "stealership" problems. British car dealers especially, (I also own a Land Rover)think that it is a license to steal from unsupecting owners.
 
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