1988 Jaguar XJ40 Sovereign review from North America
"A very classy, high-quality car"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Head gasket at 145K.
Differential at 150K.
Various ancillary units.
I have noted that Jaguar has upgraded all the replacement parts to new-type specs, so they should never fail again.
General comments?
Excellent design, beautiful styling, very high quality and comfort. They don't make cars like this since Ford took over! Excellent handling for a heavy car. The perfect blend between a performance and luxury car. Not hard to work on after you learn how. Engine uses no oil at 155K miles, and original transmission still shifts beautifully. The 1988-92 XJ40 (XJ6 in the U.S.) is available used very cheaply, which is good for used purchasers like me. Find a really good private mechanic.
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| The 400ukp shire horse |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1988 |
| First year of ownership | 2000 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2001 |
| Engine and transmission | 3.6 F.I. gasoline Automatic |
| Performance marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 9 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 1 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 4 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 145000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 156000 miles |
| Previous car | Volvo 242 |
| Date of Entry | 8th August, 2001 |