1998 Jaguar XJ8 XJ-8 review from North America

The throttle switch was replaced 3 times. The gas tank had to be replaced. The spacers on front suspension had to be replaced. When they did not identify that problem immediately, the front tires wore out and had to be replaced. The rear view mirror has been replaced three times. The car stalls while being driven and they have not figured out why or been able to repair it. Jaguar North America then advised me not to drive the car at all and said they would replace it with a 1999 or 2000 model of the same or lesser mileage since those model years do not have "the stalling problem." It is terrifying to be driving at 65 mph and suddenly lose all power.

Jaguar then did not replace the car, failed to respond to my letters and phone calls and have refused to return my purchase price. They then said they could not replace the car because I had not driven it to a new dealer to be appraised. They told me not to drive it because of the danger and then demanded that I drive it. The dealer advised me to sue them. The dealer said he would not take the car in trade and sell it to anyone else because it is simply a bad car and dangerous.The first problems appeared at 1 week. The car has never gone more than 6 weeks without needing some repair.

In spite of the extensive service and repair records (all servicing done at the dealer's under warranty), Jaguar North America then told me I had caused the stalling problem because I had not had the car serviced in 4 years.

Jaguar North America has dragged this problem out since February 2002: they have not answered letters or returned telephone calls. Since the car has a known defect I could not sell it to anyone else.

I have been appalled at the lack of response from Jaguar North America.

At one point they called and told me their engineers had consulted on my vehicle, that it had been repaired and extensively tested.

The first time I took it on a highway it stalled again.The dealer admitted that they had not tested it on a highway, which is where is most often stalled.

Their lack of good faith in this matter has been most distressing. The only times they have responded to me, or now to my attorney, is when I write to Bill Ford, Chairman of Ford Motor Company, with my complaints.They have not kept a single promise.

Their lack of concern for my safety is unbelievable. I had one accident where the car went into a pole when I lost all power. The airbag failed to deploy. My attorney has opined that the airbag failed because the car had lost all electrical power. There was $14,000 worth of damage to the front end. Jaguar told me I was lucky to have been in a Jaguar because I was not hurt and that if the airbag had gone off it probably would have injured me. If I had not been in the Jaguar, I would not have had the accident. At least 4 other people have complained of the same stalling defect to the National Highway Transportation Safety Board.

After the District Manager of Jaguar North America called to tell me not to drive the car, he told me to rent a full sized car and he would reimburse me for the rental. He then stuck me with the car rental bill he had promised to pay.