Used Jaguar XJ Saloon 2003 - 2009 reliability review

What should I look for in a used Jaguar XJ?

The Jaguar XJ is heavy on its suspension, so listen out for clonks that may come from worn suspension bushes around the car, especially if you turn into a corner quickly.

Keep an eye out for smoke from the back of the car. A little black smoke under heavy acceleration on diesel versions is par for the course, but white or blue smoke on any model will be a sign of a more serious issue.

Every XJ has lots of electronic trickery on board, so check it all works. Run through all the functions of the on-board entertainment system, and if satellite navigation is fitted, check it still picks up a GPS signal.

To date, there have been nine recalls on this shape of XJ. The most serious of these included a reprogamming of the gear selector module to fix a fault which caused the car to go into reverse at high speed, affecting cars built before June 2003, and a recalibration of the engine management software to prevent overheating the particulate filter overheating and possibly catching fire, affecting diesel models built between April 2005 and March 2007. Before buying, it's worth checking that any recalls your car may need have been carried out using the DVSA website.

Is a used Jaguar XJ reliable?

Those complex electronics can create foibles, but mechanically the XJ should be reasonably dependable. Jaguar’s cars are historically reliable, and according to the What Car? Reliability Index, the XJ suffers fewer expensive faults than the Mercedes S-Class. That said, the BMW 7 Series looks to fare a touch better.