XJ8 $800 oil change??

3000 miles ago I had Asheville jaguar change my oil $87 today I called and they quoted me $240 I complained and it dropped to $160 will not deal with them again !

Sorry, new guy here (not even an owner yet!)

Don't these engines run on a rather high compression? Make sure you guys use the right oil, and by that I mean not only viscosity, but synthetic vs. dino.

Also what really blew me away when I went to a Jaguar dealership was, the 12k mile oil change? What the heck? How can you determine the interval w/o doing an oil analysis? That's crazy! If I were you guys I would go to Blackstone labs and get an GC/MS (Gas-chrom/Mass-spec) done. It's like $20 bucks, and it'll give a good idea of the condition of your engine.

Yeah, and $800, you run out of there and never go back.

Also, never go to a place like Jiffy Lube or the alike. Why would you buy a luxury car and take it to dump like that? Beats me! Shell out the extra $50 or buy yourself a pair of ramps and learn how to do it.

One more thing, I read someone saying Jaguar has its own filters. I'd put my money on it being produced by Motorcraft. A pretty high quality filter. Definitely not worth it shelling $10 for K&N filters, unless you've got the extra dough!

Doug, you spilled the secret! aaarrrgggghhh! (just kiddin')

IMHO all cars have problems, Jaguars are no different, but no worse, my two old Jaguar give less trouble than my new domestic cars! That's why I keep them, they're always ready to rescue the day.

Oil & filter changes: the mechanic told you "he won't touch it"? Walk away Tim, he's just trying to charge more. He expects you to go back and beg him, at which time he will tell you: "well ok, but it's going to cost you more". Right! Walk away!

I still think that an Oil & Filter change, (I do mine every 3 or 4 months, -regardless of use or mileage), is no big deal to perform. All cars are designed with some consideration for easy access to the oil filter's removal and replacement, and the drain bolt too.

But I understand some of you don't know how to do that. All I can suggest is to keep looking for someone who will do the Oil & Filter changes for you, for a fair Labor & Parts price. Or call your local Jaguar Dealer and ask their price in advance.

What you really want is consistency: Every 3 months if you drive the car daily. Every 4 if use is ocassional. But No more. Oil burns, becomes Tar. Oil is the blood of your engine. You want fresh oil in the crankcase all the time. Compare engine oil to Kitchen Oil. How many times can you fry Fries in the same oil before the oil is burnt? Now consider the work that the engine oil must do. Fortunately oil engineers know it and they are a step ahead of us.

Last: Use Castrol Oil. My two old XK engines use Castrol 20w50. Look in your Owners Manual at the Specifications Page or Servicing Page. It will tell you. And check the oil level once a month!

You'll have to find a good Jag specialist....which is a good idea anyway. Not all mechanics/shop want to take the time to learn the tricks of Jaguar repair and/or invest in the specialized equipment needed for some repairs on the newer models. And, even if you were inclined to service/repair the car yourself there is less and less that falls into the "DIY" category. Of course that's the same with many new-ish cars, not just Jags.

Historically Jags have had low resale value, due in part to the (often overblown) horror stories about repairs and reliability. This means we enjoy some of the best bargains on the used car market today. We try to keep quiet about that. If the rest of the world catches on the prices will soar !

Cheers

Doug Dwyer
Longview Washington USA
1995 XJR

Well Diane I am a lot like you. I just purchased a 2001 XJ8 and was told by a reliable mechanic he wouldn't touch it. I was also told by other individuals who " seem to know everything about everything" and they all told me the same thing. I have to take the car to the dealer to get work done?? I feel I am being short changed by themn and others. I love my car and it is in great shape for an 01 with 43,000 miles, but how do I know what it needs or doesn't? I have read the replies to your message and I now have some hope that basic service on the car doesn't have to be costly.

On a side note can anyone out there tell me the problems jaguar's have had? I came across this one for a great deal and it almost seems to good to be true? never wrecked, in excellent inside and out condition, one owner, why was it fairly cheap?

I saw it - what a racket - but are we to assume that all are like that?

Is a Jaguar dealer any more or less honest? There are exceptions to everything. There is no question that whenever you take your car to any of those Firestones, Goodyears, and similar Auto Service places, the mechanics and Front Desk Personnel are under CORPORATE pressure to SELL, SELL, SELL. So they find problems to repair where there are none.

Another racket that I warn everybody about: whenever you hand the KEYS to your car to any garage, make sure you only give them the IGNITION KEY, never give them your entire set of keys, which may contain your house keys.

I have to say that I was talking about OIL and FILTER changes. And this is a difficult situation for people who don't know a thing about cars. Women especially, get easily ripped-off at those places. Some garages call some of their customers: "blank-check-just-walked-in".

That's why I do my own servicing, I only trust me, myself, and I.

It is an unfortunate situation for the general public. But I also know honest mechanics. We can't generalize.

Edited on 2007-06-03 13:15:34

Before going off to JiffyLube check this link:

http://mfile.akamai.com/12924/wmv/vod.ibsys.com/2006/0503/9152183.200k.asx

$800.00 oh my gawd! I don't care if they connected the car to the computer, or if they washed and detailed it. $800.00 is way too much. In my humble opinion, even $70.00 is too much, mostly because I do my own and I buy the oil and filter for less than $35.00.

But, I sure don't recommend to Diane to get under that car and start trying to change the oil and filter, it's a messy and dangerous job, busted knuckles, cuts, burns, and bruises, and breathing burnt oil fumes is cancerous. Leave it to someone experienced.

So my suggestion is to go to those Jiffy Lube, Goodyear, Firestone, Tire Plus places that have Oil & filter specials for $19.95 (coupons in Sunday paper), and give them a try. They usually do a decent job. Don't know how they could not. But she has to tell them, "the service manual specifies that the engine must use so-many-quarts of so-and-so oil. (10w30, 20w50, 5w30, or whatever the right specification is per the Owners Manual). That way she goes in as informed as possible. As to the oil filter, installing a Jaguar OEM filter is not an absolute, Jaguar oil filters are not even MADE BY Jaguar, they are supplied to Jaguar by whoever. But using a good quality filter is not a crime. I like the idea of the new K & N oil filters, (K & N is the company who makes the fabulous Air Intake filters which never need to be changed). not sure if they have their oil filters for Jaguar yet.

May 23 07

$70 USD sounds good to me.

Local dealer charges me about $120 Cdn which included 12 quarts of dealer oil and taxes for XJ-S.

Being frugal, I found a decent non-dealer mechanic that charges about $50 Cdn.

Regards

Dan Lokun
Toronto Canada
62 XKE
90 XJ-S

You can expect to pay about $70 per oil change if they use synthetic oil.

Martin

1995 XJS Convertible

I suspect the $800 quote is not for an oil change alone. Perhaps a "30000 mile service" package? Or some other work of some sort.....?

Doug Dwyer
Longview Washington USA
1995 XJR

I just had my oil changed at the Jaguar dealer and it cost me $64 plus tax.

I am not sure the age of the Jaguar or our ability to pay for the service is relevant. An enthusiast club is for the enjoyment and preservation of the product new or antique.

Yes you can spend more than $800 on a full Jaguar service. Jaguars are not inexpensive to maintain properly. Some of the offset in cost is the enjoyment of the automobile, and its heritage.

$800 ?!!?!? Unless you are having the Jaguar dealer do it. Yes ... you can probably expect to get out the door for no less than $800. But, consider you are able to afford a 2004 XJ8, you should have no problem paying an $800 oil change. But I prefer taking my car to a specialist mechanic who can do it for $150.

Buying a Jaguar XJ8 is an excellent idea. The reputation for mechanical issues were never a big thing, it was mostly electrical issues if you rewind 15 years ago.

Man-Shun Poon

2001 Jaguar XJR