Used 2008 Jaguar XJ-Series Consumer Reviews
Used XJ-Series for sale
We have a limited number of reviews for the 2008 XJ-Series, so we've included reviews for other years of the XJ-Series since its last redesign.
Wonderful Jag !
gmayfield, 03/02/2011
2008 Jaguar XJ-Series Vanden Plas 4dr Sedan (4.2L 8cyl 6A)
36 of 36 people found this review helpful
Very fun to drive. Not sure about reliability as it only has 14k miles. Drives like a dream & very responsive handling and acceleration. 2 quirks I will mention: No back-up camera in navigation system. "beep" signal is very adequate though Rear seat headrests hinder rear outward vision TREMENDOUSLY !!! I wish they could flip down out of the way or could be removed easily. The headrests enlarge the blindspots on both sides, therefore you must rely heavily on rear view side mirrors when changing lanes. Make sure mirrors are adjusted correctly or you WILL cut someone off when changing lanes. Otherwise, one of my most memorable cars to drive & to look at.
Stunning Big Cat!
Brian Mac, 02/27/2017
updated 09/04/2018
2007 Jaguar XJ-Series XJ8 L 4dr Sedan (4.2L 8cyl 6A)
34 of 34 people found this review helpful
Incredibly smooth and quiet ride. Surprisingly quick and nimble for a car of this size. Far more class and comfort for far less money than comparable German cars when purchased preowned. Reliability has been flawless for the 10,000 miles I have owned it. Took a road trip and drove 23 hours with fuel stops only and found this car does not wear you out even after hours behind the wheel. LOVE THIS CAR!!! 08/31/2017-Owned 1-1/2 years & 20,000 miles now. I get bored with cars quickly, trade every year or two for something different. However, not this one. I still get excited to jump in for a weekend cruise thru the mountains or down the coast of New England. I own an auto repair shop so I know cars pretty well and this one is proving to be much more reliable than the German counterparts owned by my customers. It rides infinitely smoother and quieter. During spirited driving it may not corner quite as well as well as a BMW however, for a car this large it comes close. I would take the ride quality over the cornering agility any day. Reliability has been very good with a thermostat replacement being the only repair in the 20,000 miles I have owned it. What a pleasure to drive...and even at 10 years old it still turns heads everywhere I go! 03/01/2018- I must say I am still absolutely in love with this car. Again reliability has remained excellent with no repairs needed since my last review. Car still rides limo smooth & quiet. Looking forward to another year with my Jag! 09/04/2018- Here we are with another year passed. My Jaguar XJ8 of course is still running & driving as it did when I first purchased it in February 2016. Now at 83,000 miles I replaced all filters, fluids & spark plugs. I did replace the alternator due to a whine noise and will soon replace the battery as a preventative item as it is now 5 years old, although it has not caused any issues and it still test OK. Gotta say I still love this car!
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2008 Jaguar XJ-Series for sale near you
Showing 3 of 16 listings
- Vanden Plas SedanMSRP: $13,495108 mi away
- XJ8 L SedanMSRP: $10,499166 mi away
- Vanden Plas SedanMSRP: $10,999227 mi away
See all 16 listings
Styling. Power. Luxry interior. Reliability.
Mark in Oregon, 01/02/2020
2008 Jaguar XJ-Series Vanden Plas 4dr Sedan (4.2L 8cyl 6A)
27 of 27 people found this review helpful
Afer two 2004 XJ's (x350), I finally found a 29k mile 2008 Vanden Plas recently in 2019. Let me share my experience from the two 2004's and current 2008. As my title states, these cars are truly outstanding in all key areas. Nothing on the road these days as distinctive as the x350 Jaguars. Performance is outstanding with either the 300 or 400 horsepower models. The 300hp version does 0-60 in under 7 seconds and yet gets gas mileage of around 28 mpg highways and 24 mpg city. Jaguar interiors are unlike any other car except maybe Rolls Royce and Bentley offerings. All the aromatic leather, real walnut trim, lambs wool carpets, and the comfort Jaguar offers are of first class treatment. Reliability is quite impressive (read other reviews), and the only major weak points are as follows: Suspension on these cars is an air controlled system which over time will definity need replacing as the rubber components wear. When replacing, you will want to use the Arnott after market version which will last much longer than the factory version and afford a slightly firmer ride. The total cost to replace both front and rear components (by a qualified non-dealer facility) will run about $3k. The only other costly replacement is the Xenon headlamps found on some of these cars. Each headlight unit is a complete piece with bulbs and housing. Cost for each to replace is about $12-15 hundred dollars. I give this car 5 stars because after owning three of them, my experience with each has been superb. Note: The 2008 and 2009 editions offered a much more aggressive body treatment and firmer ride. While the same length they are slightly taller and a bit more roomy. They also came standard with 18 inch wheels on the base models and 19 and 20 inch wheel options were available, with the 19 inch being standard on the Vanden Plas editions. Happy hunting for the car of your dreams!
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Purrfect!
Mike , 03/05/2007
2007 Jaguar XJ-Series Vanden Plas 4dr Sedan (4.2L 8cyl 6A)
19 of 19 people found this review helpful
I purchased a 2007 XJ VP and find this car to be an absolute joy to drive. For the first time in owning most other prestige makes, I have finally found a vehicle that I am proud to own. The XJ VP interior is total comfort and the finish quality is unbeatable. Despite its size, the 300 HP V8 and all-alloy body makes this car surprisingly quick and it handles almost like a sports car. Thank you Jaguar! After so many years I am enjoying the experience of driving again.
Big Kitty performs MUCH better than expected
rEgan P, 10/04/2018
updated 04/13/2022
2007 Jaguar XJ-Series XJ8 L 4dr Sedan (4.2L 8cyl 6A)
18 of 18 people found this review helpful
Initial Review on acquisition: Incredibly affordable high end luxury car, drives much better than expected for such a large vehicle. Comfort is exceptional, driving experience is amazing, passenger amenities are plentiful. Fabulous build quality, exceptional materials. Pros: It's a Jaguar, it's inexpensive to acquire, rides, drives and performs very well at the high levels expected or even beyond expectations. Luxurious ride, and the 'ford years' of Jaguar are known for reliability. Cons: repairs can be expensive, terribly thought out and not very well supported NAV system, only valid through 2012... one expects more 'ongoing support' from Jaguar than 5 years on a Nav system. Purchase price was $9,500, put additional funds in to repairs and restoration to bring it back to factory, including utilizing Jaguar dealership which was helpful, courteous, professional, and well, expensive. ALL in on vehicle to get a very high quality restored daily driver is just under $16k 3 years on, the car is still a daily driver. There have been a few issues with electrical systems like the passenger side automatic door lock failing and the front and rear sensors not always functioning as they should. The car still is very luxurious, although modern cars have caught up and surpassed the technology on this 2007. (I would hope so!) Many modern cars at lower trim levels still do not have the technology this car does have. Drives like a dream, handles incredibly well for such a big car. Keep up on maintenance in order to keep yearly repair costs down, insure you are using correct oil for example. Good bit of used parts on eBay and secondary markets. Not always easy to find a Jaguar dealership unless you are in a major city. 5 year review update: We have had normal repairs to maintain the vehicle in excellent condition. Our yearly costs come in around $1500 to $2000 a year in order to replace wearable parts. If you consider that it's a classically designed luxury car for what works out to 167.00 a month payments, it's an exceptional value. Aluminum body is a fantastic choice Ford made on this Jaguar. There *are* some steel parts that can/will/do rust over time, but easy and inexpensive to replace. Ride quality is superb, and I love owning the last classic styled XJ series (358). Definitely a head turner. I have been asked on more than one occasion of the vehicle was new, not bad for a model year 2007! 7 Year Review - Maintenance costs have gone DOWN if you can believe that, the last two years I've spent less than $1000.00 a year on this wonderful car. if you divide that by 12 (for yearly cost broken up in to monthly payments) that's $83.34 a month. Not sure you could find a dependable used car with those types of payments. The onboard GPS has gotten long in the tooth and being unable to update beyond 2012 isn't helpful, but most mobile devices have GPS and road directions built in. Mileage remains exceptional for a 2007 and a v8. Still a wonderful motorcar to own, love the classic styling. Value has been going up, albeit slightly, which may be associated with Jaguar discontinuing the XJ model.
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Mercedes Beater
Gray Jag, 01/23/2010
2008 Jaguar XJ-Series XJ8 L 4dr Sedan (4.2L 8cyl 6A)
26 of 27 people found this review helpful
I recently bought a Mercedes, trading in mY Range Rover, as I travel long distances on business. After 500 miles I realized it was uncomfortable and poorly built. I then bought my Certified XJ8L and have since put 3000 fast, quiet comfortable miles on the car in three weeks. Although a (very) big car, with room for the times I take my teenage kids, it's aluminium construction means it takes corners quickly, stops quickly and has reasonable gas mileage. It's classic looks in Pearl Gray always attract attention and it stands out from the generic luxury sedan look. The car gives me great pleasure. If you are looking for a light, fast luxurious car, you should try one.
Road Warrior...
HiSport, 08/09/2019
updated 02/16/2021
2007 Jaguar XJ-Series XJR 4dr Sedan (4.2L 8cyl S/C 6A)
14 of 14 people found this review helpful
Love my 2007 dark green XJR! Just finished another 6,200 mile cross country trip - my fourth in three years of ownership - and can honestly say that this Jag is perhaps the best car I've ever owned. Please know that I've been a life long fan of high end German sedans - particularly 7 series BMW and 8 series Audi, along with various Mercedes models and many Porsches. I bought the Jag on a whim, just because it was so damn good looking (disclaimer: this is generally an ill advised approach with cars, women, and many other things). At first, it seemed that all the old Jag scare stories were true. The rear air suspension collapsed on the return leg of my first cross country trip; steering and handling were loose and rattled over bumps. I could smell coolant when the car was parked. And, etc, etc... What the car needed - at 85K miles and 10 years - was refitting. This is actually no different than German sedans. My advice if you're in the XJ market is to buy the best example you can find (with big preference to late '06 and '07 US X356 models), then plan to spend another $6K - $10K in refurb parts. Double this if you're not a DIY'er. When you're done, you'll have a taut, comfortable, and classy vintage Jag. My strong preference, aesthetically, is the short wheelbase models, with a nod to the supercharged, 400HP XJR (or softer riding SWB Super v8 model). Early (X350; '04 and '05) models have too many problems, though cheap and plentiful (the most expensive Jag you can buy is a cheap one). The last production years ('08 and '09) lost their good looks in an ill advised face lift. The X356 XJR is a bonafide sports sedan, with unmatched kick down punch on the highway (my last sedan was an M5 BMW; with an S8 Audi before that). Ride is taut but comfortable; handling is not in Audi and BMW leagues, but pretty close. Gas mileage on my latest trip was ~ 23 MPG overall And, people love this car. So do I. It is both beautiful and fairly unique; a real head turner, and a joy to drive... (Feb 2021: Edmunds asked me to provide an update): At this point, I've had my '07 XJR for about five years and 50K miles - a near record for me. It is now - at 14 years - clearly an "old car", perhaps more fitting for the hobbyist than mainstream buyers. Still, the old girl is such a wonderful traveling companion, and - within the realm of hobbyist cars - pretty modern and practical. Understand, though, that old is OLD, and having an elderly Jag - no matter how lovely - is not for the faint of heart. To wit: I decided, last summer, to basically replace all of the engine cooling system hoses and wear items (pumps, etc), based upon age and mileage. This as preparation for a fishing/hiking trip to Montana. Well, Jag OEM parts alone totaled about a grand, and were so delayed (thanks, USPS) that I ended up driving my truck. And, doing this work required removing the supercharger, etc; figure another two grand or so in shop labor. While awaiting parts, I refinished the wheels, changed trans fluid, replaced trans cooling lines, renewed the brakes, etc, etc - figure another couple grand or more in materials and labor. About $5K, say, just on routine maintenance. And now, the sunroof cover headliner material has come unglued, which will require a complete headliner R&R to put right. I can (and may) fix this myself for maybe a couple hundred in materials, but it would cost the average car owner far, far more. All this is exactly why you can buy one of these beautiful, marvelous cars for a song. If you're so inclined, do so very carefully, and you may end up with a real gem...
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08 XJ8 L
AustinWest, 11/15/2018
2008 Jaguar XJ-Series XJ8 L 4dr Sedan (4.2L 8cyl 6A)
13 of 13 people found this review helpful
I have owned many cars over the years and this one is by far my favorite. I currently have 130k miles and climbing every day. The only repairs made to this car in 10 years are a replaced coolant reservoir (that i was able to replace myself for less than $200) and I replaced the front control arms for around $1500. Engine, transmission and everything else is original and runs like new. Quick acceleration, excellent braking and the fuel economy is insane for a big V8 sedan. I get around 20-25 mpg in the city and have seen well into the 40's on the highway. Each tank I average almost 27mpg. The style of this car is timeless. People stop and stare at it all the time. The pearl grey paint color is a real eye-catcher. The car is also incredibly ahead of its time. Heated and cooled seats. Heated steering wheel. Navigation and bluetooth all work well. The sound system is fantastic. Handling is a dream. Charming and sophisticated around the city but can scream and squeal tires if you really want to. I really have no complaints. This car will hopefully make it to my dying day.
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Jaguar Vanden Plas (Boca Raton, FL)
J. Lo Re (Florida), 11/24/2007
2008 Jaguar XJ-Series Vanden Plas 4dr Sedan (4.2L 8cyl 6A)
21 of 22 people found this review helpful
This car is an absolute dream to drive with a ton of features and a new sportier exterior design in the 2008 model. The interior is beautifully crafted with 2 tone leather seats and elm wood finish. The car just handles extremely smooth and is very comfortable with a long body for tall passengers in the back seat. The drive is very luxurious while it has a feeling of plenty of power (I have the 300 HP version) since the aluminum design makes it lighter than ever. It just handles very well overall and corners extremely well. I have had 2 BMWs previously and this stacks up extremely well (maybe a tad better) to BMW.
One more time !
SC Retired, 10/16/2018
2008 Jaguar XJ-Series Vanden Plas 4dr Sedan (4.2L 8cyl 6A)
20 of 21 people found this review helpful
This is my 4th Jaguar, all XJ Sedans, Two were Vanden Plas. Two were new, 2 were Certified used.. I have had wonderful results with all my cars, few repairs . I want one more , hope my luck holds. The pleasure of driving and owning erases the cost.
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