Island X type

[PhilEC936]

Hi all,
I'm an X350 owner, but I have a new job on the Isle of Mull in the Inner Hebrides as one of their medical team, and don't really think my X350 is the most practical for getting around everywhere. I'm thinking of switching to an AWD Xtype in the hope that it'll be safer around the different roads and tracks.
May I ask what people's experience is of the AWD in wet conditions, sometimes gravelly? I would like to keep with Jaguar rather than buy a different 4WD, but I also need something practical.

[Dave Eynon]

Hi, when we moved to Snowdonia in 2013 I decided to swap my X-type saloon for an AWD estate. We were buying a house where the roads wouldn't get treated and snow/ice plus hills needed to be managed. As it turns out its more heavy rain than snow and ice. I don't use the car on unmade roads but I recall one drive from Llangollen to Criccieth in heavy snow over the mountains and the grip was fantastic. I still have the car as my daily driver - an 06 2.5SE estate, just make sure you buy a good one with a healthy transfer box and with luck - rust proofing to the body and suspension/subframes.

[steve_m]

The only thing that you won't have compared to an SUV is ground clearance.
Mine coped admirably with 6 inches of snow but I managed to beach it on the drive and had to wait for the snow to melt a bit before I could get traction again.
I was only using road tyres, no fancy winter things.
Excellent car with the biggest load space in class I think.
Only sold it as I couldn't cope with the clutch anymore.

[Astromorg]

Note that in the early models, up to model year 2004, VIN D56272, the transfer box incorporated a viscous coupling that makes it a limited-slip diff. The later models with no VC are therefore plain open centre diffs, giving a lower performance in slippery conditions. The best (optional at build) feature to counter this reduction in effectiveness is to have the DSC system.

You can always use the handbrake to counter a slipping rear wheel!

The front and rear diffs are, in all models , open diffs

Winter tyres must surely be essential out there?

[PhilEC936]

Thank you all for your help and advice. It might take a while to find a good one, so I'll stick with my XJ8 for the moment while keeping an eye out for the X type (and only start to worry by the end of Autumn, if I haven't found one). Many thanks