Finding out if a car is an x358 or x350

[kyle]

Is there a difference between chassis numbers for x350 and x358?
or is there a chassis number when the x358 started?

I know of the obvious cosmetic changes, but there is the possibility that the car is an x350 and previous owner has cosmetically changed it to look like a facelift model.

[PANTHRO]

I've been told they started at VIN G49701 on 2006 model year XJ's


"This relates to the X356 changepoint. See further post about X356/X358 by ptjs1"

Added by Moderator

[PANTHRO]

All the "under-the-skin" electronic changes happened with the X356

[J44EAG]

X350 is the early model.
X358 is the big bumper run out model.

Mike

[ptjs1]

X358s start at VIN H18680

This was in Feb 2007 for 2008 MY

Paul

[PANTHRO]

Sorry, both J44EAG and ptjs1 are absolutely correct. I was thinking of & referring to the X356

[ptjs1]

PANTHRO,

You may be correct and I may have added to the confusion!

The thread was originally titled "Re: Finding out if a car is an x356 or x350" and you replied accordingly.

However, Kyle had originally mentioned "facelift" and "cosmetic changes" in his first post. As we know, the X356 change is predominantly about the electronic changes. Therefore, I assumed that he wasn't referring to "X356" and meant "X358" and therefore I amended the title of the thread and the subsequent posts.

Of course, it could be that Kyle really did mean the X356 changepoint in which case, your answers are absolutely correct.

I apologise again for maybe confusing matters! Perhaps Kyle could confirm whether he meant the X356 or X358 changepoint?

Cheers

Paul

[BrianG]

If you are looking for the X356 change point, just to add to the debate (confusion?) I think the VIN numbers for 356s start in the low H sequence, not G49XXX as posted earlier. My own 2006MY car (reg March 2006) is H006XXX.

[Thixendale]

Mine is H04xxx and a late 05 reg so will that be considered to be an X356?

I'm just curious to know what it is.

Also - to educate the ignorant I.e. me - what under the skin electronic changes occurred between the X350 and X356?

Many thanks

[kyle]

PANTHRO,

You may be correct and I may have added to the confusion!

The thread was originally titled "Re: Finding out if a car is an x356 or x350" and you replied accordingly.

However, Kyle had originally mentioned "facelift" and "cosmetic changes" in his first post. As we know, the X356 change is predominantly about the electronic changes. Therefore, I assumed that he wasn't referring to "X356" and meant "X358" and therefore I amended the title of the thread and the subsequent posts.

Of course, it could be that Kyle really did mean the X356 changepoint in which case, your answers are absolutely correct.

I apologise again for maybe confusing matters! Perhaps Kyle could confirm whether he meant the X356 or X358 changepoint?

Cheers

Paul

Hi Yes,

I did want to know when the x356 cars started. I viewed a car which was late 05 and wanted to be sure that it is an x356 and not an x350 that somebody had perhaps cosmetically changed to look like an x356.

Thanks,

Kyle

[J44EAG]

The early X350 is distinctive in having lower door moldings and an elliptical orange indicator (shaped almost like one half of a Spitfire wing) repeater on the rear edge of the front wings. 05> cars which are X356 had the repeaters changed for clear oval shaped units. I recall the lower door protection strips were also deleted. Seats also came in for a re-work. X358 models have the bigger bumpers plus the rather nice rework of the vertical boot panel. A long chrome strip spans between the top inner corners of the rear light clusters.

Its worth noting that on XJR models, 350 engines did not have VVT units on the exhaust camshafts. On 356> models, VVT solenoids feature on the front of both cylinder heads. This gives the XJR a bit more grunt at slow speeds and low RPM.

Mike

[BrianG]

From a Jaguar pdf document I have entitled "New Product Introduction 2006 XJ Technical Guide" it lists the following main improvements (sorry I've tried copying and uploading without success, but you can get it online in full)

1) Introduction of Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
2) Changes to Braking system: including non-active brake booster; single piston calipers to all vehicles; revised disc sizes; introduction of vacuum assist; two new ABS modules.
3) Introduction of VVT for supercharged engines
4) Installation of secondary air injection system for improved emissions
5) Revised petrol catalyst loadings as part of upgrade from EU3 to EU4 emission standards compliance
6) Relocation of evaporative emission canister purge valve for reduced cabin noise
7 )Bluetooth phone communications network system

Items 5 and 7 are perhaps the most useful 'electrical upgrades' in my opinion

[PaulGover]

I second the point about bluetooth phones; J Clarkson esq. seems to find them all useless; I find the Jaguar's one excellent.

[ptjs1]

Kyle,

My apologies for amending your original post and prompting this longer debate!

As PANTHRO had originally said, the X356 change happened from VIN G49701

Cheers

Paul