I bought my XJ8 two years ago, almost to the day. It feels like I've had it a lot longer, but that's probably because it feels like "my car!"

This is what I've done with it in two years.

$10,000 purchase price (approx)
37,000 miles (now has just over 100k)
Replaced numerous parts - t-stat tower, hoses, O2 sensor, knock sensor, valve cover gaskets, transmission (rebuilt), FEAD belt and tensioner, spark plugs, and other things I can't remember right now!
$3,500 in repair costs (approx)
$7,400 for fuel ($4/gal, 20 mpg)
$4,300 for insurance

Total $25,200.00 and worth every penny!

This car has taken a back seat to my 2003 S-Type because the S-Type only has 39k miles on it! I drove my XJ8 today and the old feeling came back, I know why I bought this car!

 

I'm thinking the T-stat tower & hoses is now moved up a notch on my to-do list, do you remember it's cost I'll be having it done in a shop not myself.

 

The cost was outrageous because I tried to do it myself in a hurry and broke a few things and then had a mechanic finish the job for me and he decided to do it per the Jaguar directions and ended up dismantling way too much and having to replace way too much! I spent around $1,000 on that fiasco. The actual cost of the parts to do just t-stat tower, t-stat, connecting pipe, and short hose was a lot less than that -- most of my cost was labor and some additional parts. There's a pretty long thread about this project -- I was not happy with myself!

 

$4.00 a gallon !!! wow you American drivers have it easy. Just paid £1.29 ( $2.14 ) a litre ( roughly a quart ) A U.S gallon at UK prices would be over $8.50 !!! And to make matters worse, it was for her car. Now just to cheer you up diesel is £1.40 a litre, or about $9.30 for one of your gallons... Watched a documentary the other week and the truck drivers in Texas I think it was, were moaning about fuel prices, I would be more than happy to pay your prices. Andy

 

Well, c'mon over, we have plenty of room -- and gas!

 

Just got to save up for the petrol to get there. lol . Hang on a minute, Florida? ain't that where them bloody great gaitors live? The nearest we got to them in Croydon is the concrete dinosaurs in Crystal Palace Park, and they don't want to eat you !!!

 

Andrew,

You're right! We do have it easy here in Texas, even if the prices are creeping up. I remember the high European petrol prices and it has always made living stateside so easy to accept the prices lol

 

It is the ridiculous amount of fuel duty the government puts on that makes it so expensive. Then the thoughtful chappies sat in the houses of parliament decided that after they added the duty to the cost of the fuel it was still too cheap so they stuck 20% VAT on the total.

 

Wow your insurance rate seems very high. Is that for your S-type and XJ8 or just the XJ8?

 

OldMike,

I can't thank you enough for recommending that shop to rebuild my transmission. Like you said with yours, my transmission is also running as smooth as silk. They also replaced my fuel filter.

Your "Two Year Update" is a great idea as well. So I want to add mine too, except for a FOUR YEAR accounting.

$7,000 purchase price in 2010
92,000 miles on purchase (now has just over 114k)
Replaced numerous parts - t-stat tower, hoses, upper tensioners, valve cover gaskets, transmission (rebuilt at $2700), spark plugs, tires ($800), switchpack (used $40), driver's side door handle cable ($25), plastic radiator recovery line ($40).

$3,000 in repair costs (approx)

Things that are still broken:

Moon/Sunroof track is broken so it's never worked - plastic
Third Brake light disintegrated when I tried to move it - so I took it out - plastic.
Plastic clips on driver's seat controls have also disintegrated so it's hanging off seat.
Driver's side door handle broken inside (plastic)
Wood panel on dash also has broken plastic holders, so one has been glued in place.
Front cigarette lighter can't be plugged in as it blows a fuse.

I was deciding to sell the car after I fixed the transmission, but after spending $2800 and seeing that average costs for this year Jag were around $3500, I figured that I wouldn't get enough money to buy another car that is as good-looking, smooth riding (good touring car), and I can use it now until it too - disintegrates.