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... Althouth I generally prefer "stock", I love researching possible fixes, mods, enhancements and improvements. ...
Welcome to the Forum. I hope you enjoy your XKR Portfolio coupe as much as I have enjoyed my 2009 XKR Portfolio Convertible. All the custom touches I've added are cosmetic and easily reversible, and I don't want to do a pulley and tune. You may want to do some of the things I've done.
1. Battery maintainer. Unless your XKR is a daily driver, I recommend using a battery maintainer to keep it fully charged. I now prefer the CTEK brand, which is what many members use. A low battery will cause all sorts of electrical glitches. See my posts 21 and 68: https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...lay-ups-73471/
2. Spare wheel and tire. Because the Alcon Performance Brake Package was standard equipment on all 2008 XKR Portfolio models, your car was not equipped with a spare tire from the factory. If you want to add a spare, here's how I did it: https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...-brakes-67260/
6. Backup Camera ( easy installation, fits in ashtray) Type S Backup Camera, 5" HD Monitor with Touch-Screen Control, Solar Powered & Wireless, 720p, Night Vision, Rear View License Plate Reverse Camera https://a.co/d/99SUez7
7. Paddle Shift Extensions
My source is out of business, but search Ebay and other websites for aluminum alloy Jaguar paddle shift extensions. Mine cost under $30.
Thank you all for the warm welcome to the community. I'm happy to be here and have already learned many things about these vehicles, from reading many of your responses to the issues that face the x150, way before i made my purchase. I have many of you to thank for being so informative and helpful in my search. (although I never posted or asked questions on this site).
So to provide a little background, as I mentioned previously, I've been searching for a 2007-2009 XKR for 3+ years. They are difficult to find in the greater Houston TX area, with the options I was seeking. For starters, I wanted the charcoal/dark interior and preferred a dark (black/blue) exterior color, with no accidents and as few owners and miles as possible. I was willing to be patient, and wait for the vehicle I really wanted. I found several vehicle that piqued my interest over the 3 years, but most of the them had an "issue" that I preferred not to deal with (too many owners, a wreck, or poor condition, or ?). A few of the vehicles I found slipped through my fingers as someone was more aggressive in pursuing the car, but after surveying the market for a while, I decided I wanted a very specific year/color and car (the 2008 Jaguar XRK Portolio Coupe edition). That realization also made me concerned about the options I may have, since only about 100 (coupes) were reportedly sent to the US, so I decided to expand my search nationwide. I was set to recieve notifications from most every major online vehicle broker for any Jaguar XKR from 2007-2015 that hit the market anywhere in the US. (my search included all years for the x150, but I really wanted the 4.2L offered in the 2007-2009 models). On a recent morning, I rec'd a notice that a Jaguar XKR in "celestial black" was being offered for sale in South Carolina, but the initial description did not mention anything about the vehicle be a Portfolio edition. Long story short, I questioned the dealership about the specifics of the vehicle and quickly realized it was the Portfolio edition. I asked the dealership to send me some pictures and video's of the vehicle, which they did, and I decided to purchase the vehicle "sight unseen". Buying a vehicle sight unseen goes against most every fiber in my being, but I had some reassurances from the selling dealer. #1: the dealership purchasing manager had a personal relationship with the owner who sold them the vehicle. (the dealership sold the vehicle to the original owner, the 2nd owner, and myself - 3 owners total). I was assured the vehicle was owned by an "older" gentlemen what was an engineer in his 80's. The engineer first purchased the vehicle when it had about 3,500 miles on it, and drove it for about 14 years, running the mileage on the vehicle up to about 79K miles. I was told the vehicle was ALWAYS stored inside/covered, and was in good condition. The dealership also informed me some of the issues with this particular vehicle (such as the headliner and dash) had already been repaired/replaced. I noticed the exhaust system appeared to be modified, and the dealership acknowledged the modification and said it was one of the enhancements the previous owner performed.
I decided to take a chance, and purchase the vehicle. The vehicle was shipped from South Carolina to me in the greater Houston/Woodlands area last Friday. To no fault of the dealiership, the vehicle was delivered covered in some sort of debris which has accumulated during the drive to Texas. Fortunately the debris was easily removed from the vehicle, so that was a big relief. Overall, the vehicle appears to be in very good condition and was likely always stored indoors (as I was told). I was very pleased with the appearance of the car as a whole. BUT, on my short drive home from acquiring the car to my home, the instrument gauge/cluster appeared to reset a few times on my way home. Reading the informative posts on this site previously, I knew Jags are very sensitive to battery issues, so I figured the car may need a batter charge, to get back to normal since it may have been sitting for awhile at the dealership. I pulled the battery and discovered it was an Interstate AGM size 49/H8, that is only about 3 months old. I charged the battery (which took about 1 1/2 hours), reinstalled the battery, but the issue with the instrument gauge continued. I tried tightening all the ground wires I could find, but the issue persisted. 2 days later I removed the battery again, and it appeard to need another 1-2 hours to charge. I took the battery to Interstate battery, and was told the battery is good.
Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can do to narrow down the issues with the instrument gauge/cluster? The gauges all seem to "reset" every few minutes. All the "idiot" lights will suddenly light up, the tach and speedometer stop working, but only for a few seconds. This happes whether the vehicle is being driven, or just idiling. Everything seems to return to "normal" after only a few seconds, but the the process repeats itself. The car continues to run well, and the center console/head unit navigation display screen don't appear to have any issues when this occurs. I've read of others having the same issue, but I can't seem to find a resolution for the matter. Should I try another battery, even though I was told this battery is "good"? Could it by my alternator? (I would think a defective alternator would also cause issues with the lights, display screen, etc...but those issues do not appear). I understand these "Gremlins" are somewhat pervasive in this car, so I'd appreciate any suggestions anyone may have.
The way the car drives is amazing, but I just hope I can find a quick solution to this issue so that I can fully enjoy this car to the fullest. Thank you all very much.
Hi and thanks for the extensive background history. It does help to know as much history as possible.
Fortunately, I've not experienced the "winking and blinking" dash, however, a clue I see may be in the reference to; (such as the headliner and dash) repairs that were completed regarding the dash. I'm assuming the dash repair was for the dreaded shrinkage problem, of which, I and many others, have knowledge? If so, it's quite possible the clue lies in the removal and subsequent manipulation of the "innards". grounds or a connection have not been secured as it should? It just seems too coincidental.
My thoughts reading through your history.
Could indeed be a loose harness, the cluster’s easy to remove and clean and re-seat the connector. Could be a poor ground too. I’d also recommend running a scan for codes, Jaguar’s proprietary software’s best for that. I’d ask the selling dealer for an allowance to take it to the nearest main dealer.
Thank you for the feedback. Couple of quick questions:
1) Is there a recommended obd reader/scanner that is best suited for a Jag?
2) The replacement of my dash cover has me a bit nervous about the issues w/my instrument gauge/cluster. If it is a "ground" issue (or something that may have occurred during the replacement) is that something I can access by detaching the display fairly easily?
3) Is there any potential issue with the vehicle having no battery power for a day or two while I charge the battery? Again, I know these cats can be sensitive, so I just want to be careful.
Thanks again everyone.
There’s a bezel that surrounds the cluster/cowl which when removed will reveal the cluster screws. To remove the bezel, there’s a small cover which needs removing at twelve o’clock.
Is there a reason why you’d not take it to a main dealer or discuss with the selling dealer? There’s no OBD scanner as thorough as SDD, Jaguar’s proprietary diagnostics software.
Thanks for all the advice and feedback.
I'm now being told (by the seller of the vehicle, which is a reputable dealership) that the dash of the vehicle was not previously repaired/replaced. The dash appears to be in very good condition, and the car was obviously kept/stored indoors most of it's life, so I don't know if the issue is related to that area or not. I replaced the new battery with another new battery, and the problem continued. I checked all the ground wires I could find and checked all the wiring harness connections, but nothing. So today, I took the car to a shop that specializes in Jaguars, and I'll let the expert do his thing. I'm hopeful it's nothing too complicated, or expensive, but I'll post the problem once it's diagnosed. I have asked for assistance from the seller, but have not yet rec'd any offer in kind. The dialogue with the seller will continue, and hopefully a resolution will occur.
It looks great! But it has Senta wheels. Do you have the original Cremonas?
I wish it came with the original Cremona wheels. One of the previous owners replaced the Cremonas with the Sentas. Truth be told, I like the Sentas more than the Cremonas, but I still wish I had the original wheels. Maybe I'll get lucky and stumble on a set of Cremonas.
Hey all - add me to the registry! I acquired my 2008 XKR Portfolio coupe in celestial black in 2020 with ~95k miles. I’m about to cross 100k, so miles are converging on whatever the original owner paid in dollars! I’m in Chicago so this is a seasonal car that goes on weekend trips only. My CTEK MUS 4.3 trickle charger (came from previous owner) seems to get the job done keeping her ready to go.
Hoping the experts can assist w a question related to side mirrors on this specific model. Despite my best efforts searching the forum and Google, I can’t determine if power folding mirrors were STANDARD (or optional) on 2008 XKR Portfolio models in the US. I find conflicting answers.
I’ve never used the power folding function (tried but no success - unsure if not an option or something broke), and always been confused because it looks moveable as the arm mount isn’t solid - the gap on the arm makes it appear as if it should turn in…but I believe it looks the same regardless if powered or not when I look at other 2008 XK/R models.
This baby lives in my garage, but of course someone damaged it on a weekend trip outside of Chicago. The passenger side mirror was hit/kicked by someone when I had to park on the street. I came out the next morning to find it hanging by the interior cable. Very frustrating to say the least.
Im in the process of finding a replacement part. The glass/mirror and celestial black shell are fine. I think I just need the mount / core part. However, not sure if there’s a difference between the powered version and non-powered.
I could also get a used full part mount w glass and shell on eBay or something (replace shell w mine) but again not sure if I need powered or not. Also if powered was part of Portfolio package, I could use this as an opportunity to try to get that working.
Any suggestions specific to the 2008 XKR Portfolio would be much appreciated. Seems like powered would come standard in Portfolio, but I’ve seen conflicting comments.
If any thoughts on where to get a replacement part without going full OEM (such as my eBay idea) please let me know.
Also any thoughts on what to expect after 100k? She sounds great and gets her checkups. She’s a beautiful car, so trying to see how I can make her last.
These are a work of art in my opinion (esp with limited US numbers), but don’t seem to be in the collector space - because if they were…high mileage cars would retain more value or hit a floor value as it would be worth it to repair engine issues. Prices for high mileage are below what a major engine repair would cost, meaning these babies will be disappearing as they become too expensive to remain functional - until down to the final (50?) that get saved by enthusiasts. Just my prediction.
Thanks in advance for thoughts on the mirror and what life after 100k might look like! ; )
KBB lists power folding mirrors as 'standard' on the XKR Portfolio (Convertible & Coupe). And Jaguar's sales brochure (in the Stickies) lists it as a 'standard' part of the Luxury Package. Doesn't make much sense that Jaguar would remove this option from the Portfolio.
KBB lists power folding mirrors as 'standard' on the XKR Portfolio (Convertible & Coupe). And Jaguar's sales brochure (in the Stickies) lists it as a 'standard' part of the Luxury Package. Doesn't make much sense that Jaguar would remove this option from the Portfolio.
I believe folding mirrors were in the luxury package that was offered on regular XK R's. I don't know why it wasn't just standard on 2008 Portfolio's. Mine doesn't have it either.
Power folding mirrors were standard equipment on my 2009 XKR Portfolio Convertible. However, it did not come with a heated steering wheel. To the best of my knowledge, that wasn't an option.
Here is my 2009 XKR-S
Sold between 2008, 2009. 50 RHD units for UK and 150 LHD for European market
I was around 2 years looking for this beast to replace my previous 3 litre Subaru Legacy R Spec B, I needed something special to replace that Subaru and this is certainly it. This is like a guided missile with a free armchair attached, the best way I can sum it up.
@ericmcn Your 4.2L XKR-S Coupe is a welcome addition to this Registry! It's like a brother from another mother!
Seriously, your XKR-S is similar to the 4.2L XKR Portfolio, as both were limited-production models in the final year of 4.2L production. The XKR-S was not available in North America and the Portfolio was not available in the UK or Europe. I believe the XKR-S was available only as a coupe.
My favorite feature of your XKR-S is the forged Vortex wheels, which was introduced with your car and was then carried over to the new 5.0L models, although the 5.0L Vortex wheels aren't forged. They won't fit the 4.2L because the rear offset isn't the same due to the E-Diff introduced with the 5.0L.
For details of the 4.2L 2009 XKR-S, see this article Jaguar XKR-S.
10-01-2022, 11:43 PM
I’m in Chicago so this is a seasonal car that goes on weekend trips only. My CTEK MUS 4.3 trickle charger (came from previous owner) seems to get the job done keeping her ready to go.
