I think about this car more than I think about sex! And I'm still only 25 so my libido hasn't gone down yet.

 

Glad you got that part figured out. Always easy to spot the guys who haven't actually experienced one yet...they're the ones still considering other cars

 

Spot on Bruce...

 

Hey...put yourself in my shoes. I ordered my XK back in March. Everyday I have to tell myself, "Relax. Take a deep breath. Be patient. It will get here eventually." Then I answer myself by saying, "F*ck that! I want my car today!"

 

Oh man, that must be tough!!!!!!

 

I still haven't driven one, but just sitting in it--it fit like a glove. There are very few cars I've encountered that immediately just felt right when sitting in the driver's seat (heck, none of the Jags I've had have immediately felt "right" to me), but this is one of them!

 

The XK just oozes appeal in every way imaginable. Magazine road test reviews and summaries, vehicle comparisons, tables of stats and JD Power what-evers could lead you to an analytical purchase of the automotive flavor on the year, but when you fall in love with a vehicle because it's the most beautiful thing you've ever seen you won't second-guess that decision every time the next car mag review hits the stands gushing over "the latest and greatest". You'll already be driving it...and you'll never look back.

Buy the nicest one you can afford if you think you're likely to keep it, they are a bargain, and I've never questioned whether mine was worth every penny!

 

Driving one will only make you want one even more. I went back to the dealer to take care of some paperwork yesterday and then took the XK up to the mountains to my favorite motorcycle road. I found my usual group
of friends (all on Ducatis) and played around a little bit seeing how well I could keep up - I was quite surprised at how well it worked. The suspension is a bit soft but it handles quite well at speed in the twisties.

You're going to love the car when you finally pick one up

 

I think this is why I need to buy an XKR. I have this horrible habit of buying cars, being satisfied with them for about 6-7 months, and then trading them in. I still haven't found that car that satisfies all my desires! I think the XKR could be the one!

The only thing the XKR is missing for me is a manual transmission option, but if the paddle shifters work as good as they say, I think I'll live with it. Especially if it gets me access to that GLORIOUS sound. Hopefully the handling is at least as good as my Mustang (which isn't THAT hard to match).

Now the biggest question still remains, which is that of price. I mentioned to the dealership that I wanted a 2007 XKR in black, gray or green. British Racing Green is much preferred over all the other colors. And I told him I only wanted to pay in the mid-$35s. He didn't scoff at that figure. But who knows!

 

My other sports cars have always been manuals, and I've loved them all, most of the time, but only for pleasure. But even when I was in my 20's I didn't like them for any stop'n'go driving. Still have two manuals I track and I expected to suffer withdrawal with the XKR, but none, nada, zip. Love the auto with it's rev matching downshifts, laid back demeanor when that's the mood, and blistering performance on the road and track when you want that. I've barely touched the paddles...but may use them more if I decide to get into them. This has one of the best autos available, and I wouldn't be tempted to have a manual in the XKR...even for dicing it up with the fast crowd on the track. This auto gets that job done very well!

Bruce

 

Hmm.... I hope you're right. You have other manual cars that you can drive, though. If I got an XKR, it would be my only vehicle. I wouldn't get to have fun driving a stick for months at a time!

Also, having a stick is a great way to ensure that my girlfriend never gets behind the wheel. When she first saw my Porsche 944 (since sold), the first thing she did was get in, turn the key (no clutch start switch) while it was in gear and launch it into a curb! Since that time, she knows never to try to drive a manual car.

Then again, you're right. Having a stick is a huge pain in the butt in stop and go traffic, especially where I live in the DC Area.

 

I too wish the XK came in a manual. My buddy has an '92 XJS with manual and it's a blast. He is putting a supercharged V8 in it.

The decline of the manual is partly due to lack of good manuals to choose from coupled with the wrong gearing. Drive an S2000 or Acura with a manual and it's Swiss watch precision that no Euro car can come close to. Put that same level of precision gear box on the Jag and the sales numbers will be there IMO.

 

I wonder if anyone with an 4.2 XKR in the DC area would be willing to let me take it for a short spin just to see what it's like! Any takers?

 

Well, I can't see DC traffic improving anytime soon. And if it comes down to choosing between the XKR and the gf, I just don't see the problem. Consider the rarity of the XKR, and how you'll be the ultimate chick magnet in your XKR Women will want you everywhere you go. Wasn't there a thread related to that not long ago?

 

That one is a keeper - Great line. Jaguar should pay you to use it in their ads!

 

Does anyone have any idea how much a 2007 XKR with about 40k miles cost last winter? I'm trying to get an idea for how much XK/XKR I can afford.

 

Allen,

This past Nov. I paid 30 large for an 07 XK Coup, base model with 30,000 miles in Ft. Meyers FL. Superb condition with 2 tone leather-cream seats and dove grey/wood dash. It was a Select Edition and needed tires only.
The car came out of VA and FL. Hope this helps.

 

Thanks, Tarheal. It would be great to get this sort of information. I calculated today that I could probably have a $3000-3500 downpayment saved up by November, and could probably afford a $36,000 purchase price (+ 3% tax). Hopefully an XKR with 40k miles could be around that price range.

 

Here in California, we don't have "personal property tax".

I pay only $108 per six months (liability only) for GEICO insurance on my current '05 XJ8L and slightly more ($150) for my old XK8 (sold). I opted not to get full coverage because I work mainly from home and I am a conservative driver. So far so good (knock on burled wood).

You *must* get a thorough pre-purchase inspection by a Jag specialist, which will be the best $200 investment you'll ever spend. Then you'll make a maintenance budget based on the inspection results. My XJ passed inspection with flying colors (except a few error codes that were cleared later) and has been running trouble-free ever since, so my maint.budget is only $500/yr. My recent 600-mile trip to Vegas by way of Palm Springs was a pure joy. (I suspect XK8 may be better suited for long trips than an XKR).

Cheers,
Wolfy

 

Dear GOD. I just test drove a 2009 XKR today. Absolutely sublime! The dealer pretty much gave me the keys and told me to have fun. I only drove it for about 15 minutes

Thank goodness I drove one that was a hideous pale blue color, or else I would've had to buy on the spot, despite it being about $20k over my budget!

I love the overall stance of the car, the way it feels from the drivers seat. It doesn't feel large--you can see over the hood just fine unlike in my Mustang. The sound it makes is absolutely amazing, and acceleration is absolutely effortless. I can't possibly imagine wanting or needing a car that is faster than this. My Mustang feels completely and utterly neutered compared to this car in almost every single way.

I did the entire test drive almost entirely in manual mode. I could definitely see getting used to manual mode. The shifts are razor fast, with upshifts being faster than downshifts, but downshifts nevertheless being faster than they could be executed by hand. This automatic transmission does a fantastic job emulating a manual transmission. Even holding it in first gear, the car will lurch if you let off the gas suddenly, just like a real manual! Cool!

One complaint about the manual mode is that it seems to automatically upshift once you hit the rev limiter. Kind of annoying. Is there a way to change this? I was under the impression that it wouldn't shift unless you told it to, no matter what. Then again, why would you want to be bouncing off the rev limiter?

I didn't test the car too hard, especially in the handling department, but the steering felt great. The car felt fairly planted, although not as planted as German cars tend to feel--but I don't like that feeling anyway. I like my cars to dance with me! The XKR definitely feels light on its feet.

The interior doesn't seem as luxurious as it could, but is OK in my opinion. Don't like the cheap painted plastic bits. The touch screen is too slow. Reminds me of my old smart phone that was extremely slow and glitchy. But very minor quibbles. The heart of this car is not in the gadgets.

Sigh... only 5 more months until I can really start looking for one of these amazing machines.