I currently have a 2004 X350 and am thinking about buying a newer 2007+XK or XKR. However I don't see a "Things you should know about your XK" thread here similar to the one in the X350 sub forum.

Is there such a thread or am I looking at your regular Jaguar issues (lights, air suspension, Heater core issues et al) ?

Is the XK as easy to work on as the X350 and are parts similarly priced?

The convertible would be nice too, would I be looking at roof issues on a nearly 10 year old car?

I presume running costs would be similar to the XJ8 too?

Reasoning on the purchase is to sell the motorbike that my wife can no longer sit on the back of due to neck issues, sell the XJ8 (or part it out) and do Continental GT type touring around the country in with the top down. Although I gear more towards the coupe to be honest.

My one and only fear though (of getting another Jag in this scenario) is breaking down in some obscure part of America without a Jaguar dealer/service within a thousand miles and being stranded, where a US vehicle brand would not have such issues.

Any info much appreciated

 

Good place to start :
Jaguar XK/XKR (X150): PH Buying Guide | PistonHeads

 

If you are wanting to tour, the XK has a very harsh sports car suspension compared to other Jaguars. The XK8 might make a better option if you are wanting a Jaguar for open top touring.

 

I don't consider my 2009 XKR to have a "very harsh" ride, even with 20"wheels. It's a luxury Grand Touring automobile with great handling and braking, and yes, the ride is firm but not punishing or harsh. If you want a vehicle with a floaty, limo-like ride that handles like a hippopotamus, the X150 is not for you.

My XKR has been very reliable.

 

After owning both, you'll love the XK and feel at home right away. Interior is a step up. I would go for a 2010+ XK over the 4.2 XKR for similar money.

 

My list of problems to date
- thermostat replacement
- air con overflow (water) into passenger footwell
- front rotors replaced due to poor quality (60k km)
- rear rotors yet to replace but like the front they need to be done
- left hand calliper (piston not retracting properly)
-sagging roof line

All cars have their problems , I can deal with the above list as everything can be fixed/replaced.

What you have to worry about whenever purchasing a vehicle of any manufacture is how bullet proof the drive Line is - engine / gearbox / diff because that's where the big dollars are spent

 

I've had my 2010 XKR for several years now, not even one problem. Zero. Oh, except for a very occasional Dash Light for the active headlights, but a slight rap and that goes away. Almost sixty thousand miles already and still running strong. However, I'm going to play it safe and replace the trans fluids this summer.
Not a drip from the water pump, and zero sounds from the chain tensioners.

 

The 2010+ XKR has better stopping distance than a Lambo Gallardo which uses $16,000 rotors.

The XKR rotors cost the same as an ordinary truck.

A quote from car and driver to consider regarding 2010 xkr
"The XKR makeover has turned a vehicle that was pretty quick into a serious competitor for the likes of the BMW M6 and Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG and into a bargain, relatively speaking, as it smokes the Aston Martin DB9 in every regard for a lot less money."

 

You can use a cheap to manufacture solid unvented rotor to stop a vehicle once. Its how it deals with temperature of repeated uses that raise the $$$. Stopping distance in a one and done test won't be improved by expensive rotor materials or internal air venting.

 

Yes thats the Brilliance of Jaguar/ British engineering. They design things for real world applications. Once you have a butt-clenching moment, you are unlikely to repeat it till the brakes cool down. The result is that consumer still gets state of the art braking without weeping at the dealership at time of repairs.

If we are honest, a Lambo will most likely wear its brakes in Miami traffic rather than on the track. And frankly its not so good on the track. On the track an Ariel Atom cant be beat.

Incidentally, those carbon ceramic rotors are British sourced if I remember correctly.

 

Say what you want about the 4.2 not being as good as the 5.0. For reliability I disagree. I stopped by Coventry West and they said almost all engine related calls are the 5.0 (XK's) with the 4.2 nearly silent. You don't see 4.2 engine posts here often. No, it's not 510hp. Somehow I struggle with 420hp and never worry about my water pump failing. Ok, I'm a little jealous of 510hp. Sometimes. Sometimes more than others. Guilty!

The e-diff is the single biggest improvement in the 2010+ models IMHO. That's remedied with a $1500 Quaife for the 07-09 models. The difference in price between the 4.2's and the 5.0's is why I bought my 07. I could have bought 10+ Quaife diffs for the difference in price for the same exact car, less 90hp. Maintenance has been minimal and for the most part quite easy. Nothing with the engine. Trans service is a little pricey but only recommended every 50k miles. Just like any other car brake fluid and coolant every couple years. Mine has been anvil reliable. I have a coupe so the roof works perfectly. It's an epic touring car. I also have the standard brakes. You can do all rotors and pads for around $500. The Alcon's are cubic-dollars to replace from what I've read. The A/C drain is another known issue. Luckily I've been spared so far.

Would I have a 5.0? If I could afford it, sure. But only the facelift 2012+. Why would I spend 15-20 grand more (2010-2012) for the exact same body? I didn't think 90hp was worth 15-20 grand. As a former ASE certified mechanic I can replace a water pump so for me it came down to car purchase price. They seem to be slow failing (starts with a leak) so roadside stranding is unlikely. What I liked about the 4.2 is the 10+ years development it had before installation in the XKR. It was mature even in the first year X150's.

Either way it's hard to go wrong with an X150.

So in summary to the best of my knowledge....

2007-2009 4.2 engine. Open differential.
2010-2011 5.0 engine. E-differential.
All of the above? Same exact body (ok the 07 had an aerial antenna)
2012-2015 Face-lift front end. Same 5.0 engine and E-differential as the 2010. A lot more money than the pre-face lifts. But oh what a face.

 

You're right, Alcons are very expensive if you have to replace the massive rotors and even more so if you have to replace the 6-piston front and 4-piston rear calipers. Fortunately, I got away cheap by doing only a "pad slap" at 30K miles, without having to replace/resurface the grooved rotors or replace/rebuild the calipers. The key is to replace the pads a bit prematurely, before they score the rotors. Pads are a lot cheaper than rotors. This also applies to the standard brakes.

I've also been fortunate to not have had the A/C drain problem. I do the "close-all-the-vents A/C on highest fan speed" trick every month to (hopefully) keep the duckbill open.

 

I think I can answer the question directly since I traded my 2004 xj8 for my 2007 XK, both with the 4.2 engine.
First, regardless of opinions to the contrary, the 4.2 engine not only is more reliable than the 5 litre ( meaning that it has no water pump, timing chain or oil checking issues) but is is also much, much more than sufficiently fast. There is nowhere in the civilized world that you can fully exploit its performance potential. The supercharged version in my experience ( and yes, I have driven a supercharged 5 litre) is overkill - and that could be taken literally.
The 4.2 coupe is luxurious, reliable, gorgeous, fast and supremely comfortable for touring. Problems? I haven't had a single issue - nothing. I keep the car on the CTEK charger when not being used (as I did with my xj8). The result has been that there have been zero electronic gremlins which are always the result of low battery voltage.
The 2007 XK does not have as much wood trim as the 08 and later cars (missing on the window switch panels, for example) but the dash and console leather and wood are stunning. In other words, if the XK appeals (how could it not?) be not afraid. It is an entirely different cat than the sedan, but no less satisfying (and I say that having loved my xj8)

 

I can't agree with you assumptions of the reliability of the 5.0L engine unless you can show me the data that supports these issues. Until then all the comments on any form is but mere hearsay. Please provide the numbers on how many waterpump or timing chain failures have happened on the 2010-present 5.0L engines. It is similar to me that the duck bill in the 4.2 cars is a major problem. Without data we have nothing.

 

I see that it was 2012 for the face lift, so I meant to say that... The 5.0 isn't as a big a deal to me as the all the little refinements that last XK's have that make it a nicer package over all. 4.2 is more reliable, less costly to fix, and less likely to need the dealer to fix it.

 

Trosty, I just made the switch after selling my 05 Super V8. There are very distinct differences as you can imagine. Keep in mind I only have about 100 miles on mine, so grain of salt my friend....

The XK doesn't have air suspension - Spring and Damper. Much harsher than an XJ (comparatively) but much tighter handling. That's why you don't see the issues on this board. The ride is very comfortable but it is different. I liken it to those who convert to Arnott on the X350.

While I haven't studied the suspension and compared it to the X350, the bushes on the XK wear as well, just not as frequent. I consider the bushings a non issue comparatively.

Noise - By design sound the sound is piped into the cabin but you can disable that if you're so inclined. Exhaust is louder as well. I think it comes with the GT territory. This is not a complaint, just a difference from the X350.

Engine and transmission are the same as the x350 and IMO bulletproof. Tranny needs service as is covered extensively in the x350 forum, however, clearance is a bit tighter on the fill plug.

A/C drain has a duck bill. This closes over time (seals shut) and you get water in the cabin. The drain is directly over the transmission and you can only access it by lowering the transmission. Others have alternative fixes but the techs will confirm. Drop the tranny, cut the duck bill.

The water pump gets a lot of attention on this forum. I have no issue with mine to date but for some reason, the XK OEM was of lesser quality. Remanufactured's are of better quality. They are cheap enough. When I drain and flush my coolant, I will replace mine.

The Dash leather can lift. A forum member, tberg, has a great post on the fix. Not complex for a DIY but a pain.
Door cards can have a similar problem.

Headliners - seem to be less problematic than the x350 but are still there.


Gauges - this one is so weird but the XK doesn't have all the gauges you have in your XJ. No temp gauge, oil pressure, voltage. There is a great solution to this that adds these via the view screen but it uses antiquated technology and still cost a fortune. Many members just add an OBD II BT reader and an app.

The nav screen is GVIF technology so you can forget a back up camera without having to make a selection on the nav screen each time you go in reverse.

Back to cooling system. The heater core problem doesn't appear as common with the X150 but it still uses Dexcool so you want to flush every 5 years.

Charging. Everyone keeps their car on a battery maintainer. I have mine on a charge as well. I dread the day I will forget to disconnect before backing up. Bottom line is these beasties are a drain on power. Always, always, always hook up to a maintainer when not in use. Most folks like ctek. I'm too cheap.

I love the handling of the car, dislike the noise (I guess that was a complaint above), can't get over the look and have no regrets about making the switch. I would never take my X350 on a long road trip. I wouldn't hesitate to take take my XK out. This ride is classic Jaguar.

Personally think they are as easy to work on as the x350. Parts are priced similarly as the X350 and there are many interchangeable with Ford.

Finally, I think you find less on this forum because there are fewer problems, period.

The members on this board are great. The biggest gripe I truly have is that there is absolutely no room for golf clubs.

So there's my 100 mile assessment my friend.

 

I'm going to add that no picture on Earth can capture how beautiful the XK is in person.

 

Almost forgot...

Spring suspension all around so no air suspension to deal with. Heater cores no issue either.

Biggest known issues:
a/c drain
dash leather pulling/shrinking
h2o pump on 5.0's
TPMS on some 07's from improper wire routing
Doesn't like anything but full health fully charged batteries
Speeding tickets
Hard to see out of all the bras and panties thrown at you. (Ok I made the last one up.)

 

The 5.0 is more reliable- when you look at it from the upshot, which no one has discussed yet.
The biggest innovation in the 5.0 is the cam phaser. it gives lighting quick power, so good that even Ford is licensing it from Jaguar. When you think about hotrodding from simpler times,the first thing one did was cams.

Second thing one did was forced induction, the NEW Supercharger is greatly improved and has no whine.

The third thing one did was faster more tuned fuel- Direct Injection in the 5.0 is no joke, another industry first they have centrally mounted the spray.

Even if the 5.0 had the same output as the 4.2, the torque curve of the 5.0 is nothing short of glorious. And in real world driving, the torque and thrill is there in regular non high rev driving.

While 420hp is a powerful car, 510hp with active cams, electronic diff an direct injection, you are in the supercar territory.

Here is some inspiration (same 5.0 engine)