Hello, I am a prospective XK8 owner. I have been lurking here soaking up as much info as I can and have learned a lot about these gorgeous cars. I have owned an MGB and an MG Midget that both oozed character but they were maddening to maintain. I have also owned 2 Miatas that were fun and easy to own. I then went through the raising kids decades with station wagons and minivans and now it is time for a Jaguar XK8!

I am looking in the $8k to $12k range but will go to $15k or so for the right car. Fundamentally my question is this - should I look for a 98-99 with lower mileage or a 00-01 with slightly higher mileage? In the $8-12k range it seems I can get a 99 with 30k or so miles to an 02 with 70k or so miles. Then there is the 03 I have found that hs 40k miles and the owner is asking $18.6k but I am thinking might be worth offering around $16k.

How much of an improvement is the 4.2l engine in the 03 vs the 4.0l engine in the earlier cars? The 4.2l doesn't have the timing chain tensioner issues or throttle body issues does it? Are there other major differences in those model years?

Any and all advice is welcome and please tell me these beautiful cars won't need as much 'work' as my old MGs. I t seems I spent more time jnder the bonnet than in the seat on those cars.

Thanks in advance for the replies!

Don

 

Since you mention the MG issues of maintenance, let me remind you the Jags are still British cars, just more exotic than your average MG. However, once you get them sorted out, they are very reliable cars. Mine is a daily driver.

I prefer the 2001-2002 models, but there is a lot to be said for the 2003 and up years. The 4.2 engines have the upgraded tensioners and better gas mileage. The 4.0 models have the more robust transmission, but is only a five-speed.

I wouldn't worry about mileage, many forum members have well over 100k on their cars (mine has ~113k). Worry more about maintenance. Has it been taken care of mechanically? Do they have the service records to prove it? Can you speak to their regular mechanic? Also low miles on a 1998-1999 doesn't mean much IMHO. It is still a 15-year old car. Rubber and plastics age whether or not the car is driven.

You have started in the right place. This forum has been invaluable to me in maintaining my car. I love driving it and has been one of my favorite cars ever, and that list includes Jags, Audis, Alfas, Fiats and even an MGA.

 

+1 on that recommendation from Mike...

Don, as another certifiable/recovering MGA/MGB/Triumph addict, ( and I LOVED my MGA ), these XK8's are just so damn loverly to drive.

I took almost a year to find a 2000 converible with ZERO rust, as in <ZERO> ... all the rest is basically dealing with a 15 year old parts-replacement-cycle.

I am hooked, and I'm looking for another later model alu body that needs mechanicals, as I actually enjoy losing knuckle skin under these baby's.

 

I came from a similar boat almost two years ago- I had been driving an 86 944 Turbo that I was also under the hood of more than driving it seemed. Let me tell you, these XK8s/XKRs have kept me behind the wheel with a lot more desirability and durability than the raw 'drivers car' I was killing myself to keep on the road before! My wife and kids appreciate this, for one (and so does our bank account!). The key as Mike said is to find one that has been well taken care of and maintenance upkept. I also wouldn't worry about the mileage (also a daily driver here, at 128k), so things get even more affordable for you if you look beyond the 75k mark. I would rather have a slightly higher mileage car like that than one with only 12-30k or so, because I know it's been driven fairly regularly. These cars do not like to sit for long, but are surprisingly reliable if used and maintained (ssshhh, don't tell anyone- it's the long running secret here). G'luck!

 

donskrin,
I also prefer the 2001-2002 as there were subtle changes to the body and lights. You should be able to find very nice cars in the price range you are quoting. Are you considering only non-supercharged models? The reason I ask is that besides the pre-2003 tensioner issues, there are also different transmission choices. The pre-2003 XKR got the 5 speed Mercedes sourced transmission which I think most would agree was the most stout of all of the trannys offered in either the XK8 or the XKR for all years. Pre-2003 XK8's received a 5 speed ZF, and 2003-2006 XK8's and XKR's got a 6 speed ZF. Be patient and get the car with the best and most complete service history, and you'll enjoy many miles of pleasurable driving. I will pass 150,000 miles on my 2002 XKR sometime in the next few weeks, and while they haven't been trouble free, it's been worth every penny.

Good luck.

 

Look for a southern or west coast car. These babies are prone to rust if raised in the northern states. Just for perspective I just bought a 03 with 86K from CA with all service records from new and in great shape. Paid 11K for it, got a deal. That being said I shipped it to Hawaii sight unseen, apron arrived it is as beautiful as I expected and cosmetically almost perfect which was very, very important to me. Mechanically it's sound but needs a front end rebuild due to worn suspension which I am in the planning stages to do. I've ordered all new suspension parts for the front, everything, and the parts only bill is running around $1100 but I do the work myself and in the end will have a basically new car.

There will always be minor issues to sort out and with the help of the great folks on this forum I've managed to fix quite a few issues without much trouble.

Long term I don't know how reliable it will be, folks here speak well of these cars but they should, this is a Jaguar forum. I like to tinker so this car fits me just fine.

Look around, look for a good body, interior and drivetrain, everything else can be repaired.

I personally wanted an 03 to 06, they are just a little more refined with less issues IMHO.

 

No connection but you might want to look in the forum classified,
For example
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/p...uper-c-117337/

 

Jandreu, Thanks for randomly using my ad as an example!

Don, FYI...My XKR is still for sale in the Forum Classifieds. It's a nice 2000 model worthy of your consideration. I'm also running an advert for the XKR on cars.com...has a free carfax link. If you're interested dial me up. I'll be happy to give you all the details and answer any questions you have.

Cheers!

Jon

 

Jon, Your car is very much worthy of my consideration! I just might give you a call to see if we can work something out. We have a little matter of a thousand miles or so separating us but this too can be overcome by time and a road trip. I appreciate the cars.com link with carfax. For my money though your history here on this forum is worth more than any carfax report. Don

 

Oh definitely yes!

I owned a Triumph GT6 MK3 and it was a beautiful piece of crap. My XKR is one of the most dependable vehicles I've ever owned; tied with a Lincoln Town Car for reliability. I daily drive this car from when the salt is rinsed off the road early in the year until they put the salt back on later!

It's good to hear another DIY person! I'm a DIY girl and my XKR has been very easy to work on. I also own Audis, but that will probably change soon as they seem to engineer things to be as rubegoldbergesque as possible to replace. Parts are quite reasonable considering what these XK8s cost new.

Having owned an XKR, comparing it to early XK8s, it's not just faster, it's more reliable! You get a Mercedes 722.6 (Jaguar W5A580 is fancy talk for that lol) transmission that is stout and easy and cheap to rebuild (relative to anything ZF). You get aluminum thermostat housing. You get no VVT (not a big deal but one less thing). You get more POWA!

3 years ago (01/13/2011) I bought my 2000 XKR Convertible for $10.6k with 68k miles. It had a few dings, a bit of clearcoat issue on one front fender, and a tiny bit of cosmetic curb rash on the wheels. It ran and drove well, had a good service history at dealers, and just needed the timing components addressed preventatively. The nikasil cylinder liners were fine and still are fine. I spent $200 and got all the dents popped to perfection, the fender repainted by a shop for $200, and am just getting around to the wheels because it really was minor damage. I did secondary tensioners and spent like $250ish to do those in my garage on an afternoon.

I would definitely buy another XKR, and am slowly easing into the market to replace my A8L with an XJR (but first mod will be LSD so I can get better snow traction; the A8 is a god in snow but I'm angry at it!)

 

I'd definitely say it's worth a look! That's a nice price for a great car. Being a great color combo definitely helps!