Just to try to prep things in my mind... how much should I budget for a trans at some point on my 1999 XK8. Currently has 104K miles of which I put on a little over 2k since I got the car 6+ weeks ago. Everything is running and behaving well (No ABS Light or Traction Light still - woohoo!!!) but I have heard/read the whole sealed for life, even with service, could give up at 80k-100k stories.

Since I got the car, I have changed all fluids including having the transmission serviced at British Performance in Mission Viejo (who I do personally recommend as a very good independent shop in OC). No problem with the trans, just wanted to know when everything was done.

So questions are, if I continue to service regularly, and I drive it nicely could I hope to get many more miles out of the existing gearbox? No real idea of the history but the car is in such phenomenal shape mechanically and cosmetically I do not believe it was every abused - much anyway...

I am not 25 anymore and I do fear the ticket reapers out there, my idea of letting loose in this car is putting it at about 2/3 throttle down the freeway ramp, which is still a lot of fun. Most of the time I just drive it nicely and enjoy it. I also realize the car has 100k+ and I wouldnt want to be thrashed when I am old either.

if and when it does go, are they:
Fixable? (approx $ range)
Replaced with new (approx $ range)
Replaced with used (approx $ range)

Thanks,

 

Saw a rebuilt at Jagbits.com for $5322 including core charge. Probably about 10 hours labor so add another thousand or so.

 

I have seen ads and eBay listings for $1695 out of a company in Phoenix, plus core, and posts about prices of $2500 plus core. Both are rebuilds. Got a dealer invoice for $5400 for a factory unit including torque converter and installation about 3 years ago.

Since the ZF 5HP24 was last used in the '02 MY any used ones might be getting to rebuild miles.

Keep changing the ATF and you might get a lot more miles out of it.

 

Thanks, thats good info. I could probably stomach $3500 or so with install (albeit very painfully) but that whole $5000+ range I start thinking about replacement value of the car. Like I said, its all a mind game that I play with myself.

Any opinions on a reasonable interval for ATF changes? Would want to err on the side of too frequent. I paid my independent jaguar specialist about $350 to service the transmission as part of a general sort out when I first got the car. Had a 103k on it at that time. No idea if it had ever been done before, but I strongly suspect it had, just dont know when.

Should I be thinking months or miles? Once every year or two years? or every 10k, 30k or 50k? (30k-50k seems like a long way off at this point). Obviously not covered in the official "sealed for life" information on service intervals from Jag.

I think after the novelty of the new car wears off - probably a couple more months I would think, we will probably end up putting an average of 5k-7k miles a year on it. We drive a lot here in SoCal but spread the mileage out over 6 vehicles currently.

 

Mark, three key factors enter into the equation and they are drving habit, age of the transmission fluid and preventative maintenance. You have already attended to the fluid issue by having it changed. If the fluid did not show signs of excess heat degradation (black color and strong burnt odor) and there was no excess of fine solid (metal) debris in the pan, then you are probably okay. Drive thoughtfully and continue to service the transmission along with the rest of the car and it is likely to serve you well. If you are doing a lot of city driving consider a fluid change every 30K miles, otherwise every 50k. From what I have been able to glean from this and many other sites is that preventative maintenance is very important with XK8/Rs. A few dollars spent now and then will save you a lot of headaches.

Enjoy the road ahead.

Tim V.
2005 XKR Coupe.