Since I've been a proud owner of my 2002 xk8, I've had to reverse years of neglect by the previous and longest owner, and the bills keep coming in. Hopefully I've dealt with the worst issues! Not to mention the elective upgrades I've done to customize.
I've noticed the sheer amount of fellow owners that seemingly have also poured money into their cars, well in excess of the resale value! So I'm curious just how far we will go to keep our beloved XK8's.

I paid 9400.00

My running total on required repairs is, so far, around 4500.00, labor parts and some repairs I did myself. Still need tires so add another 900.00

Elective expenses, kits, badges, stereo, 4300.00 so far, including. arden kit install. Want new wheels as well.

Please tell me there are others out there as dedicated (or foolish) as me!!!

 

Just bought a relatively cherry '99 XK8 with 29K miles at the end of March. Already $2,700 on the 30K service, at which I replaced all hoses because of the age. Wanted to make sure the car is good for a 1,000 mile drive. Next up will be paintless dent removal, pressure reduction valve for the top (do this myself) and eventually secondary tensioners (also do this myself). All the rest of mechanical and appearance features seem fine. The car is for my wife, so trying to make it as appealing to her as possible, and she loves it!

 

in the 15 months since I've had my XK8 - no upgrades yet, but have spent about $2500 for repairs/maintenance (rear window regulator, tail light ground (free repair), brake pads, rear tires, air intake tube, replaced spark plugs, 3 oil/filter changes). Still have a few bugs (intermittent ABS/Trac; A/C recharge, rear view mirror, hydraulic hoses once I get a nice weekend) to go but the forum has all the info I need to complete the repairs myself. Others have spent more/less but depends on the care/feeding the previous owner gave the Jag.

I know a lot of people put stock in car fax, but that is only as good as what has been reported.

 

As written by Fotomtom
I would be moving the tensioners to the front of my list. That's insurance from what could turn into a very expensive outcome.

I've spent approximately $720.00 over four years Hydraulic hose lines, relief valve and fuel pumps, all of these were DIY projects. These are the mechanical failures. also a repaint, a spare set of wheels used 20" Detroit's, new tires, new windsheild, totaling over $7,700.00. all cosmetic except for the tires. This car was maintained by the previous owner by the dealership.

 

I've owned my '97 for 1 1/2 yrs and have about $1100 in repairs, maintenance and upgrades. Has 78000 miles on it. Needs a respray.

 

I bought my 2002 XK8 in November of last year (2012). It has 90K on the clock and I bought it on-line from a company in Texas. I ran both the carfax and another reporting agency, both came back with no major issues. I was assured that the car was mechnically sound,needing only minor cosmetic repairs. Well, it turned out to be pretty much just the opposite. The car looks pretty good, but the list of mechanical problems filled a full page. Starting with the "check engine light" on (although it supposedly passed smog in Texas),power seats not working,drivers door panel falling off,most plastic parts broken,etc.
But after licking my wounds for a week, I found this forum, and it saved my sanity. I am mechanically inclined, and I have a nice shop. With the help of this forum I have done all of the work myself so far. I have spent around $2,000 in parts so far. I paid $9500 for my XK8 conv. So I am OK with it so far. It still has what might be some expensive issues, but it runs well and is pretty dependable now. I look at it like a challenge,and I enjoy driving it. But if it had been purchased by someone who needed to take it to the dealer for all repairs, I believe it would be considered a total.

 

We've owned my wife's 2006 XK8 since February 2012. It came with a fairly nasty passenger door ding that I had repaired and repainted the first week of ownership. After that, new rear tires went on in April 2012 (no Pirelli tire warranty so I paid 100% for the new rear Yokohamas) and new front tires went on in October 2012 (known Michelin "chunking" defects, so Michelin covered 75% of the new front Yokohamas). New battery in September 2012. New air intake duct and new brake pedal switch in October 2012. Alignment check in October 2012. Everything else has been routine maintenance items such as oil, filters, cleaners, 303 ragtop treatment, Techron, better floor mats, and some tools I needed to service various aspects of the car. The usual DIY repairs such as headrest motor cable, battling the wheel speed sensors and harnesses, VVT engine oil seals, etc. Our local Jaguar dealership has never seen this XK8 and I hope I can keep it that way for a long, long time....

So total maintenance and repair costs to date are right at $2,000. Having a trusted, ****-retentive professional fix the door ding and purchasing the four new tires account for half of that figure. The odometer showed 36,300 miles when the car was delivered to us. My wife has taken the car to more than 64,000 miles now showing on the odometer in just over 15 months of ownership. All things considered, I can't complain too much....

 

Bought my 2003 XKR with 68,000 miles on the clock a year ago for £12,000. Spent £600 on an Adamesh exhaust, grill and clear repeaters and £15 on an OBDII reader.

That's it except tax/insurance/fuel. Oh, and its my daily driver. I LOVE this car!

 

Had my 2001 XK8 about 15 months now. Did the full routine maintenance (oil change, filters, drive belt, etc.) within 30 days of purchase.

Have spent some time and money on cosmetics such as cleaning and conditioning the leather, 303 treatment for the top/hood and repaired hail damage at $0 cost with insurance. Will need tires soon, assume $900. Installed the RealGauge oil/water upgrade.

Unscheduled repairs: $250 alternator, $150 expansion tank & $0 ABS fix (all DIY projects)
Preventative repairs: $600 secondary tensioners
Joy of driving this car: Priceless

 

Let's see.

I got the car for the low price of free. And I've spent:
$25 on air filter.
$132 on tensioners and bolts DIY
$60 on oil and filter change

I spent a few weeks working with the hoses making sure they were all ok, replacing those that seemed to be on their last legs. I stopped a coolant leak. I spent about $15 on that. I also worked with the quarter window regulator and with the front windows as well. Didn't spend much money on that either.

Prior to my ownership, the car had the green shower, hydraulics were fixed. They also fixed transmission. From what I understand, the tranny lost its oil and that resulted in further problems. Thermostat and water pump were upgraded as well.

Currently, the car needs new paint. It's running smoothly so far.

 

The first thing I did in Dec. 2006 after buying my '98 XK8 conv with 36K was to take it to the dealer.They installed new tensioners. Looking at the condition of the plastic ones they removed I figure I would have had less then a dozen starts before they failed. I think this cost me $1,600. Next I needed tires. The Perellis were dry rotted. Got slightly over sized Kuhmo's for $500. Had a respray in 2009 for $1,700. You get what you pay for. I got taken. The job looked like he painted it in the back yard under a tree with spray cans. It took three tries for him to pollish out the orange peel. Will get it done properly within the next twelve months. Other estimates were in the $3,500 range. Thanks to this forum and ebay i have been able to correct additional problems without having to go to the bank. I figure I saved myself 75% to 90% off what the dealer would have charged. Now have 113K on the odometer. Jack

 

Ok! Still looks like I win! (If you call bleeding$$$ winning!!)
I wouldn't be so miffed if I'd paid, say 7000.00! The car looks amazing and interior flawless so maybe I lucked out there.
Oh, when they replaced the hydraulic lines they found three previous repairs and really bad ones!! I had to laugh!!

 

Bought for £4,500 in December last year and since spent £500 on gearbox overhaul and general inspection. The tensioners were done before I bought the car, which was a major worry.

Best wishes, Colin

 

philhef.. I am in the $7k region as well - just engine and some cooling..

Rear view mirror repaired for $99 (radar-mirror.com in Texas - a wonderful job!)
Headliner on A pillar and console. $24 ($15 for material, $8 for the glue)
Sun visors repaired. $0
Hood struts $30 something.
Wheel center cap replaced ($45 off Ebay for used set)

New tires on the list for next year..

I don't know if that is dedication or stupidity, but I would feel a lot more "dedicated" if someone spent more than I did!

 

'97 xk8 convertible, 100K Km. 10.000 Euro's 1 year ago. Spent abt 3000 Euro's on the mandatory stuff like tensioners, extended service and new rear tires.

Done 7000 Km since, with no other cost than the petrol. Everthing's looking as good as new from the outside, so I expect to spend very little the next few years, god willing...

 

I bought my BRG 1998 XK8 Coupe in 2004, it had 50,000 miles and was, in retrospect, in need of some serious TLC. (Due diligence was not done, love is blind) It now has 72,000 miles and has never let us down. DIY repairs included: (all numbers are approximate)
2ndary tensioners, $500 (including special tools).
Cam cover gaskets $80.00. just purchased, one of them is leaking slightly after 20,000 miles.
Headliner recovered, along with A pillars and rear parcel shelf, $70.00 material, $25.00 for adhesive.
New set of Pirellis $1400.00. Man are Pirelli proud of those tires!
Front pads and rotors, $200.00
Pinion seal (twice) $600.00 (includes labor by my local indy)
Water pump, aluminum thermostat housing, bypass hose etc. $150.00
Roll bar link, $100.00.
Upper suspension bushings & shims. $300.00
Two 4 wheel alignments $150.00.
Rear mirror rebuild $100.00
New floor mats with leaper embroidery in matching green. $100.00
I have to stop here, this is depressing. I love this car, but it’s like flying, if you start counting the cost, the pleasure of ownership is correspondingly diminished.
After 9 years of ownership I can honestly say: Every time I turn it on, it still returns the favor…
Regards,
White Bear.

 

Why in the world did you buy Pirelli tires?

 

I bought my 99 convertible in November 2012 for $9K with the all tensioners, chains and guides done. Top hoses were done a few years earlier. So far:

Unplanned - Rear axle bearings, rear brakes and rotors @ $1800, top hydraulic hoses including the PRV @$1400
Preventative - Aluminum T-stat tower and hoses @$200
Cosmetic - Rear view mirror & antenna shaft @ $180, plastic valve covers @ $70, leather color kit & touch-up paint @ $120, rear muffler delete with 4" smoked stainless steel tips @ $150

And "NICE XK8" License plate @ $50.

 

Not counting regular maintenance items, a little over $3,500 in 19 months.

 

I bought the car about 2 months ago for $3200 with 53k miles - it was not running when I made the deal.

Replaced the flat tire and bought a new battery and drove it home. 2 months later and almost 2000 miles later I have done the following:

Oil change and fuel filter change
Front wheel hub bearings and disc brakes resurfaced and shoes replaced.
Installed 4 new tires - will upgrade to 18" coventry wheels and tires later this year.

Front shock mounts replaced
Rear spoiler lip
k & N air filter
Replaced subwoofers with Kicker subs and dynamat the enclosure

Chromed the air vents (will chrome dash instrumental rings later)
Conventry shift knob
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Most of the mechanica labor was done at local shops that had mercy on me.

Total - $1220 in repairs + 3200 = $4220

Will install Borla exhaust mufflers this week and might have to replace thermosat housing soon. The time chain tensioners were replaced by previous owner..

Im happy with it so far. Its a fun car to drive and i think I can still flip it and make money but it has turned into my daily driver so I dont know if I will anytime soon....