I went to the Jaguar dealer to get a bottle of the ZF stuff for my transmission. While I was there I checked out the new Jags. They are absolutely beautiful. The sticker on the one in the showroom was only $90K. I can afford that! I'd just need to sell my Expedition, my current XK8, my wife's car, and my house.

Oh... never mind. I don't even think I have that much equity in my house now that the market has crashed. I guess I'll have to wait a few years.

I love the look of the older XKs, but the new body style is growing on me. They remind me a lot of the Aston Martins, which makes sense since they are cousins.

I just checked swapalease.com. I can get one for a mere $1200 to $1600 per month!

 

I also originally much preferred the look of the previous generation XK8/XKR and, in fact, I think the very first ones looked the best (prior to the 2005 facelift). When I first saw the current generation XK my initial impression was that they were bloated looking and not nearly as elegant as our vintage. However, I have to say that the new ones have grown on me a bit, at least from certain angles. The strong points are view from the rear or side/rear looking towards the front. However, I still can't get past the plasticky/cheaper look that you see head-on from the front. Nevertheless, the new XK still looks better and more distinctive compared with other offerings out there.


Doug

 

I just bought a Saab 9-3 convertible for my son a week or so ago, and I have to say that the automatic tonneau cover was very cool. The new XKs have a similar feature, and I'd love to have one just for that reason. On my trip out west earlier this year we kept driving through brief rain showers. I ended up leaving the tonneau off much of the time when the top was down because it just took too long to take it off if I needed to put the top up in a hurry.

 

I'd have to sell all of my vehicles, Excursion, XJR, hay hauler F150, then the 4 kids, the house (still a little equity) and still take a loan!

On second thought, I'll just wait ten years and buy it for $15K cash!

 

Sam, since you mentioned car shopping, whats the latest in your plan to sell the vert? All these suspension repair, new tire threads and such makes me think you may want to keep Beth's (<- my car) evil twin

 

I just couldn't bring myself to sell it. I'm having too much fun driving and tinkering. I might change my mind once it gets cold. The weather for the last two months has been beautiful for driving, though.

 

Have you priced a paint job? Carnival red with the black interior is still a great color combo...plus you keep the lovely Apollo rims

 

The first gen XK8/XKR were as obscenely priced as the current generation (at least for my pocketbook) but the pre-owned prices were just as ridiculously low, which is what enabled me to buy my pre-owned 2005. I tend to keep cars a long time anyway, but if and when I finally tire of my car I hope that the prices for the current generation have plummeted to the same degree as the previous so that I can hopefully afford one.

Doug

 

Hey Rev,
If you had the new model, you wouldn't have much room for your luggage. That top cover makes the boot volume about half of what our cars have.

 

The only thing worse for loss of luggage space is the hard-top convertible. We have a friend that recently bought a nice used 2002 Lexus 430SC and there is virtually NO luggage space with the top opened.

Doug

 

You can still get a full set of clubs in there plus, and then you can always use the non people friendly back seat if youre really hard up for space.
We have a 07 right now for $27-28k with 91k miles on the clock

 

Rev Sam, you are a tinkerer. So am I.

Consider this, my 2002 XKR coupe has been nearly trouble free. Nothing (but that stupid little clunk I still can't find).

I'm finding that boring (though the car is not) so I'm looking at a trade down for a 2000 xk8 that needs a little work but runs very nicely.

I'm suggesting you may be bored after a while if you end up with a car that needs nothing.

 

This is true. I've been having fun doing things to the car lately. I like to solve problems, and the Jag definitely fits the bill.

 

Reverend Sam - your post about the new XK intriqued me enough to actually take a look at the dealer this morning - and took a little spin too.

They're definitely nice cars, tidy boot cover (yes!), nice steering wheel - and much better engine bark! Not sure abt the handling part - did not drive it long enough to even get a hint of the handling limits. The rising gear dial is kinda gimmicky, but all Jags now have the same system. Spares commonality - I guess?

What's not so nice - appearance-wise, the brake calipers look very ordinary. I think they're either Ate or Alcon - not sure which one, definitely not Brembos. The seat controls look too much like the panel on CLKs.

I was told that it comes with complimentary maintenance for 5 years - including wear and tear items, except the actual tires themselves. I guess I'll have to start visiting the newer XK section now - because I think I just found my next car!

 

I was looking at a new XK convertible sitting next to an XJL at the dealer last week. Both supercharged, the convertible 110K and the XJ 93K. I could not have done my 11 day east coast vacation in the XK, not enough room for all of our luggage! I like the looks of my 04 better and it is more practical (not a word associated too often with XK8's). I think I would have to pass on a new one even if I could afford one.....

 

The newer XKs are growing on me too, but not enough to top our model though. In fact 2 years ago I was at a dealer checking the new style to see if it looked better in person than in magizines. There was one sitting there next to a good looking 97-06 R. For the money it wasn't even close. I decided then and there that I loved the look of ours from the beginning, but only just liked the newer ones. I decided to upgrade to an '05 R then instead of waiting for '07+ to come down in price. In my opinion a car shouldn't have to grow on you - it should look great from the beginning. When I saw the '97 XK8 for the first time I thought it was absolutely gorgeous and loved it on the spot. It didn't have to grow in me.

Not to mention the new one's have the dial shifter and not a lever, and are missing the gorgeous wood that make a jaguar a Jaguar in my opinion.

 

I also recall the first time I saw our generation XK8 in person. I happened to be out of town and in Memphis (work related) and there was a new (at the time) British Racing Green XK8 in the driveway of the hotel. I don't recall if it was a coupe or convertible but it was certainly striking looking at the very first glance. In fact, these still are. The other day I was with my wife who was shopping at a local outlet center. There was a 2005 or 2006 XKR Coupe in black with the red Brembo calipers. The car was in nice but not great condition. Still, I noticed all sorts of people stopping to take a closer look or basically just admiring the car while walking by. It attracted much more attention than most of the other cars parked nearby.

Doug

 

Sorry for hijacking the post, but when I saw the line about the stupid little clunk i couldn't help it.

Is it coming from the back of your car? It drives me nutz for past 5 years and I can't figure out what is it.

 

Yes Misiek, from the left rear area. I was thinking of putting the wife in the trunk and driving around to see if she could pinpoint it but the yelling would probably cover the sound. It's only at slow speed, over little bumps. I have pulled everything out of the trunk, even the liners. Only made it louder. I put new bushings in the sway bar. No change. I tightened the rear deck speaker. No change. I bushed the muffler hanger so it's tight. No change. I filled the gas cap with sponges (it does sound like when you tap the gas cap), no change. I've given up. No change.

 

Rjag, try this. I had a clunk from my right rear and found it this way.

Jack up that corner. Put a jack stand on the correct body point to keep it up. Next, put your jack under the rear control arm until it starts compressing the shock/spring a bit. Now, hit the bottom of the arm upwards just under the shock, does it knock? If so, the lower bushing is gone and the shock bolt is loose, hitting the shock frame (where the bushing should be) on up and down travel...lower speeds only you'll hear it. Fix that by changing the shock as bushings are more expensive to replace and you can't get them in the US separately anyway. Without the car being up and loaded, you won't be able to hear the clunk since the shock is extended the entire way.

My job here is done.

BTW, I thought the same as you did in the beginning, months before I took it to a shop. Had my spare out, all tools, even removed the CD changer/Nav rack, since my noise was on the right side. Changed sway bar end links, almost did the sway bar bushings (but didn't) tightened all my exhaust hangers, looked for heat shield contact on the pipes, secured, brake lines running atop the control arms (in case they were bouncing up and down on it)...you name it, I tried it.