Heh Everyone:

I joined this forum with the expectation of buying a 2007 to 2009 Xk or XKR. I love customizing cars and was hoping to put a body kit on the car I purchase. I most particularly like the rear end diffusers. But I have a bit of A QUANDRY. I love the rear end diffuser that TBERG used on his car but I am concerned about his posts and his revelation of the amount of tremendous refinishing work that he had to put in the rear end he purchased.

I contacted a seller over in Europe that had a similar rear end diffuser but they never replied to my emails.

Can someone offer an alternative to the rear end diffuser that TBERG purchased. I really love that style but I want one that is better put together and will not need as much finishing.

ALso, is there a really custom front end for the XKR. I am looking for something that really jazzes up the front beyond the stock look. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

 

SrWilliams,
I didn't mean to scare you or anyone else out of using the F/X rear bumper/diffuser. It does take some work to make it fit, and it's true that it's not just a bolt on and paint part. However, it's the most exotic of any I've seen and rare enough that you're unlikely to ever see another one on the street. But, understand that even the Mina side skirts and front splitter that I had installed required considerable work, and Mina has been making these parts for Xk/Xkrs for years.

So it will take a few extra days of modification, but you'll have a truly unique looking car that has a great looking rear end, better than any of the other aftermarket versions I've seen. I am not as impressed with the front kit. In fact, I actually like the 2007-2009 XKR's front end better than the 2010 and later years. Every flippin' car has those vertical slits from cheap Ford SUVs to Subarus, it's a cliche already.

Good luck with your decision.

 

My 2 cent opinion is save the body kit money and put it to a better example of car you want. Jag got the styling right first time.

 

Good advice. Few cars are as complete and well designed as the XK line up. You're better off putting your money into a newer model. Although, I do like tberg's bad *** looking XKR!

 

I agree with the above posters as the Jag xk series is one of the best out of the factory designs I have ever seen. I will take everyone's advice and lay off of the modifications, but absolutely have to have that rear end diffuser of the style that Tberg's car is. To me it makes the rear end magnificent. All else I will leave alone. So I am listening to the guidance everyone is providing

 

It's funny how we draw inspiration from other forum members efforts. When I saw the photos of GhostriderXKR08's car a couple of years ago, I knew that I loved the look, and that if I ended up with a coupe, I would want to emulate it. Now I've passed the torch to someone else. What a great forum! And yesterday, we met the newest XKR owner a few minutes after he picked up his car in West Hollywood, and he's already plotting his future mods.

Thank you to all who have inspired me.

 

I like the front and sides of your car better than the rear. The rear has the most dramatic look out of the 3 angles.

 

It's interesting and beautiful how views differ which lends excitement to life. It is because the back of Tberg's car is so drastic in the change is what makes the mod so great.

I have modded my convertible lexus and convertible Porsche 911 and before doing so I always received kickback from those purists who believed stock and factory should never be altered, even to the point of never even changing the stock wheels or putting in a better stereo system. And then for those who did dare mod they always put on kits or did some mod that was so close to the original stock that it always made me scratch my head and say why didn't they just save the money and stay stock.

When I did my mods and kits to my porsche and lexus it was interesting to see that in the later iterations of the vehicles the manufacturers made radical changes that pretty much parrelled the mods I did on my car.

Now don't get me wrong, I absolutely love the stock look of the XK series and that is why I would want to use it as a base for enhancement. But to be truthful with you I was not really moved to purchase until I saw the back end of TBerg's car and the drastic improved look of the car. Never paid much attention to the front until this post and now after looking at the front of his car I love that also over stock.

Tberg keep doing what you are doing because you got some of the nonconformist like me out here gaining inspiration from you and planning on following your lead---that is, once I finally make my purchase.

 

Firstly - welcome to the forum SrWilliams.

Secondly - THANKS to all contributors so far from the polar opposites of 'originality' and 'customised'. It's good to see such an exchange of very different views and opinions without any unpleasantness or offensiveness.

Graham

 

I vote for modifying the car. It makes it unique. Styling is completely subjective though.
Some people have the creative bug and some don't.
I have been an engineer for 30 years and I know a lot of technical people who can never understand anything towards the aesthetic.
I bought my XK because I think it is the most beautiful GT ever made. Not so much for the performance. The stock XK blows away 99% of what is on the road anyway.
That being said I'm looking at a wheel change, maybe the grill, and a different rear spoiler. Maybe some quilted leather in the interior. I want these to be relatively subtle changes though.
Enjoy your XK!

 

Tberg:

I am pretty handy with fiberglass and so getting my hands dirty does not really bother me. But I really need to know is it that difficult getting the rear diffuser you purchased to fit the XK stock. I understand from your previous posts that it is not exactly plug and play. But could you give a more detailed description of the effort it takes to get the diffuser to fit.

I am really beating this to death because the main reason I would be purchasing the XK is so I can put your rear end and front on it. But if I would have to go out and spend a lot of money for a professional to make it fit then it is not worth it. So, from that perspective could you please provide a little more insight in what is involved in making the rear and front bumpers work, in the way yu have them on your car.

Thanks for your patience and assistance

Also, if any of you guys have upgraded the audio system in the car I would like to hear from you as well b/c from the month long reading I have been doing on this forum it is my understanding that the audio system that looks great is not really the state of the art. So, I would be looking to upgrade that as well

 

SrWilliams,
This is according to my body guy:
Bumper is not particularly smooth, so it takes some bondo to fill uneven places and then, of course, sanding (as a matter of fact, I am taking it back to have it filled in a couple of spots that showed up after paint, and then repainted)

The bumper had to be heated to fit reasonably well and is not absolutely perfect at the edges where it meets the rear upper quarter, but certainly acceptable.

The mesh insert that is shipped with the bumper is a honecombed black plastic design not what is shown in their ebay listings or website. I didn't like it, so I picked up a couple of chromed grills from Mina, and we adapted them, smaller diamond but more similar to front grill and very heavy quality.

I guess that since my conversation with a guy at F/X named Luke, was that the bumper was primed and ready for paint, so that's what I expected. Instead, there was probably a week's worth of work.

One thing I would have done differently regards the two "dimples" on the lower right and left sides. (I'll attach a picture below) If I hadn't been so anxious to get the car back, I would have cut a small "vent" in the front wall of the dimple, the part that's about an inch and a half wide where it returns to the cavity, and put a little mesh (or maybe blackened mesh so that it appears and maybe functions as a brake vent. I'm not crazy about the dimples the way they are.

 

Tberg:

Thanks so much for sharing the in-depth info on the two bumpers. I can handle the bond and filling in work myself, because like i said I am really good at working with fiberglass and sanding/finishing. I guess what scares me is the part about heating the parts to make them fit. That scares the crap out of e as I do not know if this is within my capabilities,

Tberg, now that you have done your kit is there any other one you would consider or recommend?

 

SrWilliams before you decide on a kit i came across this one one ebay, looks good, just another option,
Was out for a drive with a few friends last weekend, one of the cars in the back ground is a shelby police car, nice machine.
As you can see i have a lovely picture of the rear of my xkr, for me the xk has the nicest rear end of any car made.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/JAGUAR-XK-...item27bd2c891a

 

Interesting and I like the side and rear but don't want the AM front.

 

Powerhouse:

Thanks for the link and I checked the kit out. But to be honest with you I compared your rear to the one in the kit and yours looks better. I love the way the back of your car looks, understanding that it is stock. Made me really appreciate the stock look. Thanks for the pictures.

 

You know when I first read this post I thought it was a forum member spewing negativity. But after talking off of the line with the another forum member, Tberg, he helped me understand and see the wisdom of the guidance the forum member was trying to provide me.

The poster was absolutely right. I was going about this backwards, and that is spending the least amount of money for the baseline car (2007 XK) with the expectation of buying a $5000 kit and other costly modifications to bring the car up to snuff. Well, I think what the forum was trying to tell me was why not use the money I would spend on enhancements and get a later model car or an XKR model and use that as a base to work from. I mean I was considering doing things like buying the 2007 xk and modding the hood to put the vents in, etc. Doing mods to get rid of long extended antenna plaguing the 2007 and earlier models.

I am so happy Tberg spent time talking me off of this ledge as i was supposed to be making my purchase today But now I am going to take my time and go back under ground (and save my money) to make a purchase over the winter months and go about this a little more intelligently

Thanks mosesbotbol for providing me your initial post and thoughts, all trying to put me in the right direction that I am now wise enough to take.

 

This forum is outstanding just like the cars we drive. SrWilliams, Once you get your car you'll find there is no other place like this forum to make your ownership experience more rewarding--a great knowledgeable crowd.