Ok, Rezzz, that is the ugliest XJS I have ever seen. You win! Try a cruise in a 6.0 black coupe with no feathered edges. This is more my style Throw in a set of wires and listen to that purr! Chrome still shines better than plastic!

Enjoy and thanks for the visual

 

To be fair, I do think you found the ugliest XJS out there... what about mine? Are they as beautiful as the XKE.. No. But. As others have mentioned, they grew on people and were very well received later in life. And values are starting to go up (ever so slightly) for nice examples.

Having been born only a few years before the last XJS rolled off the line, they've always been a "classic" in my eyes. So, in my biased opinion, I do think their values will keep climbing.

Whether or not they'll ever hit XKE prices.. who knows. I think that may come down more to the classic car market as a whole in 25-30yrs. Most people of my generation could care less about cars.. they grew up in one of the most uninspiring eras of car design EVER in my opinion (notwithstanding our X100 XKs of course).

As to whether or not the X100 XKs will become collectibles.. too soon to tell. But lets just say mine hit 90k this summer, and I'm going to keep enjoying it for another 90k and not look at it as an investment. The 2 previous owners took the hit on depreciation anyway.. not me!

 

I believe in fourty years that "printing" these plastic parts would not be a problem at all.

 

Xk8 has the lines of a Camaro????? What? The 97-06 XK8 has no other car that looks like it.

 

I bought mine just in January of this year. Net without tax and title 10,500 from a consignment dealer. Average asking price then in this area was right around 11.5 with only ones looking a mess lower. It was a one owner car and well maintained with 85k. Looks great and draws comments all the time.
Current Auto Trader average price within 200 miles at 13,500. Sure, that's asking price but the sellers are unlikely to knock 3k off! The evocative body styling and gorgeous interior combined with the comfort and mod cons is exactly why (IMHO) this car will go up and hit classic status. I believe that even before it hits 25 years old it could near double.
As I told my wife, the only reason I would sell it would be to buy one with the 4.2!

 

He was referring to the 07-current styling....

 

This past weekend while attending a British Car Show, My wife and I started talking about the age of the owners exhibiting their amazing machines. Most if not all of the owners were above 50 years of age, with a large percentage being over 70. Will anyone even want an XK8/XKR, XJS, in 10-15 years? Personally, I drive mine as much as possible and enjoy it. Future classic? Maybe, but for today I simply relish the gift of owning an amazing automobile.

 

That is one thing I forgot. The trend on many cars that are collector cars is the fact that many folks that bought Stangs in the 60's for instance, rebought them in older age and fixed them up because they remember when they had them on their youth. That is not the case with Jags. So will there be a market for them in 25+ years, all of those folks that bought them will be old or dead. Who will want them?

 

Keep in mind that gasoline production will eventually fade away as more sustainable technology replaces it. Is that 10 years away? Perhaps. Certainly within 20 to 25 years. Classic ICE owners who want to keep their vehicles on the road will either need to convert to hydrogen cells (assuming that technology wins the fuel wars) or find a way to hoard and stabilize gasoline for decades....

 

I look at cars for sale on eBay all the time - For the money there is nothing better looking, draws more admiration from other car users or just people walking by it than a nice XK8 Coupe or a Vert with the roof down.
The Computer glitches are a pain in the butt no doubt about it and they need maintenance - but if you buy a new car and lose all the money on depreciation etc - an XK8 works out better value and holds their value maintained properly - i'm amazed at how cheap they go for in the UK - £4000 will get u a fabulous low mileage 1997 Coupe ...

 

There is no doubt the XK8 will become or is soon to be a classic. The lines, size and motor make it a very desirable car. I get complements all the time about my '99. I had an XJS v12 for many years and wore it out at 200k+ miles. The XJS is a maintenance hog compared to the XK8. When people told me how much they loved my XJS and would like to have one, I would ask if they had at least $1,000 worth of hand tools and liked to work on cars. The looks I received were wonderful. I will keep my XK8 till I leave it to my grandson! I had 3 e-types and I like the XK8 better in all manners except styling, but it is close!

 

There is nothing that quite catches the eye as the XK8/XKR of our vintage. Whether parked somewhere or just cruising down the street, these cars get admiring looks all day long. The only other style that has the same combination of pure classiness and perfect lines is Aston Martin. Both the X100 Jaguars and virtually any year Aston Martin have a way of exuding class and style in a subtle way without screaming it.

Doug

 

Its one of the reasons why i bought my 2003 XKR coupe. Its a fun investment to drive keep it stored and keep it in good shape. Low production numbers and great lines and motor is the perfect coho for a future classic.
But originality is the key. No ones like to have customized jags with 22 inch spinners or retro fit bumpers etc.


10 15 years from now i think prices will increase big time. 20 years from now you wish you never sold your XKR.

 

The late 90s early 2000's XK8/XKR's are like a Henry Moore sculpture on wheels, no, think of them as young Helen Mirren. They were classic on the day they left the factory.

 

I liked the looks of my XJ-S but even at 30k miles it ate me out of house and home so I sold it after about a year. That being said I like the lines of my XK8 better. I think if any are still around in another 20 years and if there is still gas to feed them they will be classics.


Dave

 

IMHO XK8/Rs will appreciate because of relative rarity as many will rust to pieces like the E-Types did. Especially now in the Ebay age when many vehicles are now worth far more broken up for spares than being restored.
And beauty - nostalgia aside, I think they have finer lines than an E-Type, and if uglies like Daimler Dart and XJS can become classics then these are sure to.

 

I show my 1999 XK8 at lots of car shows on the south coast of England during the summer. One of which is well attended by Jaguar owners of all models and there are hundreds, including the XK8s. These people know and appreciate these cars but still draw a large crowd. Some shows I have done have many different marques, but the XK8 from my experience has had so many pictures taken from just arriving at the show. The last one was 20 plus flashes from cameras before I parked it. And a crowd around the car when I got out. It was quite uncomfortable. But a lot of people did not know what the car was but just loved it for what it looked like. My point is everywhere you go with this car, people look, take pictures and talk to you about about it. I know this is an international forum but in England I am sure this car will appreciate to be a classic based on what people like to see. However as other members have commented on it will interesting to see if the electrics hold up based on the problems known to date and the availability of spares. I personally think it is collectable

 

I find the discussion interesting because it is similar to those had about human physical appearance and beauty. Men and women all have their own type and it seldom relates to "beauty". Each of us is attracted to some way to each of these cars the way men and women are attracted to each other. Criticism of that based on personal feelings is ridiculous. The truth is as someone once said "If people did not fall in love with unattractive people, most of us wouldn't be here"

Each of Jaguars creations has found it's place and so will all XJ's and XK's. None of it based on past experience will be based on "reliability" a trait very important in human relationships and unknown to British manufacturers. But God, they do build great looking furniture on wheels.

 

Well i've been looking even closer than ever at the UK Jaguar Market as i am/was after another one (i believe i have found it - i'll let you know in a few days time) - prices are already starting to rise with only rough ones struggling to get a decent price. All Sports Jaguars are starting to rise in price - even the XJS, as the rougher ones fall/rust away or are 'broken' for parts leaving only very nice examples the more the XK8 will rise in value, a neighbour last week had his very nice Merc SL bumped into nearby, he'd spent £15k GBP on it - my XK8 was parked next to his as we chatted, i asked him what he thought my car was worth - he looked at it and said £20k GBP? - i smiled and held up four fingers - he was quite a posh guy and he swore (ha ha) - F**K Off he said ... he was so shocked - there is nothing that beautiful for the money - i don't know if the UK guys on here have been monitoring the classic car market - it's gone mad! Clean 70's Ford Escorts etc commanding over £7000! old clean classic Minis - £4k - for the same money you can buy a decent XK8 - that will change in the next few years - they are going to start rising in value. They are already £1000 up on a year ago for clean ones. Of course they are classics

 

For every five convertibles there was ONE Coupe. That is collectible to me. My recent purchase needed a starter so far. The starter was a B--- to do. So I had it done, cost, 300. Not too bad. I am hoping it goes the years. My cars are like kept in a clean room. I don't cruise the interstate because of flying whatever. I use them ONLY on nice days. So I don't have to re-detail them. This Jag just broke 78K and I love the look! Nicest, sleekest, most stunning body style ever to grace the American Highway! Without a doubt, that is why I was so heart broken when I parted with my last one. Im keeping this one. Its Collectible to me. Happy Motoring! Paintxpert.