Hey guys... joined today to thank you for 3 years of tips and to share my experience with XK8 traction/stability fail issues...

1999 XK8 86,000 miles, 12,000 since I have owned it...

 

Welcome to the forum Sabrina,

Good to have you with us.
I guess you can find the way around after 3 years? :-)
Enjoy the forum.

If you haven't done so already you should add your car details to your signature to help others to help you.

 

Welcome to the forum Sabrina,

Lurking here for three years and only just joining! You must be about to ask some major tech questions.

Enjoy the forum.

Graham

 

Hey Graham,

I think I solved one... at least a quick diagnosis and short term fix. Only time will tell how long my suggested 'fix' lasts.

Made it from 74,000 to 86,000 miles without an issue I could not solve from just reading this forum.

Sabrina
MIT Physics

 

Welcome.
Recently acquired a 1998 XK8 myself. The answers here have helped me relax a bit. Not being a mechanic worried me some.

Saw you tip on traction control / stability fail. Good one !
Hope you have great luck with your 99. I have 90k+ on mine and issues are bound to crop up
Mike

 

hey mike,

two significant repairs so far--upper control arm bushings and tie rod ends, but both of those were disclosed during the pre-delivery inspection by the dealer--they cut $3,000 off the price and it cost me about $300 in parts to repair...

heading into Vegas one trip, my left rear muffler hanger broke, casino security gave me a large zip strip handcuff to fix it while I waited for JagBits to overnight the rubber hanger for 1/10 the price the Las Vegas dealer wanted for it... maybe keep a zip strip in your trunk just in case--a lot cheaper than replacing the mufflers if they fall off...

then, the traction/stability fail this fall, but that repair did not cost anything since Amazon will let me return the $7 Torx socket...

for Alaska, I might suggest a set of Conti DWS, my first winter in chicago with the summer tires that were on it when I bought it was terrible... my first snow with the Contis was in May in Colorado, great traction then and in the chicago/boston winter that followed...

great year round tires...

 

Hey there Sabrina and errrrr welcome aboard??....lol
You've been hiding for 3 years?

seriously though, glad we could help. In the meantime I've manually upgraded you to full forum access so you can better view the whole site and all its features.
enjoy the site.................

 

Thanks for the tip - though my Jag stays at my Florida place for now. It tickles me how you've managed to use your wits and make economical repairs. Reminds me of my college days when I held an old MGB together with duct tape and a prayer
Ingenuity and the courage / confidence to just dive in and do one's own repair and diagnosis is great to see.
Driving these cars with advanced miles takes a special breed - anyone with enough $ can get a new one and lean on the warranty. But they miss the adventure !
I tell folks it's " just a car" when they panic. A jumble of mechanical and electrical systems. If it malfunctions ( and it will ) it can be fixed.
Keep up the good work
Mike.