Hey All, I've owned more than fifty cars but never a Jag -- I cannot resist buying an XJ8, love the shape and cannot resist the amazing value. What should I be looking for? What are the typical problem areas, etc. Feel free to redirect me to the default previous posting on this subject. Very exciting.

 

Make sure the timing chain tensioner has been done along with the water pump. Also have a compression check done.

 

These cars have improved dramatically since their introduction. The early cars had a number of issues that slowly went away. The easy answer to your question is to buy the latest model year you choose to spend your money on. The early cars are now 13 years old and should only be owned by hobby mechanics or folks with enough money to which large expenses doesn't matter.

There is a long list of common issues at the top of the FAQ Sticky on the XK8/R forum.