Hi all, first time poster here. I am in the market for a car and late 90's Jaguar XJ8's caught my eye.

I've never really owned a "modern luxury car" so I'm looking at BMW, Mercedes, Cadillac, Jaguar, etc. The styling of the XJ8 is fabulous. I have a few questions though.

First, is it true the Ford Jaguars are reliable? Everyone's heard the horror stories of the 70's, 80's, and early 90's.

Also I am a tall guy. I'm about 6'4" or 6'5". Am I going to fit in an XJ8 okay? I read some reviews that XJ8's can be uncomfortable for tall people. Any details?

Finally, what about maintenance and repair... how much can I do myself? I am a pretty good amateur mechanic. I can easily do oil and filter changes. I can replace an alternator, fuel pump, starter, etc. too. Is it realistic that I can maintain an XJ8 myself pretty well or does it require a bunch of specialty tools and training?

Thanks very much,
Carl

 

So far I have managed to do everything my '99 XJ8 has needed myself - with some help from this forum. This message board is a great resourcefor advice on parts and service, and which jobs you should leave to a professional.