Well, the model years, not the British agents. I'm considering a purchase of a pre-owned XK and was wondering if there are any technical or reliability reasons to prefer one year over the other, all else being the same. I suppose I would be concerned over any "bugs" concerning the 07's since it was the first year of the new design.

I did find the one post that mentioned the noise from the 07 antennae, of all things, that was worked out with the 08's. Is that something that is really annoying?

There are two really nice ones I'm looking at, but the 08 is 1300 miles away and the 07 is 350 miles away. The 07 has 3k more miles on it and the prices are the same. Fancy that.

I would probably drive and trade my XK8 on the nearer one, and fly and drive back the further one, selling the XK8 upon my return.

The 09's I haven't really looked at, and ther XKR's are a bit over the top for me as I'm a bit of a grandpa in my driving habits (my user ID aside). I know you XKR chaps really defend your steeds, and I respect that, but I think the extra boost and cost would be wasted on me!

Any comments, experiences or advice would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks, Rusty

 

Skid
There are a few differances betweeb 07 and 08 but you may have hit on one of the bigger ones. The antenna on the 07 in a retractable stick antenna while the 08 has the antenna bulit into the car. so no injuries at the car wash or malfunctions etc. There are a few styling clues as well but pretty minor.
I think there may be a few other reliability things also but not sure. If the two cars were equally as close then I would prob say the 08 is a better buy with less miles at the same price ( as long as no accidents or unusual wear). Remember the 08 will ultimately have better trade in value when you eventually go to sell it. But the extra hastle to fly and drive and sell my car outside the deal would be too much for me...but thats me.

 

All other things equal including color choice, condition, etc., I would go with the later year car, in your case the 08.

 

Thanks, gents. Appreciate the comments!

I was talking to my independent shop rep this afternoon about the two cars, and it seems the backwards price differential may be the fact that the 07 is already a Certified Pre Owned (an investment by the dealer), but the 08 is still under factory warranty for one more year so doesn't need to go thru the certification process, just be sold as is. The rep said to try to warranty it up to 2012, that by then most independent shops like theirs would be more "up to speed" equipment-wise for repairs.

As far as the cars themselves, I'm leaning towards the 07 (unless something comes up regarding maintenance bugs) due to the easier deal and I actually prefer the long, retractable whip antennae (reference the car wash, etc) and better reception on the road for the am/fm radio, which I enjoy doing (fishing for stations).

Of course, all of this was much more clear until I got home today and I saw what's coming out in 2013 (new XK). Now I'm back on the fence thinking I can enjoy the XK8 for another 5 years and then get the "next gen" XK in 2015 after they've taken the 2yr depreciation hit.

Why is life is so complicated?

 

Ha Ain't that the truth!
But I promise in 2015 there will be another "Must have" car in your sights.
Just Don't go without a warranty on these cars. By the time 2015 comes around you will be paying 2-4 grand each service on a car worth less than 10 grand.
Also try to get the dealer with the 08 to inspect it and certify it fo the asking price. they often will.

 

Agree, always have certified pre-owned, it's one of the best warranties know to man.

You'll love both the 07 and the 08 and in reality nobody but you would know the difference. The 07 may have been the first year for the XK stateside, but wasn't in europe, so most issues were resolved.

 

That whip antenna, yikes they are a pain if you forget about them prior to a a car wash lol. Been there done that replaced one in my xjs. I think id cry if I did that on my xkr. But, it's an 08 so it's all good.

 

Thanks guys. I appreciate the guidence. I'm on hold right now while I digest the new design for 2013. I really like my XK8, feel like I could get another very fun 5 years out of it. Since it's almost fully depreciated there's really little penalty for hanging on, as opposed to trading it now for the current XK, then taking a hit on that if I were to trade it in on the 2013 model (in 2015). I like to avoid the depreciation hits as much as I can, I bought my 2000 XK8 in 2006 for a third of the MSRP, and could get a nice discount off the 2013 model if I waited a few years. That's why I am (or was?) looking at the 07/08's right now. So best to ponder for while I suppose.

 

Hey Win- I haven't forgotten it yet, keeping my fingers crossed though! These days I mostly wash and wax it myself, so that cuts down on the probabilities. My trick is to turn the radio off before arriving at the wash, and not try to remember as I'm pulling in, or telling the attendant "no, I don't want the deluxe wash...) (at four times the exterior only rate)!

BTW, I filled the car up the other day, and after the pump clicked off I very slowly pumped in another gallon or two to see what the check engine light will do after it burns back down to 3/4 full. Should be there in another few days, will let you know what happens. Have you considerd getting a hand held code reader/resetter?

Here's the one I use, I wouldn't ever leave home without it!

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...ci_sku=9020005

 

Good methodical thinking. This young jedi is learning..

 

There is another difference no one has mentioned that may be important to you. The 08 has Sirus radio as a standard feature while the 07 was optional. If this is important to you, check to be sure since there is no easy upgrade to add Sirus. An easy way to tell is to look for the fin antenna in the middle of the trunk lid (convertible), if you see one, it has Sitius built in. It can be done with an after market add-on, as I had to do, but it is not built-in.

 

Thank you, father.

 

The Aentena in the 07 IMO is simply the ugliest thing in the world. It kills the car... I refused to buy an 07 for this reason alone... IMO it makes the car look dated and looks like remote control car. I strongly suggest the 08 for visual reasons alone.. A side not you also can not swap it for a shorty antena without voiding the warranty.

Next time you are next to both turn the 07 on so that the skytenna goes up and take a good look at the back of them, IMO this should answer your question......

 

changing to a shorter ant will not void warranty. Why would you think that, that is not true. Go read the Magnuson Moss warranty act. The only thing that would not be covered is the shorter ant you switch too. not anything else. You can also unplug the antenna and itll stay down. the reception fm doesnt change on good signals, and AM is well,,,AM There are also many hidden antennas that can be installed in the car to increase reception. I would go to a car with satalite if you like to surf. I love the top system on the new XK's, but really like the more fluid lines of the earlier XK.

 

I added the XM Commander to my MY07 and tried removing the antenna fuse yesterday to see how the satellite reception might be affected. Unfortunately, it was, and it cut in and out repeatedly on the way to work this morning. Regrettably, I will be replacing the fuse this afternoon when I head home. The after-market XM Commander system is integrated into the antenna, so even though it has its own satellite receiver, the reception is still affected by the OEM antenna. My next step is to install the "shorty."

 

Here:

Can an automotive dealership void your warranty? Understanding the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act of 1975.

Nearly everyone has heard about someone who has taken a vehicle that has been modified with aftermarket parts to a dealer for warranty service, only to have the dealer refuse to cover the defective items. The dealer usually states that because of the aftermarket parts the warranty is void, without even attempting to determine whether the aftermarket part caused the problem.

This is illegal.

Vehicle manufacturers are not allowed to void the vehicle warranty just because aftermarket parts are on the vehicle. To better understand this problem it is best to know the differences between the two types of new car warranties and the two types of emission warranties.

When a vehicle is purchased new and the owner is protected against the faults that may occur by an expressed warranty - an offer by the manufacturer to assume the responsibility for problems with predetermined parts during a stated period of time. Beyond the expressed warranty, the vehicle manufacturer is often held responsible for further implied warranties. These state that a manufactured product should meet certain standards. However, in both cases, the mere presence of aftermarket parts doesn't void the warranty.

There are also two emission warranties (defect and performance) required under the clean air act. The defect warranty requires the manufacturer to produce a vehicle which, at the time of sale, is free of defects that would cause it to not meet the required emission levels for it's useful life as defined in the law. The performance warranty implies a vehicle must maintain certain levels of emission performance over it's useful life. If the vehicle fails to meet the performance warranty requirements, the manufacturer must make repairs at no cost to the owner, even if an aftermarket part is directly responsible for a warranty claim, the vehicle manufacturer cannot void the performance warranty. This protection is the result of a parts self - certification program developed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA).

In cases where such a failed aftermarket part is responsible for a warranty claim, the vehicle manufacturer must arrange a settlement with the consumer, but by law the new - vehicle warranty is not voided.

Overall, the laws governing warranties are very clear. The only time a new vehicle warranty can be voided is if an aftermarket part has been installed and it can be proven that it is responsible for an emission warranty claim. However, a vehicle manufacturer or dealership cannot void a warranty simply because an an aftermarket equipment has been installed on a vehicle.

If a dealership denies a warranty claim and you think the claim falls under the rules explained above concerning the clean air act (such as an emission part failure), obtain a written explanation of the dealers refusal. Then follow the steps outlined in the owners manual. However, if this fails, then phone your complaint in to the EPA at (202) 233-9040 or (202) 326-9100.

If a dealer denies a warranty claim involving an implied or expressed new car warranty and you would like help, you can contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop and avoid them. To file a complaint, you can call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357), or use the online complaint form. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies worldwide.

 

Do you have links to the 2 cars you are considering, id be more then happy to lend a friendly (& professional) opinion!