I have been searching for a used XK Coupe. Recently I came across this listing:

2007 Jaguar XK Coupe

The vehicle is attractively priced $26,900 with 39,750 miles. The other XK's that are available on eBay and adhuntr.com are priced higher and have more miles.

The car looks great and is in excellent condition with all service records. It is also an Arizona car that has been used in the milder climate location in the state (Prescott) The test drive was very impressive and the vehicle still had the new car scent. The only thing holding me back from pulling the trigger is the car has 4 prior owners.

• First owner drove it 1 year 14K miles and traded it in for an XKR.
• Second owner was a collector in his 70's who purchased the vehicle as a CPO - he drove the car 13.5K miles over 4.5 years. He bought an Aston Martin.
• Third owner was also a collector and friend of the second owner. He drove the vehicle for 1 year and 11K miles and was reducing his inventory.
• Forth owner in his mid 50's has had the vehicle only 7 months and has driven only 1,000 miles and indicates he is looking at a Tesla

Service records show oil was changed often (synthetic) sometimes within 1,200 - 5,000 miles and no other unusual repairs outside of brakes, tire replacement and battery.

Like most buyers, I have usually limited my searches to one owner vehicles. Should I stick with this philosophy or given the prior light use and well maintained ownership history of this car go ahead and take the plunge?

Appreciate any advice that you current owners may have.

 

I'd carfax it and do a dealer inspection. A lot of well heeled XK owners don't seem to drive them much. More of a 2nd or 3rd car. I wouldn't sweat the owner history.

 

If there are no reports of accidents then the amount of owners shouldn't matter. I was searching for 6 months looking for my 2012 XKR and while doing so found plenty of older coupes on Autotrader.com and Cars.com as well as the JaguarUSA web site. I suspect if you want a low mileage one owner car you should be able to find one. By the way we have 4 vehicles in the family with only 2 drivers so our Jag is a weekend car.

 

Thanks for the advice on using Carfax. The Carfax is clean and does confirm what the owner is telling me regarding prior ownership data. The service record also matches up with the Carfax. You make an excellent point that the number of owners shouldn't matter.

Would prefer a vehicle that is on the west coast to avoid the shipping process. Also prefer the silver color and only have an interest in the coupes. I may end up making another trip to AZ; luckily I travel often from Salt Lake to Phoenix.

 

Have you driven a 2010 or never model XK with the 5.0 / 385 HP engine? You really should because I would spend a little more to get the extra power. On the other hand if you are ok with the 4.2 / 300 HP then it's a great find! Have a dealer or independent Jaguar Repair Shop do an inspection and if it is clear buy it.

 

Sounds like the right price for the mileage. If it is the colors you like with the right wheels and options, why not?

 

Yep, what he said

 

You will see VERY LITTLE depreciation on this car.

Looks nice. I would not be concerned about number of owners. If the seller has gone to Aston Martin, he is a premium car guy.

If all electrical components are working that is a big plus. Service records are very important.

I would not be concerned about a 5.0L vs the 4.2L......you will have plenty of car. Your driving on American roads, which are limited in speed unless you decide to break the speed limits. It is not a track car, but a luxury premium car that needs TLC.

For the price, your getting a nice ride. Make an offer for $25,000.

The seller might just take it if he is motivated. He won't get that on a trade.

As for the Keep Looking?.....so much depends on how much $$$ you want to put into owning a Jaguar. Money dictates the MY(Model Year) that you will end up with.

 

Based on the types of prev owners and what they purchased after the Jag and all the other info listed out here I'd say you are looking at a nice car. that said it is easy for me to spend your money. he he he

 

Looks like a nice car. Before making a decision take the car to a reputable independent shop to check for any paint work which affects value. Coupes with the right color combos are harder to find.

 

Thanks Rich. I talked to the owner to see if he would be willing to accept $25,000. The owner said he would not go lower than $26,800 and indicated that he had received a trade-in offer of $24,500 and that the tax benefit of the trade-in would save him 9% on tax on a new vehicle or an additional $2,200.

Are you aware of any other sources to find these vehicles in addition to the forum, eBay and adhunter? I really like the car, but you got me thinking that maybe the $26,900 price is too high.

Thanks again to all members who have taken the time to chime in. I appreciate your unique insights and experience that you had in acquiring your XKs.

 

for additional sources try the following: Kelleybb.com, edmunds.com, cars.com;cacars.com, and there are others.

 

I agree with the above for pricing or apprasial.

Here's the Edmunds.com values:

Best place to find these cars are:

eBay
Autotrader
Cargurus.com

I doubt that any dealer will give him the $25,000 unless they are making up the difference on the selling of the newer car. Not saying he is BSing you, but based on NADA, Edmunds, & KBB pricing it is unlikely, as the car is over a trade in value.

However, if your going to keep the Jaguar for several years 5+ then it may worth paying up, but not much more. What I have found is that so many car owners think their vehicle is worth more than the pricing services like NADA, Edmunds, KBB due to the emotional attachment. In addition, these premium cars have a strong tendency to attract owners that will care for their cars. But why pay a premium for a vehicle that is 7 years old already.

 

You know this is my opinion, but I would not mind paying a premium for the right car. The question in my mind is not so much the price on this one, as from what I saw on Richard's post it is around retail, but is this the right car with no known issues - nothing electrical, no flap on the AC condensation drain that is stuck shut, no leather coming loose on the dashboard (if it has a leather covered dash), no large normal maintenance that would immediately be necessary and expensive such as tires and brakes (don't know at what mileage those were done), etc., along with no paint work? It's hard to get a perfect used car; especially one that is 7 years old with around 40,000 miles, but most Jaguar owners take better care of their cars than the average. If you can get this car checked as some have said and it passes a reputable independent's inspection, it could be the one for you. Take it from me, I'm scared of buying used cars, but I have done it a couple of times lately, and it turned out ok - I did pay a slight premium to get the RIGHT car though. There will be others though if this doesn't work out.

PS. I did get over Kelly Blue Book trade-in value on the 2005 Tbird I just traded in a few months ago at a Mercedes dealer, but I did pay Kelly Blue Book retail for the CPO E-350 coupe so it does happen at times. I don't usually pay retail, but I though this was the best car of the several I looked at.

 

So over the weekend I contacted the owner again to see if he would entertain an offer of $25,500. He indicated that he had no interest in selling the vehicle to me even if I was willing to pay his asking price.

He thought I had wasted his time taking the car for what he called several "joyride" test drives only to come back with a lowball offer and that he didn't appreciate me wasting so much of his time during the last 3 weeks answering my many inquiries.

Is an owner under any obligation to sell an item to someone else willing to pay the asking price?

You Jaguar owners are a tough group. The market is very thin when it comes to finding nice, low mileage XKs at a decent price. At least I can say the seller did provide quite an education for me on the vehicle so when I find another XK I will be in a better position to pull the trigger and cause the seller less grief.

 

Hedged Cap- I ended up finding a beautiful vehicle by visiting my local dealer. I spoke with the service manager who knew a client who was looking to sell the car in the spring (it was late winter). I was able to get the car prior to it being listed and saved the seller the hassle of showing the vehicle. I got a great deal on a prestine and very low mileage XKR.

Just a thought....

 

You can't legally force him to sell it without a contract. Even then, it is not easy.

The simple fact of the matter is, that to many owners of premium brands, time is their most valuable asset. I would rather take 1000 less (including tax benefits) trading in a car than deal with the hassle of trying to sell it privately. If the delta goes up, I would reconsider. But it sounds like the incentive just wasn't there for this seller. Don't take it personally. Time is the one thing we can't get back.

 

You'll learn one thing about private party cars or private party anything for that matter; everyone thinks their sh** is worth more than it is.

 

I had sold all of my cars privately and had some simple rules. After doing my research on the used market I would set my price. That was it and when I got various calls I simply mentioned to them that if they want to see the car no problem and they could go for a ride with me driving. Also the priced was fixed and if you are considering a lower offer then please don't come look at the car. As mentioned time was always the factor in making these deals. I don't want to seem arrogant here but it was a simple process for me. I usually found the people looking in the market of the cars I owned just wanted to see condition and service records. They never mentioned price.

 

Why would you want to push the issue if the seller is not cooperative? Move on and find something else. What's the mad rush? If you take your time, the right car will come along. Also, it might be a good idea if you are willing to widen your search and possibly travel to find the car of your liking.