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I'll be getting my dad's XKRS vert (French racing blue)...
Wondering what goodies I could get for it in the mean time - after talking to pops, if I want to purchase things for it, I can certainly put them on the car...besides, it's a bit of a father son build kinda thing.
What would you guys do ? Performance mods, lightweight mods (seats?), wheel setups, etc. Are greatly encouraged...thank you!
Just whatever you do, don't throw away any of the original parts and don't cut, drill or paint anything unless you first buy a spare. Back 25 years ago, I modified my Toyota Supra and being young and really too poor for a car hobby, I sold the original parts to help fund more mods. Looking back, the mods didn't help as it just put me in higher classes against drivers with more money and seat time than me and really all I did was spend $10,000 to knock probably $15,000 off today's value of the car.
Being as the XKRS was your father's car, you are likely to keep it long enough to see values increase it becomes a classic. At that point, the big money is paid by collectors looking for originality. Enthusiasts won't value your old mods as much because they tend to want to choose their own plus technology and styling will have moved on and whatever you install today won't be the latest and greatest anymore. Just keep in mind reversibility. Whatever parts you take off, label them, box them up and store them safely. As long as the car can be returned to stock in a three-day weekend, then you can personalize it without jeopardizing future collector value.
And if you really want to maximize that future value, invest in buying replacements/spares for all the OEM plastic, rubber and vinyl trim/weatherstrip that you are likely to wish you could find in 25 years. I at least did that. Every time I needed an alternator or something back in the 90's just to keep my car running, I'd add a piece of trim to my order at the Toyota parts counter (sort of like a monthly record/cd club except with car parts). By about 2005 I had accumulated all the NOS weatherstrip and trim that I'll need for when I eventually restore my now tired old Supra.
Not really a lot you need to do. Course since it's a freebie, go crazy. Maybe a smaller SC pulley and a slightly better tune than you have? You won't gain a whole lot, it's already 550 and very reliable. Pretty much anything else you do will make it worse.
Just whatever you do, don't throw away any of the original parts and don't cut, drill or paint anything unless you first buy a spare. Back 25 years ago, I modified my Toyota Supra and being young and really too poor for a car hobby, I sold the original parts to help fund more mods. Looking back, the mods didn't help as it just put me in higher classes against drivers with more money and seat time than me and really all I did was spend $10,000 to knock probably $15,000 off today's value of the car.
Being as the XKRS was your father's car, you are likely to keep it long enough to see values increase it becomes a classic. At that point, the big money is paid by collectors looking for originality. Enthusiasts won't value your old mods as much because they tend to want to choose their own plus technology and styling will have moved on and whatever you install today won't be the latest and greatest anymore. Just keep in mind reversibility. Whatever parts you take off, label them, box them up and store them safely. As long as the car can be returned to stock in a three-day weekend, then you can personalize it without jeopardizing future collector value.
And if you really want to maximize that future value, invest in buying replacements/spares for all the OEM plastic, rubber and vinyl trim/weatherstrip that you are likely to wish you could find in 25 years. I at least did that. Every time I needed an alternator or something back in the 90's just to keep my car running, I'd add a piece of trim to my order at the Toyota parts counter (sort of like a monthly record/cd club except with car parts). By about 2005 I had accumulated all the NOS weatherstrip and trim that I'll need for when I eventually restore my now tired old Supra.
Personally, I wouldn't do a thing to it other than drive it and take good care of it. To me, it's not that kind of car you modify just for the sake of modifying. As Cee Jay said, you won't get much more out of it performance wise for the effort and cost. Maybe a wrap to change the look temporarily if you wanted to do something cosmetic that is temporary. Just my personal opinion.
What do you want to do with it? Custom car shows? Track days/racing? The R-S was pretty much the best trim you could get with significant cosmetic and performance parts over a pedestrian XK or even R. Jaguar have tuned this to well over 600HP, so there's that. I'd lose the caliper covers, perhaps consider fitting the optional ceramic brakes if you've the budget.
Even being the most collectible of the X150, these are not investments. The carrying costs even with minimal operation, combined with poor levels of return at best, pale compared to standard investment vehicles (ha! I mean financial vehicles like tax advantaged retirement investment accounts, brokerage accounts, etc). Often mods provide a negative return over a stock car. You spend $5k on a mod, you likely made the car worth LESS than before you touched it, and the mod cost you $5k. Yes, you can pull them off when you sell and revert to stock, but then you are selling the used mod and losing on that. From a financial standpoint, its foolish. I'm not saying don't mod your car; do it because it makes you happy and you WANT to. The happiness can absolutely outweigh the money spent to YOU; but from a strictly financial standpoint, leave the car stock and just make it tip top to stock.
I say enjoy what you have inherited, IF you like it or are sentimental, keep it. If you want financial returns, sell it stock and move on with the money invested. If you want to spend money on the car because you like it and enjoy it, first change every fluid, filter, belt, the tires, etc. Then make sure all flaws mechanically and cosmetically are corrected at an extremely high level and to stock condition. That spending will improve the car back closer to new condition, and actually provide a return that mods will not.
I have two modified vehicles; a highly performance modded GSXR1100W and a Modded VW Jetta TDI Sportwagen. That GSXR is in the 9s in the quarter. The VW is modded for comfort and convenience features not available on that model (frostheater, battery heater, factory fog lights, hatch pop kit, tint, kermatdi stage 1 engine and dsg tunes, interior usb charging ports, euroswitch, factory backup camera, HID Xenon headlights, led interior white lights, etc); I made the car enjoyable and KNOW that the $3k ive put into it is never coming back. It's also mechanically tip top with all PM work done, and is cosmetically near immaculate. It's probably the nicest 10 year old diesel vw station wagon in hundreds of miles. I like it, but it was financially not prudent.
+1 on the other comments-- quality paint protection and tip-top maintenance are the best investments you could make in that car, and the only investments needed.
Beautiful piece of machinery there my man! I hope you don't end up getting the title any time soon and you and your father enjoy whatever you decide to do with the car.
Just whatever you do, don't throw away any of the original parts and don't cut, drill or paint anything unless you first buy a spare. Back 25 years ago, I modified my Toyota Supra and being young and really too poor for a car hobby, I sold the original parts to help fund more mods. Looking back, the mods didn't help as it just put me in higher classes against drivers with more money and seat time than me and really all I did was spend $10,000 to knock probably $15,000 off today's value of the car.
Being as the XKRS was your father's car, you are likely to keep it long enough to see values increase it becomes a classic. At that point, the big money is paid by collectors looking for originality. Enthusiasts won't value your old mods as much because they tend to want to choose their own plus technology and styling will have moved on and whatever you install today won't be the latest and greatest anymore. Just keep in mind reversibility. Whatever parts you take off, label them, box them up and store them safely. As long as the car can be returned to stock in a three-day weekend, then you can personalize it without jeopardizing future collector value.
And if you really want to maximize that future value, invest in buying replacements/spares for all the OEM plastic, rubber and vinyl trim/weatherstrip that you are likely to wish you could find in 25 years. I at least did that. Every time I needed an alternator or something back in the 90's just to keep my car running, I'd add a piece of trim to my order at the Toyota parts counter (sort of like a monthly record/cd club except with car parts). By about 2005 I had accumulated all the NOS weatherstrip and trim that I'll need for when I eventually restore my now tired old Supra.
What Supra did you have?
I had a mk3, was in love with them right up until I set my eyes on an X150.
I sold my mk3 when they were at rock bottom, but then I bought my XKR at the bottom too - not that it matters really.
I chose the XKR because it was just better, superior in looks, performance etc. The final nail in the coffin regards the Supra was parts - there just weren't any, and Toyota just weren't interested.
Contrast that with Jaguar and their Heritage scheme, to me it was a no brainer.
The Jag will far surpass the Toyota in value, and this will ensure more parts get built. The Toyotas lack of value will stifle demand for part etc, and so few will be left anyway. At best it will be like the 240Z Datsun (is it 240?) versus the e-type - one is really valuable and parts are plentiful, the other is a bit of a one-off, worth a bit but not a fortune, and a total bitch / pain in the *** to keep on the road.
Makes no sense to me, I love Japanese stuff. So glad my Jap classic bikes have plenty of parts supplied
Years ago I inherited a very low mile 1989 XJ and never drove it. It was a beautiful day and I went to pull it out of the garage and all the wires were eaten by rats. I would just recommend to drive that thing daily and enjoy it how you received it. That's how your dad loved it and I think most on the forum would agree it is beautiful as is. Made me think of my xkr and my son is already calling dibs on it.
Keep it stock, instead invest into maintenance. Otherwise sell this one and buy something that is more readily supported in the aftermarket, like Mustang.
Thank you all for the responses -- i hope i dont' get it any time soon.
believe me, the clapped out black one shown above will not be copied in any capacity...hopefully by anyone...ever.
Truth is - i was trying to do research on what can be done to these cars and every search return led me here so, figured why not ask all of you. after talkin with pops, i think the only real thing we'd look into is some carbon fiber pieces (engine cover, mirror caps and hood vents) -- and some nicer, lighter and wider wheel setup.
Inheritance...investing?
