It's been a long month since my XKR went into the shop to have some modifications done that I hoped would help me warm up to it. When I bought it. it had all sorts of scratches, chips, torn up wheel edges, bald rear tires, and the dreaded leather dash issues. These things prevented me from wanting to drive it, in favor of my nearly perfect 2002 XKR convertible. Honestly, I regretted buying it, and was enticed into doing so because it had a new engine put in it, and the original appeared to have very minimal (a couple of scored rod bearings ($22.00 in parts), and so I figured that I wouldn't have any mechanical issues for a long time, and I could take the car to the track a few times a year and know that I had a spare engine. Fast forward to today, 99.9% of the paint issues corrected, dash re-glued and probably better than new, Mina front splitter and RS side skirts and performance exhaust, F/X Designs rear bumper/diffuser, new tires, and gloss black painted and repaired 20" Kalimnos.

Finally, the results:
And if you look at the sign on the telephone pole just above the car, and I promise this was totally accidental, it says: (See the last photo)

 

Oops, pictures did not attach. Here they are:

 

Very Nice!!!! now time to enjoy it!!

 

beautiful car! Is the color a silver? it looks like a soft.blue. love the rear splitter. good luck and enjoy!

 

Looks great. Is that R plate on the rear caliper stock?

 

Very nice, congrats and enjoy!!

 

Looks super. Like the wheels with the silver colored body. Are you going to do the ETG tune? Since (I think) you mentioned your intention to do the tune I am kind of sitting on the fence, waiting to see how it works out for you.

 

Nice looking car and I'm excited to see a modified Jag!

Did you paint or plasti dip the silver window trip and gills? That looks very good.

Couple of questions for an OCD soul - How is the fitment/length on those side skirts and is there a gap at the rear on the bottom? Also - is the XK crooked on the rear?

 

Front end and wheels look really great, but I'm not sure about that rear bumper to be honest. Looks a bit 'busy' and chav. Also are the exhaust pipes on straight? Each to their own though and all credit to you for doing something different.

 

Very nice Ted. How does it sound? Is this one from Couture Customs?

 

Great work. You've convinced me to do the window trim in mine, I'd been tossing it up.

 

I'm in two minds on that rear diffuser - it's certainly different, and I like different. But it just feels a bit 'Star Wars' to me; I prefer the slightly sleeker look of the standard Speed Pack diffuser.

However: glad you've got the car looking the way you want it at last, now go forth and enjoy!!

 

Thanks everyone for your input. I really do appreciate all of the comments. I'll try and address each of the questions.

To 2011 white xkr,
It is silver, I took the pictures about 6am in the early morning light.

To jleuz1,
I didn't touch the calipers, so either they came that way or the previous owner did it.

axr6,
That is the $64,000.00 question. After reading through the whole post from maxima and all the tuner's responses, I'm a bit nervous. However, Ralphwg-forum member, has had it done with Jags and says he's really knowledgeable, backs his product, and is extremely close to me (about 15 minutes away). When I spoke to Ralph about 10 days ago, he was supposed to be seeing Jags about a few things and was going to have him contact me. Ralph and I will probably get together sometime next week and then I'll make a decision.

To R_Rated,
Previous owner did the black on both. The fitment of the side skirts from Mina is good but not perfect even with my body shop working on the for a couple of days. There isn't a gap at back, but some1/16"-1/8" gaps where it meets rocker panels. The Mina front splitter comes in 3 pieces, we turned it into one piece as it looks much better. I didn't touch the XK badge, but now you've put a RED ALERT up for my OCD, and I have to go out and check.

To OLXKR,
To be honest, the 2 potos on the F/X Designs ad for this bumper showed a red XKR with the bumper painted black, and a navy XKR with the bumper painted the same body color. I fell in love with the navy one and did not like the red/black version. I think in the dark navy the bumper/diffuser is not as prominent as it appears in the light silver, but I still think it looks quite good. I toyed with glack mesh (which comes with kit), but went with chrome silver mini mesh from Mina.

To Schwabe,
First of all thanks as you're responsible for the exhaust. Secondly, it sounds very good, maybe a bit more muted but very much more European sounding. The bumper is from F/X Designs in Chicago.

To Ngarara,
I'm not sure I disagree with you. Straight on from rear, I love it, but from the side, I'm not crazy about the fact that it sticks out a couple more inches than stock, and I don't particularly care for the side "dimples."

 

Nice job on your car tberg, i like the rear diffuser, if the side recessed bits had a bit of mesh like the middle would look good. Speed pack spoiler on the boot lid could be another option you might look at. I'm a lover of chrome so i can't get past black wheels they seem to get lost in a cars appearance and the detail on the wheels are hard to see.. Anyway good luck with your ride and as long as your happy with it ,that's the main thing. You could also do a paddle upgrade, i did these myself and i love them.

 

Ted, Nice ***. Thanks for the pictures.

 

Powerhouse,
I love your paddle shifter upgrade. I read about it on your other post and would love to do now that I have the car back. Funny that you should mention the mesh for the indents on the side. Before we had even put the bumper on, I suggested we do that, and it was scheduled. But, the bumper does not come with the inner workings needed to attach it to the body, so everything has to be stripped from the original and fastened to the new one. There is some structure there that would preclude opening it up, so we nixed it. Plus, although F/X Designs told me emphatically how high quality it was and that it was primed and ready for paint, it was bull. Days of work, a lot of filler and sanding, and then heating it to be able to get it to fit took its toll on my and my body guy's patience, so we gave up. There is still one spot on the rear right of the bumper that I'm not happy with, it needs to be filled a bit and then repainted, but my 2002 XKR is in the shop, as well, getting a new differential, so when it's done, I'll take this back in for a day.

As for the black wheels, I have never liked black wheels, and I was having them sprayed silver, when at the last moment I changed my mind. On my 2002 and my 2010, within an hour after cleaning the wheels, they are charcoal colored with brake dust. I clean my 2002's every, single day. I just decided at the last minute to get lazy. It's going to take some getting used to, I'm not sure I will keep them that way, or maybe get a second set of wheels and use these at the track.

 

Lookin good Ted!

Not completely sold on the rear diffuser, but glad to see you getting your new cat into the shape you wanted.

 

Hey Charlie,
I had to try something to make that "****" as cute as our earlier cars. Nothing's as good as that!

 

Hey Ted - All I can say is wow!!! It was worth the wait and trouble. Want to see the rear diffuser in person before I comment on it. What days and times are good for you next week? Ralph

 

Hi Ralph,
I guess it can certainly be said I changed the look a bit. I'll check my schedule tomorrow and give you a call. Maybe we can get together early in the week.
Thanks,
Ted