When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
My name is Kyle and I am a relatively new XKR owner from Kansas, US. I recently picked up one of my dream cars, a Pearl Gray 2008 XKR Coupe in early March 2020. I have a little bit of a love story with the XK, as when the X150 was released, I was only 10 years old. I live in Kansas, which is smack dab in the middle of the United States. The town I live in isn't the largest and cars like ours are VERY uncommon, but when I was growing up, a local realtor bought a black 2007 XK shortly after they went on sale. I still remember the day I saw it driving past as I rode in the back of the family minivan. I am the only car enthusiast in my family, so pleading with my parents to turn around and chase it down was out of the question. A few weeks later I saw it parked downtown and I remember just staring at it, taking in all the lines that Ian Callum carefully drew to perfection. The XK cost nearly six figures, and one of these was completely out of the question coming from a middle-class family. I read all the magazine articles on the XK and fell more and more in love with it over the years. I was always the car nerd growing up and got picked on quite a lot in school for being "weird." I loved the Ferraris and Lamborghinis like other kids my age, but for some unexplainable reason, GT cars like the XK and Maserati GranTurismo were my favorites. The kids who picked on me loved to remind me that I would never be able to have a car like this because I would never amount to anything. 50 miles away from my hometown in Kansas City, a local dealer group that sells Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Land Rover, Porsche, Maserati, and (now) Alfa Romeo was my safe place on the weekends. My parents would drop me off with my old camera and I would wander around while my parents ran errands. The dealership took me on to run their social media and photograph their cars when I turned 18. I was allowed to drive the cars for work purposes and experienced some amazing automobiles during my time there, but one day a 2009 XKR Convertible was traded in and I just had to see what it was like. I checked the keys out for 15 minutes and before I knew it, my drive around the block turned into 10 miles of cruising. I don't think I even stepped on it once. I was just awestruck and taking in the experience. When I returned, one of the older salesmen who never really liked me got in my face and yelled at me in front of some Mercedes customers because I went over two miles with the car. I told him that one day when I had my own, I would put 2,000 miles on it within the first month of owning it. He laughed and said "kids like me" don't own cars like that.
Fast forward to age 24 and I was finally in a position to buy the car I have always wanted. I searched for months for the perfect XK. I didn't think I was going to be able to swing an R. There was a 2007 R Coupe in Blue Prism Pearl (VERY rare color) in California at a Toyota dealer that had one accident on record, but I had to have it. The dealer tried to switch me into a brand new Toyota as if a Corolla is a substitute for a Jaguar and then got upset when I quit responding to their constant barrage of emails. Still, I held out to get an XK in the spec I wanted. I had to have British Racing Green, Emerald Fire, Pearl Gray, Prism Blue, or the classic Liquid Silver. It had to have the Caramel/Tan interior or the Ivory/Slate Blue interior. Lo and behold, my patience paid off in late February 2020 while browsing an XK owners group on Facebook, a Pearl Gray/Ivory/Slate Blue XKR Coupe (I preferred the coupe) came up for sale not even four hours from where I live. I had 71,000 miles on it and looked the business. I immediately contacted the owner who was a car enthusiast himself and amazing to deal with, and set up a test drive and a date to look at it. I couldn't sleep for a week it seemed. I knew I was taking it home from the first time I laid eyes on it. The previous owner has a great collection of cars and needed to make room, so the XKR had to go. He put only a little over 1,000 miles on it in over a year and made me promise him that I would drive it and enjoy it. As of today my XKR has 78,900 miles on it and it's not even my daily driver! I still have my first car, a 1996 Mazda with 304,000 miles, that takes me around while the Jag sleeps. In my short 6 month ownership with the XKR, I have made the trip south to Oklahoma City, took old Route 66 to Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas, through New Mexico, and up to the summit of Pikes Peak in Colorado. Next week I embark to Yellowstone National Park, Black Hills National Forest, and Mount Rushmore (total approx. 2,500 miles in 4 days) for the Jaguar's second big road trip. I will be starting a new thread documenting my trip with the car with pictures of it at all the beautiful sights along the way. As I am sure you all know, the XK is one of THE elite grand touring cars and I have experienced nothing quite like it on long hauls. In half a year of ownership, I will have put 10,000 miles on it by the time I return. Then it is time for hibernation to begin as the winter months approach in late October. I plan on having the front bumper cover resprayed and clear paint protection along with a polish and ceramic coating. There have been a few maintenance things here and there that I have taken care of and plan to address, but for the most part I have had a completely trouble-free and dare I say reliable experience so far and I hope it continues! While it seems the rest of the guys my age would rather own slammed Nissans and Mustangs with the mufflers cut off, I prefer my GT car. It's loud and fast when I want it to be (I pulled fuse 19 already), and comfortable and relaxing when I don't need the speed. I cannot wait for the adventures that are ahead in my Jaguar ownership!
Your post was automatically locked for moderation which is why you have had no replies. I can't see any problem with the content and it's a great post so I've unlocked it.
I got my first Jaguar when I was just a little younger than you and fifty years later am still owning and driving them. I can see your life going in the same direction!
Know that you are not alone, and that many Forum members will relate to your well-written story. Most of us are just like you, but a bit older. We share a common bond; the appreciation of a classic design of timeless beauty - a rolling work of art. Your XKR looks amazing in those pictures! Thanks for sharing and enjoy the ride!
Kyle even thousands of miles away on this side of the pond your story touched me.
When I was a kid in the 70's I always used to wonder why Jags, Bentleys and Rollers were toodling along in the slow lane. When I started driving I the early 80's I (wrongly) surmised it was because of fuel costs.
When I grew up I realised that it was because...
WHEREVER THEY WERE GOING PEOPLE WOULD WAIT FOR THEM!!
I was raised in a working class household, where material things were...well...immaterial. It was more important to eat well and have shoes without holes in them
My first car at 17 was an MGC, second a Scimitar all bought and paid for through my own hard work.
You enjoy, you deserved it...and thanks immensely for posting.
Welcome to the forum Kyle. Your car is beautiful even if the top is fixed. Please park the Toyota and drive the cat while you can. When the blizzards come the cat will be shivering in your barn.
Kyle - You are a most welcome addition to the Forum. Not only do you have an appreciation for at least one of the finer things in life; you plan and execute well and then report eloquently with great pics to go with. Welcome aboard, enjoy your ride and continue to report your X150 life, I for one look forward to your future reports.
A brief Jaguar XJR anecdote. My bride and I toured Chicago -the Badlands- Mount Rushmore - Sturgis SD - Cody WY - Yellowstone - Jackson Hole - Chicago back in 2003 in our 2000 XJR. The trip was about 2200 miles round trip. We overnighted in Sheridan WY one night after having picked up a small rock chip in the windshield right in front of me in my line of sight. So we stopped at a local auto glass repair shop to see what could be done. The owner came out inspected the windshield, recommended doing nothing and then remarked that it was the prettiest car he had ever seen and what kind was it? I of course told him about my Jaguar and that it was a fine road car. Any way, you can see I have not forgotten that happening some 17 years ago. You will find yourself having experiences in your Jaguar, just because you are driving a Jaguar. I have several other stories but, enough is enough. Welcome aboard
Beautiful color! Like most of us, I'm sure you always look back at it when walking away! If its not your Daily driver, you should get a ctek trickle charger to keep the battery happy. The computer system of these new cars draws power from the battery when they're sitting, so it wise to keep that battery fully charged. Good luck!
Battery Charger, Battery Maintainer, or Trickle Charger?
Originally Posted by Marco75
... you should get a ctek trickle charger to keep the battery happy. ...
Battery Terminology Matters! CTEK Is NOTa trickle charger! It's a battery maintainer. There's a big difference.
A trickle charger is dumb. It continually applies a small charge to the battery, and once the battery is fully charged it will keep charging it at the same, constant rate of charge. That can overcharge and damage a battery.
A battery maintainer is smart. It incorporates circuitry that monitors the battery's state of charge and automatically applies varying levels of charge to keep the battery fully charged without overcharging it. Many people call it a "Battery Tender", but that is the brand name of a battery maintainer that I don't recommend. Read my Amazon review of the Battery Tender Jr. that I bought for my XKR:
I recommend the CTEK brand of battery maintainers. They have several models with varying features, and I am very pleased with the CTEK MUS4.3 that I have been using on my XJ because its Recondition Mode worked to resurrect my Stop-Start auxiliary battery. I've been using a BatteryMinder brand maintainer on my XKR for many years, but it doesn't have the CTEK's Recondition Mode. There are many other quality maintainers on the market, but Jaguar sells the CTEK 3300 as an accessory with its Leaper Logo. You can buy it for less on Amazon without the Jaguar logo.
If your battery is dead, you'll need a Battery Charger with an output of at least 10 amperes. Battery maintainers and trickle chargers simply don't have enough output oomph to charge a dead battery.
P.S. My apologies
Last edited by Stuart S; 08-30-2020 at 10:56 AM.
Reason: Added P.S.
Interesting for me to see the last picture, XKR next to Aston. To me, the XKR is so much prettier. The Aston tries too much, and has to look mean for some reason. As with women, I prefer "beautiful" to "mean".
08-28-2020, 05:40 PM
New XKR Owner! Hello Everyone!
