hello everyone. I'm sure this question come up 50 times a day, but im going to ask again lol


I am in the market to buy a used car, and came across an 07 black coupe that I thought was absolutely beautiful. I've never owned a Jaguar, so im a little hesitant to pull the trigger.
Everyone tells me to stay away from these high dollar cars, as they are a nightmare to fix and expensive as heck to get repaired.
It has about 85k miles on it, and looks to be in incredible shape...inside and out. The carfax checks out to show absolutely no problems ever.
I'm thinking of going to look tomorrow and drive it, is there anything I should be looking for or listening for?
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

 

Look for the following:

Pulled leather (air bubbles) on upper part of dash, can be repaired but expensive. There are several threads on this subject.
clogged duckbill. The duckbill is at the bottom of the condensate hose from the a/c. hard to find, but signs of it would be water stains on carpet on the passenger side under the dash. Or the fan motor doesn't function. You will also find several threads on this subject.
Check the age and condition of the battery. If more than 4 years old plan on an early replacement with an AGM battery which should cost around $200. If and when you purchase the car plan on buying and using a battery maintainer such as a CTek which can be found on Amazon or Ebay total cost including an extension cord which you will need is less than $100 and takes no more than 15-20 minutes to install. Also several threads on this subject.
Finally have a PPI at a nearby Jaguar dealer for about $300. They will pinpoint any problems and give you an estimate as to repair costs which you can then use in negotiations. Also have a Jaguar approved body shop inspect the body for any issues.

Hope this has helped. If I missed anything (likely) another member will fill in the blanks. Good luck and good hunting. These cars are very reliable and a joy to own and drive.

 

These cars WERE High Dollar when new, but they are the greatest value-for-dollar when the are used of probably any car ever built. Gone are the gremlins of "The Old Jaguar" as these things are nearly bullet proof. The little nitnoid problems stated above do happen but are not prevalent on a majority of them. Those problems can also be avoided by a little bit of very minor maintenance/avoidance actions.
They have very many Ford components, and other than body damage because of the all aluminum body and chassis stuff, they are not much more cost-wise than any other car out there. Do remember though that it is a near-exotic but not quite, and there is some power to go along with the fabulous handling for a GT car. NOT a sports car, but pretty close.

 

I will just ad that if you can find one, get an XKR. I don't have a base line XK to compare it with but the smiles per mile are well worth it.

As others have said, these are semi exotic. Most folks have no idea what you are driving. You will become an ambassador for Jaguar and the XK so buyer beware.

 

thanks for the replies and input guys, it actually makes me feel better about going to look at it.
And you are right, they are very awesome looking cars. That's what caught my eye. And its black, so it'll match my black F250 and my black Wrangler lol


I've had quite a few cars, trucks, and motorcycles in my life, and im pretty mechanically inclined......so hopefully it'll be a good buy if I get it.

 

Buying an 07 should put you fairly close to the bottom of the depreciation curve for this series. If it's well maintained you really can't get hurt that badly. Many of us have paid 10s of thousands and even close to 100K for their cars in some cases if purchased new. You have an opportunity to own basically the same design for pennies of what others have paid. Check your ride out, inspect it thoroughly, and if it feels right, go for it. It's a ton of fun, and can make you feel like a movie star, even if you're not. Good luck and enjoy.

 

so if the car is in really good shape physically and mechanically, I shouldn't let the 85k miles scare me away?
I know engines are designed nowadays to last way longer than in the 60s and 70s. I mean you always hear about Hondas and Toyotas going 300k no problem. I guess it all depends on how someone takes care of something.

 

Check out the buying guide on PistonHeads.

 

The base engine is pretty bulletproof. The cooling system share the same quirks as other cars of this period. The fiberglass reinforced plastic parts will fail. The XK T-stat housing is a very weak link by poor design. You will replace it. Best tip is that if the cooling fan runs hard you have a cooling problem. Mine once fixed seldom runs loud enough to hear. My prior Jag based Lincoln LS suffered form T-stat problems from the day we bought it used.

 

We really need a buying guide sticky with all this useful info that can be referenced....

I have nothing to add except to expect repairs (when needed) to cost more than the average commuter car. Especially body work.

I'd say buy it if you like it and the PPI checks out. Everyone here loves theirs and you will too. It's an awesome car in every way.

Where in TX are you? Here in the DFW area, I see quite a few on craigslist (mostly 2007s for some reason) and many of them are at dealers so if this doesn't work out, there will be another out there for ya.

Good luck!

 

I only see two problems MB and of course everybody has an opinion. The top doesn't go down and the supercharger is missing. I didn't discuss my purchase with my friends because they all drive Hondas and Toyotas or Fords and Chevrolets. No useable information there. If you live near Houston, I'll give you a contact with my Jag tech. He works for one of the larger dealerships and also does outside work.

 

As the owner of a 100% trouble-free 2007 XK coupe, my advice is: check the service history, expect to do some normal maintenance (which these days does include replacing plastic parts that all cars have - in this case, the thermostat and housing), and BUY IT. The XK has more power than you can legally use and it can get you into trouble very quickly. The XKR is overkill (do with that statement what you will) . I drive aggressively and have never found the XK lacking. The 4.2 engine is, as others have said, "bullet proof" (at some point the thermostat housing should be replaced as a matter of normal maintenance).
But one important thing: these cars, like all modern high end cars, needs full battery voltage at all times. If it does not get full voltage, random electronic symptoms (warning lights, touchscreen, seat, door lock, windows....) will crop up. It is virtually *always* the battery at fault, not the car. Since this will not be your daily use car, replace the battery and fit a CTEK battery maintainer and use it when the car is not being driven. This guarantees no problems with battery voltage. You can then relax and enjoy owning one of the most beautiful cars ever designed, and a reliable one at that.
I am willing to bet that the people who have warned you off Jaguars have never owned one. Those that have owned them keep coming back for more.

 

THIS 100%.

 

+1 on everything he said.

 

I would recommend that you stick to the xk and NOT get the xkr. The xk seems to be less problematic and as far as I am concerned it's the better looking car.

 

Correct on both points! The XK has a better-integrated front end than the 07-09 XKR (although owners of the XKR might feel compelled to argue that point). The XKR has the additional complication of the supercharger and awkwardly placed hoses, but it has to be said that the super chargers are pretty reliable.
To be honest, we are talking comparing a reliable car and a very reliable car. You can't go wrong with either , assuming good condition and a good service history.

 

Some of us like overkill

 

If it DIDN'T have at least a little "overkill" I wouldn't have BOUGHT it. I also have a "street" car that can pull a 1.2 second 0-60. ALSO not enough "overkill".

 

I have an 07 XK and have had no problems except a failed tail light bulb. Routine maintenance is pretty limited and not real expensive. I do use an indy for things like the thermostat housing and brakes. Just as good or better than the dealer, and less expensive.

If it's a clean car, you will love it.

 

I have an '07 XKR convertible I bought with 72k on it. Some things to observe, I am a newbie to the XK series as well. I had an XK convertible, sold it and bought an XKR. Both are great cars, but I must admit I love the power of the XKR much better, it is a missile, a dangerous missile. Things to look for, my car had some idiot who tried repairs that I have had to fix. Look for missing or broken access panels in the trunk, look under that trunk mat for anything odd, look under the dash to make sure the panels are still there, drive the car over bumps when test driving, there should be no rattles or squeaks, these are well made automobiles. They are a bit more to repair but well worth the joy they bring when driving home after a crummy day at the office!