Excuse random note but am seriously considering buying my first Jag. Brit living in Atlanta, would be rude not to own a piece of Coventry engineering at least once in my life. Thinking about spending $20-25k ish for a 2007-2009 XK (not a XKR) with no more than 75k miles on clock. As Jag owners any top tips on either buying (warning signals) or owning (local mechanics)? XKs of this age seem like a deal to own a classy and pretty car with a $85-90k original sticker price. Any thoughts on buying a really low mileage XK, e.g. < 20k miles? Thanks in advance!! Andy

 

I bought my first Jag about 6 months ago on a "cars and bids" auction. 07 coupe 78Kmi, $12.5 K. Very pleased with it's condition. Chased an expected vacuum leak for awhile, and since I do all my own work, it was pretty cheap to solve, though a couple of months while I got smarter about the vacuum envelope and systems. That said, I'm very pleased with the car and really enjoy it. Not a 'vert person, since I wanted the modern equivalent of the e-type shape. The car is very easy to work on, with a couple of notable exceptions. Nothing brain-busting that I haven't seen on previous cars., mostly BMW's. Learn where you can get parts at reasonable prices, 'cause Jag parts prices are absurd. Seriously absurd.

So, what to watch out for, in addition to all the things you do when inspecting a used car. If you aren't a solid DIY'er, get a pre-purchase inspection.

1. Always get the service history if you can. Seriously. It makes a huge difference in scheduling your own maintenance. Download the service manual and read it. Very useful.
2. Do a complete end to end fluid change, just because you should always do that, IMHO, unless you have documented proof that fluids have been done on schedule. A fresh start really helps. And power steering, transmission and differential fluids are probably original. Do them first. Coolant, brake fluid and oil are likelier to have been done. Do them next.
3. Vacuum leaks are a problem, because 14 year old gaskets dry out. Oil filler, dipstick, and various o-rings probably need replacement. Pretty easy job. Get a vitron o-ring kit and go to town.
4. These really are happiest with a good battery. AGM, keep it on a tender if you can.
5. Probably a good idea to send the injectors out for new o-rings, filters and a good cleaning. Figure $25 per injector if you find an injector cleaning shop and DIY the removal. Dealers will want $200 per new injector (unlikely to clean them instead) and 2 hours labor for a one hour job to pull them all and reinstall them.

None of this stuff is hard (for me, anyway), but a lot of folks who DIY buy these because you can get a helluva car for cheap because people fear the outrageous repair costs from the shops if you don't DIY..

Good luck, and welcome.

 

Autocar buying guide & Pistonheads enjoy

 

Plenty of good advice already but let me emphasise this in particular.

If you can or want to learn how to DIY a Jaguar, these are a very reasonable car to run. If you intend to use dealer or an independent for this, it gets very expensive. Expertise is a reflection of the original sticker price and not the current value.

Graham

 

I’ve got a perfect 2009 XK Coupe for sale with 35k miles and gorgeous!

 

I have a 07 XK. Some days wish it was an XKR. Awesome car. Tide is like on liquid rails!
good info above.
always have a good battery. And keep on a charger if leaving it for awhile.
if it’s a convertible and you don’t use regular radio, pull fuse on antenna (07).
Enjoy!

 

Great advice, thanks very much. I am not a DIYer at all, but your post makes me think that it might be time to learn.

 

Got an 08 XKR convertible I bought 3 yeas ago. Florida car, drove it up coast of Florida, man it is a great grand tourer. I do all regular maintenance at specified intervals. Planning a trans filter/pan change and change some of the strut and front end bushings as these seem to be called for at the 70K mile range. The car is a looker and performs well. This is one of 6 cars I have and is the one that seems to be the most reliable. 420HP of pure performance and comfort. What is not to love.

Let me know if you want to know more about it as all my cars are for sale.

Also, this forum is a must for any interest or ownership. Lots of great info and pointers from the Jag community.

 

what color?

 

Code LMN - Lunar Gray Metallic

 

Go for the 5.0 L models if you can. They have nicer running gear inside.

 

This may be the crux of your decision making. Understand that even though automotive repairs such as Shocks, Brakes, Suspension parts are basic on an 07, do you have the tools to repair/ replace them?

Repairing/ diagnosing of these cars often require specialized equipment.

I certainly encourage learning, but sometimes you have to ask yourself if you can afford it. Tools and the diagnostic software can run into the thousands. An alternative would be to set aside $3000 - $3500 per year for repairs and maintenance. Not that you will need it every year, but replacing all the suspension parts, a common wear item will likely cost you $3000 if outsourced. And so it goes. There is nothing wrong with outsourcing your work btw but as Graham points out, there's a reason the sticker price new was $80,000 +.

Determine whether you can or even want to DIY by reading the workshop manual. It's the best way to teach yourself imo. Also look at the wiring diagrams and ask yourself if you can learn and understand them. There are several DIY stickies at the top of the X150 forum page. Read through them. The X350 and S-Type also have them and much of processes and components are the same.

Either way, be patient in your search. I think my car has around 79,000 miles. Every late fall or winter, I do some work on her and enjoy it during the driving season.

Will this be your daily driver or a toy? Will you store it in winter? Some guys here have no issue driving their's year round. It's not practical here in Minnesota though.


Cheers and Welcome!

 

I’ll be glad to send you some pictures!

 

Try to go for the lowest miles and best maintenance records that are affordable to you.

 

The topic is TIPS which should not be taken as an encouragement to diverge towards risk making FOR SALE posts.

Graham

 

Any car with control arm bushings replaced is a bonus.

 

The 4.2L V8 has proven to be a very reliable engine. I have hear of some issues with the 5.0L but cannot speak to that personally. Maybe some other members or post would have that info.
Reviewing all my notes and will send along any additional tips...

 

Andy, you were wise to seek advice from this forum before buying. The owners here are very experienced and knowledgeable (present company excepted!) and I've found lots of good tips and people here willing to help with XK issues.

My experience with the XK is limited but may be helpful. I bought a 2007 coupe last September. I was the third owner (not counting a dealer in the chain), the car was very clean with no visible issues other than a weak battery, and with low miles. I probably overpaid for it at just north of $20K, but don't regret it in hindsight. I had a pre-purchase inspection done, which confirmed that the car was mechanically in very good shape, except for the boots on the front control arms. After purchase, I replaced the battery and took it to a local "European car specialist" shop for fluids change and further evaluation. I was pleased with the work the shop did and their customer service (but see below). There is a Jaguar-specific shop with a good reputation in the area, but they're at least 90 minutes away, so I decided to use them only for really major work. The local Jaguar dealer does not have a great reputation, and I got the feeling in talking to their shop that they don't want/like to work on Jaguars of this era. I guess their techs are mostly trained to service more recent vintage Jags.

I am not a DIYer. I decided to leave the car pretty much bone stock mechanically - no performance tuning, fancy exhaust upgrades, new wheels or the like. I've added a couple of little electronic farkles, fixed the (common) problem of the glovebox door flopping down when opened, had a detailer apply paint protection film to the nose and hood, but that's it. The car has performed flawlessly since purchase. I fortunately do not have some of the common problems you see on the forum - vacuum or fluid leaks, engine performance issues, pulling of the leather dash - at least not yet! I keep the car garaged and on a battery maintainer.

I had the transmission fluid changed this past April at the European car specialist shop, when I had the control arms replaced. A few days after the service I noticed fresh fluid on the garage floor in the area of the transmission. The shop agreed to redo the service without charge, but another leak was found after the second try. I took the car to a different shop, one recommended by a friend with lots of high-performance cars. They got the service right, and the first shop agreed to cover the cost. Since they stepped up, I would give them another chance to work on the car for routine stuff. Bottom line, finding a good shop that knows these cars could take some work.

I wish you good luck in finding the right car.

 

If you're very lucky, you may have a DIY garage or a place that will rent lift use by the hour. We have one here in SoFla. Place called Garage Yourself in North Miami. $30/hr lift and tools. Also happens to be a nice guy who really knows cars and is ready with good advice or an extra pair of hands if you need it. I'm in a condo, so no garage to make a mess of and **** off the spouse. Anyway, look around for a rental garage. Can make life easier if you DIY.

One thing I've learned is that these cars are no harder to maintain than any other eurocar, or for that matter, most American cars. Dealers act like jags are magic. They're just cars. Plan, think, be scrupulously neat, RTFM, take your time and lay off that refreshing beer while working on them (ask me how I learned that ft-lbs are not in-lbs....). Worried about reassembly? Take lots of pictures as you disassemble. Until you start ripping into the engine, there are very few special tools needed. You can do 95% of the work with a good metric toolbox and a couple of good torque wrenches. Oh, and on the older Jags, pay $120 for a cheap smoke tester and quickly solve vacuum leaks instead of guessing.

Another thing is how surprised I was to find some really amateurish repairs done in Dealer service facilities. Like spark plugs at 10Nm torque when the spec is 27. Remember, these guys get paid to work fast as a priority. Most of them are good, though at $200/hr, they all should be good.

 

I do NOT have personal experience with the 5L engine. I have extensive 4L (10 years and 60k miles) and less extensive 4.2L (3 years and 24k miles) experience. I like these engines. The "problems" with the 4.2L are relatively minor and not what I consider a big deal. We don't seem to have VVT issues, timing chain tensioner/guides issues, water pumps seem fine in terms of how long they last, transmissions hooked up to them need oil changes every 60k to avoid issues but that seems like a DUH thing, the Eaton M112, if you have a R model is robust and easy to service and repair. The problems the 4.2L cars have seem more related to things completely engine irrelevant; dash leather shrinkage, duck bill for AC drain, the little black soft touch coating around the shifter flaking off, active headlight motor wiring getting fried.

Go look at competitors to the XK/R from that era; like the Mercedes r230 SL, BMW 6-Series, Maserati GranTurismo. Hydraulic Suspension/Roof hydraulics/V12 coil packs/electronics on the SL, Engine Carbon Buildup/Valve Stem Seals/V10 bottom end on 6-Series, and Cam Variators/Sticky Buttons/Garbage Vinyl Interior Bits on the Maseratis. I say this loving all of those cars and having bought a Maserati GranTurismo.

The WORST X150 XK variant is still heads and shoulders above much of it' competition. The best advice is to buy the best EXAMPLE for sale. Buy a no-excuses car. Often the fix it up mentality says you can fix a little and save some money; often not really on these cars. Also, be religious on fluid, filter and belt maintenance and keep a relatively recent high quality battery in the car and you'll have great reliability and a great ownership experience.