You guys were blowin' my mind, until I looked at the exchange rate between the AUD and USD. So that $104,750 AUD price tag is more like $80,577 USD.
High for a 2012, but not 'holy crap' high.

 

And I can testify to insurance companies urging you to total these cars. In my previous XK I was hit on the front right side, and the initial damage est (for a 2011 XK) was $28K. My insurance guy strongly urged me to total it, which he could make happen, since, as he rightly pointed out, aluminum frame damage is hard to fix, and an "accident reported" changes the resale value from low to laughable. Resale value is the downside to these cars, but since I'm not planning to sell, not an issue. (I took the check for the total, which ended up being more than I expected, and bought my current XKR.)

 

Getting back to discussing reliability of an XKR, I haven't been so lucky as others. I have a 2014 XKR with less than 20k miles. Fortunately, I am still under warranty. My exhaust started squeaking when I shut the car off. I complained to the dealer and they said the active exhaust malfunctioned. It was free to me because of the warranty, but without the warranty the bill would have been $7,500! A couple months after they replaced the exhaust, it malfunctioned again! Still under warranty but it would be another $7,500 to fix. That's outrageous. Now I have an issue with my steering but the dealer can't duplicate it. When I'm parking sometimes the steering feels exactly like I'm driving on ice. The car shutters and the steering binds a little. I hope the dealer will be able to duplicate it but it only happens sporadically. If anyone has any idea what might be wrong, please let me know so I can pass it on to the dealer.

My warranty is up at the end of the year and I'm afraid to own this car without it. I'm considering keeping it and buying a $3,000-$4,000 extended warranty. But I know those aren't great.

Despite the issues I've had, I love this car. It is an amazing machine.

 

That's a new one on me. A squeaking active exhaust malfunction. They would have to show me the defect. And after it was replaced and you have it again I smell another problem . I find this hard to believe. As for the steering it might be possible that the serpentine belt is slipping on slow steering.

 

This reminds me of some recurring dreams I had when I first got my XKR... I'd be driving wherever and quite fast, but then I couldn't turn the steering wheel regardless of how hard I tried, and usually I'd somehow miss all the other traffic and objects, but then wake up afterwards. I haven't had this dream again in years. Good thing, it was spooky.

 

At lower RPM, the power steering pump has less "umph" to work with. I think your description of driving on ice is quite a poor metaphor, driving on literal ice there is no binding, just significantly reduced work required. Driving across rutted slushyness of a wet snow perhaps, but not a good ice.

Solution, apply a slight amount of right foot, give the car a little more RPM to work with, the power steering will feel smooth again. The sudden load from the power steering pump is causing an RPM drop, the engine automatically compensates, but there is a delay. This is causing the shuttering you feel. If you looked at your tach, you'd see it drop just below idle and back up to idle rapidly whenever you feel the shuttering.

Also, I believe the car adjust the amount of power steering between modes of different effort. Once in a while, I find my car comes on and stays in a lower power mode, shutting the car off, and restarting, and it works normally. I find that if I improperly attempt to start the car, it will come on with the power steering stuck permanently in a lower power mode when I do start it properly afterwards. "Rebooting" causes it to go away.

 

I think the greatest downside to owning an expensive 'exotic' is most of the folks who can afford to buy one won't or don't have the ability / time to maintain it themselves and live in fear of the next expensive garage visit. The X150 has aged into the 2nd and 3rd owner set where the peril of sorting out a problem yourself vs. paying for the average shop's lack of knowledge or paying for the exclusive dealer level service.

The plus side of owning an aging design is most problems have been investigated before and there is an knowledge base on the web. When compared to most pedestrian brands, the XK is more refined and has some different philosophies on how to do things. As I've worked mine this past week it's shown me that in spite of being difficult to work on that it is possible and with patience and experience it can be done, successfully I expect.

 

XJDanny
I have had that same shuddering in the steering since I bought my car 3 years ago. I think we drained the power steering fluid and replaced and it was better. In the last couple of weeks, it's gotten bad again, and I plan on flushing it again. Seems to be a fairly common complaint.

 

I appreciate everyone's feedback. I will mention replacing the fluid to the dealer. It doesn't make sense a car with less than 20k miles would need the fluid changed so soon. I just want them to find the problem while it's still under warranty. It's frustrating they can't duplicate it. I drove around with a service tech for a bit and the car wouldn't do it. After I picked it up, I got in the car and as I drove out the dealer's lot it did it again. Grrr...

 

I will try adding more acceleration to see if that corrects it. Thank you.

Regarding the metaphor of being on ice, it is like driving on ice where the car moves inches at a time before stopping because it has no traction. It happened the first time this winter when I was in a parking lot. At first, I was surprised the lot had ice because the weather had warmed up. I got out and checked the ground. There was no ice. Another time a friend was with me and when the car shuttered he said, "We are on ice." We weren't. I wish there was a dealer bulletin on it.

 

For your use and supplied budget, and XK is plenty good. All the technology, style and comfort is there. I own a 2008 XKR and labored a bit over the XK and XKR decision. As it turns out, I found an XKR close to a XK price and the rest was history. The 2010+ models were a bit more than I wanted to spend. Downside of the XK... probably a misnomer. Great car anyone would be happy to own. I can say that having at supercharger in the XKR may have you thinking a bit for that track day. When up around 70 or 80 and you jump on the throttle the top end acceleration is mind blowing. I'm guessing it is better in the 5.0L XKRs. I'm not sure of how the XK's do in this range, but I'm sure they do well enough if all their other attributes are any indicator.

 

I think J5hort has pretty much hit it on the head here

 

I love my '07 XK with 4.2L engine.. the sound alone is super.. the '13 XK I have with the 5L engine is good too, but misses that unique sound when doing 80km/h..

The downside.. well I tried moving a flatscreen TV in there once.. which did not fit.. also the offroad desert driving that my wife tested wasn't very good.. she managed to get the car into the desert.. well if you count the 3 inch away from the road as desert.. before we got stuck.

So for the troubles.. well the '07 XK media center did not really like the combination of 48C degrees outside temperature combined with continuous high speeds (it actually has a temp sensor that shuts it down).. the '07 XK wishwasher fluid box did not like the heat too and decided to break (releasing all fluid).. and the roof did not like the sand/heat and the rear windscreen glue simply gave way causing me to replace the entire roof. The every 8000km maintenance was sort of rubbish..

the '13 version had a broken pipe somewhere, causing cooling fluid to leak out but was repaired under warranty.. and the maintenance is now every 12.000km

all in all.. HAPPY!

 

Not sure I'd recommend using these cars for moving large items or off-road use. You may want to consider a truck or utility vehicle. Perhaps a Range Rover.

I routinely swap my Jag for my wife's SUV for moving any items any trips to the home improvement store. Would not even thing about placing anything consider cargo in the XKR.

 

Definitely leaves a wish for more from my 4.2L XK, I contemplate going to a 4.2XKR.

Its really only the interstate that is the second circle of Charlotte that I want the additional power, the driving skill displayed there is very poor, and the speed limit quite high. The power could help avoid wrecks.

 

Agreed. When I'm already doing 80 in my 4.2 XK, stepping on the gas doesn't give me a kick in the backside like an XKR does (test drove a 4.2 XKR before I got my XK).

 

Its probably just me.. but I kinda like the XK over the XKR.. it was a bit too rough for my taste.. I like that the XK is a wolf in sheep clothes.. as soon as you kick it down.. it goes. GRRRRR

 

I might add that this high end boost does not happen all that often so far as desire. I do find myself driving a bit faster in this car and it is so smooth and true. For the road, it is rare that the acceleration in that range will be needed. Nice to now its there however. I am planning on a run around the track and want to get things up in that range. With proper safety gear and preparation of course. I think the differences between the XK and XKR will be more noticeable there. Looking for track days in New England.

 

Just to toss my comments back in here as they get lost over time and posts, I still have my 07 XK, and my 2010 XKR.

If I were to repeat the most amazing road-trip in my life, (4400 mile plus), I would not have enjoyed it in my XKR nearly as much as I did in my XK. I had no problems clipping along at a cozy 130MPH across Utah and Arizona, it a level of comfort that my XKR could never hope to offer.
These are memories I will cherish, and I cannot for a moment believe my XKR would have treated me so delicately or with such loving finesse over the long miles.
The XK is indeed a lover of distances, and you arrive at your destination relaxed and ready to explore.

The XKR drains you... It cannot help but do so, as it has such a brutish personality and certainly puts a big smile on my face, but after a simple 1000mile trip to visit family, I'm exhausted....... Happy, but exhausted none the less.
My perfect world would be the blend of both. Give me a comfort button so I can explore my world at length, and a 'go-fast' button to lock it all down for the few times I want that thrill.
In the end, I kinda believe my XK (and its glorious 4.2L exhaust note) wins my heart for its class, style and luxury.
Surrender my 2010 XKR? Never! But I won't be repeating any 4400 mile road trip in her either! (And that in itself is kinda sad...)

Vince

 

My longest drives in the 08 XKR convertible were 200 miles up FL coast and from DC to Boston when I bought it. Loved every minute of it. I am assuming a tighter suspension in the XKR over the XK. Some more recent technology in this category (sport modes, cruise modes, etc) may have solved this problem. Guessing the F-Type has this set up, but I am not there yet.

Point is, as keeping with the original topic post, you are starting in a good place with the XK and there is little if any downside. Add Race and Special editions as needed for task at hand... can't imagine not being happy with an XK in all categories (even power, big horses in a light car). And this is coming from an XKR owner.