I currently own an 2004 XJ8 Which I am pretty well versed on...I went to get some parts for it at the Jag dealer the other day and there was a radiance red coupe sitting there...At that moment I knew that I had to have one! Where I live I have only seen 2 on the road ever...Never got a chance to gaze at this sexy cat close up. WOW! Soooo I will be selling my Mercedes SL500 to move up to an XK...A few questions I have tho...I really want an R but it will be out of my price range... Are there any bolt on mods or ECM flashes to get more out of it? Anything else I should be looking for when purchasing? I know the ZF tranny needs to be scrutinized. Probably an 07 or 08 with 30- 50K miles will fit my price range. Thanks

 

Base '07 & 08's are 4.2 Liters with 300 hp NOT 380! My '07 Radiance coupe is gorgeous.
300 is enough for an 80 yo................
Cheers, Adrian

 

Are you sure that if you went with the year older and the higher end of your mileage filter that you couldn't do the R? When I was looking I had a choice between my car (07 R) and an 08 xk with maybe 20k less miles. I almost went with the xk, however, the decision ended up being that I liked the grill and interior better on the R. Of course, in the end it comes down to personal preferences.

 

Yes I deleted the 380 HP part of the post after I noticed it was added in 2010 and up. I do agree a higher mileage R may be a better choice for me as I am a speedfreak gearhead!

 

If you can find a 2010 that meets your budgetary requirements and the car checks out I would for go it. the 5.0l engine in the 2010+ has a bhp of 385. There have also been transmission and suspension upgrades and some body refinements. In any case what every you do decide on, have a dealer do a thorough mechanical check and a good body shop check out the body.

Some things watch for in 07-09 models: a clogged duckbill on the condensate tube and a bubbling effect on the leather dashboard top. Both items as well as a water pump failure issue and battery maintenance are well documented on this forum. Use the search box feature at the top of the thread to find the appropriate threads.

Good luck in your quest.