My best to all.

My Miata was just totaled by an inattentive driver and I'm looking for a replacement vehicle in this crazy car environment. I currently don't have a car. I've never owned a Jag but in my early years I fell in love with their design and performance. In other words, I'm already halfway sold on buying one. But, I'm retired and not rich by any means so the initial price and the potential for costly maintenance issues are both significant concerns for me.

There is a 1999 XK8 for sale near me - a private owner. The advertisement doesn't give many details but it's listed for a little more than the KBB average price and he states that it's in vg to excellent condition. I have yet to look up the car's history but he did give the vin number. There are a couple (only) photos and the car looks great. It's listed as having some 64k miles on it.

Right now I use my wife's car - when needed and if it's available. But, I've never been without a car my entire life and this car is very tempting. I've always been fairly diligent in researching a purchase of any importance and I plan on doing the usual things - like maintenance history.

I'm no mechanic - very far from it. I do know to ask about the replacement of the timing chain tensioner but that's about it. I'm mostly concerned about the possibility of the likelihood and cost of major repairs. At this point I don't plan on putting a lot of miles on it every year - but perhaps that will change once (and if) I buy it.

For now, I'm interested in what you Jag owners have to say about the car in general before I decide whether to get serious about purchasing it.

Any/all comments will be appreciated.

With my regards,

Andy

 

You will probably be a bit better off with the 4.2 cars if you want a more reliable car. To be honest though if you buy a good example these cars won't make you bankrupt. They aren't dirt cheap to keep on the road but they aren't as expensive as other cars. There are also a lot of ways of saving money by doing work yourself or using none OEM parts. If something does go wrong it's always best to ask on the forum and see if there is a simple fix whcih will save you a trip to the Jag specialist. It will save your hundreds. Getting an OBDII reader is also a good idea just to get codes off if something does go wrong. That will save you hundreds in diagnostics at a garage. Just watch out for rust as that is the biggest problems apart from the mechanics and electronics.

 

I agree with getting a 4.2 car in an effort to minimize your issues (and there will be issues regardless of how well the car has been maintained). The best advice I can give you is this: If you cannot DIY the vast majority of your own maintenance and repairs, do not step into this world because it can potentially bleed your checkbook dry even finding a good independent shop rather than sacrificing yourself at a dealership. This forum will serve as the most important tool in your toolbox, but you must be willing to tackle the care and feeding of any XK8 or XKR yourself....

 

I have a '99 XK8 and am quite happy. Don't get hung up on the price, a REALLY GOOD one is worth a bit more. MAKE SURE the tensioners have been replaced on a 4.0 engine. Look for a paper trail of receipts. These have good info, and indicate an owner who cared. If not already done, you'll want to do a major transmission service (new filter and oil). This is not a trivial job: Usually, the pan must be dropped. If you can do any work yourself at all, you'll be better off.

There should be no active error codes. Learn all you can about the car. The forums (yes plural) are great, and are recommended reading. Get at least a basic code reader. No car this old will survive very long without well thought-out maintenance.

Bob Frisby
Boise, Idaho

 

ignore any comments on the primary tensioners and guides. swap the secondaries and spend the leftover money on something else like the transmission pressure regulator

 

In all honesty, to go from a Miata to a Jag as a daily when you are no sort of mechanic is probably about as poor an idea is you can get, unless you have a very long stocking.

l own and have owned a lot of cars and bikes and am half way capable, i daily a XK8 successfully/ish because i have a lot of time, the money as needed..................... two other cars in 'reserve' and most of all, i dont need to drive daily.

Hate to burst your bubble. lt is a beautiful car granted, but not well made, and not remotely as reliable comparted to what you are used to, as for the cost of running and repairing it by comparison ouch......... So, be my guest, but dont say someone didnt try to warn you.

 

Thanks for that Kuddlesworth.

 

Thanks Jon, that was a helpful comment.

 

Thanks Bob. Those were useful comments.

 

Okay Xalty. I'll remember that if I decide to move forward.

 

Thanks Markel. Honest comments were what I was looking for.

 

Andy,

I bought a low mileage '98 XK8 5 years ago and love the car. Had the basic work - tensioners, water pump, thermostat - done also a bit of work on the roof (it's a convertible) and brakes but nothing to break the bank. I've just completed a 2,989km run in the car without a single problem or hiccup. So, if the car you're looking at checks out, I'd go for it, keep it regularly maintained and be a sensible owner. It's too easy to get hung up on the problems these cars can give if you're not sensible (and have some luck) and ignore the sheer pleasure of driving them.

 

I purchased a 2001 XKR convert with @35k miles in May 2017. It now has 57k miles. I drive it every week on city streets, freeways, and two lane country roads. It was well maintained when i purchased it. It had good tires & brakes etc, and will play my cassettes from 1990's. Since then, I have spent just @$300 on oil and filters. She starts every time, runs silky smooth like a cat, and has given me no error codes. MPG averages @20. Tires look like they will go another 20k miles. In short, get a good one, don't flog it and it will be a reliable daily driver. Only downside--you may develop OCD when it comes to parking it in the lots. She dings easily.

Needs surf racks

 

Andy - Lots of sage advice above. Here's my two cents - don't do it if you're not sure of the car history on the big ticket items esp. the engine & transmission. The car is over 20 years old and the mileage is probably irrelevant compared to how well the car has been maintained. I had the 99MY and it took alot of DIY to bring it round to a "good" state. If you had to pay a garage to do this, it'll empty the bank balance quick. Even if you get the car in a good condition, you may quickly find the rubber and plastics degrade on you -suspension problems may occur during your ownership.

Sorry to be a nay-sayer, but if you're not into home shade tree DIY repairs, this Jag probably isn't the car to get.

 

A couple of additional considerations:
1. The early xk's had issues with the cylinder liners which dissolved in modern gasoline. Another reason to pass on pre-2001 cars
2. You are in No VA. I grew up there, VA salts the cars in the winter. Rust. Look for a dry state car. CA , AZ or West Texas car--allot of Jags were sold in Phoenix and San Antonio.
3. The XKs have probably reached the nadir of the depreciation curve, I could sell mine today for just about what I paid four years ago. Makes the real cost of ownership really low.
4. Mine has one problem common to allot of XKs. The headrests are adjusted electrically and automatically move when the seat is released to access the back. The cable drive to the headrest was cut too short and it pulls free of the motor, immobilizing the headrest. Easy fix and lots of literature on it, but I haven't done mine yet.
5. Finding a good car is critical. As other posters advised, if you have to do allot of deferred maintenance it gets expensive quick--but not much more so than with the Miata. You can fit two golf bags and some luggage in the Jag's trunk. The Miata is more of a tennis racket carrier.

 

In May I purchased a 2002 XK8 w/79K on the clicker. Took 2 months to get the title as the co. I bought from closed up. Nonetheless, I'm pleased for the most part (this is my 5th Jaguar) except for the following issues, which are being corrected by a well respected garage:1. Driver's seat motors run, but seat does not move. 2. Engine light shows P741 code(transmission solenoid) 3.ABS light on(R.F. sensor bad) 4. I don't know if this model needs timing chain tensioners replaced?. There are some other minor issues, but nothing serious. Just put a set of Pirelli P-Zero tires on, and am pleased with their performance.

 

plastic tensioners were phased out by the 2002 model year which should be a 4.2 liter v8 w/6speed auto. correction: from earlier post re tensioners:

"Another significant date was 13 Aug 2001, when the last 4.0L A27 engine with plastic cam chaintensioners was produced. That means there were only about ten months of production of 4.0L XK8/XKRs (less than 6,000 cars) that had metal tensioners from the factory before the 2003 model year incorporated the 4.2L AJ33 in June 2002. I feel most fortunate to have one of them."
Your car's build date may give a hint as to whether it is likely to have the metal tensioners rather than plastic.

 

Wow, that is great news for me about the plastic tensioners being phased out before the 2002 model. I have been really nervous about the shop checking on this while being serviced. Armand

 

see correction above. When i was having tensioner anxiety a few years ago, I found a post describing the issue and reporting that the metal tensioners from Lincoln's version of the same block which is used in the V8 LS are a direct fit.

 

"4. Mine has one problem common to allot of XKs. The headrests are adjusted electrically and automatically move when the seat is released to access the back. The cable drive to the headrest was cut too short and it pulls free of the motor, immobilizing the headrest. Easy fix and lots of literature on it, but I haven't done mine yet."

Just some help here, I did mine, but DO NOT follow the direction online or from Jaguar. They say to cut cable sheath in middle, remove a bit and splice sheath back together. This doesnt work! The sheath WILL pull apart, as the plastic "sweats" oils. Then your screwed with a useless cable and again no headrest movement. What you do, after stripping back of seat off, is pull cable out from the lower attachement under seat, heat up metal end with lighter and pull it off. cut END of sheath just a bit more than length of metal end. Heat up metal end again and force back on new end of sheath. Reinsert cable (its a square hole and cable so gotta twist and mess at bit to fit correct), and you will never have issue again!