Dear Jag Forum Members,

Horror stories of low mileage, pre-2003 xk8's with low miles having tensioner issues, front suspension issues, intermittent ABS/TControl fails......

As a previous post erudite.....Most of the 'issues' with pre-2003 XK8's are when they are rarely driven, when driven never warmed up, and driven for a few short miles on some weekend to the golf course, inter alia....

Suspension issues --- take off the front wheels get a paint brush with high end grease and go crazy lubricating everything and all parts.... Done.

The tryanny pre-2003 hesitant...Use the J-gate and make your own gear at will, Period.

Tensioners - not replaced at 187k but I warm her up and do not tease her with a five minute fling.....

Last - drive her... Drive her. Respect the need for the Nikasil the engine to be driven.....

IMHO
Phil

 

192,500 and headed for 200k.
Drive 'em.

 

To paraphrase an old movie line - if you ignore it (secondary tensioners), you will lose it.

Why turn your eyes away from so obvious a potential failure?

 

Mr. Oregon strong well into the 200k mark....And still so beautiful etc, and on and on....A special car if you treat yourself right.

Steve8, do not jinx me, joking....Up at 187k buddy and I treat her super well...May it happen sure it may....If you treat an xk8 like a companion she will be there for a very long time....Period.

 

Phil, don't get me wrong. I've read of oregonjag's story for a couple of years on this forum, and he's not one to turn away from maintenance issues. I also commend for your overall attitude of driving the car for best results, I agree 100% and wish you well. I have no intention of jinxing you! Best wishes to you sir, and long may you enjoy your beautiful car.

 

145,000 miles +or-, driven every day and still looks and runs like new. Having said that, my tensioners broke upon start up one day, and fortunately, when I heard the "scream," I stopped the engine within about a quarter of a second. I did not suffer bent valves or any other consequences, but I was lucky and stupid. For a relatively small repair cost, I could have lost my daily driver (because I love driving it, not because I don't have other cars to drive). Tempting fate usually doesn't end well.

 

+1 on driving these cars. They are not happy otherwise.

Hearing you guys talk about 140K+ mileage makes me ashamed of only having 112k on the clock...but I'm getting there on a daily basis.

 

Stop missing the point....Like fine Wine....An XK8 if treated smartly gets better and better with age....That is my point... No need for the tensioner replacement evangelist. Think bigger about the xk8. It is a car if driven/treated well becomes symbiotic with the environment....Part/parcel/in tune with the drivers human experience.....If, and only if, you care and and get and wish to get it.....Not for everyone....And longer they are with you the better/closer you feel to x.

 

On most cars as you have them for a while - you begin to review the interior -and a repulsion occurs, I just do not like it anymore. I wish I had a new car.....The complete opposite I feel like in my 97 xk8 coronado blue coupe with 20'inch Detroit rims.....I say, holy **** what can I possibly have in the future that will ever match how I feel right now.....Not a big shot but even an f355 or a 2003 911 turbo will never come close to today's feeling in a lolely paltry 97 xk8 coupe. Hard to explain....

 

i'm due back on planet earth now - Bing Videos

 

Over 180K on mine...

 

I have only 105 KKm (65 Kmls) on my '97; I am deeply in love with the car; Planet Earth does not make sense of this, but that's fine. Some Forum mebers do. I drive 5000 Km a year (long hauls merely); This car will last my theoretical lifetime easily!

 

Having recently acquired a 2001 XKR and not being able to drive without being paranoid. Is there any downside to having the tensioners done? I am in no way a mechanic and stick to keeping the beautiful machine clean and tidy. My dealer didn't find it necessary to replace the tensioners. TO make matters worse I believe I have the second generation which from what I've read here doesn't give the same warning signs.

 

Just get them done bro. Have someone take off the covers and check their condition at least.

Pretty won't mean much if it doesn't run. I chose running over perfect paint and leather, and while I would like those, $ spent on maintenance means you can use the car. If the engine gets trashed, and you are on a budget like me, your car just became a parts car.

 

I need to throw in a comment from the "dark side" - those of us that don't use the jag as a daily driver. I bought my 2001 xk8 about 2 years ago with 25,000 miles on her and I now have 29,000 miles on her and I have had NO issues whatsoever out of the ordinary - I did replace the upper shock mounts and recently got the green shower (went to the manual latch for now until I have time to do the full replacement of all hoses, rams and the latch), but other than those "standard" items, my car appears to not have suffered one bit from its lack of being driven. I figure my car was owned by a snow bird who came down every winter for a couple of months and then went back up north.

It's not that I don't enjoy driving my car, I LOVE it but I only use it to cruise around town here and there with the wife. My motorcycle has more mile than my jag and that is fine with me...

...and this jag is the lowest mileage car I have EVER owned (never bought new), so I want it to stay perfectly beautiful

Now don't be hatin' on me please...

 

I put off doing my tensioners for a year after purchasing my XK8. I figured since it had low miles and full service records I would be fine.The Jaguar service manager even told me he had never experienced a secondary tensioner failure in the 20 years he has been with Jaguar. I finally gave in to the Secondary tensioner evangelists and took off the cam covers. They looked perfect, no visible cracks, shoes in tact. But I figured I would go ahead and swap them out since I had bought the parts, had a free weekend and the hardest part of the job was to take the cam covers off. To my surprise as I removed the passenger side tensioner it crumbled in my hands. Count me in on the evangelist camp!

 

Bought my 97 xk8 4months ago with 178,000 mi. tranny started shuddering in 5th gear 2 weeks ago put some doctor tranny in it to buy me some time to save up 2700.00 for tranny rebuild. On that note I dont know af any car that doesn't have issues at this age or mileage, like others have said you have to pamper them a little more as they get older. (heck I'm 53 and even I need pampering...lol)

 

My 98 XK8 just hit 192k miles and still driving it daily. Have had it over 6 years now and really racking up the miles. You name it, I've probably replaced it.

 

Well there I go opening my big mouth...two weeks ago i pull up to a light go to take off and all i get is rpm, checked to make sure it was in gear stepped on the gas and at 1500-2000 rpm there was a loud bang and gearbox fault comes up....I limp it home call my local tranny shop (Dana's Transmissions in Everett) he picks up my car and when trying to drive it on the lift the tranny locked up, the a-drum broke after tearing into it he said everything was smoked, luckily he stood by the original estimate and saved me 1400.00 and my tranny will be better than new with all the updated parts.So Monday Badcat is back

 

Well there I go opening my big mouth...two weeks ago i pull up to a light go to take off and all i get is rpm, checked to make sure it was in gear stepped on the gas and at 1500-2000 rpm there was a loud bang and gearbox fault comes up....I limp it home call my local tranny shop (Dana's Transmissions in Everett) he picks up my car and when trying to drive it on the lift the tranny locked up, the a-drum broke after tearing into it he said everything was smoked, luckily he stood by the original estimate and saved me 1400.00 and my tranny will be better than new with all the updated parts.So Monday Badcat is back