Saw another interesting ad; this time it's an XKR for 9k. Price is higher than the previous black XK8, has ~80k km more on the clock but the supercharger and Mercedes transmission do sound appealing. There are no lights on the dashboard and the radio seems to work. Dealer only has a stamped service book, not the invoices so I don't know what exact repairs have been done to it.

I'd plan on doing another 70-80k km in the next 5 years but I'm worried if this a vehicle nearing end of its lifespan. I hope that the fact that it lived up to 290k km means that the owners took good care of it and that the engine and transmission will be good for more years.

 

my 2002 XKR is at 205,000 miles / 329,000 kms. With no sign of engine or transmission issues.

honestly, issues are more likely to be the computer and electronics related than the engine and transmission.

whatever you end up with, change the ATF on day one. Same goes for the rear end lube, power steering fluid, brake fluid, and engine coolant. These are commonly neglected and the result is expensive.

Z

 

Hey man here’s the thing about this whole situation aperrantly no one else will say so I guess I will. You’re looking to purchase a used Jaguar high end luxury/sports car about 22 years old give or take. Yes, originally it was pricey to the average Joe. Now, they are relatively cheap considering. HOWEVER, do not negate the fact that regardless of mileage, condition, records etc these cars were most likely beat on, maintained mostly poorly/bare minimumly due to costs at the time, and now for sale for top dollar because they are “classic” “vintage” or whatever fancy word the seller has to offer to intrigue you. Rest assured, most current owners will till you
they are expensive to fix, maintain, or up keep. For the car cost, fixing and maintenance for what it really is, most would consider not worth it. But for those who love them and have to have one, none of that matters. I’ve personally spent more time and money fiddling with mine than driving it, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’ve said it before and ill say it again, if you’re going to own an older Jaguar, you better like fixing cars and spending money on them or you will go broke paying someone else to do it for you. Again, I love my car and wouldn’t get rid of it unless I had to. I’ve put way more into it in time and money then I should have and I’m nowhere near done that being said it is also a weekend car for me and if we’re being real with ourselves, my daily driver, a 2022 GMC canyon pick up truck has a V6 engine that makes 360 something horsepower versus this car with a V8 that makes 280 or so. So conclusion to most these cars with their prices are not worth it if it is what you were looking for specifically then take your time and find the right one because whether it’s cheap or expensive regardless of its condition, it’s still a 20 something year old car that will require a lot of attention and time and money to function properly, and in the end doesn’t compare to what else is available as far as engine horsepower speed or certain modern luxury features. But if none of that matters to you then by all means go for it if it’s worth it. Best of luck.

 

You've probably made your choice, so this is more for anyone else looking at cars.

ANY car that you can't test drive must be assumed to be PARTS -- and only the parts that look like they're in good shape.

A Jag is likely to be in worse shape than other cars, simply because they are such great cars, we tend to exercise them more, which means more strain.

DO NOT ask how I learned this lesson.

THAT SAID, you may be able to get a temporary permit to move the car, and can test it on that.

 

tell us how you really feel.

I’m reading a lot generalizations; maybe based on the troubles you might be having with your own car.

The flip side of your post, might be a description of my 2002 XKR. I did 6 months of homework / research before purchase which enabled me to avoid the common issues, as they had been resolved by previous owners.

I drive it everyday. Work on it when it needs an oil change. So far it’s been the most trouble free used car I’ve owned. At 205,500 miles / 330,700 km, it’s almost broken in



Z

 

Hey zray, glad you got a good one! I however did about 15 minutes or so of research before buying mine. To be clear, I wasn’t looking for one, just stumbled across it, and had to pull the trigger or walk, so I just bought it. If I had done more research, I may have gone with another one or probably an xkr, but I can absolutely say I love mine, and love working on it, and loved it more after researching (a lot!) and finding out mines a very early production number 97 year model coupe for us/canadian market….last six of my vin is 001363, in pretty good condition, was basically all stock except for partial exhaust, custom grill and even has stock chrome rims, currently at 71xxx miles, even had both the oem windshield wipers with the “aero-foil molded plastic part” in the trunk. I only wish I had more time to drive it.
And I meant in no way to scare off anyone or deter them from getting one, just wanted to offer a realistic point of view from someone who blindly bought one and is going through the motions of keeping it up to snuff. If I had to pay dealer or shop to do all the work I’ve done to it, and still want to do I wouldn’t still own this car. But for me it’s a “I HAD TO HAVE IT” situation, and I do everything myself (of course NOT without the help and knowledge of everyone here!!!) so to me it’s justifiable the effort and time and money I put into it, cus when I do take it out for drives, it’s all worth it, but for others it may not be the same case.

I am still curious though if original poster ever got to finding and/or acquiring one worth their time….

 

You are braver than I. I took so long to pull the trigger on this car solely because I knew relying on it to be a daily driver was a risky move (and still is !) so I had to eliminate all the possible reliability variables that I could foresee being a buzz-kill.

Eight and 1/2 years into the XKR ownership, and every day is still a white knuckle joyride. Here’s hoping I can make the car last as long as I have a valid drivers license.

I’m 75 now and the state just issued me a license renewal good for another 8 years (what were they thinking ???).

Z

 

Having owned a number of Jaguars I would seriously recommend limiting your choice of XK8 to only 4.2 cars if you want to avoid a life of fixing things.

 

just from the forum posts, I think you have to pick your poison, with both the 4.0 and 4.2 models having their drawbacks. The 4.0 flaws can be fixed before they grenade the engine . The 4.2 flaws, from what I read, originate in the increased electrical complexity.

All things considered, I don’t think there’s an overriding plus or negative to either choice. That said, I wouldn’t want to jump on either model without a detailed maintenance and repair record. Of course , that can be said of any 25+ year old car.

Z