Guys I pull the costs to maintain my '99 XK8 each year. This was a bad year due to head gasket and transmission but here is the history I have per year. Most repairs were done by an independent garage.
2010 $3,105.71 101,336 miles
2011 $9,566.29 120,008 miles
2012 $818.47 131,673 miles
2013 $664.14 141,199 miles
2014 $1,727.88 152,227 miles
2015 $8,439.66 167,267 miles
The bad year of 2011 was the rebuild of the transmission, waste of money!
Still love the car and hope I now have several years of low cost operation. The figures include tires, oil and such!

Happy New Year!

 

Ouch!

I hope 2016 is an all time low on expenditure with troublefree motoring for you.

Graham

 

Well I'm sure you have done the math:
$24,322 spent over 5 years and 66000 miles equals $.37 a mile.

Whowwwww is all I can say!

Here's hoping you many more enjoyable miles, these cars are difinetly addicting.

 

As long as my repair costs over the time I keep a car brake down to a monthly cost less then having a NEW CAR payment over the same time I consider it a victory.

 

Very true but there is a lot of frustration with car issues where a new car is worry free.

 

I know I have tried to explain this to my wife many times.

 

A new car is worry free only if you don't have to make repeated trips to the dealer to have them sort problems. That can get old even though they provide a loaner.

 

So true.....in the end, just like the OP, most of us here would rather be driving an XK8/R and sorting thru the issues than a new car anyway. Otherwise we wouldn't be here!

 

I am obviously not maintaining the XK8 appropriately since in 35k miles over 5 years the only problems I have had is the thermostat tower, upper cross over pipe and reservoir.

. . . other than the steering column reach cable which goes unimpaired waiting on a 'resolved' thread.

Of course the oil has been replaced and even the U-joints greased . . . as well as the windshield wipers.

Replaced the reservoir with used, replaced it with new, replaced it with new again.

Blew the lower hose off the thermostat housing and replaced with aluminum but the hose was good.

Oh . . . I did replace the original 8 year old battery. 'Bout time for that again.

Boring!

 

Test point, be careful my friend, the Jaguar gods are watching!

However I'm with you, only a year and a half in but other than front suspension work, 90K miles, and an O2 sensor it's been a dream! Car was well maintained by the PO.

 

Whom the Gods would destroy, they first make proud!

 

These cars are ultra cheap to maintain, nothing exotic. Even the chain tensioner upgrade is super cheap. Cheap if work done by the owner...

The only way these cars get expensive is if you take the to a shop, expect to pay 'Jaguar prices'. Also, expect to walk in the shop backwards...bring plenty of lube..

 

[QUOTE=hm1;1374031]These cars are ultra cheap to maintain, nothing exotic.

+1 Frustrating at times, but cheap.

 

Dang you test point...after posting this the next day my low coolant light came on when I started the car, no overheating but a very, very slight smell when hot....looks like a pin hole somewhere...this is the second time I've commented on how good my car is and the next day something happens....there are those who do not believe but for me I believe the Jaguar gods will smite down those who boast!

 

Time for the dye and pressure tester!