Hi,

My 2001 XK8 looks great and for the most part drives wonderfully. However, my car seems to bounce a lot on any road that isn't flat blacktop. I had the bushings replaced last year along with a new set of tires yet I still find the front end very loose.

My other cars are a Lexus AWD SUV, and a 528ix, both hug the road and don't bounce at all. Of course one is 5 years old, the other is new. But I had several of these models over the past 12 years and never had that feeling of looseness.

Does anyone else find the same kind of ride? Is it normal for the car (my mechanic says it is, and he's a master and honest)? Has anyone changed any stock items on the front end to tighten the ride up significantly and found the solution to be a really good one?

I plan to keep this car for another 13 years and then give it to my grand daughter as a classic when she is old enough to drive. I put around 3000-4000 miles on it a year, just in the spring, summer, and fall when there is no snow on the ground and the weather is perfect for a top down ragtop.

I appreciate any feedback including estimated costs associated with any change or customization. I live in Long Island NY.

Thanks,

Eagle 21
2001 Silver / Cream XK8 52,000 miles

 

I have a 03 with 88K, just replaced everything under the front except the inner tie rods and the steering rack and while it does not bounce it does feel "loose". Car handles great but the steering input is not "tight" like my other cars. Tried fulling the fuse on the steering control for disabling the high pressure steering input but that just makes the steering wheel harder to turn at very low speeds.

 

I've thought the rear end has gotten a little "wiggly" in the passed couple of months. I plan to do a full check next time she's on a lift. I'm especially interested in looking at the shocks (please not be any leaks) and the sway bar links.

The front end still feels fine - she's not a sports car, so I'm not expecting a sport car's level of tightness or communication.

 

Miss 03 handles pretty good but man squeak,rattle and clunk she does. Doing all 4 corners this winter cause she's worth it.

 

If I put my OEM CATS shocks into firm mode (done via switch I had installed) then the car does have a bouncy ride on normal roads. Otherwise it is not bouncy and I don't think that is normal. Perhaps previous owner put in stiffer springs or shocks?

 

Thanks, Sounds like you haven't found a solution either

 

My mechanic said everything in the suspension looked great except for the bushings. Since he was a Master mechanic at a Jag dealer before branching out on his own, I have to assume he knows what he's doing. He took me under the car while on the lift to show me the wear on the bushings, and there were some issues outside of the front end that he pointed out and were taken care of.
I guess the ride just isn't like a BMW. I thought maybe putting in some air shocks or something else might change or customize the ride, but it sounds like everyone who responded has found the ride to be loose.

Thanks all!

 

One of the first things I did when I bought my '05 XK8 was replace shocks and struts. Just because a unit doesn't leak does not mean it is still as effective as was when it was new. My car is tight like it should be now and yet still rides nicely. Remember the primary job of the shock is to control the spring, so if you're getting a "bouncy" ride, it's probably time to replace them.


You also might check your front ride height. The front springs on these cars do sag over time and that can make the ride feel odd.

 

I have the same bouncy bouncy experience. My rear shocks on the way out on my '06 XKR. Also front shock mounts. I've never had either item fail on any car I've owned before. Having them replaced soon, will follow up with improvements noted.


The old-school way of telling if your shocks are gone: push down hard on one corner of the car and release.


With good shocks, the car should go up past it's normal height once and then settle down in it's normal position. If it goes up down up down before settling then it's doing the same thing on the road which is the bouncy bouncy effect and probably means your shocks are going out.


BTW rear shocks are about $450-$500 each (need 2) + labor...

 

If you have the active CATS shocks they are that expensive... The regular ones aren't so bad.

 

I just had the rear shocks replaced... what a difference! Feels like a much younger car on the road.

I've never had shocks replaced on a car before. Here's how the "push down on one corner of the car and release" test differs:
Before: Push down easily, release, car bounces up-down-up-down-up-down at least 3 if not four times.
Now: Hard to push down, release, car returns to normal position without any up-down at all.

 

Thanks Guys,

I probably shouldn't have used Bouncy Bouncy as the car actually doesn't bounce much, but the front will jump around on ragged roads and feels like it is airborne on occasion. I had it out this weekend for a nice ride including some hilly spots with sharp turns. The roads were in pretty good shape and the car drove beautifully with the top down.

I guess I'd like to think of the XK8 as a little sports car running tightly like a 5 series of 3 series BMW. It sounds like it just can't be morphed into that feel. After watching all of these garage shows on TV, with modifications that don't necessarily cost a fortune, I assumed there was a fix that might be doable. Looks unlikely, so road choice will have to be nicer blacktop to get the feel that I'm looking for. It's all in the front, the back is fine.

 

You just need to have a look at the position of the XKR on the top gear lap time shoot out to see that it is humbled by many average cars.

I just changed my lower arm bushes to poly which has improved the situation to "just tolerable", compared to my shot rubber ones. I also use a base model Audi A3 which is 7 years old but has the same mileage (120,00 miles) as the XK8, to which I have changed zero in the suspension, however it handles much better.


I have just learned to accept that the XK8 looks great but handles poorly for a GT.


BBC Two - Top Gear - Power Laps