I’ve got a 2014 F-type V6S, and am contemplating purchase of an XK for my wife. She says the F-type just wasn’t the Jaguar she envisioned. The XK is much more her cup of tea. I’ve found a 2003 vert in BRG. The car has ~53k miles. Anything particular I should be aware of when inspecting the car? AFAIK, the 2003’s have the updated cylinder liners. Dealer is asking ~16k, which seems high based on KBB. Any thoughts or advice would be most appreciated.

 

Joe, a few pictures would help, inside and out. Engine compartment for sure and how about tires.
Measure the height from the center of the wheel in front to the highest place on the wheel arch and see what you have. That gives an idea of the front suspension condition.
Of course, check for codes showing or in the history.

 

Thanks for the quick response. What would be bad for the hub to arch measurement, or are you looking for difference from side to side?

 

That price is on the high side, even for a dealer. If they are offering some warranty (30 days) or other considerations...maybe. I own 2005 xk8 and 2008 xk. The xk is a better vehicle, period....the xk8 is the best looking, period.
you can purchase a 07,08,09 for that price
If your wife likes the looks of the later xk, I would recommend you go in that direction.
wj

 

Thanks for the info. She prefers the older, pre-facelift curvier body. Any particular reason the XK is better than the XK8?

 

Texasjag, it's like we're married to the same gal. I'm going through the same search and my wife also prefers the older xk8/xkr to the newer ones and she doesn't like the FTypes. Perhaps we should share notes on our search?

I've been asking about front struts, upper chain tensioner upgrades, timing chain been replaced for more common mechanical issues. I'm also lookin at the front seats. Many of them have separation and tearing on the outside at the bend / fold down corner.

Good luck with your search. And PM if you want to connect.

 

Joy, that measurement on a car with no issues is 15 5/8 inch, give or take a 1/2 inch. The difference coming off the line when new could vary .59 inch. You might say, that seems like a lot, well it is and the difference I have found is kind of, REALLY!
Where and how the strut was attached at the top, the orientation of the spring, opening going at the top out or in or in between. So don't worry too much about that.
Any rattle when going over a bump could be a shock and the electric ones are a shocker on price, just not sure the price justifies the impact it has on the ride on a normal use car.
If a early car 2002 and before, check the thermostat housing on the front of the engine, best to see a aluminum housing, plastic is a problem waiting to happen.
Lots of things are easy to fix, just a standard set of tools will do most. Suspension parts, not soo much. A code reader is a must, a good one.
Hope that helps.

 

That car has probably never had an ATF drain-and-fill. These ZF 6HP26 transmissions last much longer if they get fresh ATF periodically. A simple drain-and-fill typically gets about half of the old fluid out of the system. If you do this every 40,000 miles or so, your ZF will thank you. Many of us use Mercon SP ATF (available at any Ford dealership parts department or online at Amazon) instead of ZF Lifeguard 6 (which costs a small fortune). Mercon SP meets all the required specs and has long since been proven to function perfectly in the 2003-to-2006 XK8 / XKR. Remember - there is no such animal as "lifetime" ATF in ANY vehicle....

 

Go with what your wife likes, esp. if it is a Jag.

 

The later cars are and feel more rigid, less flex. The interior seating is more supportive. Although they both have the 'same' 6 speed zf, the XK performs much differently and seems more dialed it. There is more but if she prefers the x100 then get the best you can. Enjoy
WJ

 

The XK features a bonded and riveted aluminium chassis shared with the XJ and body panels, both a first for a Jaguar grand tourer.
This sounds like a nice feature. The tin worm is always a worry, unless you live in the desert.
But I prefer the XK8 styling too !

 

Tex,

I bought my 2003 XKR in BRG a year ago. I did lots of research, and decided I liked the 2003 the best, with 18 inch wheels. The 20 inch wheels are going to have a stiffer ride, and the tires are 50% more than the 18 inchers. Interestingly, if your car came from the factory with 20 inch wheels, you got a different oil dipstick. They figured you would be driving more aggressively, so you put an extra quart of oil in there. The engine can stand it. I doubt your wife needs the extra performance, so hopefully your car has 18 inch wheels and the cheaper tires.

I believe the XK8/XKR cars are underpriced on NADA, et. al., but I believe I know why. I have the same problem with my Lotus Esprits. The cars that change hands through public sources are often long in the tooth, not well cared for. The car you are interested in has low mileage, and I'll bet if you look at the CarFax, you will see that it was maintained by a dealer for much of its life. I think a true indicator of a car's value these days can be found on BringATrailer.com. National coverage, and the car is worth what TWO people are willing to pay for it, plus they are paying 5% buyers commission, and shipping. I think you will see that your target car is a steal at that price.

Another reason that the prices are low is because they are starting to 'age out', where you have to replace things due to age, not just because of mileage. Yes, all of the normal maintenance items (oil, tires, filters), and preventative maintenance items (ATF, Supercharger oil, differential, PS fluid, spark plugs) should be addressed, but also the more expensive and longer life items such as the cooling system. Yes, coolant system rebuild recommended at 100,000 miles, but this car is approaching 20 years old, and hoses dry out and rot, coolant congeals, etc.

There is also the dreaded "Green Shower" associated with the convertible top latch. The hoses are 20 years old, and suffer a LOT of pressure and heat in the header. Recommend that they be replaced soon. There is also a pressure regulator that should help the actuator live longer.

With regard to tires, they have date codes on them, a 4 digit code molded into the sidewall. It is the 2 digit week and 2 digit year, so 0112 would be the first week of 2012. The general rule of thumb is you replace the tires are 10 years. I talked with a tire engineer from one of the companies once, and he said that heat and sunlight are the major enemies of tires, so if the car is garaged, and the tires are inspected regularly for cracks or signs of aging, they can be used for up to 15 years. Beyond that, they get harder and the ride degrades. You shouldn't put your life or your wife's life in danger for $1000±$200 worth of tires. Got to TireRack.com to find out the price of tires. If the tires on your target var is old, maybe you can use that as a negotiation point. Have the dealer replace the tires with the recommended size and brand.

You also want to check in the trunk. Check the condition of the spare, and if it is even there. There are tools that should be in there as well, such as a jack, lug wrench, and a few other things. Check to see if the owners manual in in the glove box, in a special slot above the regular box.

Hopefully you are handy in the garage, and know which end of the screwdriver to hold. These cars are not difficult to work on, and it sounds like you are getting a great example, based on the miles. If you have to take it to the dealer for everything, you are in for some surprising bills. I have a little hobby of seeing what the dealers charge for various things. Spark plugs are up to $29.50 each, the same plugs you can buy locally for $6 (I used the Ruthanium plugs at $8.55 each), and that total bill can be $700 for 30 minutes of work. AC compressor is $1500, that you can buy for $238. I could go on.

Good luck with your purchase.
Bill

 

There is a good looking 2003 XKR in Jacksonville on EBay right now, BIN $16k

 

Bill-thanks for the comprehensive note. Lots of good info, and makes me feel better about the car. We will have to drive to Dallas (~5 hrs in the F-type) to see it.

 

WHAT?!!!! I bought mine sight unseen. I hadn't even SAT in an XK8/XKR before I bought mine. I couldn't find one within 250 miles of Orlando, so I took a chance. Paid $11,600, plus $1,000 shipping from NYC. I figured if I didn't like it or didn't fit, I could flip it and at least get my money out of it, if not, a mild profit. I love it so much that it made my 73 Mustang convertible redundant, so I sold that car. Sold it on BringATrailer for WAY more than I had it it, plus the cost of the Jaguar. Double win.

 

My wife is deciding between XK8 and XK. So far likes the curvier XK8 styling, but not sure about the XK8 required tonneau for the top. Also, we want to see the back seat. Is it something not to inflict on your worst enemy, or is it usable?

 

Rear seat? You mean the padded package shelf? I had the passenger seat out once, and tried to sit in the back seat. Nope, just can't happen, except with the smallest of rugrats.

Tonneau is VERY easy to install and remove. Two snaps, tuck the front in behind the seat, and the 3 straps on the rear into the trunk opening, and close the trunk. My biggest problem is that I open the trunk, remove the cover, close the trunk, then have to open it again to put the rear straps in.

 

Only for small children setting sideways. If you put grocery's back there, be sure and use a water proof bag.
The convertible top cover when down comes in the color of the seats, so a used one should be the same code you have in the door for interior trim, like AZD or something like that.

 

The only reason these cars have a backseat is to theoretically lower the annual insurance premium in some areas. I would never actually stuff a person of ANY size and stature back there....