Currentlythere areveryfew XK8's selling below $13,000 unless they have salvage titles, or are in a very poor state of disrepair. I think your best guide to the future is to look at the current market values of our predecessors, including the XJS. The newer models always depress prices on the former models. If you keep it in very good condition, you will always be able to extract a good price in the future.

Nothwithstanding model changes, my nextbiggest concern regarding resale value over the short term wouldbe a large and permanent increase in fuel prices. I think over the next five years, the resale value of most large SUVs willcollapse. Used SUV prices are already taking a severe hit on resale. Any large vehicle, onewieghing more than 3200 or 3400 pounds;or one having an eight cylinder engine, will likewise get caught up in thisdownslide. After the gas crisis of the early seventies, I remember seeing row after row of big 70's sedans overflowing used car lots. Nobodywanted them; and they were dirt cheap. I think this is going to happen with the big SUVs like Suburbans, et.al.; Whether this happens again with a two ton luxury grand tourer that averages under 20 real world miles per gallonis anybody's guess.

But to bring to point closer to home;just two months ago,I bought the same car you are looking at:'97 vert, 65K miles, $13,700. It was purchasedas ahobby car,not something I need to drive. For that I have a BMW 3 series daily driver whichI can live with if gas prices go through the roof asthey appear ready to do. I bought the Jag at what I consider to be pretty much thebottom of the market. And if I maintain it like the rest of my cars, then I am certain it will never drop much below that level if I need to sell.

However, I have a thirdcar that is truely an extravagence. This onerequires a stretch in practical thinking to justifyownership. It isa pristine '93Nissan 300ZX TwinTurbo which has beenmodified to crank out over 400 HP. It is not much good for anything other than putting a smile on your face.

The logic I use to keep this rather 'useless' car isquite simple. To me,its worthis notmeasured inKKB or Edmunds resale number;but rather the value I receive in the joy of ownership and the entertainment it provides. Likewise , the reasoning I employed inbuying a bottom priced XK8 isthe samethat I would submit to you: I would much rather have a car worth $12-$15,000 sitting in the garage, than an equal amount of money wasting awayin the bank.

 

I agree w/ gordo. Most of the depreciation has already hit that year and make. As long as you keep the mileage under control, you won't see a considerable loss in value.

 

My opinion is that the early XK8's are a super value in the market right now. Buy it and enjoy it.

Aconcern is that the plastic parts are going to die from old age over the next few years and be difficult and expensive to replace. The electronics are also of significant concern. How available and at what price is an ECM or TCM going to be in 5 years. I am missing a passenger seat control module that I haven't found for less than $500. The wife is just going to have to sit a little back from where she would prefer to be until eBay comes up with a replacement.

I would suggest that you get all the repair/maintenance info available before purchase. Any dealer can print out a complete warranty repair history (not the invoices). I bought one that had a Select Edition warranty so I was able to document all of its repair information.

 

Ina few years, we will begin to see more "parts cars" emerge as a source of supply for replacement parts. Right now, most of the parts cars I have seen are victims of
accidents,floods, etc. Whilemost of the bottom-endcars are still worth fixing up. However, I thinkin the near future, when these cars have acculumalated excessive wear, and mileage, this will change when the cummulative valuewill be in the separate parts they can provide.

The extremely high cost of new OEM replacement parts will initiatethis cycle. When an owner of a car worth $8,000 is faced with a engine/trans replacement costing an equal amount; he may very wellsee the value in parting out the car to recoup his investment. Once a couple of the more expensive assembliesare sold off, he has comitted himself to this course and the rest of the car becomes a source of relatively inexpensive parts.

 

Buy it! You will love it!