I got my coupe in mid-january...and yesterday, hit the "10,000 miles driven by me" mark...

for someone who works from home, that is alot of miles, and a ton of fun!

everyday i just fall in love with my car again.

i don't care of the investment value, the feeling every time i step on the gas is priceless.

who else feels this way?!?!
have a great holiday weekend all!!!

:icon_ band:

 

Good for you! Enjoy.

Here's a quote (not mine) that I saw on the forum awhile back:

"Most, if not all collectible cars are not investments.

Buy something that you love and enjoy to drive.
If you're worried about what you spend on it, you don't love it enough.

If you love the car and take care of it, then when it's time to sell, there will be someone out there that will love it too".




Stu

 

Oh yes,I do agree! I'm mostly retired so don't accrue so many miles but do fall in love all over again each time I look at it, let alone when I drive it. Hell, I still miss the XK-150 FHC I sold 40 years earlier.

Gran

 

I've done just shy of 20k since getting mine last November. It makes the daily commute considerably more tolerable!

 

I know how you all feel as I am currently driving my 4th XKR Coupe! As you all probably know, I bought my first Coupe in 1998, after a trip to London...where I saw my first one (BRG) driving down the wrong side of the street......When I got back to Houston, I was on the hunt for a Topaz one, which I found in Louisville.....I really liked that Coupe but "Someone wanted it more than I did" so I sold it.....Then it was the beautiful 2000 XKR Anthracite Mica Coupe that I found in New York City.....Same thing happened, so I sold it and found a 2003 XKR Coupe in Chicago it was Ebony/Cashmere...drove it for several years until the Little Lady crossed 3 Lanes of Traffic and Totaled it.....That started the final search, which was found in Dallas several years ago! The Little Texas Coupe is Ebony/Ivory and still has the same 20" BBS "Montreal" wheels that were on the 2003.....

There's a Photo of it showing at the top and the bottom of this post.......With the help of Ms. PrettyBluefin, I have added several things to make it Pop! Clear Repeaters and Side Markers, LED High Beams, "Victory-Edition" Tail Lights and working on LED Bulbs for those really beautiful Tail Lights!

I love the X-100 Coupe! It is a Classic and will only become more so as the years go by!

Billy Clyde in Houston

 

Find myself looking for a reason to drive the car any chance that I get. A good technique to implement this strategy is to volunteer to drive people when it involves a nice drive. Just now getting ready to take a friend's child to college, ~500 mile round trip to Boston, MA, lots of opportunities to open the roof, highway and twisty parkway roads, great weather.

This is one of those cars that makes you feel better after driving it. Literally no driver fatigue other than normal tiredness. Sometimes I will take an early morning drive to our local beach prior to working to get myself going for the day. Amazingly, it works and the day goes much better. Lately I find myself visiting clients more often, hmmm.

 

6 years, 8 months and 38k miles. Use them and enjoy.

They made 90k xk8s, of which about 10k were xkr coupes, and 14k were XKR convertibles. That means they are uncommon at best, not rare. Most of Jaguars special editions were just minor changes too, so most special editions are not really that special. Things like the 100 and late Victory cars have some specialness though.

The above isn't to belittle people's cars, but rather to put into perspective things. USE THEM, HAVE FUN, MAKE MEMORIES. Remember you own the car and it doesn't own you.

I bought my car at 23 and I'm 30 now. The car has been there my entire corporate career at one company, two great road trips with my now late best human friend, numerous times about town with my late best animal friend (cat named Breezy), I don't know how many boyfriends, and tons of nights out with friends (they preferred my A8 did more people could come but eh). Sometimes I go out and burn some rubber and drive angry too lol. that's why I love my car, it's a great car and when I wear it out I can confidently say it lived a full life.

​​​

 

I know the feeling, especially when everything is going right. That x10 if you just fixed something yourself.

My girl and I have become fixtures around here at helical road with the highest clearest view of the sunset. It's just not the same in any of the other cars. I still hope we are lucky enough to see the green flash in our xk8! (For those who like SunSets and never heard of Green Flash- do look it up. I was 55+ before I ever heard of it. Fascinating though ultra rare sunset event finally caught on camera proving it's not an urban legend)

John

 

I bought my '97 6 years ago on Labor Day weekend. I was looking for a sports car to celebrate my retirement and perhaps a little project. When I saw the ad for the XK8, I was reminded of a younger me (22 yrs old) and the '63 XKE I had at the time. After a bit of sorting, I had the XK8 where I wanted it. I don't drive as much as I used to, but it is with pride & joy when I do. At 70 yrs old, it takes a little effort to get in & out of the car and as long as I can do that I'm a happy man.

 

My first year owning my 2003 xk8. I have owned many Corvettes, Mustangs, BMWs, Mercedes. Having owned an auto repair shop for some years I drove about everything at one time.

I absolutely hit driving nirvana with this Jag. Told my wife I am not buying or looking for anything else "this is my car".

In the movie, Tin Cup, Kevin Costner, talks about hitting a golf ball perfectly. It's a tuning fork to your loins. That's how I feel driving my Jag. I have never had a car that puts a smile on my face every time I drive it and feel lucky to have found it.

Also, I have spent 4 and 5 times what I spent on my Jag with other cars but, I have never had a car that so many people give me thumbs up and positive comments in parking lots.

Bottom line is Jags are not for everyone but, for all of us who take the plunge and buck the trends we are a special breed indeed.

 

I am in total agreement with all of the above. Being a gear head from early on, I have never viewed cars (at least the cars I own), as merely a form of transportation to get from point A to B. But instead I've found in most instances, the true joy is in the "getting" from point A to B". I have put over 120,00 miles on my XK8 since my stewardship, and have developed a deeper appreciation for the style, comfort and joy it provides me as the miles continue to pass. It is my daily driver, and although we do have other cars, it is always my first date to the dance. Even after a long road trip or wrestling with San Francisco Bay area traffic, it still puts a smile on my face as soon as my butt settles into that Jag leather, turn the key, and hear that non factory exhaust. At that moment the Jag says " Glad you're back! What took you so long? And where we gonna go now?". As this is the first convertible I have owned, having a top down option for me enhances the experience and gives me a similar feeing as my old two wheel days (albeit a lot safer however).
If there is a car heaven, this car has definitely earned it's way. Me on the other hand...

 

I've had a few problems with my 1999 xk8 recently; replaced the throttle body, now need new hydraulic hoses installed for the convertible top. Got the hoses and fluid but not sure I can handle the labor. But I LOVE this car! I love driving around with the top down, even on a 95 degree day! Logic says I should get rid of the Jaguar and get a newer vehicle, but I just don't want anything else. It's an illness.

 

GroovyMom: I love your forum handle! I'm not a big wind-in-the-face guy, hence my choice of a,nearly impossible-to-find coupés but agree that these,are addictive machines.

Granville

 

I was going to respond in my own words, but this sums it up pretty well, especially the Tin Cup reference... It's the 'WHOLE ENCHILADA'.

All the senses are treated to a beauty and satisfaction that we get to enjoy all the time. It's a rolling work of art, and a mechanical piece of clock-like precision if kept in good working order. It's not a sports car, it's not just a luxury car. It's a fine GT car, it's.... a Jaguar.

Why wouldn't you drive it if you have one..... a lot?

 

As beautiful as these cars are, I marvel at the low prices they command, compared to many lesser (IMO) cars. I have nothing particular against BMWs or Porsches but regularly marvel at the prices they command, when I'd far rather have a Jag. Had I great wealth that allowed me to collect cars withi mpunity, Jaguars would surely constitute the bulk of my collection.

Granville

 

ahh the joys of driving my Jag!!!! while beautiful works of art, they are meant to be enjoyed fully, not just visually! Mine XK8 - purchased 5.5 years ago and I've added 76000 miles to her already 91K. Looking forward to many more pleasurable driving miles ahead

 

Perception. BMWs with fragile cooling system components, questionable electrics long term, and mostly mediocre styling are perceived as more reliable and better made. I loved my 740iL but there were a lot of issues related to electrics and the quality of the cooling system components. This is STILL a common BMW ownership experience.

Think the timing chain components on 4.0L AJV8s are bad? How about IMS bearings on Porsche 996 motors...

The funny thing is BMW and Porsche had nikasil shenanigans on some models too. My 740iL had a replacement alusil block and a replacement 5HP24 transmission when I bought it.

The funny thing is that I would own another e38 BMW and I would even own a 996 Porsche if prices were cheap enough for nice ones. I just don't think even at depreciated values that they have anything that meets my interests of reliability, serviceability, affordable parts, style and price tag right now.

 

i wonder how many who paid FULL retail still love their cars? i feel like i can't complain much if anything comes up, as i paid a mere raindrop of the retail on my cat...

 

PrettyMrsBluefin,

You are a lucky young Lady to find the "Silver Streak" the way you did! Great looking Jaguar......for many years to come....Jaguar averaged building about 1 Coupe to every 8 to 10 Convertibles making the Coupe the Classic....! The 2005-2006 have just about reached their lowest value and will soon start the long climb back up to the High Dollar Classic that they are......2027 they will be around $50,000.00 and will continue to increase from there! Your Car is a "Classic Car" my dear, so treasure it!

Oh! Charlie Fulton sent me the directions to setup my Tail Lights with LED Bulbs and I want you to know that they are really beautiful and bright! Especially with those new "Victory Edition" Tail Light Lens! WOW!! Let me know if you want LED's....

Billy Clyde in Houston

 

"...a mere raindrop..." I love that! The guy I met in town (Ukiah, CA), recently, with a newer gen XK vert that he had apparently bought new, after wearing out an XK8 or XKR like ours, running up many miles, well into the high hundreds, apparently loved it enough that he replaced it with another Jag convertible. Seems a pretty good testament.

Granville