As my username dictates, I picked up a 2001 XKR on the cheap, and I'm not sparing expense in bring it back to "wow" condition. The issue that I have been having is that I need to find suitable people that can wrench on the things that I cannot or do not want to address myself. This includes torque converters, rear main seals, strut assemblies, and other things that really require a lift to do competently.

The first garage I took it to, I am positive the service desk guy's pupils turned into dollar signs when he saw the X100 limp up. All $6000 worth of work was performed competently, but I was left with an undriveable car, spewing tranny fluid and with blown shocks. It was completely disheartening. I just wanted a baseline diagnosis and a competent shop to do stuff, and they launched into the front end and did a GREAT job on ball joints, etc. without really writing up that the rest of it, well, needed replacement. Front end's great now though!

I found a nice shop here in town, and they aren't X100 specialists (yet- I'll get to that). The owner of this shop was the manager of a service department at a dealership and just wanted to start his own thing.

And he has a 2000 XK8 that needs work.

Anyone following my BS has noted that I have a 2000 XK8 I picked up for a few hundred bucks that has a GREAT engine, and not much else. So we worked out a deal. This shop now has a "trainer" XK8 to wrench on and learn Jags of this era. Soon, there is going to be another X100 speclalist shop. Change can happen! Sometimes it just takes a little work and karma. Good people in the mix always helps. Stay tuned.... I'll post the progress.

 

Where is the feel good part ?



Z

 

No doubt that it has been a journey, but we can create an environment to maintain our X100s. They're that good, man.

 

Good luck. time will tell....