As a new owner of a 2000 XK8 I am confused by the number of people who tell me what a horrible decision I have made. While for the most part, everyone on this forum agrees that they do require attention, I have seen few negative comments on ownership here. It seems that everyone I know had said many of those same things about my motorcycle too. I own a Harley and they all said I will be spending more time in the shop than riding it. Now they tell me to buy a second Jaguar so that I will always have one to drive while the other is broken. I do plan on getting another Jag, but not for that reason.
So, why all the negative comments? Is there some sort of book that all of the others have read that I missed somehow? Is there really something more to this that I am not aware of? Is there some force that interacts with the Jaguar product over all others? I think not.
After a few hours of research, I have found that EVERYONE who has ever had a negative thing to say about my Harley has NEVER owned one. Now I'm finding the same thing to be true about the Jag. The first people to tell me not to make that purchase where the ones that had never seen one or owned one. These are the experts that will tell me " you just wait until that dual linear inline variable resistance transformer fails on your next trip, you'll be sorry then". Not a single one of them can give me an example of this happening either to them, or a friend. Yet they all know how horrible they are to own. It seems they all had a cousin from the city who read an article given to him by his mothers past room mate that was published in a local flyer about the plight of on unsuspecting gentleman that purchased a previously owned Jaguar from a questionable used auto salesman a very low price.
Sorry about all that ranting, had to get that off my chest.
Now will the real Jaguar owners step up and tell me what a bad decision I've made? Or will any of you substantiate these claims made by others? Or can we as owners agree that nothing compares to the experience of owning this fine machine and as long as we keep up with the regular items, as you should with anything, it will be a fun and reliable automobile returning many smiles per gallon and years of dependable service.
Thanks for letting me get that out, any input is appreciated.

 

Doug - I think many of us have faced the same negative reaction from friends, family and the general public. I still get comments when I take the time to make simple repairs and have to drive my daughter's Smart car - "oh the Jag died again" or "see told you it was going to be a money pit" when quite the contrary.

I have spent about 3500 in maintenance/repairs in 2 years of ownership (tires, hydraulic hoses, window regulator, air intake, new alternator and battery, rear wheel bearing + and front upper shock mounts). The forum and being able to download JTIS have been a great source of assistance and cost reduction as I am not afraid to try and do repairs myself. I purchased the Jag with 91K on the odometer and now sit at 124K - daily driver.

These cars are meant to be driven and as long as they are maintained, you will get many miles of driving enjoyment.

If you search the forum, you will find other testimony to the longevity and enjoyment these cars can provide.

 

Doug,

Much of it is old bias against British cars of earlier decades, which were often hampered by electrical problems.

Some of it is oversimplification..."I heard those XK8 engines blow up after just a few years." Well, true in some cases, but only because the early plastic tensioners break. An owner with an understanding of this problem and some basic mechanical ability can solve the problem permanently for about $300.

Funny thing is, a few of these $300 problems scare those who only have incomplete information, so they balk. And THAT, my friend, is why you and I were able to acquire our beautiful cars at such low cost.

I purchased my 1997 coupe in summer 2011 for $ 5,895. I could have paid more for a used Honda. But this car has brought me untold pleasure, whether driving it or simply admiring it.


.

 

Jaguar's decades-long reputation for unreliability (and therefore massive depreciation) pays off handsomely for those of us who find and acquire these cars second or third-hand, still in good shape, for a fraction of what they sold for when new. There's no question that if you must rely on a dealership to maintain your Jaguar, your bank account will be shredded in a very short period of time. But if you can DIY the vast majority of maintenance and repairs these cars require, you can enjoy a wonderful driving experience for many years with far less money flowing out of your wallet to keep them roadworthy....

Those who adopt this philosophy and also quickly realize that this forum is by far the most valuable tool in their toolkit tend to keep their Jaguars for the long haul and therefore reap the benefits and pleasures that these cars can provide....

So read this forum at every opportunity to learn about the care and feeding of your particular car, do as much of the maintenance and repairs as you can, and enjoy the journey....

 

I love the responses. This forum is awesome and so are the many diverse individuals that make it up. I did read this forum for many weeks before I first joined and later purchased my Jag. Unlike many others I did want to be informed and hear it from actual owners. I think I knew what I was getting into thanks to you all. Great forum.

 

I am coming up on one year of ownership this spring and I couldn't be happier with my Jaguar. If you read the forum and know the weak spots of the vehicle you can correct those issues before they become a problem, (tensioners, water pump, thermostat tower) The only repairs so far have been coolant hoses which would need to be replaced regardless of the make of the vehicle, considering it's age. With the help of this forum and the generosity of it's members I'm becoming a fairly competent shade tree mechanic. The first generation XKs are beautiful and a joy to own and drive. All for the price of a used kia. Any time I hear about how unreliable a car it is, or how I will be stranded at any moment. I simply smile and tell them it's not an issue as I fix it myself. That usually stops the negative comments. You didn't just make a wise decision, as our British friends say it was "brilliant"

 

Take it from an ole Harley rider ... the older models say pre-80's do require more attention than the newer models, but that is true for anything mechanical ... it breaks !!! I currently own a 2001 twin-cam 88 in a Dyna LowRider and a 2008 twin-cam 96 in an Ultra Classic ElectraGlide. Both require regular maintenance ... but as for breakdowns ... I've never been left on the side of the road and between the two bikes collectively I'm nearing 75,000 miles !!! Take that Harley Bashers !!!

 

Oh yeah, thats what I'm talkin' about. Mine has never let me down. 2005 superglide and 2008 Heritage. Never had an issue. I know the Jag will be the same.

 

I'm coming up on my third year of ownership, btw I'm 20. I have learned about DIY mechanics with this car. Even then, I haven't had many problems with it. In fact, quite the contrary, I've had very few of them. With regular maintenance and daily driving, as this is my only car, I have managed to keep this car going without a hitch and without a job.

It's the envy of the university and all of my friends, and it puts a smile on my day, no matter how bad it could be. It's been cheaper to maintain than my mother's 2010 Outlander and much more pleasant to drive.

Also, its quite the girl magnet, although to be fair, I don't need the Jag's help for that.

 

One of my pals, a Porsche 911 owner, used to tease me about owning Jags. All the usual stuff. He's one of these guys who thinks Porsches are so inherently superior that it can only be the result of divine intervention.

Well, almost :-)

Until, that is, he called me from a couple miles away, asking that I bring my Jag and a tow strap to pull him home.

I'm not normally a cruel person but there was an irresitably delicious opportunity for some payback. I didn't pull him straight home. I paraded him around the neighborhood a few times for all the world to see. We had a good laugh.

He doesn't boast much about the glorious superiority of German cars these days....not while I'm around, at least !

Anyhow.....

In response to all the usual and never-ending snide remarks about Jags I simply say "Yeah, they're not for everybody" and leave it at that. The poor reputation works in our favor.

Cheers
DD

 

I first bought an S type ( LPG conversion at 10k miles ) some ten years ago and loved it, then three years later a XJS and loved it. Finished sorting the XJS ( or so I thought ) and bought a XK8 to sort in my retirement.
While I as making enquires for floor mats at the local Jaguar dealer I had a look at the XF's and the new F type, both lovely. The F type has a road tax of over £1000 per year, even with depreciation I would imagine it will not/never become a car to collect like the XJS and XK8 for this reason alone in the U.K.
Its such a shame really as its a lovely looking car, I just wonder what will happen after say 6/8 years when people have traded them in for newer or different models????


Cheers,


ArtyH

 

Doug, there are a lot of drivers on this forum which had very little problems with their Jags. I also believe that we only hear on the forum from the cars when they have issues, and not the majority out there driving perfectly.

I have realized that if I want to keep my XK8 car, I will have to do ALL the work myself. Apart from the dealer I cannot afford, most garages here will not touch the XK8. But with the help of the people on this forum, I have access to the best resources for Jags you can find. If I did this from the start, I could have saved loads of $$.

Everyone has to justify his or her choice of the cars and motorcycles they purchase. Sometimes I think there is a lot of pre-conceived beliefs, or just jealousy!

You only get two types of people - those who have Jags, and those who wish they had!!

 

There are without doubt some very "iffy" XKs out there, I have seen a few and giving the new owner the bad news does not always go down to well, but you get a good one with a service history that can be corroborated and a low(ish) mileage from an enthusiastic owner and you can not go wrong, sure there will be wear and tear and mechanical parts do break but the enjoyment you will get from owning one of these cars is phenomenal..... I love my Jags, I own a few and if I was asked what was my worst experience..... Buying a BMW!!

Enjoy...

 

Don't be confused - you have indeed made a horrible decision. You have sacrificed reliability for driving pleasure. This XK8 is the worst car I think I've owned (from a mechanical perspective)... but every time I drive it, I forget about all that. Puts a smile back on my face.

 

Great answer. As I plan to do the majority of the maintenance myself. This forum and everyone on it is one of the most informative resources for the Jaguar. And everyone is great with the information. I also really love hearing the positive aspects of ownership, I know I've made the right choice and I'm also glad that I fit into your first category of person.

 

They are older cars at this point, and most european luxury cars demand more attention than your average Honda, but not so bad if you are even a medium-level mechanic. Heck, I even work on mine.

You will have a really hard time finding a more pleasurable car to own for the price once everything is sorted out. Welcome aboard!

 

Doug - I owned my S-Type R for a little over a year and a half when I decided to pick up an XK8 for my wife. I bought one from a fellow forum member who offered it up here as a last resort before the auto recycler. https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...ter-box-99174/
Like most before me have said, there is just a reputation from the 70's and 80's of unreliability and exorbitant repair/maintenance costs. Much of it was true, but in the days during and after the Ford ownership, build quality and dependability was much improved.
Where that leaves us is at a point where these vehicles can be had for as little as 10% of their sticker price within 10 years and many of them are well maintained, low mile cars.
So if you have any concerns, take them with a grain of salt and just smile as the compliments keep coming.