Don't by anything older than 2000. I bought mine in Canton Ohio, but I live in Chicago. I would just find a nice one on ebay.

If you can test drive a few of them, and try to get a feel for them. A big problem with our car, and alot is the wheels. You want to make sure the wheels aren't making any wierd noises so ride with the windows down, and you want the car to be driving strraight on it's own...cuz the wheels ill cost thousands in repair if they have trouble.
Have the coolant and gaskets checked...and look for loose wires, those can be annoying to deal with.

If you buy something older than a 2000, the engine will fail eventually due to the nikisil problem. Also, a good price for a 2000 model is between 15-17 grand. We paid 14,800 for are 2000 convertible with 70,000 miles. You don't want to pay to much, cuz I could see people getting ripped off on these cars. They are great cars, just a lot of depretiation...so you should get a huge bargain.

 

I've not had problems with my 97.
I was talking to a Jaguar mechanic while doing an engineering job on an S-typeR at a dealer.
He says the only real problem the early ones have is that they were shipped with a badly designed thermostat. This causes the engine to overheat, and burn out the oil that's trapped in the Nikisil liners, causing a drop in compression.
It also will overheat the timing chain tensionsers causing them to break.
In the case of the Nikisil, you put oil down the cylinders, and turn the car over a few times. You then start the car and wait for the smoke to clear. Your compression whould have returned by now.
I hear the only REAL problem with the Nikisil is when you live in an area with high-sulfur gasoline, which eats away at the liners themselves.

If you buy a pre-97 it should be fine as long as it has run non-cheap gasoline, and you have the thermostat and timing chain tensioners updated.

I've had all this done on mine, and it's a great car.

 

The original time chain upper tensioners had lots of problems. They would break and scatter the engine. Also, the orginal plastic impellor water pumps had extremely high failure rates. The impellors eroded away and eventually moved no water; hence, causing overheating.

 

First there is no pre 97 xk8. Second it's stupid to buy anything older than 2000 because there's no way to no if it's been driven with high sulfur gasoline, and there's no way to really know about your own region. It just makes sense to buy a 2000 or newer

 

I meant pre-2000.
High sulfar gasoline is mostly only a problem in the gulf states.
I know that most California cars will be a safer bet due to the requirement for lower sulfar gas that was instituted before the XK came out.

But DON'T BUY pre-2000.
If no one buys them, this will drop the values of the pre-2000's and all of us that actually like them can buy more.

 

You calling me stupid Bro? I have an unlimited mileage drivetrain warranty with mine through AutoSource that I purchased from the Ferrari Dealership who sold me the car. I think I'm covered for internal engine problems!

And, the warranty is transferable. It's not available to Owners. Only through qualified Dealers.

 

Jack, no one's calling you stupid.[:@] Just post more pics to the hot babe section. Caddi's out doing you!

Yurikaze, blow off the Nikisil worries. I think people just like to say it because no one else knows what they are talking about. The timing chain tensioners are the big killers in these cars. Correct those and you have a screaming fine car!

 

Owww I'm so jealous. o wait, my cousin owns Continental Ferrari. Where you purchase a car hardly matters, you'd probably get as good if not better service from a jag dealer as a ferrari dealer, and you can service your cars at dealerships you didn't buy from.

My dad has a 4 year warranty for his drivetrain too, but if the engine needs to be replaced even with a warranty that is hectic. You gotta co-pay some of the stuff, and it's hard to get warranty companies to spring for stuff occasionally.

And you probably didn't know about the Nikisil problem or you woulda bought a newer xk8 I bet.

 

I don't see how they are great value tho, I paid less for my 2000 then jack paid for his 97. They cost about the same, even tho a 97-99 has known engine problems not to mention slightly less horsepower I believe and just that they are older.

Any car you purchase, it tends to make sense not to bey the first few production years because the kinks are still being worked out.