Need Some Help
 

Need some forum help. I have a 2000 XK8 that needs quite a bit of suspension work, such as new upper and lower control arms, new Bilstein struts, including strut mounts, new tie rods, etc....Even with a discount on labor, the total bill is already close to $9k, mostly due to parts costs. My service shop is buying the parts from the Jag dealer, and they're just "stupid" expensive! Any suggestions as to true discount parts sources for XK8 parts, instead of buying from the dealer? I know it's still going to be expensive, but $9k (including labor) is off the reservation. Any suggestions? The car itself isn't even worth nearly that much.
Steve

There are numerous sources of parts. The LAST source to buy from would be the outrageous markups at the Jaguar dealership. I have not purchased a part from my local Jaguar dealership in at least five years. Reliable and relatively affordable parts vendors that I deal with include SNG Barratt Group, FCP Euro, Welsh Enterprises, Motorcars Ltd., Rock Auto, etc. Other forum members will chime in soon to provide you with more sources....

try the forum sponsors - SNG Barratts, jagbits or Coventry West. I know SNG & jagbits offer 10% discount for forum members.

Welsh is also a good place for some of the items - poly upper shock mounts are $150 for the pair

Do you really need the entire upper/lower control arms or just new bushings?

Steve,

Ouch - that is SERIOUS money for a suspension overhaul.

Have a look at our forum Sponsors and Vendors websites. In addition to supporting the forum, they also offer good discounts on list.

For example, S N G Barratt offer genuine OE parts at discount together with aftermarket options at lower cost. They also give forum members 10% discount on most parts.

Graham

Also - consider replacing the OEM rubber bushings with poly - I purchased a complete set of front and rear poly bushings from Powerfelx USA for a little over $600.

Thanks, Jon89!

My mechanic says the ball joints are bad. He says no problem to replace bushings, but not the ball joints.

ball joints can be pressed out and new ones pressed in - I did my uppers as a DIY in my driveway and a few members have done the lowers as well - no need to replace the whole control arm

Welsh has the shocks for $145 each

I'd guestimate roughly $1200 -1500 in parts - bushings, ball joints, shocks, upper shock mounts, bump stops so $7500 in labor is way too much

Last place to go is a Jag dealership. You can buy complete sets of poly bushes off Ebay for good money.

This is the bit where someone chips in and says the poly bushes make the ride harder. If you have kn&&&&d bushes the ride will feel firmer afterwards. Probably how the bushes/rides should feel. If the right ones are fitted correctly they should outlive the car. Dont forget to use the grease supplied.

I am in England I bought the bushes online and got my local garage to fit them. I have DIY'd them myself in the past but the garage has the right press to push the old ones out and the new ones in.

This is what I did on mine.......... Click on the link and scroll down.............. Click Me to Read
More reading material, basically showing the bushes I used.............. click me

I just checked prices ...Ball joints run anywhere from $9 to $60 (the cheap ones were a closeout sale). Shocks...less than $100. Less than $150 for shock mounts. Some of these prices are from the forum sponsor SNG Barrett and other suppliers that have been mentioned. As Sklimmii says $1,200 to $1,500 ought to cover it, even using some or all OEM parts. Probably less if you don't mind going off brand.

I have a 99 xk8 so i understand your situation. first of all what is the value of the car and how many miles on it. $7-9000 to fix a car that maybe worth as much or less may not be the best choice.
far as parts go i would buy from the dealer as very last resort, the markup is very large. i would also suggest not going cheap, meaning there are no name brands out there and you don't want to do the work twice. best of luck

Check what you need
 

Not sure if you had a good look around. Dealers are the last you should trust if you want value for money. They replace everything with new.

I did have a good look on my car and picked and prodded everything. I decided I only needed new upper shock mounts and lower shock bushes. Bought those OEM. The rest can wait.

Up to you on way forward but a bit of inet price comparison checks never hurts the wallet. Check back here on what you’re buying/spending and you’ll get honest feedback.

Last I looked shocks are $100 each. Not trying to be a heretic but our sponsors dont always have best price. Look around.

John

Jon, you want to tell him to bring it down here for our Special at $4000, if it only needs what he has said.
Don't recall sway bar bushings and end links being mentioned. . Plus it will need the alignment, but still 9K, are they going to paint it too.