Hello, all. I am an old guy (over 70) who has played with cars since 1962, when I bought my first car, a restored 1926 Model T Ford for $ 475.00. In years past I had several XK 120, 140 and 150 cars. I have also had a couple Panteras and some nice cars from the 1920s and 1930s. I currently have a 1936 Packard convertible sedan, a 1991 Corvette, supercharged, and a 2002 Corvette Z06. I have included a few photos of some of the cars I have owned and currently own.
I have an opportunity to buy a bright red 1999 XK8 convertible from a friend who bought the car in 2002 with 2000 miles on it. It now has 2400 miles on it and has been in heated storage all these years. I know it will need new tires, brake calipers and master cylinder and all fluids replaced. I would assume the timing chain tensioners have not been touched.
What other items would need looking at? Engine and tranny seals? What would a car like this, basically perfect cosmetically, be worth? What is the cost of some of the items, such as having the chain tensioners replaced?
Were there any special problems peculiar to the 1999 XK8s?
I thank you for any information you can give me.

 

Welcome to the forum!

Some mod is going to come along soon and ask that you copy your excellent introduction over to the new member forum.

Nice cars!

We don't hear much of drive train seals. The plastic valve covers seem to be the most represented with oil leaks.

The coolant system plastic parts are a source of entertainment in higher mileage cars of this era but I wouldn't start changing them until some symptoms show up.

The earlier cars suffered from water pump and wheel bearings problems but you probably missed that. The engine has Nikasil cylinder bore coating which had a terrible reputation due to sulfur in the gas that no longer exists so you missed that also. Read up on Nikasil in the 'stickies' above. My opinion: a good Nikasil engine is preferable to steel sleeves.

The plastic cam chain tensioners really must be changed. Less than $200 DIY, maybe $800 indy, $1200 dealer. They are really easy to change and there are plenty of 'How To' info around.

AC charge has probably leaked down but a simple charge should take care of that.

Sounds like a real find! Enjoy.

 

You may want to read through these links
I’m buying a used XK8/XKR, what should I look for?
Link 1 | Link 2

It must have been fun driving those cars... a trip in time.

 

a '99 with 2400 miles that has been stored is indeed a terrific find!!! the xk8 is a beautiful automobile, albeit one with inherent issues. the already mentioned ones are correct.


that low mileage xk8 is quite rare and if you're so inclined, you should just go ahead and buy it, assuming the price is reasonable and it sounds like money is not a great issue for you.


plenty of solid information awaits you! Congratulations and I probably speak for everybody in here, we can't wait to see as many pictures of your XK8 as you can post!


mine is a triple black '99 and am proud to own it.


frank in fl

 

Man, excellent run of cars you have had, I'm envious....

2400 miles, buy it, buy it now..

Plan on replacing anything made out of rubber, most of the front suspension will likely need attension as well as hoses.

As far as what is it worth...the market is all over the place on these cars. A 2001 XKR with 40K on it and aperars to be in good condition just went for $9200 on ebay. A couple cars went for $20-25K at Barrett Jackson in Scottsdale in January that had no history and were mid mileage cars. Some members here are having problems selling great cars that are well maintained for 10 to 11K. I paid $11K for my 03 with 88K on it last year in 95% cosmetic new condition and mechanically perfect except the front suspension which is normal for a car with that mileage, 1K in parts to replace everything except the steering rack on the front and it drives like new.

So what is a 99 heated and air conditioned barn find with 2400 miles on it worth? Whatever your willing to pay is all I can say!

Welcome to the fourm and post up some pic's. Should you turn absolutely crazy and decide to pass on this 2400 mile beauty be sure to pass on the sellers info to the forum so we can beat a path to his door. Could get ugly, just saying..

 

Thank you for all the information. I have been reading the posted links. It is interesting to see what some of the problems are.
I have had a bunch of great cars through the years. I just posted a few of them.
I will not be carefully looking over the car for at least a week. Then I will need to negotiate a good price, which should not be difficult as the seller is a good friend.
I will let you know what happens. If I buy the car you can look forward to many pictures and questions. KM

 

Just remember as you read about all the issues posted on this forum that is what the forum is for, issues and help along with some general look what I'm doing comradely. But you appear to be an experienced car collector so I'm sure you know that. There are countless XK8/R's out there that are low maintenance and enjoyed.

 

Oldcars,


Be sure to ask your friend to cycle the convertible top, so as to assess where things stand with it. If it leaks fluid or fails to work, that should find its way into the price. Replacing the system's hydraulic hoses gets expensive if you're not in a position to do the work yourself.


Good luck.

 

Oldcars,
Welcome to the forum and that has to be the lowest mileage XK8 on the planet. If it's a reasonable price, I'd take it in a minute. The secondary tensioners do need to be replaced, and no doubt the "green shower" will rear it's head at some time in the future (convertible hydraulic hoses), but so what. You'll take care of that when it happens. I have a 2002XKR that has been my daily drive for the past 5 years, and I've put an additional 100,000 miles on it in that time on top of the 60,000 that was already there. I still love it, it still looks almost new, and still garners more compliments than any car I have ever owned. And that includes one that we have in common, the De Tomaso Pantera. I'm a little south of you in age (62) but it's all in your mind. Those are some beautiful cars in your collection.

Good luck if you buy it.

 

With 400 miles in 15 years, I would have major concerns about the fuel system (unless the fuel was drained, of course). Over time, fuel leaves a sticky deposit on everything it touches. Fuel pump, pressure regulator, maybe injectors are likely to need professional cleaning, even possibly replacement. I have not touched the fuel system on my car, yet, but I hear it is not the easiest/cheapest system to work with, as some parts are not readily accessible.

On the other hand, you have clearly dealt with old cars, so I am not telling you anything you don't already know.