Hello all,
I've seen an advert for a 2003 XK8 with 73K at a reasonable price. Unfortunately it has a 'part' service history; I suspect this is why it has been hanging around for a few weeks.
Is it worth going to see one with a part SH or should I run fast in the opposite direction?!
Thanks.

 

I bought mine with almost no service history.

Anyone that knows them should be able to check for the most obvious issues, (tensioners, rust, etc.) and after that you should be fine. But make sure that "reasonable" takes your legwork into account.

 

I wouldn't necessarily be put off by a 'part' service history but I would:

1. be more diligent in checking condition
2. use it in negotiating to make the price even more reasonable

Alarm bells would be ringing if it had more than three owners in its ten years and particularly if the current owner had acquired it fairly recently.

I always take what salesmen and owners tell me with a liberal pinch of salt. A code reader will tell you more about the vehicle than either of them ever will.

Graham

 

My car had no history, having been sold at auction to a used car dealer. I called the local Jag dealer and they provided the early history when I gave them the VIN, but the more recent information under the second owner was still unknown. I thought the car sounded and felt good and took a chance, but the price I paid was below market.
You might want to consider an independent inspection if you do not fell confident in making the call yourself.

 

Ok thanks, very interesting answers.
As it happens, on closer examination a couple of pictures show that the passenger side veneer dash appears darker than the centre and driver's side.
Suspecting a previous airbag deployment (?) I may pass over this one and carry on looking!

 

Funny you say that, quite a few that I've seen have this difference in colour. I wonder if anyone else has noticed and can comment?

 

Although Jaguar fit 'book matched' veneer sets where the grain pattern on the left of the vehicle centreline side mirrors that on the right, I too have seen several examples of mismatch both in colour and grain.

Clearly some subsequent changes have been made in these circumstances but I wouldn't immediately jump to the conclusion it was the result of an accident.

Graham

 

I am always wary of making ANY assessments by photo only...lighting can vary from one side of a car to the other and the quality of the camera can also come into play. When I have looked at anything originally viewed online, I always took it with a grain of salt, no matter whether a house or a vehicle.

Sometimes the red flag raised in a picture comes to fruition, but there are other times where it was much ado about nothing.

Unless the car is halfway across the country, if it meets the basic criteria one is using for a purchase then go look at it and make a decision after being hands-on with it for a while...