New person here, non Jaguar owner. Trying to decide if I want to take the plunge on a 2004 XK8 convertible. There are two local dealers that have them for sale. One is at a sports car/classic car dealer offering one at $9,900 and has about 82,000 miles. The other is a smaller dealer that has one for $12,900, but only has around 33,000 miles.

Quick background...this would be an extra "fun" car. Would probably use a couple of times a week to drive a short distance for work, odd errands and maybe a once a year trip. I will not be putting many miles on it per year. Also, I just bought what I thought would be a fun car, 1975 Dodge Swinger. I'm finding that I'm feeling more ambivalent about it than excited. Would like to find a situation where I could trade it in to a independent dealer. Also, I would probably be relying on 80% of repairs by a pro and maybe 20% I could handle. Did a little reading here and elsewhere and it seems the newer Jags are a little more reliable with proper care.

On that note the sports car/classic car dealer would probably be a better trade in fit. My only misgivings would be the higher mileage and the ad states that it has 4 owners. Not sure how to interpret that. Did they have so many problems or expenses each one gave up in turn.

Anyhow, any opinions appreciated on which would be a better option or if I should do it at all.

 

That could rack up some very substantial maintenance and repair bills. There's only two ways to run an older Jaguar:

1. a well stocked tool box
OR
2. a well stocked bank account

Mileage never bothers me (regularly used examples are usually more reliable) but SERVICE HISTORY is critical. Both of the vehicles you are considering should have been serviced at 12 MONTH intervals with no gaps and a fat folder of bills to support work carried out.

If you don't know Jaguars then an independent check from a marque expert would be a wise move.

Graham

 

While lower mileage cars seem more appealing because you might think they won't give you problems, it can go the other way around. A car sitting for a long time or rarely driven can also deteriorate more than an adequately driven/maintained car with more miles.

I would look at the service history of each car, and check if they had all the fluid changes, and look under the bonnet to see the condition for hoses, and overall cleanliness. I'm unsure if there are major issues with the xk8 models, but the power train from what I heard is pretty solid.

 

You wrote, '...this would be an extra "fun" car. Would probably use a couple of times a week to drive a short distance for work, odd errands and maybe a once a year trip. I will not be putting many miles on it per year.'

Don't count on it. See Sir John's current post on that subject. I've had mine two years. I intended to drive it just occasionally and have four cars and trucks for two retirees but find driving my XK8 coupe so compelling that I pretty much only drive the others when I have to.

Granville

 

I own a 2004 XK8 convertible. My wife and I did a 9700 km road trip this summer. I had a wheel bearing fail during the trip and it cost about $600 to fix.........not bad for a 15 yr old car with 200,000 km , IMO. It is, bar none, the best GT car I have ever driven and I have been driving since 1971. I agree that a well maintained car with higher mileage will probably be better than a car that has sat unused for long periods of time. Most maintenance can be done by a reasonably skilled lay person. BUT if you don't know a good mechanic that you can trust , a Jag could get expensive.

 

I got my 2004 XK8 about 5 years ago when it had 38K miles. I am approaching 92K now. I've detailed nearly everything I have done so far to mine in this thread so its probably worth reading.

The question comes up a lot. Which is the best buy (1) low miles higher price or (2) higher miles low price

I have commented before that I don't think you can really avoid the true cost of owning one of these cars. That cost is currently around $20K once you get either car restored back to a show quality look with daily driver reliability. And that is totally achievable. You just pay for it differently. You can roll it into a bigger payment on the lower mileage car and spread out the restoration cost as the mileage accumulates. Or you can have a smaller payment and pay some big bills to get the reliability up on the high mileage car. You are just not going to get around the true cost. You can minimize it if you DIY most repairs. And the people here can help you accomplish more than you might think possible.

You can get by on the cheap if you are willing to risk reliability when you drive it occasionally. If you want it to be ready to go "whenever and wherever" then prepare to spend about $20K all in over the next few years.

I agree that the mileage is not much of a factor on the drive train. I do think it relates more to overall wear and tear of interior and paint. I went with the lower mileage car but still had plenty to restore. Mine is pretty well sorted now.

Where exactly are these cars? Got links to online details? Have you driven both?

 

A spy from Great Britain detected!!! Somebody, call FBI!!!

 

My short answer is this: If you cannot perform the majority of the required maintenance and repairs yourself, walk away quietly and do not look back. Even with a good independent repair shop, these vehicles can drain your bank account very rapidly....

 

My 2000 XKR Convertible has two times in 40k miles and 8 years left me needing a tow. It's been daily driver reliable and both failures were stuff that any car of it's age could have happen; a fuel pump failed, and a coolant reservoir failed. That all said, my car had 68k when I bought it and repairs and maintenance, which have been very inline with any other 2000 model year car owned from 2010 to 2018; have been about $6000. $6k does NOT include any labor. I estimate labor, which I do mechanic work on the side, at $20k over that time. Suspension rebuild, brake rotors and pads(x2 times) all around, supercharger rebuild, alternator, timing chain tensioners, SC and serpentine belt drive tensioner and idler pulley bearing replacement, preventative complete hose replacement, oil cooler lines replacement, all 4 oxygen sensors, egr valve, all 8 coils and spark plugs, transmission+diff+sc+engine+ps+coolant+brake fluids and relevant filter changes, belts, ps pump and reservoir replacement, coolant reservoir replacement, crankcase vent hoses, repainting window trims, radio replacement (screen failed), and more I'm probably forgetting. Mine was a well maintained car with a complete service history. Most of this is simple maintenance combined with wear item failure (bearings, seals, bushings, rubber, fluids, etc).

These are solid cars. They are also at their newest, 12 years old. They are relatively easy to work on. Parts are definitely affordable but labor is a major expense. Right now these cars are probably at one of their more expensive times to operate; they are needing age related items that negate a lot of the reliability benefits of a low mileage car. Focus on the maintenance and repair history; and the current condition the car is, not the mileage, IF you want to drive it. My 108k 00 XKR I would put up against the best low mileage 06 XKRs for how reliable and nice the ownership experience would be. Think of that I bought the car for $10.6K, put $6k in parts and $20k in labor in and would likely get $9-10k for it. That's a bargain. A 30k mile example with ticking time bombs will cost you way more to own if you drive it.

 

Thanks for all the replies. I think I'm falling into the "walking away from it (for now)" camp. My impression is the reliability is not bad, if they were maintained properly, but the cost of repairs above average for the non mechanic dope (like me). Have not done any test drives and probably would not useless I was ready to go through with it. They are just so hot looking for a decent price. Why must they tempt me so...

Here are the links to the culprits, it anyone is interested.

2004 Jag $9,995

2004 Jag $12,900

 

FWIW the low mileage higher price car looks to be a better buy in this case.

 

6 years a 2000 Coupe owner and I love it more every year. It's a car of special qualities.

But I do almost all my own work, and there's been a bit of it. More than I would have been happy paying someone else to do.

If you do buy one, buy the best one you can find. That's almost always the cheaper way regardless of the purchase price.