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Ive had my 97 XK8 for5 years and absolutely love it. It is a truly great car. Its asmooth, reliable, fun machine and it is still a real eye catcher. Lately, though I've had the itch to get a XKR. I havent test drivenone yet, but I hear they're more powerful and even morefun to drive. I plan to buy a used 01 model with about 35K miles. Is this a wise move being that my '97 has been such a wonderful machine and is still in its prime? Do early XKRs have any bad reliability habits ? All thoughts/comments are welcome.............JD
Well I made the plunge and purchased a 2002XKR and I couldnt be more pleased. The difference in horsepower is very noticeable. It pulls like a big block V8 only its smoother.
I love my ‘02 XKR. Try to find one that’s already had the known issues fixed, speaking of the cam chain tensioners and the water pump. That’s what I managed to do and the car has been essentially trouble free, with
only a very few minor issues. If it can be fixed by me, an admitted novice with cars made after 1969, and fixed the under a $100, I’m calling those minor issues..
on the plus side, the early XKR’s had a stronger transmission than did the XK8’s. On the negative side, the supercharger adds another level of complexity to a car that’s already pretty complex.
My XKR is my daily driver. As such it’s seen about 15-20,000 miles per year with a few cross country trips over 2,500 miles round trip. Until it proves otherwise, I’m calling it very reliable, especially for a 20 year old car.
Z
PS. I try to drive it as hard as possible ( not abusively) when the roads are empty, I think to baby such a car ALL the time isn’t good for the car, and a wrongheaded way enjoy it. Some cars need a regular hard exercise session. The XKR’s are that type of car. .....just my opinion.
Good question Jack. I happen to have both models. I have had the 1997 XK8 for 4 years and the 2001 XKR for 6 months.
I love both of them for different reasons. I live in the California mountains and had the most beautiful winding and twisting roads and it is the perfect place to stretch each car's legs on a regular basis. Both cars run with Perilli Centurato P7s. It's a good tire for my environment.
XK8 - Pro = It feels lighter and more nimble in the turns. Plenty of power and I would say this is my fun car. Fully sorted and tuned.
XKR - Pro = Faster and with the supercharger pulls strong from the start to 150 mph with no feeling that it has hit the top of its powerband. It is my going out car. Lots more bling, lots more zing.
Cons - As long as you speak "jaguar," life is not so bad.
Brother and Sister
I love my 2001 XKR until something breaks. yesterday a rock hit the left side headlight lens and broke it right up the middle all the way. Now I’m searching for a new one and having zero success. Any suggestions where I can find one?
Upgrade to XKR
