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Car Forum / Jaguar Cars / May 2008Need advice on pre owned XK8 Jag
Need advice on pre owned XK8 Jag We have never owned a Jag. We live in the SF Bay Area, CA We are thinking of buying a pre owned XK8 Convertible. Model year 1998 to 2003. The prices seems to range from $18,000 to $30,000. We are not sure which model year we will end up with... it will depend on the deal we get. We are undecided as which XK8 to get..convertible or hard top ? Any thoughts? We would like to get a convertible. Though we have a few friends who say convertibles may bring a set a problems... 1. the rag top may need replacing every so often and that could be an expensive issue. 2. The temp inside the car may not be like a hardtop when it is comes to AC or heating or there may be leaks. 3.There may be a lot of noise. 4.The wear and tear on mechanisim of raising/ lowering the top may be expensive if it needs attention or replacement. Are these prone to problems? Can anyone who has had such a car please comment on the above re:Jag convertibles vs hardtops? Any advice as which one is better in your opinion? In terms of model years..are there any that are better than others ? or any model years to be avoided ? We would really like to get a convertible. Any other tips would be highly appreciated. Thanks in advance for your input. Kim Hello Kim; Welcome to the world of Jaguar. There are three words all men lust to say at one time in their lives; "That's my Jag". Do some very fine price scrutinization before buying. The numbers you quote start high for those years. Watch the dealers on Ebay and see what the cars are really selling for. If you decide to buy on line, which many are doing, you can have the car shipped cheaper than if you did a road trip. There's a guy here in Dallas that is an exceptional dealer and ships all over. texascarsdirect.com . Don't be shy about calling them and asking questions. No affiliation, just got my education there, and I'll buy my next one from him. There's nothing like a rag top but what your friends say is true. You'll need to make that determination for yourself. Top down, beautiful day, crusin the highways, grabbin' all the looks of jealousy! The wear and tear is hogwash! Just treat the machine like the fine piece of equipment it is and it'll give you many years of service. Expensive to maintain? They all can be but you need to be smart about your plans. The XK hardtop is what you would think. It's a secure rather stoic breed that is very special in itself. For an old bastard like me, it may be the next one, although I like to ride folks around. Ideally you want a no damage car from the original owner who has had it maintained by the dealer and has kept all the records. Good luck and enjoy to journey! lOn Mon, 5 May 2008 08:41:50 -0700 (PDT), kimshapiro100@yahoo.com wrote: >Need advice on pre owned XK8 Jag > [quoted text clipped - 34 lines] >Thanks in advance for your input. >Kim Get the convertible! These are small cars inside and it is not as "confining" with the top down. I have owned my 2001 XKR convertible for a little over one year now. It is the most fantastic automobile I have owned or driven (and I'm a senior citizen now). The rag top is well insulated against temperatures and noise. Try to get one with the 4.2 liter engine (MY 2002 and later) although the earlier years are good once the pensioners are replaced. Try these web sites for more valuable information: http://www.roadfly.com/jaguar/forums/ http://www.maxperformancecars.com/index.php?option=com_fireboard&Itemid=53 http://www.xkec.co.uk/xkforum/viewforum.php?f=13&sid=fefe26f53369a05de9d33087b03f14dc http://www.jaguar-enthusiasts.org.uk/ http://www.jec-xk8-forum.org.uk/ If you join the local Jaguar club you will have access to a world of information and support. http://www.jcna.com/ http://www.jags.org/ Here is a site to compare prices with http://www.texascarsdirect.com/PublicWeb/UI/WebForms2/Default.aspx . I have purchased two Jags from this firm and have five personal friends who did as well. Worth the transportation for a well maintained auto if you can't find one in your area. If you deal with anyone else get a "pre-buy" inspection. If it is available buy the extended warranty by EasyCare. When something breaks on these cars it is not cheap! Also ask around for an independent mechanic that specializes in Jaguars. The dealers have been know to take advantage of the unsuspecting. I know you will love your car once you find it. Email me pictures of yours when you get it. Bryan Dallas, TX > Hello Kim; > [quoted text clipped - 71 lines] >>Thanks in advance for your input. >>Kim Yeah I replaced the two "pensioners" in my Jag ,with my wife and I. It runs much better now ;>). > Get the convertible! These are small cars inside and it is not as > "confining" with the top down. I have owned my 2001 XKR convertible for a [quoted text clipped - 114 lines] >>>Thanks in advance for your input. >>>Kim I could type better and faster if I had more index fingers. > Yeah I replaced the two "pensioners" in my Jag ,with my wife and I. It > runs much better now ;>). [quoted text clipped - 117 lines] >>>>Thanks in advance for your input. >>>>Kim Here in England, where it rains almost continually; wear on a soft top is a negligable factor when buying an XK8. Generally speaking; if someone can afford a convertible here; (where XKs are somewhat more expensive); they buy one! Richard Lichten > Here in England, where it rains almost continually; wear on a soft top > is a negligable factor when buying an XK8. Generally speaking; if > someone can afford a convertible here; (where XKs are somewhat more > expensive); they buy one! > > Richard Lichten Sorry 'negligible' RL > Need advice on pre owned XK8 Jag > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > We are not sure which model year we will end up with... > it will depend on the deal we get. Bear in mind the 03 was the year that they really got the bugs ironed out. The upgraded 4.2 engine had a lot of redesigns including the timing chains. The 03 is the one I would suggest. I have an 01 and have done the timing chain tensioners plus the water pump and a few others. There is the Nikasil issue with some 01s and before. I'd suggest at least an 02 or if you go an 01 or earlier be sure to verify you have steel cylinders and the timing chain issue has been addressed. > We are undecided as which XK8 to get..convertible or hard top ? > Any thoughts? It is purely a matter of your taste and preference. The rag top is no harder to maintain than the coupe. The pre-02 rag tops had issues with the top hydraulics, though. There is a kit from Jaguar to fix the issue. > We would like to get a convertible. > Though we have a few friends who say convertibles may bring a set a > problems... Aside from the fixable hydraulic problem, I can't think of any. My headliner is kind of loose due to the heat and the movement, but any rag top will have that problem. Not a huge repair as those things go. > 1. the rag top may need replacing every so often and that could be an > expensive issue. My 01 top looks brand new. Just be sure you never send it through a car wash and that occasionally you clean the top with a specialized product. > 2. The temp inside the car may not be like a hardtop when it is comes > to > AC or heating or there may be leaks Amazingly few. Jag really made it tight for a rag top. Almost no wind noise to speak of, just a little. No leaking. Tight as a drum. . > 3.There may be a lot of noise. Not at all, extremely quiet. > 4.The wear and tear on mechanisim of raising/ lowering the top may be > expensive if it needs attention or replacement. Are these prone to > problems? Nope. You don't use the mechanism every day. You will find you either like it mostly down or mostly up. My 01 has no issues. > Can anyone who has had such a car please comment on the above > re:Jag convertibles vs hardtops? You are free to choose based only on what appeals to you. You will be happy with either choice. Me, I love the rag top. It is very well engineered and it has no appreciable issues. > Any advice as which one is better in your opinion? Hard to drive to Wine Country with the top down if you have a coupe. > In terms of model years..are there any that are better than others ? > or any model years to be avoided ? The 98, 99 and 00 had some issues - ie timing chain tensioners, wheel bearings, water pumps and Nikasil cylinders. The 03 4.2 engine is a big improvement and a better engine. > We would really like to get a convertible. You'll love it. I love mine. Paul
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