One whipped puppy: Ever owned a 97-06 Jag XK?

[KNS]

Just thinking out loud... You can find an XK coupe for pretty cheap these days. I did a search here on used Jags and it seems like a crap-shoot. Some have fantastic service and others have nothing but problems. Anyone here own one, performance, reliability, parts cost...

[Zeke]

Me. They are cheap. Don't buy a '98 or '99 X308. The later V8's are much better but still suffer from a cam chain ildler issue. If that's been done, good. The X300's '95-97 are bullet proof motors with typical 90's induction and smog issues.

The BCM's on these cars are OK but the various relays, senders and controls are a nightmare when they go bad.

Still, for the money it's a hell of a nice ride. I'll never go back now that I've had one. (I wanted one ever since I sold my '73 XJ6 in the 70's.)

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[onewhippedpuppy]

Milt hit the big issue, the 4.0L V8 had an issue with timing chain guides that broke down with age. That upgrade is essential, I think the parts are less than $500 if you DIY. The early V8 also had Nikasil issues, I think 2000+ had different cylinder liners. The regular V8 models had some slush box failures, the supercharged R models had a bulletproof Mercedes transmission. They also tend to wear suspension bushings at around 100k. Parts costs are comparable to BMW, VW, etc and easy to find.

Considering how cheap they are, I'd strongly recommend going for an XKR or XJR. My 2000 XJR was a fantastic car, much better materials and build quality than a BMW but a blast to drive. This era of Jag benefited from Ford ownership, particularly with electrical accessories, sensors, etc. They're actually pretty darn reliable cars. I would buy another in a heartbeat, and I don't say that about many cars I've owned. My comments are coming from XJR ownership, but the XK is essentially the same car with two less doors.

[jhynesrockmtn]

My ex and I bought a used 2000 XJ8 several years ago that was still under factory warranty. Had 20k on it when we bought it. Early on we made several dealer visits. One was a complete rear end swap due to a failure. ABS module, throttle body, etc. Came to find out the engine had been replaced before our ownership under warranty. I had researched them and thought the 2000+ were not affected by the nikasil problem. After those issues it was fairly flawless up to about 70k. Then the trans crapped. Some shops have figured out the repair and she had that done. This was after the divorce. The trans repair was north of $4,000. Still, if you can find one well cared for they are wonderful cars to drive. As mentioned, go for the R version.

[KNS]

Hmmm, thanks guys...