Learn me Jaaaaaaag.

I am, inexplicably, considering a Jag-u-ar. I'm still in need of a car in the next couple of months to replace the Volt, which is about to go off lease.

Jaguar has a rep for bad electrical systems and poor build quality, but the impression I'm getting is that is mostly untrue for cars built within the Ford era.

My goals are to find a fairly reliable car that is fun to drive for around $8k.

Choices right now are:

X-Type: Available with a stick, which would be my choice. I understand the 2.5 is really lacking in power. AWD is standard. I understand it shares parts with the Contour. The Estate is available in the US, but is automatic only.

S-Type: Borrows from the Lincoln LS. Available with a stick, and possessed of a more normal rear drive system. This one looks like fun, but I fear the driving dynamics aren't there in anything shy of the R model, which is auto only and a bit on the pricy side.

XK8: specifically first generation. Auto only. It's beautiful. I'd only have the coupe under consideration because I like the looks, and because of the "green shower" issue. The XKR sometimes hits my price range, but most are spent. Reviews from the era are fawning. I love the looks, particularly in the less Camry-esque colors - red, black, metallic blue. Friends tell me it's a car for old men to carry their golf clubs about in.

These aren't plentiful in my area, so I'm looking for some opinions on each. I need some decent driving dynamics, room for at least two, and a reasonable belief that it won't depreciate more than $2500 in the next 18 months. I'm thinking the XK8 can't go down much more.

Mike wrote: a reasonable belief that it won't depreciate more than $2500 in the next 18 months. I'm thinking the XK8 can't go down much more.

That depends on whether you factor your repairs into the calculation.

1st gen XK8s were known for engine problems! aluminum cylinder walls, altho Jag warrented them ,TO the ORIGINAL owner.

green shower issue?

good part is XK8 uses a lot of FORD parts, 1/2 the cost of Jag # parts!

so that begs the question; who really designed the later Jags, JAG or FORD?

Junkyard_Dog wrote:

Mike wrote: a reasonable belief that it won't depreciate more than $2500 in the next 18 months. I'm thinking the XK8 can't go down much more.

That depends on whether you factor your repairs into the calculation.

I suppose I do. Most of my driving is very sedate in town driving, around 8 miles a day at 25 to 35 mph with few traffic lights, but many stop signs. My other common trip is a 240 mile round trip at highway speeds to see family every few months. I would hope to have one or fewer $1000 repairs plus regular maintenance during a year and a half of ownership. Boxberger's Year of Owning a Ferrari shows that that isn't reasonable for an F355. I know that's a reasonable expectation for a Civic, and probably a whole lot of other cars. A Jaguar? I'm less sure of a Jaguar, but I haven't seen many worriesome issues, save the exploding hydraulic lines on convertibles.

Flight Service wrote: green shower issue?

The power top is hydraulic, and the high pressure lines have a weak spot in the center top of the windshield frame, behind the interior lights. The hoses blow, and shower green hydraulic fluid over the interior.

A Jaguar is very likely to be my next car. Watching this one.

A few years ago I was strongly shopping an XK8. I remember that I decided that I would not purchase a car before the 2003 model year. I forget the specifics for that decision. I think the 2003 had upgraded timing gears/guides/tensioners; sorry don't remember the specifics. IIRC the nikasil(?) cylinder liner issue had been eliminated for a few years by 2003. I recall the green shower issues as well but I don't recall if/when that was corrected.

Ultimately, at the time, 2003 and up was too rich for my blood leaving me as the only member of my family without a Jag. A couple of years later I bought a NA Miata but I still get invited to family functions.

Just saw a Silver XKR with the top down yesterday (not often the case) and it was awesome.

Edit: Just saw that you are considering a XKE coupe only. Most of the above still applies

I test drove an X Type with a stick when it was new. The sales manager was so happy that someone was interested in it, he let me take it for a whole day and was willing to knock almost ten grand off the sticker. Only problem was that I hated driving it. The clutch had no feel and the drive wasn't that much fun. The interior was beautiful, though.

ronbros wrote: 1st gen XK8s were known for engine problems! aluminum cylinder walls, altho Jag warrented them ,TO the ORIGINAL owner.

Pre-'00 had the Niksal cylinder liners but with the change in the formulation of fuel if those problems haven't turned up yet they are very unlikely to ever turn up. The pre '00 had fairly weak timing chain tensioners. They were replaced by stronger ones from '01 up and upgraded again when the V8 went from 4.0 to 4.2 litres. I haven't heard of many problems with the '01-'03 tensioners. You can change upgrade early cars to later timing chain tensioners. The XJR and XKR had stronger transmissions then the naturally aspirated cars. If the XK8 transmission is taken care of, it should be fine but if you have to replace it. It isn't terrible hard to find or expensive.

Honestly I wouldn't bother with an S-Type (glorified Lincoln LS with all it's problems) or the X-Type especially considering an XJ8 can be had for the same price. Maybe I would consider an S-Type if I could find one of the rare manuals.

There are good buyer's guides out there for the XK8 and XJ8 as well.