I bought my car, used, about 5 years ago, and it is a great driving machine. It gets all kinds of positive complements and looks, and it is a puzzle why these cars don’t have more value. Mine is a 2001 in black with bisquit interior, and it has cost a little to get it running perfectly, but there are few cars out there with these looks and driving smoothness. I was thinking that they made so many that they are commonly on the market.
There were 90.064 built from 1997 to 2005 so that is not a lot of cars. I think the first models with the cylinder wall trouble killed the reputation and spoiled an otherwise over-the-top car, but that is my theory.
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I have always liked these cars, but never owned one or even driven one. The coupe especially I think is lovely…
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I think the first models with the cylinder wall trouble killed the reputation and spoiled an otherwise over-the-top car,
That, and the timing gear problems, which are arguably a bigger issue as they will
ALL fail sooner or later, whereas, if the cylinders are OK now, they probably always will be, as high sulphur fuel is no longer used. I agree, seriously undervalued, but I suspect their day will come. Before I bought mine, 7 years ago XJS’s ranged from about $15-$25K, they now hover between $25-$55k. Whether they sell for that is another matter, but I would prefer an XK8, not only for the better driving and convenience factors, but also the reliability. Whilst working on the V8 doesn’t look like a lot of laughs,( cost me $2k including parts for timing upgrade to 4.2 specs) it’s a whole lot easier than the V12 Who knows what the equivalent job would cost on that, assuming you could find someone a} able and b} willing to doing it?. XK8 prices haven’t really moved here, either up or down, but again, they don’t seem to sell very well, sit for months.
I wanted to add the fact that the timing chains and tensioners and all that gear goes bad, and what happens is the cars get parked due to no people to do the service or the engine is beyond repair. If you want a great looking ‘lump’ candidate, this would be the opportunity to buy one for pennies on the dollar. I see several on Marketplace almost daily.
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You owe it to yourself to drive one. They are wonderful performers, and the ride is true Jaguar, as is the brakes and the handling. I love mine, and have had to spend some money to get it right, but is\t was well worth it.
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There’s also the automatic transmission problem, which apparently guarantees that it will grenade at 100,000 miles.
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Not so, as I understand it. Apparently, if you open the trans up before 100K miles, the warranty is void, but if you don’t, it will fail. But, according to my neighbour\ expert of 40+ years, this is the same trans as fitted to many other cars inc BMW, and all that is required is to drop the pan, change the fluid and filter and all will be well. $300 well spent. IMO.
A very clean Topaz 97 convertible with 80K and a grenaded engine went for $1500 a couple years back. Buyer lumped it.
Probably a good idea, the lumping, as the car is a knockout in the looks department, and who really cares what engine is pulling it around?There are kits for the chevy swap. And yes, you can have a 5 speed or 6.
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The early transmissions suffer from “A” drum failure, fluid change will not prevent or cure this failure I have been told. I have heard of transmissions lasting 200K miles, hard to believe. Mine has 65k miles on it and the transmission acts up when cold, thunk.
Glenn
… which is what I’ve heard reported on here many times.
I stand corrected.
Here is a great opportunity to pick up a very handsome coupe with engine problems and do the LS drop-in. I love my roadster and this could be the stablemate for not a lot of money.These are modern versions of a beautiful car with all the modern features, It may take years for these newer cars to rust…
Just checked on Ebay today, and the asking prices have gone up substantially. Maybe it is just optimism or good, old fashioned greed, or worse; ignorance of the market.
Or it could be the prices of these cars really is rising. After 20 years they could have passed the bottom of their depreciation curve. People always say they are undervalued for what they are so perhaps the market is catching up.
I know for my X308 XJR, when it got wrecked in 2016, it was at the bottom of its value curve - something like $8500 in the USA. Three years later, the value was up to $12,000+, and this was before COVID supply chain issues purportedly caused used car prices to spike upwards.
Certain car models have their times when the price rises. I never would have thought mid-80’s Ford Thunderbird (Fox body chassis) Turbo Coupes would ever draw enthusiast interest, but apparently they’re rising. (I did like the 87-88, more “Euro-like” T-bird models myself and wouldn’t have been unhappy to have one.)
If people fancy woodgrain panel Jeep Grand Cherokees and Wagoneers from the 60’s and 70’s, then it cannot surprise me if people start taking an interest in the X200 XKs.
Dave