When you think of the brand Jaguar, you either think of the large sleek luxury sedan, known as the XJ, which held its own against the 3 big German brands, or you will think of the Jaguar E-type which is considered to be one of the most beautiful cars ever made.
Since people all go on about the E-type, there is a modern equivalent that seems to have been forgotten.
The car in question is the beautiful Jaguar XK8.
Yep, isn't she just beautiful, it really is a car I would love to own one day. I find it much more beautiful than the car, that replaced it.
The XJ8 hit the market back in 1996 when it took over the accent XJS, 
which was also a stunning car but was no competition for cars like the E31 BMW 8 Series, the Merc SL etc. It stayed in production up unit 2006, when it was replaced by the XK.
There were a few choices of engines to be had.
| Model | Model yearYear | Engine | HP |
|---|---|---|---|
| XK8 | 1997-2003 | 4.0 | (290 hp) at 6,100 rpm |
| XKR | 1998-2003 | 4.0 | (370 hp) at 6,150 rpm |
| XK8 4.2 | 2003-2006 | 4.2 | (300 hp) at 6,000 rpm |
| XKR 4.2 | 2003-2006 | 4.2 | (400 hp) at 6,100 rpm |
What To Look Out For When Buying A XK8 XKR
*Body & Structual *
There are many areas to inspect on the XK8/XKR, which may explain why they are quite cheap. It is important to check...*
The front nose of the car. Its quite an easy car to ding up front, so look for damage, or repairs
The front cross-member needs to be checked for damage.
Front Wishbone spring mounting plates.
Check all the wheel arches and seams for rust and the structural areas for rust.
They can go around the windscreen, so check under the trim too.
Check where the roof meets the body (if its a 'vert).
The top of the doors under the trim pieces
Check around the lights too
Engines
Early cars had issues with Nikasil issues (BMW had this issues on the 4.0 Ltr V8s and their 2.8 Straight 6s). Basically the inside of the cylinder blocks, they had Nikasil liners, which corroded, and if they coreded it would cause issues such as loss of compression. Make sure fits been done that you have all the proof possible, if not, always test them by doing a compression test.
These engines should be strong, and run smooth and have a lot of oomph. Also listen for items such as a rattlily chain tensioner.
Gearboxes
These cars like BMW once again, have sealed for life gearboxes, which is a crock of ... No oil can last for ever. When driving the cars gearbox should be smooth like butter. Oil needs to be changed ever 55K miles.
Suspension and Steering
Check for the usual items. Every thing should be tight. If its sloppy it will cause a lot of wear. Suspension parts on this car are quite expensive, especially if its a CATS version.
Electrics
Make sure everything works perfect, electrics cost big money, and are hard to track down.
Cooling System
Check for head gasket issues and places where it can leak, like around the water pump. You will smell a sweet smell, if it is leaking. The system does warm up quick, but it is unforgiving if it has a slight issue.
What Can You Get For Each Budget??
I think the prices are slowly on the rise. I almost bought a 1998 Blue 4.0 XK8 for £1999.
The Cheapest today is up for £2,999. For that you get an early car with no MOT, bad paintwork, needs welding and attention. Avoid ts price range, if you are scared of bills.
An 4.0 coupe in average condition will cost about £6,000. In this territory thou, you can still risk buying a turd, or finding a gem. If you want a mint one, it can cost you up too £16K.
4.0 CovertiblesStart of at about £5K for a cheap one, £8.5K for an average one or they top out at the £20K But £20K is too much in my opinion.
Cheap XKRs are in the same price bands as the XK8 4.0 Covertibles, while the XK8 4.2 goes for a bit more than the 4.2 Coupes.
I hope you found this OK, if you want to have more brief buyers guides, let me know.
Matthew :)
Beautiful car's.
They sure are, they have grown more beautiful with age :)