We're looking for a replacement for our Infinity and stopped at the Jag shop to look at the XF. While there I couldn't but help seeing the XK. Cant justify the new car price and depreciation but it got me to looking at used XK's. They can be had for the price of a new XF. Jaguar quality supposedly has shot way up (per the sales guy). I read the 07 Road and Track article on the XK and it really starting to appeal to me. I dont want or need the XKR's supercharging and honestly prefer the "little" V-8's mileage. Anyone here got opinions on the car ?
convertible is a ladies car... coupe is amazing. looks great in a dark blue. back seats are USELESS if you are over 6 y/o (unless you are double amputee) a bargain. I've never owned, but several have passed thru friends hands as DD's... less issues than SL's / BMW-6's
I don't really have any ownership experience on the '07s+ but the new 5.0L V8 and the diff in the R cars seem very impressive.
Get a used XK/XKR.. the recent, last 5 years or more XJ/XKs are much better built. A used one is cheap and if you can get a used car warranty from the dealer, so much the better. Much hype over the Aston but XKR a better buy and road holding etc with the sports/cats suspension..are just as good. I personally prefer the XJR as its a 4 door with the same engine as the XKR. I owned a '03 XJ and surprisingly, its quite reliable. Aslo dealer service in the US are tops comparable to Lexus. The soon to launch XJ in July will be another winner after XFR.
Yes, one of my best friends uses an '08 XKR Portfolio Edition coupe as his dd. Celestial black metallic, portfolio package included Alcon upgraded brakes, 6-piston front, 4-piston rear calipers, 400mm and 355mm discs, bowers and wilkins premium sound system, exclusive paint finish and interior leather and trim to the Portfolio package. MSRP was 116k, purchased from F-dealer in Summer of '08 for 82.5k with 3k miles on it. Has the supercharged 4.2 V8, 420hp, 420ft/torques, regularly sees 20s on the hwys, upper teens in town. Loves the 6-speed ZF flappy-paddle transmission. All that being said, he is psyched for the '10 XKRs with the new 5.0l supercharged 510-horse V8. Still, he said, but for what the sticker will be (~105k for a loaded coupe) he'll wait to find a 6-12 month old one with the depreciation accounted for. Also, I have driven this car and an '06 DB9 and I could honestly say I thought the '08 XKR portfolio was the better car, though the DB9 did get many more looks and is probably about one degree more beautiful.
You will probably be able to pick up an '07 XKR soon for roughly half of original MSRP as enthusiasts move up to the 510 hp version in the 2010 model. I used to have the older body style XK8 coupe in Anthracite (black metallic). Still one of the prettiest cars in the world, IMO. I actually prefer it to the '07+ styling. You can buy those for a song.
...a five-year-old XKR coupe can easily be found in the mid-twenties; fantastic buy and one we hope to make within the year...
Get the 03 and onwards version. There were hundreds of small changes to the engine alone and it is denoted by the engine size as some 03's can be the earlier model. These are fantastic cars especially the XKR, i loved mine except for the fact it was too quiet. An exhaust change would fix this but I was on the select warranty which is exceptional and I recommend this for absolute peace of mind if you can get it. My friend had a 99 XK and the earlier versions are prone to front timing chain tensioner failure/wear at around 40K miles which will cost about 1.5-3K to fix with updated components. The car is full of gadgets and pretty bulletproof and the coupe is rare (they only made about 50 a year of the XKR version) I think the convertible loses the sexy look at the back. Oh, I forgot the XKR is fast as hell too and very nimble. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Freaking Alcons on the street car ? This I did not know. Very very cool. DB9 and even Vantage not justifiable. I love the Vantage. Just not now.
The XK / XKR are on the old XJ-S floor pan and suspension. Despite the age of the design it stands up very well for ride quality and handling. There was a major re-fresh to the suspension bushes, geometry and settings to make the XK a much taughter and crisper car than the XJ-S. The XJ-S used to suffer from rear differential problems, the XK has a new diff and I haven't heard of any common problems. Bodywork was another XJ-S problem, but the XK shell seems to be much better sorted on the rust and condensation front. The XJ-S used to knacker the front springs and bushes. Again the XK has new bushes, but I have heard a few comments that bushes have to be changed from time to time... As pointed out the rear space is very tight, although I have had adults in the back of the XJ-S (same floorpan)! Also out went the old AJ6 straight 6 and V12 engines in favour of the 4.0ltr V8, 4.0ltr supercharged V8 (375bhp UK spec.) and 5 speed auto gearbox. Early V8 engines had some problems with the Nikaseal lining, due to low octane fuels. But after 2000 (I think) that should not be a problem, also this was more confined in low mileage cars that did a lot of short distance cold start work. The cam chain tensioners were a problem in engines to about 2000/2001. The tensioner had a plastic body, which crack and then the tensioner fails causing catastophic valve meets piston damage! Later engines use an aluminium bodied chain tensioner and this sorted the problem. It is strongly recommended that the tensioners should be checked and changed if the plastic ones are still fitted. The main dealers charge a LOT of money to replace the cam chain tensioners, but my independent Jaguar guy changed them on my XJ-R for about £250 (two hundred and fifty GBP). I haven't had an XK, but I have had and XJ-S so I know the chassis and suspension is okay. I've have and XJ8 and XJ-R so know the engines and transmissions are good... the rest of it is in the eye of the beholder... Basically the XK is a fairly well sorted car and I'd probably have one, if I didn't have to carry passengers at work. David
Sorry but that's not exactly true. The first-generation XK series shares its platform with the Aston Martin DB7. Both cars are derived from the Jaguar XJS, though the platform has been extensively changed. And yes one of the revisions is the use of the second generation of Jaguar's IRS unit, taken from the XJ40. Having owned all three, XJS, XKR and DB7 I can tell you that there is very little resemblance especially in driving and handling of the XK in relation to the XJS. The XKR is very sensitive and light feeling with a very balanced weight distribution when pushed hard the adaptive "cats" suspension comes into its own. The DB7 although heavier is a totally different animal too, although I have the V12 GTA model which has an uprated suspension package with Brembo brakes from the factory.
Can only echo what has already been said - great car (especially as a grand tourer) and in my experience completely dependable - a good friend has had one since '96 (he keeps cars for ever) which I had reasonably extensive use of several years ago. fixed it for you The back seats are truly useless though!
Ditto. Sold this car a while back definitely had some fun, fun days in it. '03 XKR coupe. British Racing Green over Oatmeal. Opaque treatment to taillights, signal lenses, chrome 20" Asanti wheels, hand-painted spokes to match body finish. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Apples to oranges, really. Both are high-powered coupes but that's about where the similarities end. Vette is a sports car, through and through, lightweight, more powerful, much more road feel (noise?) but a car you can have fun tossing around a bit but not nearly as comfortable as the Jag which is a true Grand-Tourer, heavier feel, quieter, better long-distance traveler and fit and finish is leagues away from the Z06.
