Need advice on pre owned XK8 Jag

These are my opinions on Jaguars....

Jaguars are pretty cars...they are not known for their reliability and durability, on the whole.

Usually used Jaguars sell for a pretty low price, compared with the new sticker price.

I have always enjoyed convertibles, but you must remember that they will be a bit noisier (sometimes a LOT noisier) than a standard sedan, the tops deteriorate over time and can be pretty expensive to replace on some models, and they may leak a bit.

If you have to stretch, financially, to buy a car like this, you might want to reconsider. If you get a good one and it holds up well, you will always think I lied to you. If you get a bad one, you will always wonder why I was not more assertive.

Ford has improved the Jaguar reputation considerable. They were once known for producing truly shoddy cars. Their products are pretty close to the competition now.

Unless you happen to be moving to southern california or florida and enjoy baking in the sun while driving I would not buy a convertible. I've been to the San Francisco bay area numerous times on business trips and it does not strike me as the appropriate climate for convertible cars.

Convertible cars bring their own set of maintenance and ownership problems including periodic replacement of the top, doors get loose, windows get rattly, AC and heating are not as effective as in a sedan.

If you want a Jaguar, then the first thing is to insist in reviewing maintenance records to assure that all work has been done as scheduled. Next thing to do is have an experienced Jaguar mechanic give the car a thorough pre-purchase inspection. Finally check the CarFax report.

Well you aren't buying Honda reliability. All in all not a bad car but they do have more issues than the "appliance vehicles". If you can get something with a factory extended warranty I would do so.

I own a Saab convertible so some of these things translate over to you with a Jaguar as well.

It cost a damn fortune to fix when it breaks and it breaks more than you are going to think it should.

No one wants to work on it except the dealer and maybe one or two specialist shops.

Parts cost are astronomical.

It's enough fun to make up for three items above.

If you are going to get one by all means get the convertible. There is more wind noise in a convertible with the top up and it might leak a little here and there but the fun of the convertible makes it totally worth it. I don't really notice any difference in the heat and a/c over a standard roofed vehicle and I am in a pretty hot part of the country.

The top may need to be replaced sometime but it isn't like yearly maintenance (I just sold a '68 Chrysler convertible with the original top). My Saab top is 8 years old and shows 0 signs of needing a replacement.

Wear and tear on the top mechanicals is a non issue as well for me. I can't see any sign of wear on anything to do with the top and mine is up and down a lot. The mechanism is pretty dang strong.

Sounds like your friends are kind of being fuddyduddys. As long as you go in to the deal knowing that the car is an expensive toy and not a basic transportation device you will love it.

Steve B.

We live in the SF Bay Area, CA. We want to buy a pre-owned (1998 to 2003) Jag XK8 Convertible. Prices seem to range from $18k - $30k. We would really like to get a convertible but some of our friends say convertibles have extra problems...

1. The rag top may sometimes need expensive replacement.
2. The inside temp (Heat/AC) may be hard to control.
3. There may be a lot of noise.
4. The raising/lowering mechanisim may need expensive repairs.

Can anyone who has had such a car please comment on: Convertibles vs hardtops? Best model years or years to be avoided? General reliability of the car? ______________________________________________________

Get the convertible. It's a good looking car, you will have plenty of Bay Area sunny days to tool around with the top down, the top and the retraction mechanism will last years if not abused, the car's Heat/AC are designed to do the job with a ragtop, and the extra noise can be overlooked for around-town driving or short trips.

Regarding the possible repair costs, you already know that the Jag costs more than an American car, there are fewer repair stations, and parts are harder and dearer to acquire, so you can decide if the pleasure of owning the car is worth higher maintenance cost.

Regarding the reliability of the Jag, I don't know how much they have improved in modern times. Thirty years ago I was told that if I wanted to own a Jaguar, I should buy three of them; one to be driving, one to have in the shop being repaired, and one for parts.

Good luck.

Rodan.

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Ford did improve the quality of Jaguar cars when Jaguar merged with Ford.If you really want a convertible, buy one made in America by the big three or buy a Jeep. cuhulin