Thursday 9th January 2014

Jaguar XK8: Catch It While You Can

In the first of a new series Keith Adams ponders an affordable alternative to that F-Type coupe...

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There's quite a vibe surrounding Jaguar coupes at the moment. Blame it on the imminent arrival of the sensational F-Type Coupe, the launch of which Jaguar rather cleverly held back several months after the roadster in order to get two bites of the publicity cherry. Do you blame them? Of course not - but why the coupe before the roadster, considering the closed car costs less, is likely to handle better, and is almost certainly will sell more?

Handsome £5K XK8 catches Keith's eye

For those of us in the real world who'd love a piece of leaping cat action, but can't stump up the £50K you'll need to buy one, the alternative lies buried in the PH Classifieds - a car that time forgot, and which to anyone with eyes in their head, still looks absolutely sensational - the 1996-2006 XK8.

People blithely talk about the XK8 being an XJ-S cast-off, or a poor-man's Aston Martin DB7, but you can forget that right now. The cooking XK8 4.0-litre handles beautifully, and is rare for being an older Jaguar with communicative and accurate steering. Don't even think of taking rear-seat passengers in that slightly claustrophobic creaky wood and leather cabin though. Best also ignore that Ford-derived switchgear, too. That J-gate transmission selector is also an acquired taste. And as for seeing out of it, forget it - just drive faster and don't use the mirrors.

However, get an XK8 on the right road, and it will truly reward you.

The big cat is aging rather nicely thank you

Given that the earliest cars have now reached the age of consent, and the classic fraternity simply hasn't cottoned on to them yet, the shabbiest, leggiest XK8s are dangerously close to dropping into SOTW territory. But don't be tempted to go down the route of plumping for one of the £1,500 snotters out there unless you're very handy at DIY - it may seem like a great idea after a night at the pub, but the horror of bodged electrics, rotten footwells and four unevenly-worn Ling Long tyres will cure your hangover faster than any cold shower and raw egg cocktail.

Yes, like all old Jaguars with a four-figure price starting with a one, while it's running it'll make you feel like a million dollars. But the moment it stops working, or you peer under it with an inspection lamp, it's game over unless you're really lucky. Don't get me wrong, there are bargains out there, but treat them as that - great when they're going well, but expendable, come three-page MoT fail sheet time. The ultimate Shed adventure that doubles as a driveway ornament...

A tad 'pink chinos' but the V8 will always appeal

For me, the perfect catch-it-while-you-can XK8 comes in at the price point above, the mainstay of those PH Classifieds browsing sessions we're all guilty of. If you cash in that £5,000 ISA that's doing very little at the moment, and trade it for a bit of weekend and summer fun, a good, honest and cared-for XK8 is well within your grasp. A 4.0-litre auto that caught my eye is a good example - it's in Wales so the drive back should be nice. It's bang on the money at £4,995, and with what's described as full-specialist history and a mileage on the right side of 100,000, it has the potential to be a lightly-used keeper. It's vanilla, and all the better for it - aftermarket 20-inch alloys ruin the XK8's balance.

Just check the gearbox works as it should, and it's had that reassuring warranty-funded engine change to rid it of the Nikosil problems that plagued Jaguar and BMW in the 1990s (an easy spot, because they will have fitted a plaque in the engine bay to tell you) - and you should be in business. Please, though - keep it to yourselves until I get one on my drive, first...

[AudiWurst]

Nice (if brief) review.

Is a £5k XK8 really a viable non-rusty prospect these days?

When I looked at these a year or so ago, the cheap ones were pretty rough around the edges, and the early 4.0 engine is much more troublesome than the later 4.2.

Since when did Keith Adams write for PH? Hope there's not too much British Leyland fanboy-ism in his upcoming PH articles...

[AudiWurst]

mash said:

What could possibly go wrong?

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2013...

If the mileage (334k) is not a typo, that's a good example of the longevity of the XK! Drivers seat looks shagged, but I've seen them looking like that in XKs with only 100k. I guess the wear rate depends on the fatness of the driver...

[AudiWurst]

KeithAdams said:

@AudiWurst

'Since when did Keith Adams write for PH? Hope there's not too much British Leyland fanboy-ism in his upcoming PH articles...'

Oh no, I'm on strict orders. I have to say that's a bit unfair...

Thanks for replying Keith. Surely as the creator of the ARonline website, there has to be a bit of BL fanboy in you?

I read your stuff on ARonline as well as on here, and enjoy winding up the rabidly pro-BL readers in the comments section. Am sure you don't need me to tell you the PH readership is quite different to ARonline.