Jaguar made much of checking the front suspension beam with X-ray machines before it was fitted at the factory. However, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t inspect it very closely for signs of worn bushes, especially the rear ones. If the car’s handling seems to float and doesn't give much confidence, this is a likely culprit.
The rest of the unequal-length double wishbone front suspension’s bushes also have a hard life dealing with the XK’s weight, so check the top and lower mounts. Replacing the lower mounts means removing the suspension arm and using specialist tools to remove the bush.
CATS can be costly to repair if it's faulty
At the back, the driveshafts form the upper links in the double wishbone set-up, so the condition of the universal joints is vital. Look for uneven tyre wear as an indicator of worn rear suspension. Also, the rear shock absorbers wear quite quickly, while cars fitted with the CATS (Computer Active Technology Suspension) suffer from wear to the wires connecting the suspension to the main wiring. This results in a warning light on the dash and needs a replacement section of wiring loom to cure. An A-frame forms part of the rear suspension and its bushes wear, so listen for knocks and clonks.
Back at the front of the car, the steering should be light and free-turning. Cars built up to 2000 can suffer from steering column wear, which is felt as a knocking through the steering wheel. To fix this, a new post-2000 steering column is required and this will be very expensive.
Worn wheel bearings should be replaced as quickly as possible as they will soon deteriorate and will also cause expensive tyre wear. The tyres themselves were 245/50 ZR17s on early cars or optional 245/45 ZR 18s on the front and 255/45 ZR18s on the back. The 4.0-litre XKR has 18-inch wheels as standard, while the 4.2-litre XKR came with a choice of 18-, 19- or 20-inch alloys.
Brakes should last well on any XK8 used for road driving, but track day work will soon wear them out due to the car’s weight. The brakes are well up to the job and replacement discs and pads are not expensive other than for the later XKR models that came cross-drilled discs and red-painted Brembo calipers. Check the brake pipes are in good condition as they rust quite readily and also be sure the handbrake does its job because it is known for the limited adjustment that is a leftover from using the XJS as a base for the XK8.
Owner's View:
"I would certainly recommend this car to someone wanting a fun weekend toy. Be prepared for some biggish garage bills to keep the vehicle healthy and on the road (e.g. brake discs and pads cost loads and it seems to get through them quite quickly). It's not a car I would consider trying to run on a tight budget."
Paul Kaiser