HELP!! Battery dead.

[Spookyman]

I have a 1999 XK8. The battery is totally dead. Has anyone out there had a dead battery in one of these before? If I recharge or replace the battery will the car work? Or with all the computers in modern cars am I going to need a battery and an autoelectrician?
I don't really have the funds of many Jag owners - the car won't actually be driven until March because I can't afford the tax and insurance until then. I'm trying to find out if I also need to factor in money for an autoelectrician - the hourly rate those guys are on is scary!!!

[Jaguar steve]

Check you have the radio code then try disconnecting the battery and charging it for 24 hours.

If all's well this should do the trick.

If not, try a substitute battery from another car.

If the substitute is OK to start with then goes flat like the origional then you can start worrying

[Spookyman]

Many thanks, I will try.
Will there be only one battery that needs to be charged? I have been told I will find two in there. If a replacement is necessary, what battery would you suggest?
Also, since the car is in the garage and I currently have no power, are there any suggestions as to how I can get it out of park and into neutral so that I can get it out of the garage and get at the battery?
What can I do about the radio since I don't have the code for it?
Cheers!

[a8hex]

Spookyman said:

Many thanks, I will try.
Will there be only one battery that needs to be charged? I have been told I will find two in there. If a replacement is necessary, what battery would you suggest?
Also, since the car is in the garage and I currently have no power, are there any suggestions as to how I can get it out of park and into neutral so that I can get it out of the garage and get at the battery?
What can I do about the radio since I don't have the code for it?
Cheers!

Don't know if the X308 is like the X300, but on the X300 there is what looks like a star shaped indentation on the gear selector. This is actually the head of a screw, if you take this out you can poke the the inhibitor with the screw driver. You should then be able to move the gear leaver out of park.