Any Mechanical Issues for 1998 Jaguar XK8

as long as you have a large bank account your good.

Used Jaguars are very maintenance and repair intensive. They are very expensive to repair and can have electrical issues. Avoid them unless you have a fat bank account.

What if it has a brand new engine?

I have xk8 1998 4.0 convertible four years i just turned 50000 miles have not have any real issues and the car has runs great. Note if it is a 4.0 you should see if the timing chain sensor have been updated if you plan on keeping the car

Front strut top bushings (foam) will wear out, time to do shock bushings, control arm bushings and maybe your ball joints (best to buy ball joint installed on replacement arm with bushing saving time and effort) This will repair the negative camber which along with toe out causes the inner right tire to wear out to the belt at less than 20K from tire replacement. (they used foam strut top bearings, I replaced with Urethane) The ABS system light will come on, it's loose solder at the plug joint inside the ABS electronic housing, simple fix for a little soldering iron work through two holes drilled in the corner of the plastic box then resealed with ATV, OR you can pay $400+ for someone to swap the part. Top seals are really expensive, allow the window to open on the doors by pulling the door handle once before opening 1st. The heater hose ($175 part) behind the engine will leak along with the connecting joints. Have to remove the entire manifold and throttle body to get tiny hands in to fix those parts, quick connects made it easy for factory install, not easy fro removal and two hoses run under the manifold, expect several hundred in water hose replacement and plastic to aluminum parts swap out as the plastic parts get old, crack from heat and pressure. The timing chain tensioners went through three iterations, if not upgraded the engine can die a horrible valve to piston contact death when the tensioners go bad. Not super hard, but expect $600-1K to have them changed, I intend to use a $12 ebay USB camera scope (like Dr.s use to look inside you) to my laptop to look into the valve cover oil opening forward and see which version tensioners I have before spending my money. Beautiful cars, but British engineering can leave a little (LOT) to be desired on gaining access for what would normally be simple repairs.

Oh, one last (poor) engineering comment: try to squeeze in the drivers seat without your knee hitting the gas cap and trunk (boot) release buttons....good luck with that especially if your over 5' tall. Then you have to get back out and close them. Why couldn't they have moved that an inch or two higher or placed a cover over it to guard the buttons....

AND THE ZF TRANSMISSION WILL FAIL. THE A DRUM CIRCLIP LOCATING SLOT WILL FRACTURE. NO SET TIME OR MILAGE BUT IT WILL FAIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Need to change a valve in the valve block inside the housing again which is not fun. How do I know this? I have a 20 year old xk8 and done all of above over the years. 2nd tensioners must be metal as also primary chains. They stretch beyond the tensioner ability to take up slack. Guide rail replacements. Octopus hose replaced. Transmission rebuild by self. Water pump and thermostat housing replaced with metal parts. Plastic water pump impeller WTF! Change to metal. Strut isolators changed along with all front joints /rubber. And the best of the lot the brake light switch to cure the failed cruise control. That one nearly had me torching the car! As Monty Python said "And wot have Jaguar ever done for us" Except in my opinion produced one of the prettiest cars of all time as I love my bitch!! But she does try your patience.! Also I have '88 XJS V12 to compound my masochistic tendencies!!!!!! List is a lot bigger for that one!

You have to understand that the Jaguar, is a European car, and more British than American by a mile. So it requires maintenance like an airplane. Indeed, It was first hand made in the same factory that built the Spitfires that won the battle of Britain. It requires constant attention. You can't just stop for petrol, because it isn't a Japanese jellybean, soft American or a hard-ass riding German. You must check the fluids, the tires, the lights and observe everything under that bonnet! It is unforgiving of you don't pay attention to it, and it will become tempermental like a jealous girl. My 1st ride in this great mark was a 63 XJ sedan, when I was 11. I remember sitting in the back surrounded by leather and wood, watching the driver shift to accelerate on to the freeway and I knew exactly what car I was going to get when I could drive. My first model was a 1971 2+2, Series 3, XKE V-12. It was an electrical bad dream that liked to cruise at 110, and got overheated at any speed under 50, but I loved that car like a bad girlfriend who is fantastic in other ways. It was the most beautiful car on the road, and it improved my popularity with the opposite sex like a love tonic. It made me feel like I was flying a small airplane, and later I did get my pilots license. My next carnal cat experience was a 1972 series 2 1/2, 4.2 straight 6, Roadster, convertible. It was baby blue, with a dark top that came down for many rides on the beach, or through the mountains on a twisting road with an attractive partner...Never had a bit of trouble with that car and when I sold it, it paid for my 1st year at aviation school. Today, out in the garage I have 1998 XK8, convertible. A beautiful black on black that never fails to turn heads. I have had it since 2003. For various repairs, additions and upgrades, I have spent close to 9 grand. This is average. It likes to cruise at 90, which I do about once a week late at night, on a deserted freeway. jag sports cars are not made to be daily drivers, and my daily driver work car is a Lincoln Town car sitting out on the curb, the Jag is relaxing in the garage, gassed up and waiting for a new adventure, preferably a blond. Just a bit of advice before I close: find a good mechanic, that understands Jaguars (virtually no mechanic likes to work on them) and get involved in club, go to show because there are many of us who like the Jag all over the US. Some say it's a sickness, but I prefer to think we are distinctive and very iconoclastic. Most just don't want to be the same as everyone else, nor drive what everyone else drives.

I purchased my first XK8 convertible a few months ago, and while she is a low mileage, Florida car, always garage kept, she had numerous deferred maintenance items to address. I agree with other owners in that, these cars, like any other luxury European car, must be properly, and regularly maintained to enjoy relatively problem free years of driving/ownership enjoyment. It has been my experience that most people buy luxury European cars for the status symbol/brand they represent, more than to properly own/maintain them. As such, they defer proper maintenance/repairs, and when the vehicles performance or reliability begins to deminish, they deem the vehicle poorly made and problematic. Jaguars are typically beautifully engineered, and designed luxury vehicles that have an element of ownership satisfaction that few brands provide. However, you must be willing to be a responsible owner, and provide any and all maintenance/repairs, when and as needed. A last note, OEM Jag parts, especially for the older models, as with my 1998, in most cases, are not cheap. Having said all that, I absolutely adore my sexy cat.

We've had a 1998 XK8 convertible since new. The top lift mechanism was repaired on warranty and at about 100,000 km the front wheel bearings needed to be replaced. Other than tires and regular oil changes, a couple of rad flushes, that has been it.

I have two 1998 Jaguars. An XJ-8 and an XK-8. The XJ I have had for over 20 years with two problems, I replaced under "factory recall" the Throttle body. The other issue is still lurking somewhere. I'd changed out the brakes & tires as needed. Each with a front end alighnment. But still at 55 to 65, and intermitenly at that, I get a sterring wheel vibration, then it goes away. I don't believe it's a worped rotor, all front end sterring pieces are tight and working fine. The only thing I haven't checked out was perhaps a wheel bearing. Has anyone experienced anything like this? As for all other issues, The XJ-8 has been a wonderful car to drive with very little maintanance. The XK-8 has been a bit different in respect of maintainance. Had it a little over two years. First it was the fuel pump. Then I delevloped a coolant leak in the intake hose of the heater. That shouldn't be a big problem, except that it's a JAG. To fix it I will have to take off the intake manifold, Throddle body, etc just to get to it. While I'm there, I'm going to replace all the hoses, thermostat, water pump, to save headaches down the road. Any thoughts on any one of my issues, Vibration or attacking the hoses? John

I too changed hoses under the manifold, the 'Octopus" heater hose setup (cracked in multiple places actually), the thermostat plastic housing over to Aluminum upgrade and a new front distribution hose housing (old was cracked, leaking) New front hoses... NOW HERE'S the Problem, I did not change out the 20 year old radiator ($175) at the same time...It's plastic, subject to the same stresses as the other failing plastic parts. So now $2600 and 6 months of my spare time and a LOT of cursing...I have changed both cylinder heads (used but rebuilt by me) as the radiator sprung a leak only under pressure and my Wife was caught in stop and go traffic for an hour, popping a valve seat off each of the rear most intake valves. So, I ordered a LOT of parts, slowly learned how to do it and put it all back together in my spare time. I'd consider myself a Jaguar Technician at this point as it runs and doesn't leak water or oil...LoL IMPORTANT Lesson Learned: change ALL the plastic related engine cooling parts at the same time, not just hoses like you used to do on most cars. Much cheaper that way.

One other oddity, the rear seat seatbelt mounts for Europe are straight back under the rear seat VS the US models requiring a Sholder strap setup. FINE...So Jag added side shoulder mounts and left 4 holes for the European rear seatbelts OPEN to water splashed up from the rear wheels under the rear seat, filling it with water, and potential rustout....bad enough for convertibles to fight water intrusion from above, but from the factory leaving openings under a seat no one can see??? While under the seat sealing those holes with Silicon, note how the wiring harness is just loose thin wires strewn about, not wrapped or protected like other automakers would do. Gheez,

My XK8 is showing Gear Box Fault. What can be done.