2001 Jaguar XK8 Classic review from UK and Ireland
"Fabulous British GT with terrible reliability problems. buyer beware!"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Power steering pump (common weak-spot apparently)Rusting sub-frame, suspension bushes, catalytic converter, rusting arches, 2nd gen tensioners
General comments?
Fabulous British GT car with good handling and a effortless cruising ability but totally ruined by shocking build quality.
In order to get real performance out of it you have to use the J gate which for some reason works better out of sport mode than in it! I suspect that the torque converter just isn't up to it which is a great shame.
Also runs beautifully on 18" alloys as opposed to the 20" things some people are going for. These just ruin the ride!
The first fault was a leak in the power steering pump caused by a failed gasket. This was followed by a whole series of other faults that took the shine off the ownership experience. The final nail in the coffin was the huge amount of rust found on the underside of the car. It was like looking at a british leyland car from the 70's!
If you are going to buy one of these make sure you check the underside very carefully and make sure it has the 3rd generation tensioners.
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Recommended reviews
| A beautiful car to own and drive |
| Great fun, faults not serious, would buy another |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 2001 |
| Year of manufacture | 2001 |
| First year of ownership | 2008 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2009 |
| Engine and transmission | 4.0 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 7 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 7 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 55000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 65000 miles |
| Previous car | Land Rover Range Rover |
| Date of Entry | 17th January, 2009 |