Russ68

My 2001 had almost no aircon when I got it, after a £20 regas (Manager's Special), I now get something out of it, but I need to run it full chat on a warm day for the cabin to be bearable. I'm thinking of having a local specialist diagnose it and see where we're at, so interested in how you get on and what issues they have. I didn't respond to your previous post about buying the S sight unseen David, but given the description I didn't think you'd go wrong with her. Hope it all works out

Glad you got it sorted Gary, I use the cruise control all the time and it's worked faultlessly. I also recently did discs and pads, plus a new set of tyres and replaced some dodgy rear droplinks and it's transformed the car. A complete fluid change, including gearbox and brake was next on the list, but took her out earlier and noticed she's leaking water from around the expansion tank, so better check this out first...

Yup, agree with Joe, it's quite something, but why bother! Interior is something of a shocker. I'm not against subtle mods to improve performance, but Jag spent quite some millions developing the car and I'm not sure this has been a complete success. That said the flared arches and rear treatment is pretty cool, they must have spent a ton of money on it!

Sounds amazing Paul, quite jealous

Hey Jason, Welcome to the forum and well done on the XK8 X100 purchase, yours seems super low mileage for the year and I imagine there's a story there! I can't help with the recommend as I do my own mechanics, and I hope you have more luck with the XK8 forum than I did, I'm looking for an XKR X100 coupe, and the only replies I got from the X100 forum were from fellow S-Type owners. Is this your only car or one for Sunday best and how are you finding her so far? All the best, Russ

Yup, bet he took a private offer and surprised if that was less than £6K, helluva car for that money as it would've been close to £50K when new

I've read just about every online buying guide I can find in the last days, and ideally I'm looking for a 4.2 with the 6 speed box. If, at any point an owner of one of these, or even the earlier 4.0 can comment on the ownership experience, I'd be grateful. All the best, Russ

I understand those AJ8 engines can eat the miles, so like Simon, I wouldn't have a problem with the miles, which are only c8K PA after all. I gave the STR a lot of thought, but for various reasons will stick with my V6 Sport and go for an XKR X100 some at some point. I'm with Steve on the price of this one, and expect it to fetch over £5K...

Thanks Derek, I'm not going to take mine off until after the Jag show on the 24th. I'm somewhat worried about opening that can of worms after hearing about yours and Paul's TBH! I've been meaning to have the door cards off, so I'm sure the trim tools will be of use, and inexpensive in any case...

Bad luck Derek but could be worse! Many thanks to Joe for the links, I have the tool and clips in my basket waiting to pay. I've selected both types of clips mentioned, along with some for the door cards, are there any other trim clips worth getting while I'm about it? Thanks

Having kept quite an eye on the market, I'd be gobsmacked if the price didn't rise significantly by the end of the auction, as this is a lot of car for twice the current price. Not messed around with, good provenance and FSH. Like you say Steve, just goes to show what's out there .

Thanks for the responses Peter and Joe, interesting that no X100 owners have responded (as yet). We're lucky to have such an active and helpful S-Type forum / community . I'll speak to Anthony from Berkshire Jaguar who has done me good deals on the S-Type parts I've needed to date, he may have an insight into the XKR. As Joe says, rust is likely to be the biggest issue on what will be a c15 years old car, luckily cars nowadays don't rust as badly as they used to, but I'd like to catch one before it needed welding and do a full underbody and cavity preventative strip back and treatment to keep everything in order. I'm doing this on the S-Type over the winter, I'm not looking forward to this filthy and arduous job, but it will be worth the effort, time and money I'm sure. After a frank discussion with my significant other, we've agreed that an XKR would make an excellent 50th birthday present, which is 20 months away. I have a number of projects between now and then, including getting the S-Type tiptop, so the timing is probably sensible, despite my being impatient to get my hands on one! I just hope the prices don't spiral between now and then and that I can find a suitable vehicle when the time comes

The £60 universal ones are just the silencer without connecting pipe and brackets, so unless you're handy with a TIG welder and pipe bender, or know someone who is, it's the installed option you probably want

Good advice there Joe, I mountain bike as well and the jet wash can ruin fork seals and other components well before their time. As I said, be aware of what you're jet washing, there's little danger on the body work, but misdirected on delicate components is asking for disaster. Most hobby washers are not very powerful, but still shouldn't be used indiscriminately. Or just use a hose, like the man said .

Not sure I'd be so circumspect, I did mine last year to no ill effect, but you have to be aware of what your spraying and don't deliberately spray into the electrical equipment! But I respect the opinions of those who have cautioned against it, so this is probably the safest course of action

Hi all, I've been the proud owner of an S-Type Sport for over a year now and I'm becoming increasingly interested in sourcing an XKR Coupe. They're just so beautiful, on par with the E-Type IMHO, and such a lot of car for the money. I'm seeing a few out there with quite high mileage, 140K+, is this a concern? My S-Type has done over 130K on the V6 and gave the cleanest emissions figures at is last MOT, I think the AJ8 is similarly robust. I came across the supercharged AJ8 in a Range Rover Sport a few years ago and couldn't believe how it moved over 2 tons of metal down the road, so I expect it's even better in the 1700kg coupe. Speaking of which, where can I access reliable specs for the XKR / XK8 range, particularly weight and power? The 4.2 seems to have gained power and weight, making performance similar / identical to the 4.0, so is there much advantage in the later model? Has anyone out there experienced modifications on an aging high miler? Remap and supercharger pulley etc? I'd be very interested in this route and wonder if the standard brakes and suspension, if kept in tiptop condition, are up to the task? I've just rebuilt brakes on the S-Type and they seem very capable indeed. Can I ask how well is the X100 range supported in terms of online advice and spares, this forum certainly seems a lot less active than the S-Type one? And how do running / repair costs stack up? This would be an occasional use car which I'd wish to conduct a full rolling restoration on over the course of time, so she could be enjoyed for many years to come. Finally, is rust a big issue and are there any crippling component costs that would put an otherwise good / savable car off the road? Thanks in advance for any advice Cheers, Russ

Good thought Andy! I'd be interesting in finding out a little more about mine, I think the spec is great and I can hardly fault it. Other than the lack of heated memory seats and the tape deck, which even in 01, must have been a little past it and is a positive relic in 2016! Where are you getting this info Peter and is it available to all?

If you just think the finishers are too small, you need these genuine Jag finishers, genuine Jag parts and slightly cheaper than a set of new boxes! Slides over your existing round ones, I have them and they finish the boxes off nicely .

Adamesh want £450 for a pair of rear boxes. A company called Fast Lane from Essex will make them up for you cheaper (£340 inc fitting) on eBay. A complete custom stainless system will cost c£1200. But everything from engine back, including manifolds, look really efficient, until you come to the back boxes, which I'm looking to replace at some point, which is why I can advise on the above. So let us know how you get on as others may be planning to change from standard as well .

Cheers John, not a daily driver as it will actually car number 5 in the fleet! Luckily I have space at work to keep them all. The budget won't stretch to the X150 at the moment, although one day I will have one. So an X100 XKR coupe is what I have in mind, I'd like to fettle it back to A1 condition, as I have been doing with the S-Type, which is coming along nicely and needs to be finished before I'll take on the XKR, so I have 6-12 months to wait I think. Interesting you came to the XKR via XK and S-Type, well done for realising that ambition! The S-Type is seriously underrated IMO but almost no tuning you can do to the normally aspirated ones, whereas the XKR can be remapped and pulleys changed for serious gains, this would be my intention along with the Racing Green sequential shifters. I hope I can get one before the prices inevitably go up. I will start a thread about this on the correct forum nearer to the time as there is a ton of stuff I'd like to know... Sorry we're off topic, and seriously, those Winruns are very good for the price or even twice the price

Thanks Liam, hopefully I won't need them for awhile, but good to know they're not super expensive

I got a stunning deal on some Winrun R330's, look to be a ripoff of the PZero and they've transformed the handing of my S-Type Sport. W rated 168mph with solid C's for fuel and wet grip. You didn't say the size you wanted but I got a full set of 245/40/18's for £216 all in! My next Jag will have a supercharger, which is why I'm lurking on these X100 and X150 forums, thinking about XKR coupes

Hey Liam, Well done on swapping them out yourself, I'd do the same if and when it comes to it, what did you pay for them in the end? Just a tip you probably know anyway, make sure the car is fully warmed up before they test emissions, the difference between hot and warm / cold is literally pass and fail. I've been dragging a '96 MGF through successive MOT's, and they really struggle. I suggest anybody does not leave the car at the MOT station but book a while you wait appointment, give her a good thrash before you get there so she's cleared her pipes and then drive her straight in without shutting down. My S-Type went though on 0.016% CO2 (0.2 pass) on the fast idle and 0.006% (0.3 pass) on the natural idle, with only 9ppm of HC where the pass is 200! Given she'd done c130K by her last test, I was super pleased and encouraged that I've got a good one and that it is one excellently designed and put together engine! Cheers, Russ

Mine is the 2001, 3.0 Sport (petrol) with the rare manual box, so lighter, faster and more economical than the autos, but not to everyone's taste. I can appreciate it would be nice wafting along with an auto box, but on balance I'm very happy to have found a good manual. I looked for nearly a year and then travelled for her and I'm very glad I did . I'd like my next Jag to have a supercharger and can't stop thinking about an XKR X100 coupe! I'd still want to keep the S-Type though even if I was lucky enough to get an XKR. One day soon hopefully now I've learnt I can add the tiptronic steering wheel gear shifters as a retro fit . PS. Apologies that this is a bit off topic, but Amal did ask

Very nice Amal, here's ours next to an original 1967 S-Type and an XJ8 at last year's local Jag show. Looking forward to going again this years show on the 24 July when we'll hopefully have some other work done including fitting the leaper and refurbishing the wheels. I thought I may be at the younger end of ownership, but then I remembered I'm not 25 anymore, I'm actually 48, which put's me about average I think!