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Okay, have to ask. Is that a RED XK8 sitting next to the car you are looking at?? If so, they are RARE.

I would also add that if you buy a Jag OR Mercedes (I have both), educate yourself because so many things you CAN fix yourself instead of paying someone else. You can also order any needed parts for repairs ONLINE at about 60% cheaper than any mechanic will charge you.

Heck, I'm a GIRL and I fix things on my cars. I just changed out an air flow censor on my Mercedes and it didn't even require any tools to change! Dealership would have charged me lots of bucks to do that.

Ford doesn't own Jaguar any more. Sold,to an Indian concern if I correctly recall. Stil made in the UK.

Ever hear the old,saying if it has , um,er chest protuberances or,tires sooner or later it will cause you trouble? Everybody live know who,has owned a Jag has paid big repair bills. Ditto,for,Audi, Mercedes, BMW. They're just designed that way.

Think,about a Lexus if you want style, comfort and prestige. My wife's volvo is now 8 years old and other than an appetite for brake pads it's been a good car.

Perhaps my experience with Jags is different than some posting here but a nice Jag with only 62K miles is like a new car. I'm a woman who takes long road trips and I always trust my Jags to get me there and back. I wouldn't do that with an American made vehicle.

Okay, have to ask. Is that a RED XK8 sitting next to the car you are looking at??

No, actually it's a convertible Mustang.

I talked to a shop that specializes in European cars. The mechanic was very nice, said he'd be glad to look it over so I may take him up on that.

Brandon, thanks for responding. I have a red 1999 XK8 Jag convertible, very classic. I was told only 300 were manufactured in that color. So I got excited when I saw the RED.

No problem Jeaniegirl.

I was about ready to give up on this but I think I'll see what the mechanic has to say about it.

I hope you do! And the mechanic will be truthful with you, I'm sure. I have bought all my Jags from one dealership so I haven't had any issues. After warranty ran out, I would then switch to the certified Jaguar mechanic with his own shop.

The '99 XK8 was a one-owner when I bought it and had 29,000 miles on it. I purchased it in 2004 and I have only had to replace the battery, the serpentine hose and buy a new set of tires. The correct tires are so important on Jags so don't go for 'cheap' on tires if you buy this beautiful car.

Edited to add the '99 XK8 has close to 200,000 miles and still purrrrrs like the Kitten she is.

[This message edited by Jeaniegirl at 4:09 PM, July 9th (Wednesday)]

Brandon, I'm curious to see what he says about the front suspension. It could just be the picture, but it looks like the car was either lowered and them not aligned, or it might have a broken spring. It might also be the picture, but something looks off there

Thanks WH5!

I will definitely ask about that.

Absolutely beautiful.

My daughter would be insanely jealous. She is 5 and is already a huge Jag fan, she has a coronary every time she spots one on the street. She wants to know why her parents drive a Volvo wagon and not a Jaguar.

ETA: we've had several vintage BMWs. They always needed something (electrical work, coolant issues, on and on), but my husband, who is not a mechanic, was always able to do the work himself with part bought online.

[This message edited by Want2help at 1:29 PM, July 10th (Thursday)]

One more thing that's very important. Service records versus required maintenance. If service has been neglected, you WILL have trouble down the road, hopefully not too far from home.

Things like transmission fluid, coolant, rear differential fluid, timing belt, fuel filters, power steering fluid change are not cheap so sometimes owners put off this necessary maintenance. Failure of any of these components is catastrophic.

So, if there are no maintenance records, assume its never been done and find out prices for such and factor those into your purchase offer. For the items I mentioned, I'm talking 2000 to 2500 dollars.

BTW, 2005 was long before Jag improved its reliability reputation.

Don't confuse durability with reliability. Indy race cars are highly reliable, but don't last much more than the length of the Indy 500 without a major rebuild. Get the idea?

I almost got run off the road in my Jeep by a brand new F-Type going about 100 miles per hour on a busy city street yesterday afternoon. It was an honor.

Thanks Schadenfreude. I'll see what they have on hand.

I'm going to try to get it checked by a mechanic tomorrow.

I'm hoping he says it's good to go or at that it at least doesn't need anything major.

I almost got run off the road in my Jeep by a brand new F-Type going about 100 miles per hour on a busy city street yesterday afternoon. It was an honor.

So if I cut somebody off in traffic they should be thanking me, huh?

Just be wary of older expensive cars, even with only 60K miles on them. It's not just the mileage, it's the age. I'm glad you're taking it to a mechanic.

I'm a car girl, and I used to LOVE the older, rarer S and RS line Audis (before they became ubiquitous). After pouring $$$$ into low mileage but older models, I finally decided enough was enough. I now only own newer Audis/MBs/etc under warranty

Good luck if you decide to get it though- it is fun, even if it burns holes in your pockets.

[This message edited by hill at 9:58 AM, July 11th (Friday)]

UPDATE

Not going to get that Jaguar. By the way I want to thank WH5. I paid more attention to the suspension. It scraped again when I pulled into the mechanic's parking lot and we're not even talking a steep grade at all. The alignment was off and the driver side of the hood, door and trunk didn't feel right. Just don't want to take the risk.

Oh well.

Wow, Wifehad5. Just from a photo.

I am in awe.

[This message edited by Cally60 at 10:13 PM, July 12th (Saturday)]