Used 1997 Jaguar XK-Series Convertible Consumer Reviews
Used XK-Series for sale
Worth more to me than it's resale value!
robbyg@earthlink.net, 02/11/2006
1997 Jaguar XK-Series XK8 2dr Convertible
15 of 15 people found this review helpful
My car has been great to own! It has been both fun to drive, reliable and reasonably inexpensive to service, less its gas mileage, which is 11-12 in town (on the good stuff, of course!). Really, my only problems have been with trim pieces; gear shift surround replaced because "S" mode switch got stuck in "S", both visors had mirrors that flopped open (replaced at about $375 ea), headlight assembly which fogs up (still not replaced), lumbar support (which inflates, then slowly deflates...) and the radio backlight is not lit...not bad for a nearly 10 year old car with 48k miles. I still love it and will probably replace it with a used XKR when I find a color I like for the right $. Thanks.
New owner
97jaguar, 02/22/2013
1997 Jaguar XK-Series XK8 2dr Convertible
33 of 36 people found this review helpful
Set out to find a fun but cheaper car for the summer. It needed to do a few things...open air car, T top or rag, some power and must carry 2 sets of golf clubs. Looked at Trans Ams, Regal turbos, Corvettes, Mercedes, BMW, Porsche etc. A Jag had never even crossed my mind. Came across an ad for a 1997 xk8 in Alberta where I live, about 4 hrs away. Long story short, bought it and love it! 16 yrs old 80k, 50,000 miles and mint! British racing green, green rag and tan int. The car has 2 mods, cold air intake and a stainless exhaust that runs under the rear axles. Not sure what it does for power but milage is great! Drove it home at 130kph, 80mph and got 28 mpg!!
1997 Jaguar XK-Series for sale near you
Showing 3 of 11 listings
- XK8 ConvertibleMSRP: $9,9951,011 mi away
- XK8 ConvertibleMSRP: $7,4991,031 mi away
- XK8 ConvertibleMSRP: $6,6981,074 mi away
See all 11 listings
Great car IF you can afford maintenance
bcoreilly, 11/12/2009
1997 Jaguar XK-Series XK8 2dr Convertible
30 of 33 people found this review helpful
It's a great car, and a lot of fun to drive. The exterior design is timeless and really does turn heads. But despite its exterior beauty and superior performance, it has drawbacks. The interior is cramped, and the back seats are laughably small - only small children or people with no legs could comfortably fit. My particular XK8 was fairly reliable until about a year ago, but now it's killing me with maintenance costs. When something does go wrong or require maintenance, expect to pay significantly more than you'd pay for a GM or Toyota.
Excellent Vehicle
happy/camper, 03/08/2002
1997 Jaguar XK-Series XK8 2dr Convertible
7 of 8 people found this review helpful
Acceleration is excellent, with 0-60 achieved in approximately six and a half seconds. Braking in this car keeps the driver comfortable as well as perfectly glued to the seat. Body roll is limited by front and rear anti-roll bars for controlled cornering. The road never feels jarring, and vibration is eliminated altogether, even through the curved tree branch of a steering wheel. The exhaust note is a true purr, and throttle is available instantly at any time.
Black Lemon
Art De Tomaso, 11/19/2003
1997 Jaguar XK-Series XK8 2dr Convertible
7 of 8 people found this review helpful
I purchased this car less than a year ago with less than 50,000 miles and replaced the front bushings, the steering rack and cylinder, the water pump, and now the engine cover gaskets. The inside mirror that has a photo cell inside also has failed and will cost me over $200, and I have been told that all XK's of this year have chain tensioners that are prone to failure.