Used 1997 Jaguar XK-Series Coupe Consumer Reviews
Jaguar XK-8 Coupe Saphire Blue
When critiquing a vehicle like this you must look at the unique elements of the piece. This piece is nothing less than STUNNING. I bought my Jag used. I LOVE it! The original owner paid 80K for it. I paid 14K. I did the valve cover gaskets and the top tensioners and that cost me 900 bucks. So far knock on wood, the car has been great! I would recommend this car to anyone. I am tired of looking at vettes and porsches, nothing personal of course. My car is one of 40 to come to the US in Sapphire Blue! Now that is rare, coupled with the fact that only 1129 coupes were made for America that year!
Stunning cat
This car is a sheer rush to drive. I have five other cars that all look great but this car is a stunner, stunner, stunner. The coupe is what makes it so different compared to today's vehicles that resemble soap bars. I have been taking care of some basic areas of maintenance, the tranny needed a fluid change. I put new platinum plugs in. Fixed the rear deck brake lamp. Now I am contemplating the engine timing tensioners which are said to be a weak point in the 4.0 motor. Mine is not showing any indication of ticking or jumped timing on cold start-up. I will look into this further. I still love the car, even if someday I put a ford 351 motor in it.
Such A Sexy Beast (with a Maintenance Budget)
If you could go out with Angelina Jolie, but she asked for a $250 lobster dinner, would you really care about the costs? My 1997 Jaguar XK8 Coupe is by far the sexiest beast I ever owned (out of 53 cars). This is a car you can fall in love with inside and out. And it runs like it is the last day to get a speeding ticket. However, she needs proper maintenance and a maintenance budget. I simply found a specialty shop and had them replace all the components that usually break after 20 years over time. Upper and lower timing chain tensioners, timing chain guides, all four(!) timing chains, water pump, thermostat, valve cover seals as well as a few hoses. $3,500 later she is ready for the next 20 years. Yes, a reliable Saturn coupe would cost a lot less in maintenance. But you won't arrive at work grinning ear to ear every morning.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
best hi-performance car buy
Replacing my Benz, I wanted a hi- performance, unique automobile that did not make me look like a middle aged old fool in a fast car (I'm 44). The Jaguar XK fit the bill. There are tons of bmw's, vette's, Z's and porsche's on the road, but few XK's. I feel great every time me and my '97 blue XK with only 27k drives up and by those 'other' cars, looking pretty and sophisticated. Ford has done a superb job improving upon Jag's reliability without ruining the styling, but few know it, making the XK the best hi- performance used car on the market today.
Incredible value
The XK is perhaps the best looking vehicle made, at least in coupe form. Even after all these years in production, the car gets the looks like it was a brand new design. Be careful if you're taller than 6'. It can be cramped inside.