1997 Jaguar XK8 Convertible

1997 Jaguar XK8 Convertible

I owned this car for years.  In fact, I actually bought and sold three other XK8 convertibles while I owned this one.  I've owned five of these things in total, but this was the first.  How it came to be mine is a rather interesting story.

I used to go to Texas Hobby Auto Auction a lot.  I've bought more than a few cars there over the years.  They had a section out in back of their massive lot that I called the "junkyard" because it's where they stuck cars that didn't work or they couldn't sell and they kept it locked up.  My buddy Barry and I spotted this car in the junkyard one day with all of the damaged and disabled cars.  We kind of broke in and checked it out.  The top end of the motor had been torn down and one would guess that it had a blown engine.  We found some paperwork in the car though including a work order from a local Jag dealer so I made some calls and discovered that the car had been in for a few minor repairs but was repossessed while at the shop and towed away.  I was told that there wasn't anything wrong with the car, it just needed to have it's repairs completed.  A couple weeks later they towed the car through the auction and I bought it for next to nothing.  Everyone else probably assumed the worst about the car, but Barry and I knew better due to a little investigative work.

I put the car back together - it did turn out to have a few issues, but nothing major.  The XK8 is a beautiful car.  I actually prefer the way the coupe looks, but the convertible is still the one you want.  Jaguar did a wonderful job styling these cars.  They aren't too bad to drive either, but do have a few annoying attributes.

The interiors are quite handsome, but the fit on these older ones leaves a little to be desired.  The wood panels never fit quite right and rattles were a constant annoyance. 

These early XK8s weren't really true sports cars, but were certainly "sporty". You could get an XKR with a supercharged motor that would improve the raw power quite a bit, and that's the model I would recommend if you're looking.

Here I am feeling quite good about myself and my plethora of Jag drop tops. Seriously though, why would anyone ever need two XK8s?  I have no idea, but apparently I did at the time.

I don't actually remember selling this car.  I drove it periodically the entire time it was around, but it would also sit for a month here and there.

At one point, for an entire year, it was my "softball vehicle".  I kept my softball bag in the trunk and every Tuesday and Thursday night I drove the Jag.  Other than that it just sat around.  It wasn't the nicest XK8 I've owned, but it was a pleasure to drive for years and I got it so cheap to begin with that it was hard to find fault with it really.  You can buy these early models today for very little money - under 10K for a decent one.  My advice would be to go ahead, but with caution.  They aren't maintenance nightmares, but they will have issues and some of them can be pricey.  I think the car has a classic style and will look good forever.  Spring for a nicely cared for XKR.