Due to the demise of my beloved Locost, and now all broken up into pieces and some parts put on ebay (stevemull2001)
My Wife, who doesn't drive has decided that I am going to buy an XK8 convertable, now this was a total surprise, and had I known 10 years ago she
wanted one, I might of set fire to my Locost then Obviously joking !!!
So, who has an XK8, or had one, or had any horror stories of owning one,
A good friend had a beautiful XK8, a few years ago, in fact it was the one that I drove to Lemans, and back on The "Chris Wilke lemans tour"
but Friend has fallen on very hard times (hope it wasn't running a Jag! ) so I don't really want to ask him to many questions,
steve
i am lead to believe they do like to rust ( big time), shirley you should get a BMW Z4
Iirc Rust in floorpans and transmission tunnel, also wasn't there an issue with the lining on some engines cylinder walls ?
Can't remember the affected years but worth a Google
Nice looking cars though
Check (very carefully) the front inner wings near the subframe mounting area for rust
quote:
Originally posted by perksy
Iirc Rust in floorpans and transmission tunnel, also wasn't there an issue with the lining on some engines cylinder walls ?
Can't remember the affected years but worth a Google
Nice looking cars though
I ran an early one for a couple of years, must have been a 98 with the sleeve issue.
Rust.... Rear wheel arches inner sills and where the rear subframe mounts to the chassis @ 6 years of age mine was going at these points badly!
Gearbox is filled for life, they need the oil changing at least every 50,000 miles, better at 25,000 as ZF recommends, in other cars they came with a
dip stick - stupid filled for life rubbish.
Engine, timing chain and followers/dampers, they modified these a bit later on, trundle down a long hill foot off the when you dab the throttle at the
end clouds of smoke are liners gone.
Front cross member is aluminium, the top suspension mountings have plain steel bolts and if they get loose it quickly wears the hole, I was able to
ream out and sleeve, mostly people get good second hand ones.
Rear toe is set with eccentric bolts, they work loose
Front wheel bearings are small on early cars, they stuck in bigger ones after a couple of years.
And after saying all that, great car I thoughly enjoyed putting 50,000 miles on it over 2 years, it was fast, quiet, comfortable - all that a decent
jag is - hey even did 25mpg!
So careful inspection then go for it, better an XKR imho.
I had an xkr for a while, absolutely loved a petrol station...
Was comfy but I always felt to young for it.(late 30's at the time)
It was big, comfy and for being as young as it was...rusty..
I've recently stopped all kit cars... bought a convertible Porsche and wish I'd done it a decade ago.
Thanks Guys for posting some comments,
I will be looking for a 2004-2009 model, so hope to avoid the earlier problems,
And as Nero said, im also done with kit cars, and the XK will be a toy, that is sometimes used for work
steve
steve m - don't know your age or family situation, but consider it a 2 seat car. The "token" rear seats really aren't big enough to fit people in. Not familiar with prices of the car either, but are there any other cars to consider - Porsche Boxster perhaps?
https://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/photos.php?action=showphoto&photo=2d06168cb29840a4a4cdaad8e7b31028.jpg
This is what I went with,
I know that some people will say "it's not a 911', tbh, I had enough spare that i could have had a 911, only the engines in the wrong
place!!
[Edited on 22/7/19 by nero1701]
quote:
Originally posted by nero1701
https://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/photos.php?action=showphoto&photo=2d06168cb29840a4a4cdaad8e7b31028.jpg
This is what I went with,
I know that some people will say "it's not a 911', tbh, I had enough spare that i could have had a 911, only the engines in the wrong place!!
[Edited on 22/7/19 by nero1701]
I absolutely love it,
It is lovely sounding, docile enough in comparison to a redtop sylva Phoenix but quick enough to raise the pulse a little. Its practical enough I can
use it daily if i chose. I can listen to the radio at 80 on the motorway with the roof down. I can put on aircon and blow cool air around myself while
also listen to the radio.
One of the main things for me though, I love to detail a car, and no matter what you say, detailing an old ish kit car...its never gonna be show and
shine.
I like that my wife will come for a drive, never would in a kit car.
I dont plan an selling in the distant future so will be doing the main service type maintenance myself and in true locost style, have started a
maintenance log book!!
^^^
Fantastic - this sounds just the kind of thing for many people!
My wife admired the MK Indy I built, but really wasn't keen on being taken out in it as a passenger and simply wouldn't drive herself. She
frowned when I bought a Peugeot 205 GTI, until coming for a ride and appreciating the realities a bit more
quote:
Originally posted by steve m
Due to the demise of my beloved Locost, and now all broken up into pieces and some parts put on ebay (stevemull2001)
My Wife, who doesn't drive has decided that I am going to buy an XK8 convertable, now this was a total surprise, and had I known 10 years ago she wanted one, I might of set fire to my Locost then Obviously joking !!!
So, who has an XK8, or had one, or had any horror stories of owning one,
A good friend had a beautiful XK8, a few years ago, in fact it was the one that I drove to Lemans, and back on The "Chris Wilke lemans tour" but Friend has fallen on very hard times (hope it wasn't running a Jag! ) so I don't really want to ask him to many questions,
steve
I am probably only a season away from being done with the Locost thing myself.
Boxster is high on the wish list, so is a z4 35i but ive always loved the shape of an xkr.
Apart from looking at comments on Pistonheads you could do worse than contact Darren aka hayling jag on there.
He shares various Jags with his missus, touring and tracking them.
I drove his supercharged one and whist it had lots of grunt left me underwhelmed compared to my s/charged hairdressers.
It was also a bit like driving a fast. comfy armchair!
Still if you must, you must...