www.jec.org.uk

I have had my XK8 (2001 Carnival/ Oatmeal) for two years. I have enjoyed every moment with this car and never get tired of, well, just looking at it. When I park the XK I try very hard not too look back at it, but just don't have the will power! Do other forum members have this problem? This is my fourth Jaguar, the previous cars being XJ, S Type 3 litre and S Type 4 litre. I cover a high mileage and I usually change my cars for this reason, but I think I might be taking the XK around the clock a couple of times - I could not bear to part with it.

I'm afraid you're exhibiting the standard symptoms of a common disease. Sometimes confirmatory symptoms can be observed in sufferers when they are overcome by an excessive desire to pick up cleaning materials and polish their vehicles to enhance the effect you describe. Is this a part of your problem?

Changing subjects, from time to time it would be good to hear how an XK stands up to high mileage use. Welcome to the Forum!

Another one to join the head-turning-to-confirm that something can really look so powerful, graceful and feline. I have always looked after my cars well, but this one gets even more care, including personal hand-washing despite near-zero temperatures.
I am sure we have a real classic in the making here. The design is just RIGHT.

I own a Sherwood Green XK8 98MY and have the classic symptoms of the XK desease. I've owned her for 8 months and the smiles just get bigger and bigger. Have had the tensioners done and wishbone bushes oh and a new set of rubber, other than that she is nearly stock, with just a bit of bling in the shape of instrument rings. Have just come back from Wales after a short trip to see my girlfriend and just loved the drive both there and backas she purrrrred along the M4. She's now done just over 68000 miles and is as sweet as a nut. Generally hand wash her once a week and polish/claybar her once a month using Maguires products. When I'm away from home I use a special dry wash cloth which is usually used for aircraft and can be bought from Transair pilot shops, very useful for keeping her clean and shiney without too much effort.

Hi John

Welcome to the Mania!!!
The buzz from owning one of these cars is phenomenal!!!
Hope you enjoy it, just not the Petrol Experience!! But what the Hell!
Stu K

I was going to introduce myself as a new user through a new thread but realise that I have the same disease as the rest of you. Is there an XK8's Anonymous? Or perhaps none of us wants to be cured . I have only had my 2002 convertible for a couple of months and the buzz is still a new pleasure. I have never had a car that generates so much interest and good will. I was cleaning it the other day (another symptom?) and a small boy stopped and said "love your car mister". I asked him what sort of car it was and he came straight back with "Jaguar XK8". Can small boys catch the disease too?
I am looking forward to a long ownership.
Steve

Ditto all the above

I'm on my second XK8. My current car, a 2004 convertible is 18 months old and has done 25,000, so I guess I'm a high mileage driver.

They say Pride is one of the 7 deadly sins, in which case, I'm way beyond salvation. It's over 2 years since I first bought an XK, but every morning when the garage door goes up and I see her sitting there, the smile that breaks across my face just never fades

Same here
I had my car, MY2000 XK8 for 2-1/2 years now and covered 25Kmiles, some of which accumulated on Alpine touring. The car causes great interest anywhere you go. Last September on our way from Salzburg to Munich we happen to go through the small village of Marktl in Bavaria, birthplace of the current Pope. We stopped for a coffee and parked just across the road from the birth-house of this famous person. The whole place has become quite a tourist attraction with visitors arriving in bus-loads. While enjoying our refreshment we watched a group of tourist arrive, walk to the house and read the plaque. One of them then noticed our car and the whole group turned round, walked across the road and spent quite some time admiring the XK8. No doubt the GB registration and right-hand drive were also talking points.
I had to smile and thought "not bad for a six year old car to steal the thunder.

In modern jargon, the ownership experience of the XK8/R is fantastically rewarding.
Good luck with your new P&J, Steve.

Had mine 2 weeks and I admit to being afflicted with the disease too just have to look back and admire it everytime I walk away, TBH the first time I parked at Tesco Brooklands my wife had to almost drag me away as I was scrutinising the cars parking near it, making sure they didn't bang their doors into it

Absolutely spot on! I was really glad that my wife was 'only' driving our recently acquired X300 XJR this week when she parked at Tesco. Despite choosing the middle one of 3 empty slots and there being no car either side when she returned 20 mins later, the car now sports a severe trolley crease in a rear wing on an otherwise perfect car. I was pretty angry about that. Just imagine how I'd have felt if it had been the XK8. It never ceases to amaze me how many fatherless people use supermarket car parks!

That's what I did , picked a spot with 3 empty spaces, parked in the middle one and as it was a distance from the shop entrance thought no-one else would park there (as most are lazy gits that want to park as close as possible ) we hadn't walked 50yds when a van parked one side and a car the other

Yep - Animal magnetism..
Michael

Hmm. I wonder if the new aluminium XK will be free of these magnetic problems?

I really would like to meet some of you guys and the cars. Anyone going to France next June on the XK8 visit. I am. The conversation could get a bit boring. Alan

Funny, it never seems to get boring talking about XK's