"People who have what they want are fond of telling people who haven't what they want that they really don't want it."
-- Ogden Nash

I'm sorry! My jag was the first thing I thought of when I saw this quote.

I'm not going to make this a bashing thread because my jag is a joy driving but I believe my experience would have been better if I could have bought it in 1998.

 

Absolutely!

See my other post. I wish I could find one "forgotten in a warehouse", that has never been owned by anyone. There are very few out there that are still in the hands of the original owners. When you buy one "preowned" you have to deal with a lot of stuff that's been done by some hacks.

If buying from the original owner, chances are the guy appreciated the car, and took a good care of it. But most of them (at least here in CA), changed hands few times, and second/third owners cut corners, and did the absolute minimum to keep it on the road.

Found an issue with my wifes car just yesterday. The stupid moron that owned it before me, hacked some half assed "repair" to the cooling system in order to "save" 27 bucks!! Driving a Jag, and worrying about 27 bucks!? Gimme a break. Well,....might not even be about the money.

I know a well off person that is too cheap to pay someone to fix ANYTHING, and will do the "fixing" himself. That's not a problem per se,.....but this person is a "born hack", and will "fix" anything with shoelaces, twine, and ducktape (and he is no McGyver either!).

Anyway,.....I also wish I bought one new in 1998-2003.

 

I'm also fond of high-priced cars, but have always had to buy them used. I've owned four Toyota Supras, one FZJ-80 Landcruiser, and a Lexus LS-400, all bought used with anywhere between 20K and 80k miles on them already. But I try not to buy cars that have been hacked by amateurs. I'm hoping that I can believe the maintenance records on this Jag which show that besides ordinary regular maintenance, the only thing that it was ever returned to the dealer to fix was some motor associated with the steering column position adjustment. Of course, now I'm now the amateur hacking at this one.

It seems that a lot of people might think they want a Jaguar. This car draws lots of compliments from complete strangers (something the Lexus never, ever got). While it is a beautiful car and a pleasure to drive, I figure that most people are better off without one. You kind of have to be something of a hack to own a used Jag (or even Japanese luxury cars when they get upwards of 150K miles). If you are wealthy enough to pay a professional for every unpredictable repair that comes up, then you're probably wealthy enough to just buy a new Jaguar. The middle class and the poor, like me, don't have the cash savings to pay through the nose for repairs, so we have to fix it ourselves as best we can, often not having all the right equipment or the know-how. So yeah, when people ask me about my Jag, unless I know I'm talking to a handyman DIYer type, I try to convince them that they don't want one.

 

I feel sympathy for you guys. I've been restoring Jaguars all my life, and so has my Dad. I got the bug off him. Driving a freshly restored one is different from new. They came out of the factory at 1 per hour or less? Out of our garage it's one every 6 months. The point here is everything that can be upgraded has been to what's available now, not 15 years ago when they were 20th century manufacture.

Led's, poly bushes, stainless custom exhausts, nappa leather and alcantara, best in class amps, speakers and Ipad sat-nav/radio, dynamat, monobloc calipers, ceramic pads, life time guaranteed paint, powercoat suspension parts, stainless bolts, the works. Not built to a price, on a line.

Things move on and we look at a 15 year old car and complain at failures, they built them to last 6 years. Then sell you another...even Rolls Royce/Maybach fail to proceed, and they're $500,000 cars supposedly 'a car for life' for that money....

The latest x351 XJ when released had all sorts of bugs, from crap infotainment to a creaking roof. To say you'd like to have bought a 98 new is bonkers, you'd never return to the marque! - nikasil, plastic critical engine parts, weak trans - the warranty log along with the arseing taking it back to the dealer for yet another failure would put anyone off.

It's a niche, neoclassic and good ones will appreciate at some point when people realise the latest Jaguars are indistinguishable from the rest. Plug into the design computers what's required and they all come up with the same answers, jelly mould cars.

Enjoy what we have now, if you can improve it the info is here. If not then it's a case of living with it until a better one turns up - at least we have a choice, must say that the forum does good work and saved cars destined for the crusher than any build quality issues they had in 1998, they should all be long gone on a boat to China....

A basic metric tool box and time keeps them running. They're at a price now that if you've space, you can buy one for spare parts. JTIS, a few special tools and away you go...the latest XK, airbag gone off, oh that'll be a new dash assembly....complete.

I can't say that about the latest Jags, (fiber optics) it won't be the same in the next 15 years for any of us (Jaguar motoring/fixing wise). We'll be humming round in battery powered jelly moulds. We're close to a major change in the way we travel in cars. Nuff said.

 

"The difference between a professional and an amateur is that the professional knows exactly how hard he can hit it with a hammer before it breaks."

I've never looked at the service history ... I look at the car. If I waited for service histories, there would be nothing to look at.

 

My XJR is like a slightly overweight girlfriend with a beautiful face that gives great ********...

 

Wait a second, I think I dated her too...

 

I also was very lucky to find my 03 VDP, one owner very well maintained by the 1st. owner and serviced by the original dealer. It took a while but the time was worth it.
Dave

 

I'm getting just a taste of past luxury... luxury is not something that I will ever experience first hand and that is okay. I take what I get from this jag along with the electrical quirks and the rattles. She is like an elegant and cultured older sexpot.

I wish I'd known her when she was younger but she was outta my league. I'm fond of her and hope I have a few good years with her.