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Greetings from Hong Kong - Daimler Double Six Insignia
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Greetings from Hong Kong - Daimler Double Six Insignia
Dear Members,
Please let me introduce my 1993 Daimler Double Six Insignia V12, 5.9L. (VIN: SAJDKALS3AP684715).
My wife and I moved to Hong Kong in 2009 and in early 2011 we purchased this car from the original owner who custom selected the colour, leather, wood, and wheels etc. Of the 318 Insignia's made, I believe that only six were painted in the Primrose Pearl colour. There were three in Hong Kong at one time (along with one in Saturn Orange) but I believe my car is the last one driving in HK. The Primrose Princess had 49,000km when we purchased it and since, I have driven about 16,000km; virtually all trouble free, though one issue has recently cropped up and I will post about it soon - asking for advice (leak with self-levelling fluid at either the tandem unit or one of the hoses, even though this system has been disabled). .
When I purchased it, the car hadn't been driven in over two years and needed attention. I replaced the front and rear suspension, alternator, starter, spark plugs, ignition coils, distributor cap, various sensors, all coolant hoses, brake accumulator, pads and disks, removed self-levelling system, replaced steering unit hoses, steering unit seals, and eventually had to replace the wires on the outside bracket of the transmission - sometimes I would get the "limp home" message after about a half hour of driving; other times the car wouldn't initially go out of park after I started it in the morning. My instinct tells me that this was one of the reasons the previous owner sold the car. I took it to a transmission rebuilder and he told me the problem was with the wires and wad related to the valve body.
The car is an absolute pleasure to drive - it just glides effortlessly. Navigating small parking garages was a real challenge in the beginning. I get immense pleasure from driving this car and knowing that I have helped keep this stately classic on the roads. I get endless comments on the car at petrol stations, parking garages, when I've had to call out AA because of dead battery, or when parked outside in public. The car evokes a certain nostalgia in Hong Kong these days and I can understand why.
I want to clean up the engine, replace the water heater valve (if I can find one) and look to possibly to replace the AC unit with a Sanden unit (if possible).
When my wife and I leave Hong Kong and return to Australia in retirement, we will definitely take this car with us. It's a treasure.
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Wow, this is a beauty! I'll keep my eyes open for it next time I'm in that area, Charles. I used to live a stone's throw away, so I recognized the blue balconies.
I have been looking for a XJ40, X300, X308 and will post a proper intro in the New Member Area if I make a deal on one. I just came upon one that has been off the road for some time. Charles, you wrote that your Insignia had also been off the road for a couple of years. Did you find a good garage on the island to sort out the car after you bought it and bring it back to this condition?
Jag Punter,
Feel free to send me a private message for a garage recommendation. Not many garages in HK like to work on V12s anymore, even fewer are well qualified to do so, in my opinion.
If the Jaguar/Daimler you are looking at is a "classic" (i.e. early to mid 1990s and older), be prepared to get parts yourself from the UK.
Charles
Thanks, Charles. Will definitely send you a private message to ask for your garage advice if I get something. I am prepared to get parts online, so that's not really a problem, especially for a car I think I know pretty well like the X308. The problem I encountered is that, compared to Mercedes-Benz, old Jags in Hong Kong sit and sit without MOT then end up in the scrapper.
I have had both the Mercedes-Benz W116 and W124 saloons over the years and never had a problem getting work done, but want to run a classic Jag saloon. Back in 2007, in anticipation of a move, I had to pass on a Series 1 E-Type 4.2 Fixed Head Coupe, British Racing Green, lovely condition, owner was a in a hurry to sell and price was low. That was not in HK though and I have literally only seen a couple XJ40, X300, X308 for sale on the various pre-owned car websites here in the past five-years. Think the window to get one of these is closing.
Greetings from Hong Kong - Daimler Double Six Insignia
