Hi Jon,

Any updates on the XK8 snipe hunt for the wifey? Just on the surface it appears she lost interest since I didn't hear about any ex-footballers being knifed in their sleep over the holiday I hope you had a Merry Christmas though.

Mike

 

LOL! Yer a pisser.

 

Mike,

She didn't lose interest in getting an XK8 convertible. I just happened to win that particular battle (she wanted one, I did not)....

I chased two suitable XK8s from mid-November to mid-December at two different dealerships and deployed my typical process of trying to steal them. I came close with the first one, but it was a platinum exterior and she had her heart set on a white exterior, so I told the dealership thanks but no thanks. On the white one, the dealership was willing to cut the price by only $1,000 but it was still priced $2,000 more than I was willing to pay. I walked away from that one as well. She was pissed and pouted until she left to visit her parents in mid-December. By the time she returned three days before Christmas, her attention was focused on the iPad 2 I gave her instead. Now she's smitten with the iPad 2 (and completely addicted). I have not heard her mention either XK8 in weeks now. That iPad 2 may have saved my checkbook. Time will tell....

 

Jon,

Thanks for the update. Maybe if you trickle out the iPad accessories and add-on apps she'll stay focused on the iPad and forget about the XK8.

She sounds like the guy I sat next on my plane ride out to Oakland. He had an iPad, an iPhone which he had on constantly for music, a laptop and a Blackberry. Total geek crackhead.

Have a Happy New Year,

Mike

 

Haha that's awesome.

 

Two days ago, my wife came home from work and informed me that the husband of one of her colleagues has just purchased a 2004 XK8 for her. I stood my ground, explaining that we simply do not need another vehicle, especially one that is essentially a toy....

That was it. No reply. Nothing. No pushback at all. And not a peep out of her regarding wanting one since. Either my luck is holding out, or I'm about to get blindsided when I least expect it....

 

Jon,

Be afraid...very afraid.

 

My thoughts exactly!

 

No reply. Oh, that could be very bad. Got a spare bed room?

 

Jon,

Just in case you need it:

Some gruel recipes

Breakfast | Ann Arbor Cooks

 

Jon, I snagged the following from Jim's great post in the Off Topic Jokes thread, you may want to browse thru it....

Woman's English

Yes = No
No = Yes
Maybe = No
I'm sorry = You'll be sorry
We need = I want
It's your decision = The correct decision should be obvious by now.
Do what you want = You'll pay for this later.
We need to talk = I need to complain.
Sure go ahead = I don't want you to.
I'm not upset = Of course I'm upset, you moron!
You're so manly = You need a shave and you sweat a lot.
You're certainly attentive tonight = Is sex all you ever think about?
Be romantic, turn out the lights = I have flabby thighs.
This kitchen is so inconvenient = I want a new house.
I want new curtains = and carpeting, and furniture, and wallpaper.....
Hang the picture there = NO, I mean hang it there!
I heard a noise = I noticed you were almost asleep.
Do you love me? = I'm going to ask for something expensive.
How much do you love me? = I did something today you're really not going to like.
I'll be ready in a minute = Kick off your shoes and find a good game
on TV.
Is my butt fat? = Tell me I'm beautiful.
You have to learn to communicate = Just agree with me.
Are you listening to me!? = [Too late, you're dead.]
Was that the baby? = Why don't you get out of bed and walk him until he falls asleep.
I'm not yelling! = Yes, I am yelling because I think this is Important.
The same old thing = Nothing
Nothing = Everything
Everything = My PMS is acting up.
Nothing, really = It's just that you're such an *******.
=slang for 'monkey see monkey do'
__________________
Cheers
Jim

 

He's going pull into the driveway one day and think his wife's colleague's husband dropped by for a visit...It won't hit him until he sees contractors adding an extra car space to his garage...So he doesn't need spare beds or recipes, he's going to need a second job delivering pizzas!

 

Or two extra spaces, one for his new room, so he and the XK can snooze side by side....

 

As long as she spends all of her free time playing with her new iPad 2, she has no time to go test-drive XK8s. That's what I'm counting on, anyway. Time will tell if my luck continues to hold out for me....

 

Well boys, as most of you predicted, it appears that I finally lost this battle. If everything works out as planned, a 2006 XK8 convertible in Onyx White / Cashmere with just over 36,000 miles will be joining our stable in the next week or two. That's the bad news....

The good news is that I got smarter regarding how to make it happen. My usual approach attempting to steal one on my own had not worked. I couldn't quite get the deal down to what I was willing to pay. Realizing the prowess that forum member George Androulakis has in playing the car auctions around the country, I PM'ed George about ten days ago and told him exactly what I was looking for and what I was willing to pay. We then talked on the phone to further clarify the pros and cons and for George to set my expectations where they needed to be. This past Wednesday afternoon, he found the best candidate in Florida. He immediately e-mailed me with all the details including photos, then I phoned him to discuss the car, the process, and our plan of action. We agreed on all counts, and I had about 24 hours to do my due diligence and research before I had to give him a yes or no decision whether to jump in and play. I used nearly 22 of those hours doing exhaustive research. Based on my research and one final phone conversation with George, I gave him the green light yesterday morning just before 11:00, then stepped out of the way and let George do the dirty work. At around 7:20 last night, George called me to say that he closed the deal. Done. In less than eight hours, George did what I had been unable to do since early November, and saved me nearly $3,000 as well....

A word of caution here - you have to trust the process. I readily admit that I'm an ****-retentive, Type A++, I-gotta-be-in-charge guy. It was very hard for me to step away and keep quiet while somebody else is handling the deal. I've never in my life done that before. But I knew George is a pro, he's got connections all over the country that I can only dream about, and he would always have our best interests in heart and mind. That proved to be exactly the case. George kept me informed via phone and e-mail throughout the entire time. And while the t's and i's have not been crossed and dotted yet, I know they will be as long as I simply follow George's instructions....

My wife is like a 5-year-old on Christmas Eve. I may be Santa Claus, but George is her hero (her words, not mine). That's just fine with me as long as her homemade pot roasts, spaghetti, country-style steak, pork chops, mac-and-cheese, and mashed potatoes are once again gracing our supper table. I'm sick of driving to pick up take-out meals most weeknights now....

So the next time you're in the market for a nice car, contact George to see if he can help you. It may turn out to be the smartest decision you've made lately....

 

I don't know wether to congratulate you or commiserate with you Jon.

Don't forget the pics when it shows up and kudos to George for making everyone happy, you did save some cash Jon so you have to be happy.

 

Thanks, Norri. I'm trying to view this outcome as a win/win for everyone involved. But at the end of the day, it's still another vehicle that I have to learn to maintain. And we all know how much attention our Jaguars need. I could sell my wife's Lexus SUV in a heartbeat. But we need that vehicle to haul our dogs in. I am NOT selling my Ram pickup. So the S-Type would be the most likely to go. But it has been such a great car, I do not want to let it go either. The puzzle still needs to be solved....

If I can figure out how to post photos, I'll try to get them up so all can see. But it will be another week or more before the car arrives....

 

Good for George!

Maybe have the wife do her longish trip and report how the XK was, compared to the S-Type. If you can keep the S that long.

Be interesting to see how good she is at parking & maneuvering the XK....

 

Congrats Jon,
Welcome to the XK family. Hope to see ya on the Parkway.

 

Congrats Jon and Jan, I am sure you both will be pleased with the transaction and the vehicle!