Picked up my 2008 jag today happy but, who ever had it before had tryed to make it look like something that it not meant to be, this is just my opinion obviously, anyway after removing plenty of badges applied using sticky pads? It's now looking like it should, again my opinion, being very carful not to upset anyone, now I have the wheels there like a 5 spoke alloy with like alen key nuts around the edges, they look quite nice but I'm unsure about the painted brake callipers bright red, my feeling is to repaint them mat black, the paint job is a bit well let's say crap, my other thought is to leave them and get a 7 spoke type alloy which would hide the red calipers mostly, my real question is are the nut fittings all the same it's a 2008 model, it has a very nice baseball mit brown leather interior, I'm wondering was this something that jag would have fitted as an extra? My reason for thinking this way is it looks like a bespoke type fit compared to the other things that had been done if you get my drift, the other very nice thing is the paint job, it's a very nice black but has a flecking in it it's very very nice again a pro job, any thoughts criticism, I'm no boy racer and like things to look like they where meant to so I'm looking for any input, the lad I bought the car of said the guy was a jaguar enthusiast, and he had the work done by some garage ie the bits of chrome and sticky back plastic, someone is telling porkys, no jaguar enthusiastic garage would even think of using such add ons,

Regards john

 

I think your black fleck paint is Ultimate Black Perl (PEL on your door tag). Post a pic of the rims would help others identify them. Same with interior color.

 

I will take a pic of the whole car ASAP, I have no removed a lot of the obvious stuff, I don't mind a little bling but this was ridiculous, I was like a man posesed, it looks quite nice now I think, thank you for your time I do really appreciate it.


Regards john

 

These are a few pics, the wheels have started to grow on me a bit, but I don't think the red brake callipers are staying,

 

Definitely after market upholstered seats & side panels.

 

Of course as you say its only personable opinion but if it's not as it left the factory then it's just not on for me! I think the wheels are horrible and I have never seen that upholstery on any Jaguar. Sorry I just could not live with it.
There are folk on this forum who have taken a lovely Jaguar and turned it into a tarts bedroom.
Not for me.

 

I agree, got to live with the seats I'm afraid, but might sort out the wheels,

Regards John

 

I reckon those chrome pillars (which are most likely from eBay) look incredibly cringeworthy without full chrome window surround.

I think the chrome tail light surround are aftermarket too, I know they are available on the xj from factory, not sure about x-type. I have them too and think they look pretty sweet, but depends what other options you have. Curious how they look with your facelift boot plinth which runs all the way out to the tail light.

I have to say the seats and doors look really nice on the pictures at least, hope they look as great and feel good in person.

Regarding the brake calipers, I think matte black would be a really nice option, especially if you say the existing paint job isn't done well. Might as well scrape it off and protect it with something that actually suits the car. This chrome-speckled example really doesn't wear red calipers well, in my opinion.

Overall, judging by your pictures, a great looking car.

 

I'm going to go with a set of spoke looking wheels that have been taken of an s type, it will virtually hide the calipers so I'll save the money on messing around with tha calipers which I may never get right, the money I thought I saved, I will have spent on wheels etc, I often wonder what people see when they fit this stuff I know detailing a car spot on costs money but if its not going to be right don't do it,

Regards john

 

I'm thinking of going with a set of mercury 25 spoke type wheels off an s type, I wanted the s type but my girlfriend said this 1 looked nice in the pics, it's only when you get up close that you realise someone has been smoking crack as they where detailing it, anyway all the Xmas tree decorations have been taken off and as soon as the wheels are swapped I'll be a bit happier with the car, caint help feeling I should have stuck to getting an s type, I know there not for every one but to me they have that old look which I like but as you can probable guess the girfreind flutters her eyelashes and I'm then the one smoking crack

Regards john

 

I agree the 18" s-type mercury 25spoke ones look really good

 

I dunno...I have always liked those wheels, but everyone's taste is different. Same for the interior. I really like the way it looks. For some reason I am thinking that is actually something that came from the factory. Seems like that might have been sometihng offered as an option on the later cars only sold in Europe. Not 100% on that, just looks familiar to this feeble mind for some reason. And, if so, you would have a very rare option indeed.

As for the calipers, those would be so easy to paint and made to blend into the background. Certainly much cheaper and easier than buying a whole new set of wheels.

Whatever you end up doing (or not doing) to the car, I hope you thoroughly enjoy it and it treats you well. Looks like it is in great shape.

 

I have just had it polished, it's looking very good now the black paint with the silver fleck in it looks fantastic, I have ordered the wheels, I'm not convinced the calipers would look good painted, maybe different if we had a blank canvas but I feel to get it right it would need stripping down, so if I take the labour cost into account etc it makes good sense to get the wheels, they look to be in pretty good shape, the ones on it are a bit kirbed so as the car is getting back to the way it once looked the wheels and callapers will let it down, I'm a bit peaved of with the bits I have had to do as I'm at the point financially where I could have bought something that was good to go, bit of a steep learning curve, I will just walk away next time, it's such a shame a once fantastic looking car, with a stunning paint job ended up looking like an Xmas tree from pound land, well I'm close to getting it looking OK and I will post pics

Regards john

 

Just curious, f there were so many things about the car you found questionable that you knew you would have to change, why did you buy it instead of finding something more "road ready"?

 

I had traveled, a few hours so was a bit rushed to get back, got to be honest did not notice everything at that point, maybe some of the things I want other people might not be to bothered about,

Regards john

 

How about aluminium color for the calipers, they disappear.

 

yeah, or maybe just metal wire brush the red color away and it'll look pretty good?