I bought my 03 in Jan 07 from a relative with 3200 miles on it. My relative purchased the car and then developed an injury that prevented her from driving. Her son took the car out of the garage every two weeks to make sure it did not suffer from non use. The ONLY reason I keep it is because at least two or three times a week someone says what a beautiful car it is. This car will nickle and dime you to death. If you buy it at a very inexpensive price and have cash to dump in it go and buy one. Do NOT expect a high quality Japanese type of experience.

 

The 3.0 Sport with a maual transmission is .5 second faster 0-6 than the automatic; 6.6 vs. 7.1. I also put a K&N and Borlas on mine. Not sure if it IS quicker than that, but it FEELS (and sounds) quicker.

I just came back last night from a business trip after being gone all week. Was stuck in rush hour and constuction traffic in Chicago while heading home to Milawaukee (about 100 miles). Was in everything from stop and go to 85mph. Comfortable seats, excellent handling and suspension, Alpine turned up. Can't think of a better way to make the best of a frustrating ride home after a long week. It's stuff like that that make me appreciate this car more all the time. Had a brand new Ford Fusion rental car all week. The sensory pleasure derived between the two could not be more striking. Yes, they are certainly not apples to apples. Although the Fusion was competent in every way it was not memorable or, at least to me, a satisfying driving experience. It was just another car, which is fine. But we didn't buy our cars just to get from point A to point B. I think it's those sorts of things that make us love the X. Chrome/no chrome, sport/ non-sport, wood/carbon fiber; it doesn't matter. As long as when you drive it and look at it you get that visceral pleasure that car guys love that is what is important.

 

Well said.


One thing I love about this car is the way the door sounds when you shut it. When I shut doors on any luxury Japanese cars, it just sounds like shutting a door. When I shut mine, it sounds like I'm closing a Bank Vault!! It just sounds so good. Even better than all the German cars I've came across. Now some people might think that the way the door sounds might be a stupid issue. But when the door sounds like closing a heavy door on a bank vault and not one on your closet at home, it gives the car a feeling of quality. It sounds like a "solid" car. So far only the Germans and British can make their doors sound like this.

Anyone else notice this?

 

Master, I did notice that shutting door quality too. Let's not forget Americans too . Jaguar has a unique and unprecedented sound when it comes to closing the doors . Believe in me it's even nicer blend of tone than any RR you could see .

 

Wow. That's awesome!

 

Yeah, I agree. Nice feel, nice sound to the doors. Something else I just love is the radio and cruise control buttons on the steering wheel. In 2005 they changed the steering wheel and raised the controls up and put in those ingenious spring loaded wheels. So simple, yet so effective. And place perfectly as well.

One thing I do have to say about driving that rental car I had is when you fill it up there is no gas cap to remove. You just push the gas nozzle right into the opening. Much more elegant than unscrewing the cap and letting it dangle. I've never seen that before.

 

Mine has a gas cap...And I've never really seen a car that didn't have one. Perhaps the cap was missing?

 

No, it actually said on there is was a capless filler. It was awesome. Not sure if that is just on the new Fusions or across all the Fords. Good job by some engineer at Ford.

 

lol that's cool. But I don't unscrew mine and let it dangle. There is a cap holder on the gas cover door. Cap snaps into it so it doesn't hit the car and so you don't lose it.

 

i must admit my 2002 x-type has been trouble free...im very surprised i have not run into any problems except the dash vents ...i fixed it and that was it...i dont drive it hard or try to race anybody...i have a mazda rx7 turbo for that ...but i would be carefull and get the vin number and call your nearest jag dealer and they can pull up your car and tell you what service has been done ...i did that when i bought mine ...good luck

 

WOW!!!

And I thought I was the only one that enjoyed the way a car door shuts! Seriously I figured I was just crazy! Seriously!

Glad to see I'm not crazy! I love shutting a car door that isn't like shutting the door on your dryer! I also hate shutting car doors when they half shut because they are old...

I remember when my dad bought his 94 f150 and you could shut the doors or windows and your ears would pop it was so air tight (didn't last long with the 5 accidents he was in.

Another thing I hated about my jag or the other people was how light the door was and how hard they would shut it.

 

wow, same here

 

Aquill, you are so so SOOOOO right about people shutting car doors very hard. I cringe every time someone does that, and not even just to my car. I just don't quite get that. Bugs the hell out of me.

 

Yea the door isn't super light, but it is on the lighter side. I still feel a bit of weight in it, but I like it like that. The bimmers are lighter and my gf's audi has doors that almost seem power assisted. I lightly pull it and the door swings out to as far as it can open and then recoils and shuts itself again like a spring that was loaded or something. You have to be very careful opening those doors in a parking lot with other cars next to you, it is very annoying.

And I think it sounds best when you close it lightly. But slamming the door doesn't make me cringe either. Door still sounds solid.

 

It kills me when someone/myself slams the door shut. It feels like a kick in the side...

 

yeah everytime i let anyone in my car, i always say easy on the doors, and man after a couple thousand times, it drove my friends nuts.

 

Hey Dennis what's happening? what size tires and wheels do you have on your Jag and how do they ride?

 

Hey disco, i assume they remembered when they got in your car, right???

Funny part is you can tell them til your blue in the face and they either forget or shut it so lightly that the door doesn't shut! LOL The doors on the jag are nothing like domestics!

 

yeah no doubt, my dad own a pos, ford truck, and when i go to close the doors i always forget how heaevy they are and i almost always haveto slam it hard, i've never made that mistake wityh my jag, except the first day i got it.

 

Actually now that I think about it, none of my friends ever slam my doors. I never even told them to be easy when closing them.