Wow, great thread! Sorry I didn't get in on it earlier. I've extolled the virtues of my X-Type a couple of times before, so I won't repeat myself, but it's an awesome car.

Got a question for those who were talking about washes: For those who live in areas that get snow or ice during the winter, what do you do then? I have always been a hand-washer (not only because it's better for the car but because it's a lot cheaper), but I've found that when the roads get covered with salt in the winter, an automatic wash is about the only choice I have; you can't do a hand wash when it's 30°F and there is a foot of snow on the ground, and there's no way I'm leaving all that salt on the undercarriage of my Jag for two or three months until it gets warmer!

 

Indeed CarLuva, you gotta get that stuff off. I now have a heated garage so I wash it in there. Without that option, a wash bay with a high pressure wand will have to do. When I only had that option, I would spray off the underside (wear coveralls or snow pants so you can kneel down), then take a bucket, soap and wash mitt with me and still hand wash the car and rinse with the "wax" or "spot free rinse" setting which is low pressure.

I have some neoprene gloves that I would wear to keep from freezing your fingers off in the water. They are stiff but get the job done, hands stay dry and mostly warm.

Then use a chamois and a wax-as-you-dry product to dry the car as best you can. I'd keep all this in a kit in the trunk. Make sure you do the door sills and door edges too, as well as the pillars behind the doors. These are commonly overlooked areas and prone to corrosion, and if you don't dry them sometimes your doors can freeze to the seals.

You really need to wait for a day where it is above freezing if possible. One, the car wash may actually be open, two you don't run as much of a chance of having your door locks freeze up on you.

It sucks, but it's necessary!

 

It is pleasant to finally read positive threads on our beloved x-types. i also hear the remarks saying i am driving an expensive ford, but that comes out of jealousy. it was ford's idea when they bought jaguar to have an entree level model and its only normal to lower cost to share the platform and parts with other brands, but in no way is this out of the box ford. its still a jaguar, the inside and outside finish is remarkable. How many times i drive around with bebe jag, that i get head turns and thumbs up!!! My next jag cat would be a xkr 2007 and up. Baby steps....

 

You know, the only people I've heard the "it's just an overpriced Ford" line from were owners of more expensive Jaguars who really ought to know better—all my non-Jaguar-owning friends (including the car buffs who know cars well enough to distinguish an X from an XJ) have just been impressed with my sweet ride!

 

If i hear one more person say "it's just an overpriced Ford" Who knows what I will do. I tend to think people say this because secretly they are jealous that we have a nice car so by belittling it makes them feel better. Here in the UK you can get the Mondeo that its "supposed" to be cloned with for the same price as an X type Jag in the second hand market. So faced with that choice would you choose the Mondeo?!?

 

I had exactly this dilemma over a Mondeo or an X-type (in the UK). Really struggled at first to decide, as I was worried about the cost of ownership, but I just couldn't get past the 'no matter how many gadgets, nice interior etc.'...it's still 'just a mondeo'.

Now, don't get me wrong, I really like the Mondeo, and it's nice to drive etc., it's just I've always liked my cars, and not really been that bothered about the last couple, and really wanted one to look after again. Also, the cost of ownership I figured wouldn't be much more than the Renault I had last who's parts & labour prices are massive anyway.

 

The one and only thing that's keeping me from getting an X-Type is the lack of aux/ipod interface with music storage.

Most new cars come equipped with them now..

 

thats an easy problem to fix, just get an acm.

 

Ok, I'm a little car retarded here..

What's ACM?

 

ACM is an audio connectivity module. A jag part that you can use to connect an Ipod / usb storage to.
Here in the UK though they are like gold dust. I have been searching for one as they can be quite expensive from the dealers. I would say the best solution is to buy a new head unit with a usb plug attachment. You would get a better stereo with more bells & whistles. I would also think that it may work out the same cost. To fit an ACM you have take your centre console apart and looks quite fiddley.
If you want to see the fitting instructions go here

http://www.ownerinfo.jaguar.com/extf...prod/index.jsp

select X type, then in "document type" select the very bottom one accessory fitting instructions. when there in the bottom left of the screen you have advanced search options. type in audio connectivity module and search.
there are two documents

 

Fortunately, they are easy to find in the US. It is an excellent accessory. I have an 80 GB iPod connected permanently to my ACM. The fact that it goes in the seat console is very convenient since the iPod is completely hidden. I use the jag controls for every thing.

These days when my daughter is watching a movie on an iPad we use the ACM for the audio as well.

The ACM also supports standard USB storage but I haven't used one yet.

 

Oh lawd...

I don't even have a Jag yet--I'm seriously considering one but something like this is what I definitely will need.

and no way do I have the confidence to try and remove a center console out...The most work I've ever done to a car was replace a taillamp bulb..

 

If you find a car you like at at Jaguar dealer negotiate them installing that into the purchase price. When you buy a car anything is negotiable. If you are buying a car because you want to and not because you have to and are patient and polish up your negotiating skills you might be surprised at what a dealer is willing to do. That is especially true if it involves things like this as opposed to just taking dollars off the sticker price. For adds ons they have a lot more room to play with as they would do them in-house. When I was looking I knew eactly what I wanted and waited 6 months to find the right car at the right price. Car was 500 miles away, but I found a cheap flight for $100 and picked it up and drove it home. Kind of scary going that far to buy something I had not yet test drove, but it all worked out, yet I could just as easily got back on the plane and only been out my time. For my trouble I got a very rare version of the X as it is a 5 speed manual Sport verion that is fully loaded other than nav and the bluetooth and even had Arubas. Paid only $14400 for it still under warranty with 42K miles. That was going on two years ago. Have put on over 30K miles since and it's been bullet proof other than the propshaft, which was covered by warranty. Haven't regretted it even for a second up to this point. Come on you know you want an X.....................

 

I'd had a serious eye on an 07 X-Type (it's the one seen in my avatar).

I know more than most about cars, but I know very little on how to negotiate--which is why I'm here!

 

Let's say I wanted to negotiate for a dealer-install ACM...How much would it cost to install myself vs dealer-install?

 

Well it would't cost anything since you are doing it yourself, but if the dealer installs it then they are going to charge you some ridiculous number.

As far as the actual unit they run about $300- $400

P.S. to stay on topic with the thread... I love my x type

 

Dayum, almost at 100 replies!

 

I also love my 3.0 sport x-type. On my nav (factory) I have a very British woman's voice..that of EMMA PEEL (remember the Avengers)...Can't argue her looks, voice, and general sexiness....Even my wife likes to hear her give me directions...I listen more to EMMA than to my wife

 

hahaha thats funny

 

The part retails for around $400 or so and the dealer (at least mine in the Washington DC area) charges around $800 to do the whole parts + install thing. Of course the cost to the dealer is much lower (in my case I estimated it to be around $350 or so).

So when negotiating my car I simply (in my head) added around $350 above what I felt was the base price and offered that for them to install the ACM. I said, I would buy the car if they added the ACM (that way they didn't lower the price and I got a feature I wanted).

The rationale I gave them was that my Mercedes (I had a C280 at the time) had the aux input for my ipod and I could not buy a car that did not have the feature. The dealer relented and I got it in writing and I picked up the car after they installed the ACM. In all honestly, it was one of the best decisions I made in terms of features.

The ACM in addition to the standard AUX input + ipod interface ALSO has a USB input. The USB input allows you to put in a thumb drive with MP3 content . It works exactly like a CD changer only better! I load up a thumb drive with 6-10 albums and I can navigate through them using the cars console controls and steering wheel. So I end up using my ipod for listening to my playlists, my usb drive for albums - I have a usb drive where I can plug in SD cards. I now can carry ALL my music is a little case of SD cards that I can slip into my usb adapter.

I use the AUX input on the ACM for audio from my iphone when it is being used as a navigator or to listen to Pandora or Slacker radio.

I do have one completely useless feature in my car and that would be my CD changer. For me the sound system was a big deal and at the time I thought the CD changer would be necessary. I even bought 3 extra changers! But at the time I didn't realize the USB drive could be used as a more efficient CD changer and I don't need to pop the trunk to change changers.

My point is that the ACM is more than just an AUX input for the stereo or an ipod connection unit. In fact you can have the ipod, USB and iphone ALL connected at the same time and play from whichever one you want!!!!!! Pandora, Sirius, XM, ipod....everything. If you own an iphone or other smartphone that supports the feature you don't need the Sirius radio receiver. I almost got it, but didn't because of the poor aesthetics.....lucky!