Hi all

I've followed the forum for some time since I acquired my '64 Daimler V8 Saloon.
I've now also got a December 1994 manufactured, '95 model year Daimler Double 6 (chassis no. 734017) and was wondering how early in the production run this was - anyone got any ideas what number they started the X305 production at??
I've added some photos - 94,000 kms but paintwork needs a good machine cut & polish plus there's a little bit of bubbling on the sunroof to attend to.
Delivered new to Singapore in January 1995 and imported to NZ in February 1999 at 16,944kms.

 

Jaguar Heritage should know or at least be able point you in the right direction. Any pics?

 

 

Here's the VIN range by Model Year from JEPC (Jaguar Electronic Parts Catalogue):




Difficult to infer specifically for the DD6 as production numbers (the final 6 characters in the VIN) were sequential for the entire X300/X305 output. The individual model differences are in the first 11 characters in the VIN.

Graham

 

Thanks for that, very useful.
Jaguar Heritage reckon mine (734017) was produced on 20 December 1994 so was the 13,892 X300 produced in 7 months.
Production probably started post holiday shut down, so 2 weeks in June plus 5 complete months and 3 weeks in December, assuming a 5 day week that's 165 days, therefore 84 cars a day. Does that sound about right?

 

G'day Robert,

The numbers on my X305 are 730603 and according to my JDHT certificate was built on 21 Nov 1994 and was dispatched on 5 Dec 1994 and first registered in early 1995 but I don't know how early in the production it is.

Cheers,
Jeff.

 

I've got the 345th X300 built (an X305 of course) and show July 1994 as the "build date". I don't have a JDHT certificate to confirm the built (completed?) date yet, I've been meaning to get one of those for a long time. However my car wasn't purchased and registered until November 1994.

Robert, I used some math and figured that your car was made about 40% into production of the 1995 model year. Cool!

Sharp photos, great looking DD6!!

 

She's a looker. Love that color.

 

Hi Yelton,

Came across your thread when I was researching a bit of history on the XJ12 that I have just purchased. I was a bit puzzled to say the least as mine was first registered in Febriaru 1997 on a 'P' plate and yet the last sequence of the VIN is 723676. When I bought it I was thinking it muct have been one of the last produced but based on your information, mine is about 10,000 earlier in the X300 run. If 720125 was the first X300 in June 1994, I'd hazard a guess that my own was built maybe 2-3 months into the run. I will also get a certificate at some point. But I'm 10,000 miles from the car and don't want to hassle someone to get all the necessary numbers for me.

I am intrigued as to why a car made in late 1994 sat on inventory for so long before being bought and registered in 2017. Was this possibly a common occurance? XJ12's not being taken up as quickly as say the DD6 etc and sitting in stock long?

Apologies for not doing an introduction yet, will do so later. The car only became mine yesterday!


1997, XJ12

 

I had an XK8 manufactured in 2000 which was immediately exported by JLR for the opening of the new Jaguar Dealer in Aachen, Germany. It was PDI'd there but never registered in Germany. It came back to Jaguar in the UK the following year and was then registered as a 2001 vehicle. Yours may have had a similarly unusual past.




42 miles on the road in a year but almost 1000 miles on a transporter!

Graham

 

That's interesting. I'm trying to find out more from the seller who received the vehicle from his grandfather when he passed a few years ago. I don't want to bother him too much with digging into the service book etc but he may know or heard some story as the car seemed to be his Grandad's retirement gift to himself and I'm sure it was his pride and joy. All will be revealed with time I guess. But the numbers are for sure, correct.

I've only seen details of one other XJ12 on the net with an older VIN and that was PDI'd on the 28th September 1994, registered 11th Nov 1994 and was 720318 (720018 is mentioned as the 1st X300 chassis number in 1994) and was a dealer demo car for 2 years and evidently seems to be in the first 300 X300's made. Mine is 723676 and so I guesstimate made 2 months after this other XJ12 mentioned.
Do Jaguar/ Daimler heritage always insist on all the numbers being provided to give a result or would they be willing to work on just the VIN considering it's relatively modern?

Scott

 

JDHT used to be a useful and helpful information resource but sadly they are now focussed on maximising income. I've read many reports of JDHT offering to respond to enquiries on a 'time' basis for referencing original paper records when it's blindingly obvious the same question has been asked/answered many time before and the information will inevitably already be digitised.

A history record used to include the original supplying dealer and first owner but in these sensitive Data Protection days such details could be redacted. Nevertheless, they should confirm original engine number, colour and trim from the VIN alone. Service history, even if carried out exclusively at Jaguar Dealers, could be difficult for the genuine reason these will have been paper based records and unlikely to have been preserved.

Graham

 

Thanks GGG. I'll update when I have more info anyhow. I will have the paper records soon. I will ask my friend who is receiving the car on my behalf to photograph all the pages. I'm more interested in the build date, supplying dealer confirmation etc that might be available. I will approach them and see (having paid the requisite fee!). Would love to also ask them a breakdown of X305 DD6/XJ12's made by colour if they have it but I don't know if that info is at their fingertips. People always use the term 'rare colour'. I used to have a Velvet Red Mini Cooper in 2002 (new) and you hardly saw any on the road. But for XJ12's, I've no idea which is common or rare. I tend to see more Carnival or Westminster Blue X300's for sale online but that may just be because they survived better!

 

Well, I have some more information now. It's confirmed as being manufactured on the 20th September 1994 and I think someone else has stated previously that production for the X305 began in September or October 1994. What are your thoughts on what happened to the car between September 1994 and first registration in February 1997? Sat in HR Owen's as a showroom model? At some point sent to Rider's in Truro for their showroom or ordered by a customer? It's very odd that it was so early in the production run for XJ12's and then one of the last registered!

 

Not sure about your neck of the woods but in the USA at least it isn't uncommon for a car to be used as a demonstrator or 'executive car' (dealer/factory/distributor) for a period of time before being sold to a retail customer. During this time it may not necessarily be titled or registered but, instead, being driven with dealer/manufacturer license plates.

It would be unusual for this to carry on for 3 years, though.

Cheers
DD

PS- interesting that the transmission is shown as a GM400. In actuality is would've been a GM4L80E...which is based on the 400 but sufficiently different for GM to have given it a unique designation

 

Hi Doug,

Yes, I thought the GM400 thing was a bit odd too but then noticed that they seem to list that even at parts suppliers. https://www.scparts.co.uk/sc_en/brit...et-262332.html

For trade plates, I have never seen a new car used as a demonsrator on trade plates in the UK. Typically they are registered and then sold off a year later as ex demonstrators at a substantial reduction. Trade plates also have strict rules on when they can be used, usually only for transport between dealers for commercial delivery etc.

 

Im not so sure that September was the first month of production. I have car #427 which sports a build date in August 1994 and a delivery date to the first leaseholder in early February 1995...

 

Also, a fellow Morroco Red owner! I thought I was the only one on here lol

 

I agree. Mine is roughly 3000 over the 'opening' X300 chassis number of 720018. Last XJ40 was produced un June 1994, I saw on a youtube video that training for assembly of the X300 began on a dummy production line and you'd assume that was so they could cutover with minimal delay. I'd assume July or early August was probably the 1st month of production. I may pay JDHT to research how many XJ12's were made before mine out of interest. I'm guessing mine must be reasonably early as it seems to have spent a long time in the dealerships before being sold and so may have been a display model rather than demonstrator.

@Swagger XC Looks like an amazing colour although I haven't seen it in the flesh yet. It's a starnge name when everyone describes it more like aubergine than red. But Morocco red sounds more fancy!