Can any tell me the draw and love for these old cars,they are a lot of cars with great track records, or just a fix up of old cars or what? all of them have a forum, must be just a thing or something, American and Jap. cars are very nice and last for ever in some places , just wondering , Satterfield

 

MAAAAATE.

Its in the blood, trust me.

I have driven NOTHING else, so NO idea what, if anything, I have missed.

I cannot put it into words, its just that tingle when the XJ-S V12 hits 6500 on the open road, and you just know there is MORE to come, and NO effort at all.

Then the X300, soooooo sweet, so smooth, so silent, sooooo Jaguar.

Then our 2 S Types, just different in a Jaguar sort of way.

See what I mean.

 

Well,i have a 97,xj6 vdp, and i understand the Jag feeling when i am on the road in mine, a lot of cars today are kind of a throw away car in time, and some are not , could be what the Jag, is made of ,good metal and ect, anyway thanks, Satterfield

 

Yes there are forums for almost anything! It depends on what interests a person. Here it is the Jag-u-er. Most forums are for those who wish to upgrade and mod current models, or for those interested in restoring old cars and keeping them (or bringing them back) on the road.

Those who don't have interest in forums are usually those who have little mechanical ability, and who will use a car for a few years and then trade it in for the next generic transportation machine!

In general, cars have become another disposable appliance. That's because not many cars actually interest their owners enough to keep it, learn about it, and make it last.

 

Well guys, i agree with you all on all inputs , i was just getting feed back from you guys, i have a good jag and will keep it, truly made of good stuff, good day to all, Satterfield

 

I have come to see my Jags as therapy. I am convinced I am most likely a 54 year old kid with a never ending quest to be challenged. And Jags will do that, that is for certain. I often times as myself why I do what I do, when life is so short. But, then again, the joy I get of putting these cars back into top shape, when people have given up on them, gives me a great sense of satisfaction. I think its all about what trips our triggers so to speak.

 

I agree, i was an air craft tech in the Navy for over 20 years, i guess i just like to fix stuff, by the way, i am 74 in Aug. this year, and i will never grow up, what ever the heck that means ,lol , i am about 30 miles + or - from where you live the upstate, Satterfield

 

For me, the draw of older European cars in general has always been driving pleasure, luxury, and styling. I've always been that guy who gets the second hundred thousand miles out of a car, and by dint of research manages to do so fairly economically. Since being an undergrad in college (and I'm about to turn 45 this month) I've owned Audi, VW, two BMWs, Mercedes, and now my first Jaguar.

There's also a bit of guilty pleasure in people thinking you must have spent a fortune and/or are some sort of immature Peter Pan type when in fact, your cost of ownership over time is lower (and cool factor far higher) than that of the "practical" Subarus, Civics, and Corollas on which said detractors are still making payments.

Though I'm brand new to Jaguars, I'd say that their draw in particular is the design, ride, and handling. The look of the X300/X308 is like nothing else on the road, and at risk of stereotyping, women tend to like it--which can make a car geek's life easier. (My fiancee has wrinkled her nose and rolled her eyes at countless Benzes and Bimmers I've looked at; her reaction to the Jag was "Ooooh, pretty! Ok, we can get it.")

The ride is unbelievably smooth, in a different way than my Mercedes W140 S-class--lower center of gravity but incredible insulation from bumps and road noise. And the handling, while hardly that of a sports car, is sure-footed and effortless.

Add the Vanden Plas trim level and long wheelbase of the car I was lucky enough to acquire, and for me, it's like the ideal cross between a Rolls-Royce and a BMW 5-series: It's as good a driver's car as it is a passenger's car, and it drives like a smaller car than it really is.

It's early in my Jaguar ownership, but honestly I think the X300 XJ may be one of the finest luxury sedans ever made. And because many people have exaggerated misconceptions about Jaguars being unreliable (which can be the case with certain models and/or getting one with a lot of deferred maintenance), it's a total buyer's market.

In getting a well-maintained specimen, I feel like I just discovered the best kept secret on the planet.

 

The draw comes from situations where my well-worn 95 gets the attention of a well-to-do senior woman who walks out of her way to tell me that my car is "exquisite" and continues on with her daughter raving about the car.

 

I get compliments all the time, honestly.

My wife even received some comments from co-workers who happened to drive by our house and noticed the car, and she didn't even know they were aware of where we lived!

I think it is just the classic styling honestly. It is very unique, and instantly recognizable as "Jaguar". That shouldn't really be any more surprising than any other make/model that has maintained a consistent and successful 'look' for several decades.

.

 

The interior is just such a nice place to be for me. No other car I've driven compares. I spend a lot of time on the road so it's important to be happy and comfortable in my car and nothing makes me feel that way like this Jag.

 

I agree completely. Clearly the preference for the X300 interior over another such as the X308 is a personal perspective, probably preferred by older owners that grew up with the type of styling in the X300 and also found in interiors of other cars from the past.

Although the X308 interior is "nice", I checked one out this weekend for the first time, and I can very honestly say I find the X300 interior to look much more substantial and classier. Again, personal preference/opinion, but never the less.

I wonder if younger generations that grew up with car styling that is more rounded, plastic, "formed" and with lots of gizmos/buttons are the generations that in general prefer something like the X308 interior?

I'm sure this has already been hotly debated in both the X300 and X308 sections

.

 

A Jaguar really stirs emotions that "ordinary" cars just can't invoke, nor can most other prestige brands IMHO! Going by the postings here I think it's the case for most owners. It's about the total "feeling" you get behind the wheel, the sheer style of the thing, the compliments you get (yes indeed, especially from the ladies!), the fact that in a parking lot your car stands out in a sea of nondescript generics. There must be a hundred little things we all love about them, one of my favourites being the "feel" of perfectly weighted power steering transmitted through the smooth polished wood & leather steering wheel - very tactile. Maybe we get a bit carried carried away, but who cares!

 

I have a hit list of cars that I would like to own. I think the xjr is on a lot of peoples list. Complement Jaguar cars for maintaining the image. I like to find cars at the near bottom of their value. The x306 xjr6 is there now and I happened to find a decent one while I was looking. Almost bought a Merc s600 V12. missed 3 actually. Just caught this car at the right time. Ive owned a handful of premium marque autos. I would say my Jaguar experience is similar to the older Land Rovers. Its a Bristish thing and I'm not sure what they still produce have the mystique they used to have. A lot of that went away with the internet and global social media. The minute I got in my xjr for a test drive I new it was a special car. You feel like your driving a rolling accomplishment of the brand. Rolling art I suppose to some degree. It has design flaws. But that adds charm. One of my favorite Rover quotes went something like "the joy of the drive in this car is a combination of the respect and love for the marque and its capabilities coupled with the sheer astonishment that it started in the first place."

 

This will probably sound crazy but I have always been a fan of big Chrysler sedans from the late 60's and early 70's. When I first drove my XJ6, it felt like a modern, higher quality version of a of one of those Chrysler sedans. It still does. If only it had a column shifter and a bench seat...

I wish it had the torque of a 440ci V8 but I'm glad it doesn't have the fuel economy of one.

 

I agree.

Jaguar got carried away with the whole 'swoops and curves' thing when designing the X308 interior.

Cheers
DD

 

Not crazy at all, IMHO.

Personally, when it comes to big Chryslers, I prefer the mid-60s Imperial Crown....but there's a big soft spot in my heart for most any of the old American luxury yachts. Fabulous cars. No, not 'drivers cars' like Jags....but a real pleasure to drive nevertheless. And for a long time those prestige brands (Lincoln, Imperial, etc) were very high quality and massively over-built. Anyone who takes a good look at a few will know what I mean. Lots of high grade materials and engineering that you wouldn't see in a Chevy or more ordinary make/model. Eventually, though, the manufacturers cheapened them up and turned 'em into plastic-mobiles.

The USA luxury barges are a very real part of automotive history and deserve to be appreciated for what they are.

Just my two cents

Cheers
DD