Hello All,
I suppose this has been a bit late coming, but I've been very busy with work over the summer including working at the Olympic games.

Basically, I'm not a X308 driver any more. Sadly the car was becoming too expensive for me to drive daily in the UK and was costing me £70 a week to fuel, more some weeks if I went out anywhere other than work. I'm not in the highest paying industry and at 25 years old my girlfriend and I are looking to buy our first home. So I took a plunge and bought a lovely Diesel powered X Type Estate Sport. Now as a result of the excellent fuel consumption of the diesel I'm only using around £70 a MONTH!! Much better, and it's both cheaper to tax and insure so we're well on the way for saving for a mortgage deposit.

So what has become of my famous X308? The 1999 4.0 V8 with deleted VVT system and performance that would allow it to keep up with a standard XJR? The one who's engine was lovingly rebuilt by Sean B and had all the important bits replaced? The one who's transmission has been filled with fresh fluid and filters? The one with the Special Vehicle Operations Full Daimler Real Ivory leather interior? Well it's currently sat on my neighbours drive waiting to be bought.

I loved every moment of driving the 308, and that is reflected if one reads my numerous posts on this forum. The 308 was my dream car, one I'd wanted since childhood. Driving it anywhere wasn't a routine journey, every trip no matter how sort was an experience. I'll miss the looks people would give me as I waited to pick my girl up from work. I'll miss catching people trying not to be caught checking out the car at the petrol station, or the look of distaste on another guy's face as his girl eyed me in the big cat. The 308 is a special car, one I'll never forget and will no doubt regret having to part with. But sadly I've got to be real, and my future is important. Luckily I've managed to keep the brand in my future.

My X Type is a great car, capable of fantastic turns of speed. It looks good too, so I still get similar looks to those mentioned above. It'll pull a house down with the great torque so can tow car haulers no problem.

I'd just like to say finally, thank you to all who have helped me with my X308 problems over the years. I hope anything I've posted will go on to help others in the future. Good Luck Everyone, keep these big cats purring forever.

Stu.

PS Here is my new X Type.

 

That's a cool car! Have fun!

 

Hey Stu, sad to see the big cat go and will always be remembered fondly I'm sure, but.......

Congrats on the X type, nice ride.

Is there a remap anywhere in your future??

 

Sorry to see you leave our section. I will see you
on our social networking site and the X-Type section.

I think you're the only guy to ever make an N/A XJ go
as fast as an XJR! I always wanted to see a demo
of its speed.

Ian

 

It is indeed a sad day...but the X is great motor. Stu managed to buy it at a very good price!

Someone's going to get an absolute peach of a car, if only I had room at my place for it

Good luck for future Jag motoring Mate!

 

Stu if your neighbour gets fed-up I've got loads and loads of space

With Sean having worked on the X308 someone will be buying a cracker.

All the very best to you and your GF, first time buying is a real challenge for young people these days.

Hope we see you in the X Type section.

 

Thanks Guys,

It's sad and I hope my car goes to a good home where it really is appreciated for what it is and what has been done to him.

Translator: If you want to buy my car I'll happily deliver it to you

Here is a photo of my 308, just a beautiful car.

 

Shame the X308 has to go but you've been able to stay with the marque which is a major plus and the X-Type looks a very tidy example.

You'll be back in the big ones once the more crucial life choices are taken care of.

Graham

 

2.2 turbo six-speed estate X type. Sounds nice. I wish we had them over here. Now you need a couple of little ones to put in the back ! You still have plenty of time to come back into the fold. You're a very level-headed guy for 25. Best to you !

 

I actually like that X, it is really nice. the rims make it stands out.
I would buy one, if the needs every arise.

Never seen one in the States.

 

There will not ever be any little ones in the back of my car, ever! LOL Both my girlfriend and I dislike children and don't plan on having any.

I chose the Estate because I tend to carry a lot of bulky stuff around and it's also handy for towing our car transporter trailer which carries both my Dad's Stock Car (Not a Nascar, more like a sprint car) and my Classic Herald.

In the future I may find myself an old man looking at classic XJ8s in the same way as today's old man looks at a MK2 Jaguar. I will miss the car, but as Jag have just released an Estate version of the XF, I can't help but wonder what an XFR Estate would be like...

 

excellent x-type, good wheels and color. I wish we had more wagon x-types in the states

 

Hi Stu

Sorry to hear the UKs wicked fuel prices got the better of you. I was back in Scotland about a month ago and my conclusion was that EVERYTHING was very expensive. We have a manual X-type here in our Bay Area gathering group..... it's a really cool car. They are soooo cheap here...... I'm trying to convince my wife to get one so I can start working on it instead of getting bloody knuckles on her Integra. I've never seen the estate here...... that would be perfect for our dogs.

You never really leave a particular forum..... I come back here frequently to keep up with whats new on the X308. I saw a dark blue metallic X308 XJR a few days ago and I almost crashed my X350 staring at it ! The 308 really is a classic.

Keep up the Jaguar spirit, pip, pip !

Scott

 

You'll be back once you square off the house Although, if you thought your car was a money pit...wait till you start remodeling...and there is always something to do...

Being in the industry I have to ask you, what are the lending standards for mortgages on your side of the Atlantic?

 

I am sorry to see that your X308 went away but good to see you are still in the Jaguar Family

Hope, your X treats you well

 

Well we'll be first time buyers, and for a mortgage you need a huge amount for a deposit. We're going to need somewhere in the region of £25K+ just to put down a deposit, which is why my beautiful car has to go For the type of houses we're looking at, a modest 3 bedroomed semi detached (duplex in the US I think) with a garage and small garden it's £150,000 ($241,798). It'll no doubt be a tough road, which is why I'm doing so much overtime at work. In fact I've pushed myself too hard and am off sick today

I may be back but with my little Triumph Herald Restoration coming close to the end, I'll be having fun there.