You know, with all of the posts I see on here about breakdowns and breakups with these cars I feel compelled to write something positive.

I have only owned my XJR for a month or so now but I really love this car. I mean, it's probably verging on unhealthy lol. I get to drive her to work everyday because our other vehicle is a diesel truck and well, with the cost of diesel right now I might as well charter a plane back and forth.

The car is smooth as silk and although she may not have the punch she had when new when you step on the gas, she still has some giddyup in the ole legs and corners like an old wooden roller coaster. I have already scared two people riding with me to the point they lift up in their seat, you know that pucker so hard you have no choice but to lift in the seat and pray your butt makes it to the other side of the corner kind of lift. That is satisfying enough right there lol.

It has some interior flaws like the headliner falling and some cracked leather but still......comfort is not even a word you can use to describe sitting in this car.

I just wanted to give people something positive to read from my experience with this car. I'm a car guy to my soul and I would buy this car again with no hesitation. Thumbs up Jaguar!!

 

I have a VDP that I bought just last Friday. I have to say that it is a very nice car. How ownership plays out remains to be seen of course but I consider this car to be something special. I know as a '98 it is "old" and so many people instantly think bad things when they hear Jag. For me, the car just wreaks of class. The tray tables, the long wheelbase, all the veneer and on and on.

Mine is fun to drive but with less than a week of owning it I only have one complaint. It just isn't that comfortable in the drivers seat. I cant seem to get it in to a position I like and getting in and out of the car isn't easy. I'm nearly
6.1 so I'm not a giant but not a midget. I hit my feet on the wheel, pedals, etc. I suppose that over time I will learn how to enter more gracefully. Still, I really bought this car for the backseat. All that room.

Anyway, I'm glad to hear that you are happy with your car and if you treat her well I hope she returns the love. I've had many cars and am a car guy myself. I hope my Jag experience is positive because I've always admired them.

 

Try setting your seat cushion to the lowest position and setting the front part to its highest position. I'm 6' tall, and this helped quite a bit. Only on a 8 hour road trip, did my right leg get a bit uncomfortable. But, I agree, the seating position is kinda strange. My keys slap my knee all the time, and my knees can feel closed in by the steering column. It hurts to sit on my wallet after about 25 mins of driving, so I always

Is your steering wheel set to retract when you open the door? That helps alot too.

 

Adjust the throttle! Then you'll know how she felt when she was factory fresh! Trust me on this!

 

I love my Jag also. The little things that make it so classy. The engine in mine is so smooth sometimes I have to check the tach to make sure it's really running (this is with 103K miles). I have gotten used to the slightly awkward entry into the driver's seat. I used to have to jump out and shut the trunk (boot) frequently because my knee would hit the release button. The back seat is the real comfy spot. What other car has controls on the back of the front passenger seat so you can move it from the back seat ? I really need to spend more time back there, trouble is, I don't trust anyone else to drive it !

 

+1, I do this and am also 6' tall.

It is not the most ergonomic or comfortable car (or practical for that matter) but it is a magnificent thing of beauty and gives me more pleasure than any other inanimate object that I have ever owned

 

I've done that but I'm still not where I would like to be as far as comfort goes. I've had the car a week tomorrow so I'm just going to be patient. I'm sure that as I get used to her I'll things will get better.

 

Its great to hear you all are loving yours as much as me. As far as the interior comfort and ergonomics....I am only 5'7" so I have to fight to fall asleep in this thing after only 15 minutes. I mean, it is ultra mega comfortable. I like the low rumble of the exhaust. It's not loud and annoying like my 65 GTO but just perfectly satisfying that it reminds you it's all still right there under the hood. The styling on this car is pure perfect in my opinion. I do feel special driving this thing for some reason. It's theraputic just cruising around in it. Let's hear some other good things about your ole cats.

See, I told you it is borderline unhealthy .

 

I got my '03 XJ8 last June or July. My wife and I have accumulated almost 10k miles during that time (105k or so on the odometer now). The car has been a pure joy. It does need an 02 sensor and possibly new springs but still rides excellent. I am 6'3 and find the drivers seat to be a cozy, snug but comfortable place to be. I love driving the car and it's styling is absolutely timeless. This is one case where I don't mind doing the repairs even if they are expensive. Hell, I got the car for 1/10th the price it cost new.

 

Hey DBA, Palm Harbor huh? We are neighbors. I live in Palm Harbor as well. What area are you in?

 

Oh man the ol' Jaguar therapy sessions. Before a huge stressful exam (I'm in grad school), I just take a cruise at night with the sunroof open, even if it is freezing outside and play music. I have a curvy 'test track' road along a lake that fly down around 3am (absolutely no traffic, with guard rails along the water) that makes passengers drop their jaw when they realize a huge Jag is moving like this!

The deep exhaust tone sounds so smooth and high end. Standing behind the car while it starts up sounds pretty good, or when she is just idling. Sounds much better than the BMW 4.4L v8, or the ford 4.6L v8.

The X300 XJ6 actually sounds pretty similar at idle and light throttle. Start up and wide open throttle sounds worse IMHO. At high rev, the XJ6 sounds a bit raspy, probably because its such a long stroke engine. It sounds similar to the Volvo I6 from the 960/S90 or like a 100x more refined version of the Jeep 4.0 I6

 

Near Innisbrook. My VDP is a gold color and I have a license plate frame nobody else has - Cray Supercomputer.

 

I love my 99 XJR cat, from the power and handling to the beautiful and particular English designed and installed coachwork. It has so much more class and style, may I say "character" that most other luxury cars of its time, or the current crop IMO. Combine that with the reliability and technology that Ford transfered, and the ridiculous resale value of these fantastic vehicles (probably a fear factor discount due to Jaguar's prior reputation of very costly repairs needed at something greater than the norm for the industry), and what is not to love?

Powerful, sporty, luxurious, reliable, stylish, exclusive, BEAUTIFUL, and... inexpensive. Got to love the x308. I am sold; it is the best car I have owned.

Now, on to those tensioners.

 

I appreciate the tasteful use of chrome and the veneers the most. Still, I love those long back doors. I could look at them for days. I'm starting to grow fond of the leaping cat on the hood as well. I've named my car "Whiskers" The wife just rolls her eyes.

 

So Whiskers says Cray Supercomputer and your username is DBA-One, where you the first database admin at Cray or something?

The Cray CX1 case is great looking!

 

I trust you can keep enjoying your Jag , it's lovely to see such appreciation threads anywhere on the forums , thanks a lot

 

I'm in Boot Ranch. We are extremely close. My wife is the one usually driving the Jag. Hard to miss with wheels. We will cya around.

 

Since I was about 13 I have lusted over various Pre 1971 American cars and the 65 GTO is way up there! I have a model of the Convertible Hurst Edition in Turquoise with Turquoise interior and it looks awsome! If I ever win big on the lottery a GTO is on my list. You are lucky!

Other Yank Tank Favourites of mine are: 1958 Chevrolet Impala Sport Coupe, 1961 Corvette, 1969 Charger R/T, 70 Challenger R/T and 51 Mercury Coupe. As a teenager I watched films like "Vanishing point"," Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry" and "American Graffiti" over and over so I became a big fan of US Classics

I love my XJ8 though and I love going places in it. I sometimes wish the exhaust was a little more pronounced but I can work around that.

 

My wish list is for a 1963 or 64 Lincoln Continental convertible (4-door) or any 1950-68 Imperial convertible

 

How about the yank tanks of the 80s-early 90s? I don't think anyone has fond memories of that era. lol When V8s were getting replaced by vibrating pushrod v6s with strange sounding exhaust tones.

Plymouth Acclaim? There weren't any parades or celebrations when this was released despite being the "Acclaim".

Oldsmobile Delta Eighty-Eight Royale Brougham? Mark Cross Chrysler New Yorker Landau? With all these superlatives, one would assume these cars would be beautiful masterpieces that set new standards in craftsmanship. Definitely not the case.

I think the 6000SUX in Robocop was an appropriate name for alot of cars in this era.