In my opinion, it would make a huge difference in the brand if owners would attend more car meets. I'm not talking of E type owners. I'm talking to X308 owners and any year XJ's. I posted in the New York section and in this section about Capt Tree. I had "0" responses. 2,500 cars show up per week at Capt tree or OBI. I came on this board all excited about getting my son a car that I had in 1999. I've been on other boards over the years. And I can tell you that when a posting like mine goes on The Porsche boards (6 speed) or the Ferrari one (Fchat), 50-60 people answer and show up. In my experience, its nice to hang with other car owners with the same interest. I'm not finding it here. Last week I posted about the Manhassett show which is the Pebble Beach of the East Coast. Not one response or comment. And there were numerous XK120's in attendance. Its great to have all the technical questions and answers, but classic car ownership is so much more than that. Came here last week very excited, but going to stay on only reading technical information. Owning a Jag is very special, but its also what you make of it. And most on this board are interested in repairs...

 

I think a lot of it has to do with the age of Jaguar XJ owners and socioeconomic factors. BMW owners tend to be younger, Ferrari and Jaguar XK120 owners tend to be more affluent. I'm sure at car meets, you won't find many 1999 full sized luxury cars present in general. This forum is also less active overall than BMW and Mercedes forums as fewer XJs were sold. The aftermarket parts market is tiny as a result.


I'm a young (27 yrs old), and I've had my car for 11 years (since I was 16, and the car was 3 years old), and I've noticed that the Jag forums shifted from how to upgrade the performance and casual talk to almost strictly repairs as the cars aged and became more problematic. In the early days, the cars were under warranty, certified pre-owned, or under extended warranty and the cars were worth a lot more $. Few people worked on the cars themselves. The X308 forum members tend to now be DIY repairmen who want to run the cars as economically as possible since the cars are now worth very little. Repairs for these cars can easily eclipse the value of the car nowadays.


IMO, the forums for when the cars were still in production were more enjoyable to read, but they were less useful. The forums now are much more helpful and filled with detailed repair info. Questions about repairs were more likely to go unanswered ten years ago. I'd bet a post about a car meet would garner more interest in the forums for newer Jags (XF et al) than the X308 however.


Just my two cents

 

It is what it is I'm afraid.
We have though many meet events going on in various regions at various times, sometimes its down to time and effort as well.

For example I myself had a very successful meet event some time ago, with around 30 cars and perhaps 40 odd people.
It took me many many weeks of posting / planning, dozens if not hundredss of emails / pm's updating this or that etc etc
1 post just wouldn't cut it ...

I do hope you continue to enjoy the forums.


Pretty much true in most respects I'd say.

Probably, if its the meet event side the OP is interested in, they'd get more mileage as it were from joining a local Jaguar club, who's primary focus is meet events.

 

My dad started buying Jaguars in the 50's -- I have never not had a Jaguar or two in the driveway. Jaguar's typically were a different buyer then other british makes and the german cars alway attracted a bit more of a car enthusiast ... most Jaguar owners never touched their cars ,, except the keys. And know almost nothing about what makes them tick.

Porsche and the Italian sports were/are in a completely different arena ... although with the proliferation of models in the Porsche lineup .. the buyers are looking more and more like Jaguar owners.

 

I've taken my x308 to a few meets, but I guess I'm a little different than the average x308 owner. My HOBBY is restoring and collecting classic cars and always own two or three classics at a time, not including my daily drivers. I take something to a local car show nearly every weekend from March through October. If all my classic cars are under the knife on any given weekend, I'll even take the XJ8 out to the muscle-car shows. People are always interested to see it (probably because its not yet another Chevelle or Camaro). Having the x308 as a fair weather daily has been an excuse to go to local Jaguar events too and I haven't found a nicer bunch of people. The local club includes a few x300s and 308s, but there's only two big shows a year.

But here's something I've noticed about even classic car owners. When I meet people at random, through my career or other social activities and find out they own a classic car, I will always invite them to come out to my favorite monthly show. Nine times out of ten, they either make some excuse or tell me straight out they don't have any interest in participating in car shows. Sure they own a cool car but they merely enjoy it for themselves and have no interest in socializing around it. I guess its the same thing as with the billions of sports fans who don't hang out at the sports bar, have watch parties or play in the fantasy leagues.

 

Hi Garyres,

I love car shows too, but here in the Mid-South most of them lean toward American Muscle and Hot Rods. The last notable exception was in 2001, when the Jaguar Clubs of North America held their national meet here in Franklin, Tennessee. There were plenty of XJ40s, X300s and X308s in attendance, along with the largest group of C- and D-types ever assembled in one place, including some Le Mans runners (yes, the meet was AWESOME!).

It's true that the majority of posts on this forum have to do with repair issues. That's just a fact of long-term Jaguar ownership. From the list of cars you've owned just in the recent past, it appears that when your car develops a problem, you just sell it and buy another one! Not a bad strategy!

That's a nice list of cars, by the way, except for the '83 Mustang....

Cheers,

Don

 

I'm a car guy that has always turned my own wrenches. I'll be working on the X350 tomorrow in fact. I used to take my GTO to car shows all the time, but I just don't see the VDP or S-Type as car show vehicles.

 

In my neck of the woods, the only reason to take my '98 to a local car show would be simply to get myself there and find a parking spot. It would be a total fish out of water if put on display. In fact, I don't remember the last time I saw a Jaguar at a show… One of these days I'm going to take my XJ40 and sit back and watch peoples' faces.

I also own a '29 Model A Ford, and I can confidently say that all my fellow Model A friends are either retired or elderly. I'm 39 with four kids and a triathlon hobby. As much as I love my cars, love driving them, and tinkering on them as best I can, I also just don't have time to spend a whole day sitting in lawn chair under the shade tree behind McDonalds. I'd LOVE to - just can't. That, combined with the fact that my automotive interest is in niche genres (Don's comments about rods and muscle cars from the 60s and 70s is very much true in the Midwest) means that I, alas, don't find a ton of camaraderie when I do go.

That said… If somebody in the Madison, WI area proposed something on a Saturday that didn't require much more than 30 miles travel and I'd be assured there would be other Jags and forum members present, I'd make every effort. Also, while I can't speak to other "exotic" forum boards, compared to more average cars, in my observation this forum blows everything else out of the water with the level of community, involvement, and chitchat. I think we can be very proud of that.

Cheers!
Scott

 

I actually keep them for a long time. Wrote sold on some but it was recently. The 1983 Mustang was bought new. I owned it at the same time owning the 1968. It doesn't look good today, but in 1983 it was nice. Put it this way...it was the fastest car 0-60 in 1983. It did a 7 sec to 60. Porsche 911 did a 7.2 0-60 as did the 308 Ferrari. It was a different time. I owned many more. The Forum didn't let me post it because it was limited to space. My Lamborghini I bought in 2007. I own it 7 yrs. My Bentley is a 2009. I own it 5 yrs. My old XJR was 6 yrs old before I got rid of it. My issue is that Jaguars are very nice cars. They fit in to any show. There is nothing built that looks like them. It doesn't matter that its a $10,000.00 car. You guys would love the car world more than you think. Anyone in the New York Area. Come down to Capt tree Sunday. I guarantee you a great time. Coffee is on me!!

 

Well this is an interesting thread. I have always wanted to see more XJ sedans at car meets. At the last "Texas All British Car Days", few weeks back, within a great turn out of many British cars, and within a few nice Jags, I was the ONLY XJ sedan present. Really? Need to see more out to shows - no shy besides all the other beautiful Jags.

Cheers

 

On the whole Jag owners are simply not very enthusiastic. One barometer of this is that JCNA...Jaguar Clubs of North America....struggles to keep 5000 members/year. The bigger Porsche/Corvette/BMW clubs have, what? 20,000- 30,000-40,000 members? Maybe more? Of course, in those clubs not every member goes to car shows but, still......


Frankly I attribute at least some this to the market Jaguar carved for itself for over two decades. In the USA, at least. Gradually but unmistakably, starting after the E-type was discontinued and not ending, really, until just recently, Jaguar distanced itself from car enthusiasts. Advertsing with references to power/sports/performance became fewer and farther between. The cars themselves become softer and softer. Soon enough "Jaguar" was associated only with style and elegance...strictly a car for arriving at the opera. For *old people arriving at the opera*, specifically. For the most part this is not the 'car show' crowd.

Of course the power/speed/performance angle is not an absolute requisite for an enthusiastic owner base ....but it sure doesn't hurt

Cheers
DD

 

I get it and agree with most of you. But I do sense that some of you guys would go and some feel like a fish out of water.

My opinion is that if you made a commitment to a 10-20 yr old Jaguar. And are committed to the $$ to keep them running, which most on this board are, then by default you're a car guy.

I feel that most are intimidated by other cars at the show. I get that, and I hope that if you are, you can get past that.

I'm trying gauge what people think of my 2002 XJR. Some, mostly women don't know what it is, and most guys who don't know cars can't figure out what year it is.

But I will tell you that if you ask random people how much do they think this car is worth, you would be surprised at the answer.

Most of the time, the answer is $30,000.00. Or I get "why did you buy such an expensive car for your son"?

That is because the car is BEAUTIFUL. From the simple elegance of an XJ8, to the classiness of the Vanden Plas to the way the XJR just sits there and looks like a sports car.

These cars would fit in at Car meets. Car guys at car meets like cars. Period.

I'm not saying bring it to the local Ferrari meet. Most Ferrari guys, and I'm talking about the young ones with the 458's, are obnoxious.

I also think that the F-type is getting kids into the brand and they all love it. They don't remember or never cared to know the old XJ's, but now they see the lineage from the E-type.

This is a good thing and brings young blood into the Jag brand. Remember, if your car looks like it's new, and its 15 plus yrs old, it will get respect.

People will ask questions about it. I parked mine the other day, and turned around 2-3 times to take another look.
After all these years, its still has the best lines. The best curves.

If anything, I got you guys to think about it.

 

Also, in Autoweek, this week edition, huge spread on Jaguars. I did not see one comment or any mention of it. It was a great article. My point is, I hope you guys crawl out from under the car and bring it to the local coffee shop.

Many coffee shops have coffee and cars. You don't know about it unless your in that circle. All over Long Island on weekends there is something going on.

Ok. I also know that within 15 minutes of my house there is a Ferrari, rolls Royce, bentley, Aston Martin, and Porsche dealers. And I also understand that Long Island has more expensive cars then anywhere else in the US. LA and Miami being equal.

But New Jersey and Pennsylvania have many car meets. I enjoy it as many of my friends who don't have cars do. Start one at the local coffee shop on Sunday mornings.

You would be surprised how many start to show up.

 

I started out rebuilding Triumphs ... mostly TR4's ... I can talk cars all day. I still go to a couple of the british shows. Jaguars were always country club cars .. just too expensive for mass market ... both entry price and cost of ownership. So... it was really the cars picking the owners. Jaguar became a very regional brand and with specific buyers.

Some of the car shows have become a bit too commercial -- and I am personally tired of talking HP -- and Mods ... I just don't care. I love seeing the original cars .. that's one of the great positive developments in the past 10+ years.

The whole "cars and coffee" proliferation is very appealing. I have old MB's and a couple of Porsches -- Lots of Porsches at most of these events.

I find that many people are interested in the XJR -- most have no idea that Jag has a V8 .. and are really surprised that it is supercharged. Still stuck in the S6 and V12 era .. now gone 18 model years ago.

 

It is really quite simple: it is money. Someone up the thread called it socioeconomic factor: most of us drive the car, we do not have the funds for a selection of world class cars in a very large garage. Nor time nor money to attend the great car shows -- I have a friend who attends the Pebble Beach Concours every year, I am jealous as hell, but he can afford it, so good for him and I love the pictures he sends.

That doesn't mean we don't like the car and take the best care of it we can.

 

I like pretty much anything with an internal combustion reciprocating engine that I can ride in or on. There are of course the minority that only like certain cars. For instance, here in Fort Worth, it sometimes seems as if everybody at a local car show was laid off from the local GM plant or has friends or relatives who were and hold a grudge against Japan for kicking GM in the differential starting back in the 1980s. They'll give European luxury cars a little slack since they don't see them as competition, but there are only a few shows that I feel comfortable taking my Toyota Supra. But interestingly, the only Ferrari owners I know, I know them because they also own other types of much cheaper cars that I have also owned. Most serious collectors, collect across a wide range of genres, decades and values - simply a matter of whatever they like.

 

You miss the point. Car shows/ meets are free! We are not talking of Pebble Beach. The time comment, they are usually Sat afternoon or Sunday mornings.

 

supras and RX7 from the early 1990's are always welcome at any show. Supras are rare and have gone up in value. I raced a 1993 RX7 back in the day. I love your first sentence. Sums me up!

 

By the way Ferrari 308's are $20,000 cars. Not a lot more than ours and they are more rare. Yet I always see 308's at car shows. It's the relationship of the owners, and their cars that is important. Show up on a Sun morning with some friends and next thing you know there are 20-30 cars. Great way to get out of the house.

 

My 308 is getting long in the tooth: years, not miles. Me too which is making it tough to do the work (did everything myself 'cept rear shocks and fuel filter); but back surgery this year is going to make it problematic going forward. Moeover, with bad knees and rotator cuff issues, getting in and out and long drives have become an issue.

So today I went to my local JLR dealer to drive a used LR4 and 2012 XJL SC. LR4 is probably where headed, but I was flabergasted by the new Jag. My 308 has it beat hands down: quieter, smoother running, smoother ride both back two laners and interstate, cleane braking, super smooth idle. Maybe cuz it was a supercharged model (?), don't know, but underwhelming.

Think I'll hang onto the XJ8l . . .

Every now and then our local 1%ers hold a meet in our Town Center parking lot: lots of Ferraris, a neat Lambo, Porsches, old, old stuff, a few 120s and 140s, bunches of 'vettes. Always intersting. And I park the super sparkling BRG 308 at the curb (aka kerb): never any ^^^^ing interest! Just another old guys car.