I was farting about on the computer and found a file i started 10 years ago, back when i was keeping track of what i was doing to the jag and how much i was spending!!!
Decided to update it with what receipts i could put my hands on, so theres a couple of years missing, but in 10 years i have spent close to 15 grand!!, not really too bad considering i have no car payment! but Damn, all those little bills add up!!!
shes been painted twice, glass replaced, new suspension all around, complete interior redo, etc etc etc!!

After almost 10 years shes still my Baby!!!

 

All up I'm out of pocket about $9000 AUD. But that includes purchase price, two years registration, a front and rear end rebuild, a respray and everything else I have had to deal with. Everything works except drivers door light switch at the moment, even the 43 year old air con.
Considering it is a daily driver and we sold our other daily driver to keep it and no car payments. It is not such an expensive hobby.

Now, restoring motorcycles I don't ride. That gets expensive.

 

I added up all my bills just before I sold my 1980 Series 3 bought in 1998 in 2002, and in those 14 years spend £14k, so a grand a year. Makes it sound good doesn't it ? £1000 a year equals only £85 a month. Of course there was a small matter of the petrol, (very expensive in the UK for an 18mpg car), plus the insurance and tax each year !

Of course, there was that wonderful magic carpet ride.........priceless !!!

 

Darren, you've ONLY spent $1500 A YEAR!!!

From here that's NOT BAD!!

If you had almost Any other car, I dare say it would cost you At Least that much to operate, and you wouldn't have had Nearly as much fun!

Nor. would you have had opportunity to hang out in this forum.
(';')

 

I haven't spent anything but gasoline and oil & filters in the last 10 years in my '84, but I recently discovered the top front shock bushings were desintegrating, the old "clunk" symptom when taking curves.

what a total dissapointment, I had to open my wallet and spend $9.70 to get a set of new polyurethane bushings mailed to me. I'm depressed with no medication.

I give up.

 

The odd lot stuff at CARQUEST and similar has those grommets. Kinda of generic.


The plasti warp for mine said Ford??? Found on my odds shelf a bit ago. Fiddly to holds the shaft while undoing the nut. I forgot how I solved it???


Way back when, I was changing front shocks on my Ricardo Montalban Chrysler.
Issue solved with the blue wrench. Cut those shafts and all came free.


Carl

 

I found a set of front shock upper poly bushes that matched the measurements of the old bushings I still have with the original Girling shocks which I still have because I'm a pack rat.

I use a small adjustable wrench to hold the shock shaft from turning and then an open end wrench to losen the nuts.

Energy Suspension 9.8146 - Bump Stops - Shock Bushings - 98146. Energy Suspension ENE-9.8146G

 

You guys keep track of the $, fair dinkum, YA need another Jag to take your mind OFF the fundamentals. Preferably a V12.

When we had 5, the wife agreed to another Jag, and then another, and I really thought I was in 7th heaven, this lady is COOL. Many of them were V12's, when we stopped at 8.

I, was of course, suspicious, males are like that, there MUST be an reason for this allowance??????.

Her logic (Elinor take note), "I know EXACTLY where you will be at any given moment in time, and the Jag is WAY cheaper than putting up with a mistress of the flesh type", and when that was explained, I remained absolutely SILENT, and have never gone there ever again, as I am simply NOT that brave.

Just celebrated 30 years married, so I reckon we got the mix just right.

 

Interesting take on the subject Grant, I for one would be spending money on something if not working on the jag and saving money.
And congrats on 30.

 

I'm sorry Francis, I am scared of V12. Though I had the joy of driving a V12 XJ-S one time, and the thing almost pulled my neck off, I decided I was not V12 material.

 

Jose,

NOTHING wrong with that decission.

The V12 is not for everyone.

The 2 you have are awesome cars in their own right.

 

I am SO glad to see this Out Front admission, Jose, because I have more than a little trepidation about owning a V12, but being a mere woman I must be careful how I state such fears.

It would have to be in nearly Perfect order (not to mention the car around it) before I would even consider it.

Besides that, Nix is One Jealous Cat! She already bit husband badly because he didn't treat her with sufficient respect and regard.
(';')

 

Grant:


Yes, many of the opposite sex recognize that factoid.


One wife " I'd rather have him massaging the flank of the Jaguar in our garage than another flank some place else".


When I was a kid, I worked in a gas station. One bay was operated by an older mechanic. At abut five or so, his pal came to vistit in his ancient Chrysler straight eight. The two sat and swapped lies and swigs of bourbon. I overheard the wives that came by. "Oh, well, at least we know where they are!!".


Elinor:


If you are pleased with the snap of your healthy SBC, a V12 would do just fine.
I do agree that the collection of stuff topside on them is a bit daunting. But, the topside of m y FI car is a bit that way as well!!


Jose:


Just cuz the snap is there, it doesn't have to be used each and every time. Only when the Bimmers and the like act snotty.


Carl

 

LnrB & Carl,

a mechanic who worked at a Jag dealership in the 1980's told me they would only make test-drive appointments for the 12 cylinder Jags because the V12 were so temperamental they learned to have the cars "warmed up" and "ready" as near to the appointment as possible, so the potential buyer would not freak out and walk away when the cars would refuse to start or other symptoms showed up during a test drive.

it was he who told me to "stay away from the V12 or you will remember me".

 

Initially I would not have considered a V12, always been a straight six guy and a few V8's along the way but always find myself back in a 6 evntually.
After playing under "paulyling's" bonnet a few times and having Grant only a phone call away, plus a lot time reading through the XJS forum I would jump at an XJS if the right one came along at the right time.
Very nearly had this one earlier in the year for under $6K, but a bike has taken up that bag of change for now.

 

All cars are expensive!! I learned that you cannot count cosmetic and upgrades to your list of expenses. only mechanical and worn out parts. I owned a hot rod shop and in the end. you can never get your money back from everything you put into it. If you break down the expenses to mechanical and cosmetic, and then try to sell it for mechanical plus a little bit then youll do alright. in those cases, the color you picked out that was a bitc# to put on, the new buyer doesn't really like it anyway. the mustang 2 that people put on and payed for the $1000 for, doesn't matter cause the $350 one is all that it really needed....etc..... this breakdown of actual value has helped lots of people sleep at night.
Oh!!!!! BTW, if you throw the reciepts away..... It helps also.

 

LOL
Absolutely! And never, Never, NEVER leave any evidence behind of the foolish money you've thrown after smart money! It's just too painful.
(';')

 

Don't get me started on that subject!!!!

 

At one tie, I had an Excel spread sheet for my Jaguar. I had along going attachment to them.


In the late 70's, I was taking my after lunch walk in the SF financial district. I walked in to a store. Several computers were on a table. For folks to mess with and get addicted. One had a simple spread sheet featuring columns and rows that added. Click in a new number is a space and calculations.


I was impressed, but it took a few years before, I bought my first computer. By then, I was an entrepreneur. Word processing and spread sheets did a lot for me and impressed my clients. Excel enabled as rather nice looking invoice that did most of the calculations. And, in color!!!


So, then came the Jaguar. I opened one for it. then came it's 'loss of engine" !
After a bit of that , I tossed it!!!


Don't look, it doesn't hurt that way!!


Carl

 

And don't write it down either. Those little pieces of paper seem to find their way under your nose at the wrong moments.