Hi Guys that isn't a misprint but can I be the only owner of an XJS who just gets really paranoid about where they park their Car?

Let's cut to the chase 'A thing of beauty is a joy forever' and they don't get much more beautiful than the gorgeous XJS!

When ever I take her out for a spin, heads turn in every direction and even when I get petrol, no one can walk by her without taking an envious look.

The problems always seem to arise when ever I park her somewhere, which I've only ever done in an almost empty car par, only to return, to find someone in a 4X4 full of hyperactive kids parked right next to it.

Which is when I really start to panic, as kids are prone to throwing open car doors, unaware of what they might bang into.

I even came back to find someone using the wing as a seat!

Even worse is the person with a dog on a lead who come in close to admire the car, while his 'mutt' does its best to dig his claws into the paintwork.

Nowadays I never ever leave it unattended and have the key in the ignition ready to start up and drive away.

Its a little bit sad that it comes to this but does anyone else share my view?

 

I'm *very* selective about where I park. I hate door dings!

Cheers
DD

 

I agree with you on the beauty of the XJS, I had one for my first Jaguar...and never looked back. Now I have an XJR and LandRover Discovery. I've got british fever! But with the XJR I take extreme caution on where I park, that British Racing Green doesnt repaint itself! Especially since I wash and wax her every two to three weeks. I typically park in a spot where a car can only get to one side of me, not both, then pull in closely to the far side. However when it came to my $1,000 XJS or $500 land rover, I park wherever i can because the paint on them isnt all that glorious anyway haha

 

parallel parking on ny streets isn't too big of a deal for me, believe it or not.

with the pre-facelift bumpers, i bet careless parkers have done more damage to their own painted bumpers (even on personality-free econoboxes and compact family sedans) than to mine.


parking lots are another story.
the car is so low, i'm waiting for a tahoe or suburban to back up over it when not paying attention. even the minis around me look down onto it from about 6 inches higher.

 

Funny you should mention this as only today I was complaining about it, using the same "when I park in a supermarket car park, even if I park it in the most distant place I return to find some numpty parked close to it!!".

So it's paranioa but a common one and justified!!
Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean they're not out to get you!!!

 

Hi Anjum@Dr Scientist@Adam68@Doug

I was even a little bit paranoid, wondering what reception that this post might get, would everyone think I was crazy or was I not alone?

Lets me tell you a very short story to illustrate my point.

I parked my Merc 190e (which is my everyday ride) in a virtually empty overspill Supermarket Car Park to go shopping.

There was no other cars remotely near me but when I came out and made for my Car a Woman stopped me in my tracks and asked if I owned the Merc.

When I said Yes! she said you are going to hate me! but I have just driven into the side of your car!

She was trying to park along side (in a RHD) by doing a left turn and said that when her car came to a stop (because it had touched mine) she just kept on going until she got it round!

There was acres of space in this car park she could have parked anywhere but she ended up doing £1,000 worth of damage!

Because I insisted on having Mercedes fix it, rather than some insurance friendly garage.

When I contacted her insurance company, she said it wasn't her fault and that it was me who had driven into her.

Not easy to do with an arm full of shopping with the car locked and ignition keys still in my pocket!

It took a year before she paid up and even though it wasn't my fault my own insurance company tried to give me a 'black mark' with a not at fault accident.

Which could have affected my no claims bonus, as they tend to look for any excuse to try and up your Premium even if as in this case, I was in no way to blame.

If it had been my XJS I think I would have probably slit my wrists!

From what I can tell the psychology seems to suggest if you park your rust bucket next to a nice looking car, it gives you the kind of gravitas that your life probably lacks.

But in my local Supermarket the best empty spaces are right at the bottom by a wall, the only problem being, its got goal posts painted on it, where the kids play football!

And those footballs bounce everywhere and one even knocked the bonnet star off my Merc 190e.

Supermarket not liable, Customers Park at own risk!

When I go out in the XJS I always carry a camera phone in case the worst should happen and never let the car out of my sight.

It spoils the enjoyment of driving but...

Unfortunately the World has changed and people just do not seem to respect other peoples property anymore.

 

Most deserted part of parking lot where no one will ever park, come back out and some junker is parked within inches of me, makes me want to wait on them and kick *** but he might be to big so I just bash his windshield in and go on my way. LOL not really but I do think about it.

 

Hmm .... get this ....

... around here the driving schools go out into parking lots to teach their rank amateur students how to park in slots ... using the mirrors ... apparently looking directly at obstacles to the rear is now discouraged. They like the quieter areas for obvious reasons. The same ones Jaguar owners like. If the "instructor" sees you park with an empty slot beside you, he waits until you are away from the car before telling the student to use *that* spot for practice. I stand in the target spot and glare at them until they get the message. Hmmm ... maybe being conspicuous about taking a picture of their vehicle and plates with a phone will get the message across that they should move on.

... then they let these 20 hour wonders out onto the public roads as being "fully qualified". Low wage inexperienced instructors licensed after a few hours in the classroom combined with no real proven curriculum or standards. Both sides of the equation engaged in a mandatory exercise. What could possibly go wrong?

It's no wonder some of them cannot seem to figure out how to center a car in their own lane. They hug one line or the other. Usually the one on the side closest to you as you try to get past.

 

Hi Macdoesit

OMG! I used to hate all Black cars until I saw yours!

That has to be one of the best looking XJS that I have ever seen!

And yup! I get the same feeling when a junker parks next to my Merc (my everyday ride)

But when some idiot used the wing of my 24,000 Miles from New XJS V12 as a make shift seat, let's just say that I was not amused!

Looking at your dream machine you've got ***** to park that anywhere!

All Supermarkets should provide an area for nice cars to park with double spaces like they have for Parents with children and the disabled.

 

Hi Plums (The Mod)

Tell me about it! Where do these idiots come from, you've got to blame the Parents for bringing up these buffoons.

If they want to drive nice cars all they really have to do is give up drinking and smoking and foreign holidays and save up the money for something worthwhile like I did, in the form of an XJS the gift that keeps on giving!

The only downside of driving one apart from the hideous fuel bills, is that it seems to attract people like flies.

P.S. How do I put a pic of my Jag in a post (all replies welcome)

 

you're not the only one paranoid about where to park - I will park at the farthest end of the lot where no one else is parked and take up 2 spaces. Have had a few folks yell at me but it's not like they had any intention of parking that far away.

 

I seem to be in the minority. While I certainly can't stand door dings, rude parkers, people that sit on my car etc.... I am not paranoid about my car. It does have its fair share of dings and scrapes but to me this is just the signs of an honest car that gets driven rather than a trailer queen. I find cars that actually have "miles" on them are more cool. Our Jags were built to be driven. Why put a V12 in it if it is only meant to sit in a garage or parked on the grass at a local show? It's funny, my 88 was a beat to death car. The goldish-tannish paint was dull at best with the bulk of the clearcoat peeling off. Everytime my girlfriend got out of the car pieces of the seat went with her. But as bad as it was, I had multiple positive comments daily! After the front seal started leaking so bad and would coat the R/F brake caliper I took it off the road and it is now being stripped for parts.

 

I thought my wife was bad about parking her XJ8 way out in the south 40 to the point where my grandson complained about the long walk to the store. Well now I have an XJS and it is parked out in the FAR south 40 and I also look for the spot that only exposes one side to the offending sloppy drivers. I have spoken to my shrink and he assures me it is quite normal and may even be required to remain at peace with the world.

 

Hi Include me in!

I also always park furthest away from the 'madding crowd' even in my old 190 Merc which still looks ace!

But for reasons I don't fully understand you always get these idiots parking too close to you, even in a virtually empty car park.

Maybe they think its good for their ego or something?

 

Hi Oddrods

I too used to drive an old Jag which was an XJ6 Still a bit of a looker but only in ok condition and I didn't worry too much where I parked it, as if I wanted it was cheap enough to go and buy another one.

So in that respect you are not in the minority.

But when you have an XJS or in my case more than one in Pristine condition, then if you are a Petrol head it is not only a Big Boys Toy but also your pride and joy, where enjoyment also comes from looking after it.

So its really only natural not to go out of your way to put it to risk by parking it next to a 4X4 full of screaming kids who just don't care.

 

Even though mine is 27yrs old, I try to park it next to other Jags / BMW / Mercs or other high end cars - they may not be so eager to bump into me then!!

 

Hi Ronald P

So I guess that confirms my suspicions that I'm not so nuts after all, as there I was starting to think that it was only me!

I almost never ever park the XJS in a Car Park and look for somewhere quirky like right next to a puddle or preferably a grass verge where no one else goes.

I've also printed some stickers to say the car is fitted with a remote security camera and if your close enough to read this then your image has been recorded.

The problem here, is in the UK the price of Petrol is so dear that nowadays there are very few sports cars of any description on the road.

So when someone sees an XJS it really has the Wow! factor that seems to pull people towards it like a magnet.

I quite often get 'boy racers' in their 'hot hatches' pull alongside when I am driving along, trying to provoke me in to giving them a race but those days are gone and I don't have nothing to prove.

 

Hi Mefoote, Me Too!

I always park my 190 Merc as far away as possible or in amongst even more expensive cars.

Not so with the XJS If I park it at all, I keep it well away from prying eyes.

 

all my vehicles get used regulary and also have no dings. my daily driver Mercury with over 160K miles looks brand new and did not have any paint flaws until last month when I decided to stop being paranoid and left it in a "normal" parking spot and sure enough, door ding, paid 100 dollars to have the "paintless dent removal", all good now.. Daily driver I owned before that, another Mercury with 300K miles, looked like a show car the day I traded it in, not one imperfection other than a few tiny chips on the front bumper.Not even swirl marks. As far as I am concerned there is absolutely no reason for any car I own to have any scratches or dings, I do not wear them with pride. I always park my cars, Jaguars or not, in a corner space at a slight angle and that seems to work for me. If for some reason I have to set foot in that disgusting place with dirty diapers and people selling CD's or puppies in the parking lot A.K.A "Walmart" , I call my mother or my grandmother to come visit me so they can drive their cars there. Hate the place, love their prices on Mobil 1 and Dishwasher detergent.

If ever found someone someone sitting on my Mercury they would probably be verbally abused to the point of tears. If someone uses my XJS or E type as furniture chances are I will end up using them as a chair, WWF style.

 

Unfortunately or fortunately, I only park my XKR where I can see it...if I can't I don't park.
The biggest problem seems to be " the green eye" people who haven't got think that 'why should you have it' and do damage....mindless idiots!! who need to get off their backsides....OK i'm off my soapbox LOL