I probably bought my jag the same way everybody else did. Saw them on the road, in the parking lot, liked the looks, the leather, the sexiness, quality, and of course thought that if I had one I'd get a pretty seat cushion. But I was to young and couldn't afford one let alone did I even THINK of what it would cost to keep one, just knew they were expensive. Then later on after a thousand 2 year cars that jag seeped back into reality. Of course they were still expensive to keep, but if you were a mechanic, then that obstacle was much easier to overtake. Plus, we now have more money. But still unless we had a very good amount of it and payed top price, we were doomed, because... if we didn't buy a jag that had MOST everything working we would then...GRADUALLY put the money into the car as we fixed one thing after another. So now us Chevy, Olds, Pontiac guys are now learning a new language,"if you want it, you gotta fix it cause even though you got SOME money you STILL can't afford to bring it to a mechanic". Some of us have no hair on our heads because of these cars, some of us no money in the bank, some of us couldn't take it anymore and bailed out. But those of us that were determined to see it through, started this website. They knew that there was a way to fix these cars without having to pay "through the teeth" All anyone needed was the "ANSWER" to their problem. My first xjs, an 82 coupe was this first car in which I learned these lessons, and became a jag pro. Not a pro engine or tranny pro but a "fix the xjs pro". Of course when I bought the car I made sure the engine and drivetrain were good. I went from there.... and I went EVERYWHERE. I was naive about these cars, what they would be worth , resale value etc. But I didn't care , I wanted this car restored. I did that for 8 years(love) ,(determination). Only when I started thinking I had to sell the car did I find I was NOT going to recoupe my investment. Depressing, but the story gets better and, is the reason for the title of this thread. Towards the end of the restoration of the 82 coupe. I came upon my 91 convertible. 64k miles, 18 hundred dollars, not running, promissory that it did, fuel pump replaced, cleaned 2 plugs,oil changed just before parked in 07, NO rust, garage kept, radio no go,antennae no go, rack bushings bad, 1 conv. top cylinder bad, hood lifts bad, top ripped, hood needs repaint. Seats needed reupholstering, rugs redone,wood veneer restore. I didn't list what I had to do to the 82 as it would have been excessively long. But on the convertible, I fixed them all and now for a full year now I've been just getting in my jag and going, no problems,like a normal car. OMG nothing is wrong? What happened? Love it, at long last, aaaahhhhhh! Bud p.s. 2 o rings and the air worked perfect HEAVEN!

 

Yep, relate 100%.

We got our '85 Coupe in '94, with 143000kms, impeccable Jaguar service history, blah, blah, blah.

Engine out in 1999 for an oil leak, i never learn, and a complete refurbish began, engine/trans/rear end/front end/brakes/wiring/etc/etc. Back on the road in 2002, and still there today. Twice around the coast road of our island, and NEVER, EVER let us down, not once. It simply does what it does in such grand style, and exactly as Jaguar designed it, it was just all that "catch up" that eventually caught up, that began the saga.

The hair is getting thinner, the one workable leg is getting wobblier, and arthritis is getting real friendly, but I would not have it any other way.

A Jaguar is a Jaguar, nuff said.

 

You guys are NOT giving me a warm fuzzy feeling ya know!

Marty....................