Hi OB, I can safely say you can give up a bit of boot space for your girlfriends travel kit.
I covered over 1200 miles this weekend and needed nothing from the kit I packed except my roadside assist card to get my keys out of the ignition of my locked car.

 

Been there, done that! but not in the XJS 'Not Yet!' I keep a spare Boot/Trunk Key, hidden under the Car!

Now I've reorganized everything, so the Boot/Trunk looks totally empty, except for the plastic boxes, which are tucked down on each side and also made some proper use of the 'Cubby' behind the seats.

It gives me a sense of satisfaction and freedom, from all the clutter I used to carry around (Thanks Paul!)

If its a minor problem, I've got enough Tools to fix it but if its anything major, then for once I've got 'breakdown insurance' which will give me roadside assistance.

Or else take me and my passenger and of course my Car, to any destination that I choose! and not just the nearest garage, where I could get ripped off, for the cost of storage and or repairs!

Less is so much more, so give it a try!

 

Next trip the boot will be fairly empty except for my usual kit.
I don't have any spare keys at all for this car,it only came with one set and I just haven't got around to getting more cut. Will be fixed...in 31 years of driving it's my first lock out.

 

I think they call that 'Sod's Law!' When the only thing you haven't got is the very thing you need!

Still at least you only got locked out of the Car! so it could have been worse!

 

OB, ALL Jaguars are addictive to their owners!!
Why Else would we own them? Or more correctly, allow ourselves to be owned BY them?

Sorry I'm a little late, I was tripping over the weekend. But I didn't hurt it and I got up OK.
(';')

 

Hi Elinor

Unfortunately you are right!

I have been lucky (or stupid enough!) to own many Cars over the years, which have eventually then been sold to move onto something else, many of which either were, or are now regarded as Classics.

The only Two that I wish I still had were my Austin Healey 3000 Mk111, which was killed off by the introduction of 'Road Humps!'

And one of my favorite Cars of all time, my Yellow Lotus Elan!
which had what I can only describe, as 'insane acceleration' and the most fun car that I have ever had!

But all of that came to a grinding halt, when I got my first XJS that I actually swopped with another guy on the forecourt of a garage for the XJ6 I was driving when we both called in for gas.

As it turned out this XJS was a 'Lemon,' so maybe not so surprising that he wanted it out of the way and as I had no experience of this type of Car, I have to say I was really out of my depth.

But even so there was something about it, that is actually hard to try and explain, except for the inexplicable thrill of sitting behind the wheel of one of the most luxurious sports cars on the planet.

The only problem being that with the best will in the World She does cost a fortune to run and can easily drink the GF under the table! and then if something major goes wrong, as it has done on occasions.

Then it's time to get the 'plastic' out (again!)

But I couldn't bear to part with her, as you are right in as much as this car now owns me!

 

When we met, my husband was driving a partially restored 1958 Austin
Healy 100-6 roadster, powered by a 289cid Ford that he had tuned to Perfection. I didn't even know such a thing could be done!! I was completely smitten. I thought it was the Coolest car I had ever seen! Boy Howdy did it haul the mail!!

While we were dating he flared the rear fenders to accommodate 8.25x15 tires (you can see we have a history of resto-mods).

But then someone offered him a sum he couldn't refuse and he sold it in its unfinished state.

He last saw the car on the back of a truck going to the paint shop. Later we heard the buyer had completely destroyed it. By that time he had bought the Datsun SPL-311 roadster (Sign In - Jaguar Forums - Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum) so the blow was softened somewhat.

And now I have a Classic Jaguar! I don think I'll be letting him sell this one any time soon.
(';')

 

Hi Elinor

Is your XJ6 a right or left hooker? Same question with the Healey 100-6.

I really do miss both those Cars but could not say which one I miss most.

The best thing was, that they were they were of their time, when the World was a totally different place and PC was unheard of.

I used to go Clubbing in the West End (London) and it only took me twenty minutes to get there in the Lotus, where it would take about 45 minutes in a normal saloon car.

And because of the fact it was so small, you could park it almost anywhere! and going through the underpass on the A140 you could really feed that car some 'grass!'

 

Both are standard Mercan left drive if that's what you mean, OB.

I suppose in their era both cars were 'normal' size. People see Nix and say, "What a pretty little car!" And I tell them, "I'll have you know this is a Full Sized Luxury Saloon."

When surrounded by modern high lifted 4x4s we learned very soon to drive defensively. Not only that, Austin H. as he was named, had plenty of power and maneuverability to escape most dangerous situations.

Same with Nix. I'll be sitting at a stop light beside a newish SUV, and not a Really Big One either, and the hood is higher than my roof!! Sometimes, if I'm beside one of those lifted 4x4s I have to look up to see the bottom of the door from my driver seat!! If the driver isn't paying Really Good attention s/he could Easily run right over the top of us and we would be nothing more than a small bump in the road and we would look like a Monster Truck went over us!

That gives me pause and I pay Very Close Attention for the slightest anomaly in their driving.
(';')

 

I can't see mine in a carpark because the roof is lower than almost every car there, until you round the corner into the row you are parked in and see the tail sticking out further than all the others.

 

I don't park anywhere Near other cars in a parking lot!

Although Most people try to be considerate, their kids certainly are not. They just whing the doors open and bash whatever is beside them with no thought.

I park WAAAAYY out where there is NO ONE to bash her. Also, that makes her more visible. When I do that, I almost always come out to find someone drooling over her, peering in the windows, walking all around getting a Really Good Look.

They can't do that if she's sandwiched between a Ford Excursion and a Lincoln Navigator.
(';')

 

I totally agree with that, sometimes you just have to drive for the other driver, like for instance tonight!

When I was road testing my new Tires, to check that they had been balanced ok and that I wasn't getting any wheel vibration, at various speeds.

As it turned out they ran perfect but someone who was showing off, cut right in front of me, instead of waiting a few more seconds before turning off to the left (uk)

Don't ask me how but I knew it was going to happen, so I was able to put the 'Anchors' on in plenty of time so I could let him get through and not for the first time either!

 

OMG! I cannot believe you do that!

I'm with Elinor on this, See my post: 'Am I Parking Mad'

With a Classic Car like mine or a Classic Car like yours, there is no way in the World, that I would ever consider ever Parking next to anything else!

Because as Elinor rightly points out, more often than not its the Kids that cause the problem, by carelessly flinging open the doors on their parents 4X4 completely oblivious to the fact.

That they might be 'dinging' the door of your much loved Classic, which could literally knock either hundreds or thousands of pounds off the value and there won't be much that you can do about it.

One of the few exceptions, was when I took the GF out for a meal, to this 15th Century Manor House, where the kind of people who go there, look after their Cars as much as myself and don't do that sort of thing.

But as for using a Public Car Park!, I would rather wait until 'Hell Freezes Over!'

 

Totally Agree with that, see my post 'Am I Parking Mad'

 

I do see your point of view,but mine is the opposite. It's a risk I'll take because I bought it for a daily driver. And I want to park where it is convenient for me ,most times I will park next a pillar or the last spot so 1 side is protected. But if the only space has a car both sides I'll take it. Dents can be fixed,a day not using it is one less day I get to enjoy it.
People I work with don't believe I leave my Jeep in the garage and bring the XJ6 to the work car park.
In my view there is no point having a classic I don't drive where and when I feel like it. It only cost me $2000, but if it cost me $20,000 I would still do the same.

 

Rather you than me!

That's a risk I wouldn't want to take but having said that, I have a Cousin that does the same as you and for years he has survived without a single scratch!

 

And I can see your point, Clarke,
I promised him if he bought it I would drive it and I'm keeping my word! I don't mind walking an extra hundred feet from the car to the door, I walk a lot anyway. But a Black car shows Every Single ding, dent, scratch and speck of dust; not to mention every bug and spot of bird poop! So as much as possible I try to avoid those.

If it was a lighter color that probably wouldn't be such an issue. But if it was a lighter color I wouldn't have fallen so hard for it.
(';')