Where do I even begin with the front subframe components and set up? OMG... The, unless 100%, CAN bus system that has a seizure if something is unplugged while the battery is connected - literally twitching... CAN system that throws a tantrum when the temperature falls and the battery is .5volts low... Diff fluid access - crazy! VVT,,,, God forbid ya touch it... Hahaha... GEARBOX - ABS dysfunctional marriage.

A MUTE Oil Pressure and Temp gauge,,,, on a SPORTS-ISH CAR!?

Damn I love this car... So much I got me anothah one, lol...

 

THE.DUDES.WHO.THOUGHT.THIS.MADE.SENSE....

 

one of the most beautiful cars ever made.gas tank removal,what a mess,cup holder ugh,its in a rotten spot as well. plastic is great for toys and trash cans,steve.

 

depends upon the quality of the plastic. some automotive plastic is for all practical purposes immortal.

was thinking something about this thread. there is absolutely nothing about these cars that makes one feel as if he is tolerating one of them. this is the point of departure. it is not to say that they are overall good, but really nice in use, materials, design, function and servicing. in some of these aspects, they excel which is why we really like them. the few shortcomings are then expressed as exceptions to the rule with which we willing compromise. in other words this is not some daily driver with faults that one tolerates because one is using the car out of necessity. this is a daily driver that one celebrates with a few minor issues overall.
this is just some thought process from another discussion with friends that most of the time we tolerate major aspects of life because it just is that way. people tolerating are simply waiting and/or hoping for the necessity of tolerance to end. no one here is tolerating these cars. we celebrate them.

 

I agree with WhiteHat that these are wonderful cars that are beautifully designed, well built and are a blast to drive.
Having said that it doesn't mean that we can't poke a little fun at the things that do bother us. The best by far is
the cup holder. When I think of the guy that designed the cup holder I think of my back hoe operator.

 

I think I have the answer to the cupholder dilemma. The design is ok, we just use the wrong kind of beverage containers. If you put something with a very low center of gravity in them they work just fine. For example, a whisky tumbler. So try a nice thick bottomed glass with a dram of single malt in it and you'll see what I mean (and of course, NEVER DRINK AND DRIVE! Most will get the humour in my post but for the one who doesn't I have to add this ;0 )

 

When I got my car the previous owner had done this. Guess he had suffered enough

 

I might know that guy......

 

I remember when the XK8 and XKRs were being build and being at Brown's Lane in Coventry with one of the Jaguar engineers. While walking the line, I saw how the exhaust was fitted to the chassis, body assembly was upstairs. I said, hell, you have the exhaust going up and over the axel, not straight along the underside. He shrugged and said so what. I said, that will be a pain in the **** for any exhaust centre. To which his answer was, it's a Jaguar, it won't be in an exhaust quick fit centre.

Well, today, when. I was trying to drop the exhaust to get my CAT out - I was cursing that engineer, since I couldn't just drop the pipe a little because it was hung up on the section which went over the rear suspension. Cheers!!!

 

Most Engineers live in their own little corner of the World, totally unpopulated by anyone else, and they like it like that.

 

X100 design class 101: Team 1-Take every small mechanical consumable part that will eventually wear out, attach them to the vehicle power train where they will fit ridiculously close together regardless of orientation - talk to no one not on your team.
Team 2-Design a car body that is sleek, low and slippery - talk to no one not on your team
Team 3-Put it all together, change NOTHING, make it work - talk to no one not on your team.

 

However bad you think it is on a Jag, I had a 2003 Alfa Romeo 156 GTA.
to do the cam belt (which is needed ever 4-5 years) you have to remove the engine from the car according to Alfa.
or Renault Megane - headlight bulb blown? - needs the undertray and whole front bumper off to get to the bolts to remove the headlight to change the bulb. Arrrrggh.

 

See, it could always be worse. LOL

 

I got a new one........The pivot bolts for the front lower control arms. When you try to remove them the front one hits the A/C lines and a bracket, the rear one hits the steering rack requiring it's removal (almost) to get it out. Guess which way they are going back in when I reassemble.

 

New entry:
Whoever decided to use swiss cheese as the upper shock mount bush material and the general poor design of the part.

 

Careful. One of the two will only go in correctly in one orientation. It's an eccentric style bolt. Just say'n. It adusts the position of the front wheel.

 

I'm just wrapping up after pressing the last of the lower bushings in (the last one fought me hard of course) . For that front one, just unbolt the subframe bracket on that side only and slide it out of the way. Nothing bad happens.

 

I dont think this topic should be restricted to only one model. Lots of wtfs in my ‘06 str!

like wtf cant I lock all the doors using the lock mechanism with the door open as im getting out? Come on guys!

 

Probably the same genius who designed the upper pivot without any seals on the inner sides of the subframe.

A/C plumbing at the rear of the compressor. Pure joy.

 

Hmmmm, good to know. I hadn't noticed that they were eccentric, like me, or so my wife says. I'll look into that, thanks. TM