I know that we all really like our cars a lot, but, if there were some criticisms, or things that you wish that Jaguar had done differently, what would they be? As for me, the only two things that I wish were different are. 1. The seats are beautiful, fairly comfortable, but with almost no lateral support. I wish that the seats had a little more lateral support. 2. Key placement! I am not one of those guys with 57 keys on my key chain. All I have is the remote control device and a single key for my back door, but they still dangle onto my leg when I drive. I wish that there was a better place to insert the key. Other than that, I am all good. What say you? (OK, I am not talking about maintenance or problem areas, just the initial design)

 

Ah yes, the key dangle and tickle, I don't like that either.

1- I wish the cupholders held something other than a standard stadium beer cup, water bottles, wine glasses, or anything of an odd diameter, keep them in your lap or screwed up and tucked next to you!

2- why the CD changer in the trunk? Did we have like 100,000 of them still in the warehouse or something from an accidental over-purchase in 2001?

 

1 Have the windshield wiper switch opposite, pull down to activate instead of pushing up. I'm 6' 4" and I keep hitting it with my knee.

2 Eliminate the back seat and seat belts and add a nice lockable storage area to put the cd changer in, the back seat is worthless anyway.

3 Add a stylish roll bar for the convertibles.

 

Wish list:

(1) On the convertible, eliminate the hydraulically operated latch and replace with manually operated latches (one at each end of the windshield)--this would virtually eliminate the hydraulic leak problems

(2) Single-disc changer in the dash is preferable to 6-disk changer in the trunk

(3) Front seats should be about 1" lower and have more substantial side bolsters

(4) Move the hazard switch somewhere less prominent--I am always accidentally hitting that when I am changing radio stations

(5) Have removable innards in the cup-holder--I have never really used a cup holder in any of my cars that have them and the space (once the holders are removed) would be big enough for sunglasses, cell phone, etc.

(6) Have an option (maybe we already have this?) to convert the lock/unlock door system into a passive keyless system. I had this on my Corvette and it was great having the car automatically lock as I walked away and automatically unlock as I approached

That's all for now.

Doug

 

1. Better cup holders
2. Automatic hard tonneau cover
3. Slightly lower stance. It just looks too tall from the factory.
4. Standard 2 din stereo/nav system that could be easily upgraded if one desired.
5. Built-in wind deflector.
6. Easier manual control of the transmission (paddle shifters, or a position with the gear lever where you can move it one way for upshifts and the other way for down shifts).
7. Better exhaust note. I like it quiet for casual driving, but I'd like to hear some throatiness when I stomp on it.
8. MORE POWER.
9. The seat should recline all the way back. Why does it stop when it does?
10. Bigger instruments. The speedo and tach are too small.

 

Come on Sam I have to give you grief about some of those...as I think the question may have been more towards 'little' changes that could have occurred in any new MY.

- those weren't common in the late 90's, and a mod like that would have changed much of the car...aka, the 2007 remake

- again, not common, and you'd have to remove it to get those two midgets, ahcheem...small people in the back seat.

- hear horror stories about those systems, and the glitches they have...just what WE need he?

- you got the luxury cruiser, and the N/A one at that, so that's just the way it is. thankfully, reduction of a couple items can get the tone and volume back up!

- hits the small seats behind it, ever look? The 2x2 makes it a more affordable car for insurance in the UK and abroad (IIRC) so they must stay, price is already high enough, they need something to make it marketable besides the obvious.

1-800-EYE-DOCT

I totally agree about the radio, we got hosed on the 1.5 din size. If jaguar was trying to do its best to thwart aftermarket head units being installed, they were successful! (well, not entirely).

Looks like the Cup Holders are very popular!

 

I believe the #8 MORE POWER is called the XKR

bob gauff

 

I would like to have seen less plastic parts...they seem to be the major upkeep items that need replacing.

 

If you think the "key dangle" is bad in an XK8, you should have to deal with the "switchblade" key in the X350 just one time! I'll take the dangle over the switchblade.

Only thing I regret is mine doesn't say Aston Martin on it but, otherwise, no complaints.

 

Those stupid switchblade keys SUCK! They are huge, too. I rented a car a few weeks ago and they had both keys and a big-*** identifier tag all on the same key ring which had been crimped so the keys couldn't be separated. I couldn't fit the keys into my pocket!

The best system I ever had was one where the key fob had a chip in it that recognized when I approached the car. It would automatically unlock the doors and beep the horn once as I approached, and then when I walked away it would automatically lock the doors and beep the horn twice. I never had to push a button on the remote. Then, I had another key made (the car didn't have a chip in the key) and I cut off the head of the key. I stuck the blade of the key into the ignition and it wasn't visible because the head was cut off. I could walk right up to the car, get in, and turn the ignition without ever having to put my hand in my pocket or touch a key. It was awesome! When I win $276 million in the lottery I'm going to have every one of my cars retrofitted with a similar system. Every car will recognize me by an RFID chip implanted in my arm and I'll never have to touch a key again.

Of course... that might tempt someone to chop off my arm to steal my cars. Maybe I'll just wear the RFID chip on a bracelet.

 

My biggest criticism is key placement too. I end up having 1 single key that I keep in the car to use in the ignition. I use the other set as the fob I carry around with the key on that, but I can't stand driving with it -- only if its just that key and the fob, it still hangs down onto my leg - hence the single key for the ignition.

 

Between me, my wife, and my kids we have six cars. I have a electronic touch-pad lock for the door to the house, so I don't carry a house key, the office door opens with an RFID chip in my wallet, and when I drive a car I just grab the key/fob for that specific car. I couldn't stand having a key chain with 6 fobs and 6 keys.

I remember when I was younger someone told me the more keys you carry the more important you are. Now I'm at the point where I carry one key at a time. Does that make me a loser?

 

For me:

1. Limited slip differential

2. A navigation system that you could actually update

3. Paddle shifters (I never use the J-gate)

 

I think the traction control is supposed to handle any differential slippage, and since I had new tires installed, I can't get my tires to spin-out even when I turn off the traction control. I got the Continental ExtremeContact DWS's and they seem to be much stickier than the previous tires, which were Michelin something or others.

 

Sam,

You have the saying reversed - "The more important you are, the LESS keys you have" The President has no keys...The janitor however.....

 

A real manual box.
More power.
Louder exhaust sound.
Manual top latches.
More power.

 

Sam,

Actually in a market study, we found there were diminishing returns on key ownership, as noted, you climb the ladder and accumulate keys but the higher you get on the ladder the less keys you have. Obvioulsy, there is an inflection point where in order to climb farther you must start returning the accumulated keys. Janitor could well be that inflection point...

AS for complaints:

1) Cup holders - USELESS. Don't hold anything properly and even when you do find a cup that fits, it is in the way of EVERYTHING from shifting to changing radio stations and heat controls.
2) Hydraulic top fastener, the tonneau is manual, so should the top latch. The one on the saab can be operated by my 5 year old daughter and doesn't cost me a year of her college money to fix.
3) the Looks - it is just too damned pretty, all the adoration and fawning gets a litte much! ; )

Kip

 

"3) the Looks - it is just too damned pretty, all the adoration and fawning gets a litte much!"

COULD NOT AGREE MORE. I get sooooooo tired of the ladies ALWAYS looking me over in this wonderful machine. I get really tired of it. I feel like a cheap pc of meat!
Ha ha ha

 

My complaints are relatively small:
More power would always be nice.
The exhaust note is lacking (I fixed this)
Limited slip diff would be a plus
More legroom, but I'm on the tall side so I understand this
Better stereo (but I'm not too concerned)
The key fob is rather boring for a car like this (I'd prefer it to be covered in burl walnut or at least some interesting shape to it)
An automatic/hard tonneau cover would be great

 

Oh yeah--another one. The front bumper/fascia is way too low. It is virtually impossible to transition from even a moderately sloped driveway onto the street without the annoying scrape of the fascia. This was probably not as much a problem with the pre-2005 models. Whenever I am leaving a strip center, gas station, mall, etc. I find that I have to drive around looking for the shallowest driveway apron to try and avoid the scrape.

Doug