Excellent replies from all! My $0.02:

I also live in Texas. Rubber only lasts 6-8 years in Texas. Anything made of rubber is going to decline after that time. I am about to take mine in to replace just about everything made of rubber in my suspension tomorrow...

If you are wanting to replace the stereo because you need an aux-in, you can add one yourself pretty easily for about $50. There's instructions in the sticky at the top of the thread.

Some stuff is cheaper to do yourself. Oil changes are as easy on this car as any I've owned, and a Ford Motorcraft oil filter ($12) is the same as the Jaguar one ($35). Use good quality synthetic oil and Bob's your uncle.

Roads in parts of Texas suck and any alloy wheel is going to get bent on any car sooner or later. Find a place that repairs them (about $150) instead of replacing them.

As for your friends making fun of you - (1) they are jealous and (2) an actual Jaguar would never let foe or prey know it was injured...

 

Hey Mike - Can you send me some names of places in Dallas that you would use? Also, if you know a good place to get my rims fixed(bent 2 of them yesterday) it would be much appreciated.

 

Would love to know how that went: Where you took it, what they did exactly, how much it cost, and how happy you are with the results! Salut

 

My go-to guy would be mortorcarman (aka Bob Gauff) who you can find here on the forum. His shop is in Decatur. Highly recommended.

In Dallas you should consider Jag Mac (972) 241-5747. I haven't used them in several years, but Mac did all the work on my XJ's. Grumpy but competent.

I have seen many recommendations for Jeff at British Auto Specialists British Auto Specialists 817-589-7974 in Haltom City. Haven't used them myself.

I know none of these are that close to the Plano area, but there are not any close-in mechanics I would trust that actually know something about Jags.

 

Remember that everything made of rubber disintegrates in the Texas heat after about 6-8 years. I've come to expect that on my cars.

Rear shocks x2, $479 ea, $393 labor
Spring Isolators X2, $36 ea
Rear Sway Bar end link x2, $87 ea, $138 labor
Front shock mounts x2, $225 ea, $231 labor
Bushings X2, $12 ea, $138 labor
End links X2, $115 ea, $138 labor
Alignment, $100

All done by Jagtechs in Austin, my first time using them, I like them, very professional.

Just drove home from the shop and it is sooo much tighter - feels like a new car, the way it should be! The bouncy-shuddery feeling where you hit a bump and you're not entirely certain which direction the car will go next is gone.

That's the price of living in the greatest state in the union. We don't get tinworm like the Yankees and although our cars don't last as long as the Californians, I can repair the rubber in my cars for much less than what I'd pay in California state income tax and gas tax!

 

Rear shocks
Spring Isolators
Rear Sway Bar end link
Front shock mounts
Bushings X2, $12
End links X2, $115
Motor mounts


Those are all moving/impact absorbing parts, every car I had had to have these at some point.So don't feel bad.Like I said, you don't want a 7 or 8 year car note for $600-$800 a month,that's steak and caviar money with plenty left to spare.

 

I too HAD an '06 victory with 53k miles
Convertible top pump need a rebuild
Upper wishbone broke
And I found out the intercooler pump was bad
ALL before I made one single car payment, guess what never made that first payment I dumped it ASAP, beautiful car but there is no excuse for a car to have so many issues
Good luck, you can only bail water so fast