I'm looking to find out what kind of person buys an X100 Jaguar. What do you do for a living? (Do you have a real job?) Do you DIY or do you take your Jag to a shop? Coupe or Convertible? XK8 or XKR? Is this your first Jag? Will it be your last?

I'll start:

25 years old and dental student. I DIY as much as I can and am currently unemployed on account of being a full time student. I have had both a convertible and a coupe, the former an XK8 and the latter an XKR. I prefer the coupe and love the supercharger. These are, respectively my first and second Jaguars. It will definitely not be my last Jaguar. However, my father had a penchant for Jaguars. He had 3 XJ8 Vanden Plas, all of them the 1998 model for some odd reason, he had an '07 XK coupe and then he bought the XK8 and XKR. Some extenuating circumstances led to me daily driving the XK8. After his death I inherited the XKR.

 

My Jag story originated as i’m a bit of a home hobby mechanic who likes working in the garage. I find it relaxing and takes my mind of things. It’s satisfying to figure out how things work and then fix things, knowing it’s done properly.

All started with me as a wee nipper pushing a 2 stroke lawn mower with the handle bars way above my head. Dad showed me how to keep the thing going.

In my younger days, as a UK site engineer, I had an old Austin metro and was poor so worked on basic bits myself using basic tools. Still use some of those tools today.

Busy at work over the years so had a a lot of company cars which I never really had to work on. Missed the “action” so bought a 1970 Triumph GT6 as a project car. It had rust holes in the body that you could put your fist through and I switched out the engine. Needed a friend to help and we worked on his 1984 LR Discovery at same time.

As I got older I worked on bigger construction projects and moved overseas leading me to my next project car -1993 BMW Z3. Labour in the Middle East is cheap but quality varied so I could pick and choose what jobs I wanted to do. Never really liked fiddly electrical jobs.

Bought a couple of brand new Porsche’s, tracked them, but they were too reliable and not much fun in the garage. Needed something as a fixer upper so a local Shaikh here let me have the XK8 from his car collection on the condition that I restore it and not “pimp it out.”

This forum is fab esp. as the X100 is so picky. Other people’s Experiences let you pick up the traits of the car and you know what to expect on the To Do list. Little tips here and there make jobs easier. Plus you’re never the first to have a particular problem

 

That's an interesting story. Never knew someone to actively seek out finicky cars before.

 

An aging sucker for sexy bodies and hard luck cases as attested by the interesting range of cars I've owned.

 

Currently 65, retired from global project management in the corporate world at 49. I make my living on the stock markets. Purchased our first Jaguar in December 2008 at age 55, a 2005 S-Type 3.0, primarily as a comfortable and capable RWD sedan for my wife to use on her long solo trips between North Carolina and Florida to visit her elderly parents four or five times per year. When we purchased my wife's current 2006 XK8 Victory Edition convertible in February 2012, that car quickly became all she ever wanted to drive so I took over the S-Type as my daily driver even though I prefer trucks and SUVs because at 6-foot-7 and 260 pounds, they are much more accommodating to me. Sold my S-Type last May because with my Ram and Outback, it was no longer needed. I DIY the majority of maintenance and repairs on all of our vehicles and have been doing so since the late 1970s although I do not enjoy it nearly as much as when I was younger. With the acquisition of my wife's 2015 Lexus RX350 SUV in late October 2018 (she wanted to return to an SUV for safety, comfort, and cargo-hauling reasons), her XK8 is no longer her daily driver. We are still unsettled regarding what to do with it. She wants to keep it as a toy. I prefer to sell it to someone else who will use it on a much more frequent basis (and reduce the number of vehicles that I must maintain). Time will tell....

 

I'm 63 years old and I retired as an IT project manager a couple of years ago. I got hooked on British cars when I bought a new Triumph TR-7 in 1976 (yes a TR-7 !). Since then I've had an MGB, another TR-7, an '85 XJ6, a 2001 VanDen Plas, and now the 2006 XK8. I have always tried to maintain my own vehicles (and the wife's), if at all possible, because #1, I enjoy fixing things, #2, I'm cheap, and #3, I don't trust shops to do a proper job, or not to rip me off. I've had the last 3 Jags in car shows and won a couple of trophies. These were not fancy Concours, but just local people's choice type shows. My wife drives a 2006 Range Rover Sport supercharged, and my son has a 2009 XJ. Unfortunately, the son isn't interested in maintaining cars, so we'll see how long that lasts, because I'm getting a little older and tired of maintaining the fleet on my own ! I've usually said I would be buried in all my cars (when I owned them), but the tin worm has done them in before I had the chance ! But, I like to keep them as long a possible and practicle.

 

Just turned 65. Retired Architectural project manager. Always loved cars , rallied mini coopers years ago. Always loved Jags from my first drive in a E-Type but never thought I would ever be able to have one. I googled the prices of XK8s on a whim and never realized how cheap they were. Sold my MX5 immediately and bought my 2004. Best car I have ever owned

 

I'll be 72 next month. Forced retirement in 2010 due to outsourcing in the banking industry. First Jag was a '63 XKE convertible purchased when I was 22 as a daily driver. When we were expecting our 1st child had to sell it. I got my '97 XK8 as a retirement project in 2011.
I try to DYI as much as possible, but my body is not as flexible or strong as it used to be.

 

Lucky enough to retire at 55 now 58,love my xk8 ,I try to do most of the jobs myself with great help from this forum over the last 9years that as saved me a fortune ,I have owned the xjs and 3.0 sport X type in the past but this one is definitely my baby 👍also have my little mini Cooper that as been a godsend over the winter months never let's me down😊

 

Lots of retired project managers here, I'm also a project manager, within Insurance and IT, but still active at 49 as you could expect. Wouldnt mind to retire at 55 though and spend the days with cars instead.. 😀

Bought my Xkr coupe 2000 three years ago, this is my first Jaguar. I also own two Bmws and a Ducati motorcycle

 

I was thinking the same thing as I read through the posts. Can't think of a more apposite skill set for Jaguar ownership.

Graham

 

I'm 77 and semi-retired from multiple careers (thanks ADHD) including two project manager positions (seeing a trend here). I also ran a foreign car repair shop back in the early 70's. Currently work part-time as a risk management consultant for banks financing construction projects. Have owned several Jags in the past including an XK150, a 3.4 Mk. 1, a 3.8 Mk. 2, an XJ6 and currently have an XK8 and an X-Type Estate Wagon. I tackle the majority of DIY jobs although I must admit I'm farming out more due to age (the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak). Of all of the cars I've owned (and I've owned a bunch) I can honestly say that Jaguars still embody the best combination of beauty, comfort and reasonable performance. Reliability, not so much, but no regrets.

 

Just turned 24. I work at a university as a kind of academic research assistant in economics. Technically this is the first car I've ever owned (name on registration and title). I've loved cars my entire life, mostly into German and American stuff--audis/bmws and jeeps. My XK8 belonged to my uncle, and when we was diagnosed with cancer, it progressed so fast that he didn't have time to write a will, but he verbally mandated that the car be left to me. I guess that one was simple. So, here we are.

I do a bunch of work myself, but when it comes to stuff where if I screw up, I'll grenade the engine (e.g. timing chain tensioners and guides), I leave that work to my trusted independent mechanic.

Not sure if I'll buy another Jaguar. I love mine, but there are so many other makes of cars I want as well. We'll see. I really love the old xjc and xj12 body styles.

 

I'm 62, self-employed for over 20 years, and am actively working as a nuclear/mechanical safety analysis engineer on the new generation of small modular reactors. I also do occasional work on the current operating nuclear plants.

I've had an affinity for British cars since I bought a '73 MGB convertible in college after my hopped up VW beetle was stolen at Georgia Tech. Followed that up with a 68 MGB-GT a few years later (which I still have). Bought my first Jag in '93, it was a white 83 XJS-HE V12 with wire wheels. Awesome car. Finicky and sometimes unreliable, but when it was "right" it was amazing. Drove it all over the U.S. southeast while working staff-augmentation at various nuclear plants. Got offered a blue '83 XJS-HE from a friend about 7 years ago and snapped it up too. Now the white XJS is my parts car while I focus on getting the blue one running. I also have a 1970 Firebird Formula 455 that I've owned since 1983 undergoing paint & body restoration in my backyard shop. Last summer we sold/gave my wife's daily driver (2001 Mercury Marquis in perfect mechanical condition) to a needy couple at church. Looking for a replacement car for her I "accidentally" stumbled upon a 2001 XKR for sale nearby for a reasonable price ($6500). She absolutely loves it. There have been the usual collection of used car problems (mostly fixing ham-handed repairs from previous owners), but nothing I couldn't handle.

This forum has been an invaluable resource for maintenance on the XKR. Every time I consider posting about one of my repair successes, I find that someone else has already beat me to it, with beautiful clear documented photos and video!

 

Fun thread! Great to hear everyone's story. I'll turn 73 this month; retired at 59, from--you guessed it--project management. In my case it was public facilities renovation, remodeling, and new construction projects. As a lowly civil servant, I didn't have a huge automobile budget but over the years managed to start with a hand-me-down XK-140 MC roadster when my big brother went off to Harvard for his Master's. It was in fairly sorry condition and a bit beyond me at the time. I went on Fiats and VWs for some years before scoring an XK-150 FHC (a 1960 acquired in 1970) that I managed to enjoy for seven years, until financial constraints dictated otherwise. More Fiats, couple beloved Peugeots (604 V6 and 505 Turbo wagon), and a slew of Land Rovers later (I currently have a 2006 LR3), I finally scored another Jag, my current 2006 XK8 coupe, which I've now had for 2.5 years. Has been great, so far, and a joy to drive. Last fall, my wife and I drove it from Ukiah, California to Santa Barbara for a Jaguar meet. Flawless and delightful on the trip except for wife's grumbling about its minimal space for buying antiques.

When I was young, I had more passion and tolerance for working on cars, as well as more financial necessity. Although European cars have been my passion since high school days, I'm not a born mechanic and have many other interests. I'd rather work on buildings than cars so I still get up on roofs and swing a hammer but farm out all but the most fiddly stuff on my motor vehicles. My daughter drives a 2006 XJ8 Vanden Plas and my son also has a Land Rover. My 19-year old grandson hopes to eventually get a Land Rover but sensibly started with a Toyota Tacoma 4x4.

Pipe dream aspirations for future acquisitions for my "stable" include an XJC (preferably a V12, BRG/tan, painted roof) and a XJS Eventer shooting brake. Maybe a Masserati Quattrorporte (daughter also wants one). I hope to inherit daughter's XJ8 when she eventually seeks a replacement.

Granville

 

31 year old senior software engineer. DIY everything. I have a 2000 Jaguar XKR Convertible that I bought in 1/2011 at age 23, which was my first Jaguar. Then I added a 1998 Jaguar XJR in 2015 as my second Jaguar ever. Then I added a 2007 Jaguar XKR Coupe in 2018 as my third Jaguar ever. None of these will be my last Jaguars .

These cars are very good value as used vehicles. Easy to work on, excellent online community, reasonable parts costs, quite reliable, and the GT nature of the cars have made them very appealing to me.

 

I'm a retired architect that had my own 28 employee firm for 35 years. I have served on the Boards of many nonprofits, my favorite being a local Fine Arts Center.

My first car was a 59 Healey 100-6 in 1965. Following that was a 63 E Type 3.8 coupe I bought in 66 which was fabulous. After wrecking that as a college kid, I moved on to a 69 TR6, then a 72 Europa S2, then a 67 DB6 Volante. I've had a TR7 coupe, a TR7 convertible, a 96 XJ6, an 04 XJ8, and I now have an 06 XKR coupe I bought new. I am also into classic European motorcycles and have restored some very nice ones.

I currently also have a 11 Mercedes E550 Coupe which gives the XKR a run for its money. I like driving the XKR best of all the cars though. After all these years, it still gets comments at the gas station and just out on the road. I consider it one of the finest production car designs ever.

I always went by the thought that life is too short to drive ugly cars. If you don't turn to look at it as you walk away, its not good enough. The design of things I surround myself with is important to me.

 

Adding to the ranks - 56 and working as program manager. Purchased the Mistress as she is lovingly known - 7 years ago and diy most problems. Not my only Jag at this time (also have a 2017 XE 25T Prestige) and looking for a 2005-2012 XJL or another X100 in the R version to add to the stable

 

I'm 56 years old now, retired last year from a career in commercial aviation maintenance. First as a mechanic, but most of that time I was a supervisor with mechanics working under me.
I spent most of my career with UPS, and most of that working the night shift in Philadelphia, doing everything I could think of to get the airplanes out by 4AM.
I now have fond memories of working on 727's alone back in the late 1980's. Nobody to bother me, get in the way, or get me hurt. Just me and the airplane.
Some days were no fun at the time, but it builds character. I don't miss the industry overall but there are aspects of it that were interesting.
I've always loved the look of Jaguars, especially E Types. I'm sure that needs no explanation.
When the XK8 first came out, I took notice but nothing more.
Funny coincidence is that I stopped by the Jaguar dealership in late 2000 ( the dealership was next to the Motor Vehicle office where I had business) and grabbed a brochure.
I bought my XK8, the one and only Jaguar I've ever owned, a few days after my divorce in 2005. Hey, somebody has to be good to me.
I later realized that I had the sales brochure for a 2001 model year.
I do almost all of my own work and this is the best looking, best built, lowest cost to maintain, and.....wait for it.... most reliable car I've ever owned.

 

53, Realtor... My first Jaguar because I finally have a heated/cooled lift-equipped workshop to use to keep her purring!