Best Smoker Barges 1-5 large [Vol 7]

[E65Ross]

SpeckledJim said:

hornetrider said:

FrankUnderwood said:

What do we reckon given the price and the fact that it's difficult to find a perfect XJ40?

1991 Jaguar XJ40 Sovereign 3.2 Auto 67,000miles FSH

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=2...

My dad had an F plate one of those in a kind of pale green, what a lovely car.

The history file for that one linked is huge, just the kind of car I'd like to buy.

Before clicking on that link, I guessed it would be gold. So many of the best one seem to be.

I wonder if there is a trend towards some cars of particular colours being better kept than other colours?

That looks absolutely amazing. Just look at how lovely that is in the back!!

[minimoog]

I paid a smidge over thread budget but so long as I don't look at it I'm really starting to enjoy the LS430 I bought at the weekend. Smooth with a capital SMOO. The E34 540i I was so torn about giving up is becoming a distant memory...

[mattman]

How risky is this for less than 2k with big miles?



http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2004-JAGUAR-XJ6-V6-SE-AU...

[cat220]

mattman said:

How risky is this for less than 2k with big miles?



http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2004-JAGUAR-XJ6-V6-SE-AU...

Seller: Bulldog Salvage & Spares ltd

Would put me off.

[SpeckledJim]

mattman said:

How risky is this for less than 2k with big miles?



http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2004-JAGUAR-XJ6-V6-SE-AU...

It only got to 225,000 by driving there. Nobody clocks upwards.

Crack-on I say.

The memory of high quality and reliability is as to nothing compared to BEING CHEAP!!!

[FrankUnderwood]

E65Ross said:

SpeckledJim said:

hornetrider said:

FrankUnderwood said:

What do we reckon given the price and the fact that it's difficult to find a perfect XJ40?

1991 Jaguar XJ40 Sovereign 3.2 Auto 67,000miles FSH

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=2...

My dad had an F plate one of those in a kind of pale green, what a lovely car.

The history file for that one linked is huge, just the kind of car I'd like to buy.

Before clicking on that link, I guessed it would be gold. So many of the best one seem to be.

I wonder if there is a trend towards some cars of particular colours being better kept than other colours?

That looks absolutely amazing. Just look at how lovely that is in the back!!

If it wasn't for a sensible house purchase!

One thing I've noticed is how cheap excellent XJ40s go for, the later X300 and X308s are so much more in demand that the a very nice '40 is possible for £2k.

The way they rust without preventative maintenance though.. Scary.

Edited by FrankUnderwood on Tuesday 25th November 12:26

[r129sl]

FrankUnderwood said:

E65Ross said:

SpeckledJim said:

hornetrider said:

FrankUnderwood said:

What do we reckon given the price and the fact that it's difficult to find a perfect XJ40?

1991 Jaguar XJ40 Sovereign 3.2 Auto 67,000miles FSH

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=2...

My dad had an F plate one of those in a kind of pale green, what a lovely car.

The history file for that one linked is huge, just the kind of car I'd like to buy.

Before clicking on that link, I guessed it would be gold. So many of the best one seem to be.

I wonder if there is a trend towards some cars of particular colours being better kept than other colours?

That looks absolutely amazing. Just look at how lovely that is in the back!!

If it wasn't for a sensible house purchase!

One thing I've noticed is how cheap excellent XJ40s go for, the later X300 and X308s are so much more in demand that the a very nice '40 is possible for £2k.

The way they rust without preventative maintenance though.. Scary.

Edited by FrankUnderwood on Tuesday 25th November 12:26

I have always preferred the XJ40 to the X300. The former has an honesty and integrity to its design which the latter entirely lacks: the X300 is trying so hard to ape the series 3 from the confines of the XJ40 bodyshell that it is almost pastiche. It reminds me of those w124s onto which the front end of a w210 has been grafted. The XJ40 was Jaguar before it became retro-obsessed.

I bough a XJ40 for £205 on Ebay once. It was a 'D' reg Sovereign with the 3.6litre AJ6 motor. I have never driven a smoother riding car. I loved it. I back-to-backed it with a brand new Bentley Flying Spur and I preferred the Jag.

[FrankUnderwood]

http://www.jaguarclassifieds.org.uk/?page=cars&amp...


Jaguar XJR Series II TWR XJ40, £ 1,995.00



Advert:
Mine for just over 2 1/2 years, previous owner 11 years. Fantastic service record with thick file of receipts (all main dealer and Jaguar specialists) and original leather wallet, two keys, all MOT's etc. 4 new Pirelli tyres 2000 miles ago. New headlining. MOT Sep 2015. Oil service May 14. Lovely Cond. Ready to enjoy

[harry kular]

We had an 88 3.6 that had round lights, then I notice the square lamp models from around 90, and THEN I see 93/94 cars with both types? What's the story?

[Jobbo]

harry kular said:

We had an 88 3.6 that had round lights, then I notice the square lamp models from around 90, and THEN I see 93/94 cars with both types? What's the story?

From the time the XJ40 was launched (about 1986, IIRC) the Sovereign and Daimler spec had rectangular lights while the basic models had twin round lights in the rectangular housing. They stuck with the higher spec model having rectangular lights when the XJR came out, but they reverted to round lights for the V12 in any spec I think.

Edited by Jobbo on Tuesday 25th November 14:56

[Baryonyx]

r129sl said:

The XJ40 was Jaguar before it became retro-obsessed.

It was, but it looks incredibly dated for it. Which is why I feel so surprised to think that, when I was a young lad Jaguar were still selling these cars in their dealerships. It looks entirely from another era. I quite like them in a retro sort of way, but at the same time I look at it and think 'fking hell, I'm getting old'.

Whether or not I would actually own an XJ40, I don't think so. I'm no Jaguar apologist. There are simply too many stories of this generation of cars being so incredibly poorly made that it would put me off. There isn't the appeal there to add weight to the argument in favour of them. Not when the X300 and X308 can be had for similar money. I recall a quote from a Ford manager, who was drafted in from Ford USA to take over the Jaguar operation in the UK at the end of the John Egan era. Now, I believe he was of the opinion that John Egan was not the saint he was thought of being, saying as he had tightened up much of the operation but was not interested in developing new models, rather he was boosting profits by selling cars which had returned their development budget. Ford wanted to overhaul Jaguar, bring out new cars and make them world class again. The American manager toured the UK factory and decreed that the state of the factory, the finish of the cars and the labour practices of the workforce were 'the worst' he had seen in a developed country!


That said, the X300 is accepted as being a leap forward for the XJ but the argument exists that the X308 was the ultimate iteration of Ford's idea for the XJ, given that they ploughed so much money into it, developed a new range of engines etc etc. I've sat in, but never driven an XJ40 and compared to the X308, they feel like they are from another era entirely (and not one remembered fondly for British cars, if I'm honest). The reality is that the years that separate their times in the showroom, you could count on one hand.

[0a]

AUDI A8 4.2 Quattro Sport Auto £1,490

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AUDI-A8-4-2-Quattro-Spor...

[Motorrad]

hornetrider said:

Nice mini barge here.

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-330i-Sport-Manual-/25171984...

E46 330i Manual Saloon in Imola red.

The vendor 'brought' the car from the last owner. I have a real problem with buying cars from morons so it's not for me.

[SpeckledJim]

Baryonyx said:

r129sl said:

The XJ40 was Jaguar before it became retro-obsessed.

It was, but it looks incredibly dated for it. Which is why I feel so surprised to think that, when I was a young lad Jaguar were still selling these cars in their dealerships. It looks entirely from another era. I quite like them in a retro sort of way, but at the same time I look at it and think 'fking hell, I'm getting old'.

Whether or not I would actually own an XJ40, I don't think so. I'm no Jaguar apologist. There are simply too many stories of this generation of cars being so incredibly poorly made that it would put me off. There isn't the appeal there to add weight to the argument in favour of them. Not when the X300 and X308 can be had for similar money. I recall a quote from a Ford manager, who was drafted in from Ford USA to take over the Jaguar operation in the UK at the end of the John Egan era. Now, I believe he was of the opinion that John Egan was not the saint he was thought of being, saying as he had tightened up much of the operation but was not interested in developing new models, rather he was boosting profits by selling cars which had returned their development budget. Ford wanted to overhaul Jaguar, bring out new cars and make them world class again. The American manager toured the UK factory and decreed that the state of the factory, the finish of the cars and the labour practices of the workforce were 'the worst' he had seen in a developed country!


That said, the X300 is accepted as being a leap forward for the XJ but the argument exists that the X308 was the ultimate iteration of Ford's idea for the XJ, given that they ploughed so much money into it, developed a new range of engines etc etc. I've sat in, but never driven an XJ40 and compared to the X308, they feel like they are from another era entirely (and not one remembered fondly for British cars, if I'm honest). The reality is that the years that separate their times in the showroom, you could count on one hand.

My perception is they are closer together than that. Each both an improvement AND and step backwards from the last. But the middle 50% of all three is basically the same isn't it?

Build quality improved a lot, but there was also a lot of de-contenting in integrity terms of replacing more proper craft and 'real' materials with mouldings and plastics.

[E65Ross]

Motorrad said:

hornetrider said:

Nice mini barge here.

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-330i-Sport-Manual-/25171984...

E46 330i Manual Saloon in Imola red.

The vendor 'brought' the car from the last owner. I have a real problem with buying cars from morons so it's not for me.

You won't be "buying" it, you'd be "bruying" it, by all accounts....

[Baryonyx]

SpeckledJim said:

Build quality improved a lot, but there was also a lot of de-contenting in integrity terms of replacing more proper craft and 'real' materials with mouldings and plastics.

You are right there. There are some plastics in the X300/X308 that feel pretty hokey. The X300 maybe moreso because there is more plastic around the driver console area, and the little switch arrays on either side of the steering wheel. But they both have their suspect plastics, in places. The rear door ashtrays, for instance - the lids look pretty ghastly up close and don't fit particularly well! The dash top is also plastic, but it's quite an inoffensive thing.

However, I'd trade a few handcrafted details like that to save having to deal with the handcrafted electronics the XJ40 is infamous for!


EDIT: As much as I love Jaguar interiors, the finery can sometimes go a little too far. Look at this horror. I'm sure the blue tint to the picture doesn't help, but it's all too much. The incredibly heavy burl on the wood, of which there is just too much, and the wooden steering wheel with the gold Daimler 'D' on it looks similarly excessive and not in a good way. I like some of the details like the inlaid 'V12' badge but a little restraint with the wood would have been nice. If it were not so heavily figured, it might be less offensive to the eye. And this, coming from me, who loves wood in cars and felt the M5 lost part of it's soul when BMW stopped doing the wooden inserts and detailing!

Edited by Baryonyx on Tuesday 25th November 18:22

[deadslow]

Baryonyx said:

However, I'd trade a few handcrafted details like that to save having to deal with the handcrafted electronics the XJ40 is infamous for!

I think a late XJ40 would be a rather well sorted thing. The electrics were (for Jag) a bit revolutionary, but the car was produced for a fair bit of time and I bet they got on top of all/most issues.

Wasn't the X300 essentially just a top and tail revamp of the '40 anyway? Retrolutionary, as Jag described it at the time.

[Motorrad]

Baryonyx said:

the finery can sometimes go a little too far.

A heritage of tack. Enjoy and embrace.

[FrankUnderwood]

E65Ross said:

SpeckledJim said:

hornetrider said:

FrankUnderwood said:

What do we reckon given the price and the fact that it's difficult to find a perfect XJ40?

1991 Jaguar XJ40 Sovereign 3.2 Auto 67,000miles FSH

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=2...

My dad had an F plate one of those in a kind of pale green, what a lovely car.

The history file for that one linked is huge, just the kind of car I'd like to buy.

Before clicking on that link, I guessed it would be gold. So many of the best one seem to be.

I wonder if there is a trend towards some cars of particular colours being better kept than other colours?

That looks absolutely amazing. Just look at how lovely that is in the back!!

[/b]A stunning low mileage Daimler V12 6.0 V12 that drives as new, very rare with this mileage, looks absolutely stunning, drivers air bag, abs brakes, electric sunroof, picnic tables etc etc, more information to follow[/b]

£4999

http://www.jaguarclassifieds.org.uk/?page=cars&amp...

[SimonConnell]

FrankUnderwood said:

picnic tables

Well, maybe if Sir's idea of a picnic is a double scotch and a packet of Silk Cut.

Cracking cars though - I'm sure a W140 would deliver better performance and an LS400 would be more reliable, but there's something about a V12 Jaguar / Daimler.