1998 Daimler V8
Discussion
After over 10 years on the forum I finally have a car I feel is worthy enough of its own thread in Readers' Cars.
My grandad passed away last year and left me a little bit of money to buy something for myself which I would keep and enjoy. After thinking about it and discussing with Mrs cv01jw I set about looking for a suitable classic car.
I have wanted an XJ ever since my brother rocked up in a bright red one when I was 7 or 8. He was a mechanic and had popped out for lunch in a client's car. I sat in the leather interior and stared at the wood and dash in awe. At the time my dad had a poverty spec E reg Escort (1.3 popular) and so the Jag was, to use my 11 year old son's favourite word, epic.
That car was a Series III. In my research I had figured out that a decent Series III was both out of my budget and unsuitable to be kept long term outside. As I have no garage I discounted these and moved on to newer models. I spent some time looking at XJ40’s, the most recent of which I saw only a few days ago, but the cars were either way over budget or rotten.
Feeling disheartened after seeing what appeared to be a lovely XJ12 turn out to be rotten, and being stuck in a Premier Inn room for the Saturday night with the family, I trawled the internet for X300’s and X308’s. I found a number of potential candidates but one stood out in particular – a 1998 Daimler V8. It was in Birmingham, which is a long way from me in Dorset, but I was staying overnight in Monmouth and so my man maths said I was already most of the way there. Our plans for the Sunday were changed and we drove up to view the car.
Thankfully it was not a wasted trip and the car looked as good as the ad suggested. I ended up buying it there and then and driving it home, following my wife who has to drive my Mii back.
Here is the obligatory petrol station shot, taken on the journey home:
And a very poor quality one showing it (just) fits on the drive:
The car is a 1998 Daimler V8. It is essentially an X308 Jaguar XJ in LWB guise with a 4.0 litre V8 and 5 speed auto box. It is running on Daimler 16 inch wheels with 225/60 R16 tyres. It ticked over 120,000 miles on the journey from Birmingham to Dorset. On the run down I averaged 24mpg which I was happy with, especially as I was using the journey to get to know the car and its performance.
Having only had the car a couple of days I am still compiling a list of things needing attention, first of which for me is to sort the driver’s door mirror which is loose. How I didn’t notice it when I tested and inspected it I don’t know, but something needs doing with it.
The plan was to have it as a weekend car but I, um, accidently drove it to work today ??. I have a feeling I may do for a few more days, to run it in of course.
Even though it was really clean when I left Birmingham it is now covered in bugs, and so I will take some photos once I have cleaned it up again. For now, below are a few from the advert.
It may not strictly be a classic, but I love it and with time I think it will become seen as a classic – much like the XJ40 is doing now.
My grandad passed away last year and left me a little bit of money to buy something for myself which I would keep and enjoy. After thinking about it and discussing with Mrs cv01jw I set about looking for a suitable classic car.
I have wanted an XJ ever since my brother rocked up in a bright red one when I was 7 or 8. He was a mechanic and had popped out for lunch in a client's car. I sat in the leather interior and stared at the wood and dash in awe. At the time my dad had a poverty spec E reg Escort (1.3 popular) and so the Jag was, to use my 11 year old son's favourite word, epic.
That car was a Series III. In my research I had figured out that a decent Series III was both out of my budget and unsuitable to be kept long term outside. As I have no garage I discounted these and moved on to newer models. I spent some time looking at XJ40’s, the most recent of which I saw only a few days ago, but the cars were either way over budget or rotten.
Feeling disheartened after seeing what appeared to be a lovely XJ12 turn out to be rotten, and being stuck in a Premier Inn room for the Saturday night with the family, I trawled the internet for X300’s and X308’s. I found a number of potential candidates but one stood out in particular – a 1998 Daimler V8. It was in Birmingham, which is a long way from me in Dorset, but I was staying overnight in Monmouth and so my man maths said I was already most of the way there. Our plans for the Sunday were changed and we drove up to view the car.
Thankfully it was not a wasted trip and the car looked as good as the ad suggested. I ended up buying it there and then and driving it home, following my wife who has to drive my Mii back.
Here is the obligatory petrol station shot, taken on the journey home:
And a very poor quality one showing it (just) fits on the drive:
The car is a 1998 Daimler V8. It is essentially an X308 Jaguar XJ in LWB guise with a 4.0 litre V8 and 5 speed auto box. It is running on Daimler 16 inch wheels with 225/60 R16 tyres. It ticked over 120,000 miles on the journey from Birmingham to Dorset. On the run down I averaged 24mpg which I was happy with, especially as I was using the journey to get to know the car and its performance.
Having only had the car a couple of days I am still compiling a list of things needing attention, first of which for me is to sort the driver’s door mirror which is loose. How I didn’t notice it when I tested and inspected it I don’t know, but something needs doing with it.
The plan was to have it as a weekend car but I, um, accidently drove it to work today ??. I have a feeling I may do for a few more days, to run it in of course.
Even though it was really clean when I left Birmingham it is now covered in bugs, and so I will take some photos once I have cleaned it up again. For now, below are a few from the advert.
It may not strictly be a classic, but I love it and with time I think it will become seen as a classic – much like the XJ40 is doing now.
Excellent first post with this car, I am looking forward to this thread with interest. I ran a (more modest than this) XJ6 a few years ago. There is something about Jaguar/Daimler that gets under the skin somehow. I used to really like the wood and leather in the cabin at night, it all felt really calm and reassuring in there.
I plan to get another Jaguar again later this year, an X150 XK 4.2.
Great purchase OP, looking forward to updates.
I plan to get another Jaguar again later this year, an X150 XK 4.2.
Great purchase OP, looking forward to updates.
Really nice car...
I have never owned a V8,: I would love to but I need reasonable mpg because any car I get has to 'work for its keep' by being used for my daily commute of about 60 miles. So a V8 ( or indeed a V6!) would be out of the question !
A friend is 'into Jaguars' and cannot understand my interest in Alfas ( I am on my second 156, plus a Fiat Punto Sporting 130 with the same 'Alfa' 1.9 JTDM engine ). If you own an older Alfa as a main car, you really need a 'spare' car !
I have only driven one Jag : his is a 2005 XJ something (!!) with the 3 litre diesel and aluminium shell I think. Anyway, I was very impressed with the ride and the performance. He is on his 3rd XJ, and he has a local Jag 'breaker' who keeps him in secondhand spares. He uses it to drive up and down to Bordeaux every few months and thinks it's marvellous !!
Looks like you have a good car there, keep up the posts and the fixes that you need to do.
I have never owned a V8,: I would love to but I need reasonable mpg because any car I get has to 'work for its keep' by being used for my daily commute of about 60 miles. So a V8 ( or indeed a V6!) would be out of the question !
A friend is 'into Jaguars' and cannot understand my interest in Alfas ( I am on my second 156, plus a Fiat Punto Sporting 130 with the same 'Alfa' 1.9 JTDM engine ). If you own an older Alfa as a main car, you really need a 'spare' car !
I have only driven one Jag : his is a 2005 XJ something (!!) with the 3 litre diesel and aluminium shell I think. Anyway, I was very impressed with the ride and the performance. He is on his 3rd XJ, and he has a local Jag 'breaker' who keeps him in secondhand spares. He uses it to drive up and down to Bordeaux every few months and thinks it's marvellous !!
Looks like you have a good car there, keep up the posts and the fixes that you need to do.
Looks lovely, the X308 and X100 XK8 are probably my favourite cars right now. Something about this era of Jaguar styling that I find incredibly attractive - the X308 looks even more beautiful compared to the X350, which (although far from unattractive) deviated from the classic low roofline that Jaguar had been careful to maintain until 2003, making it look bulbous in comparison to the svelte X308.
Following with interest.
Following with interest.
Thanks for all the replies.
I am now looking forward to a long weekend with some time to give the car a good clean inside and out. I have lots of cleaning goodies on order which will hopefully be here by Friday. I generally notice more paint and bodywork defects when I am washing a car, so I will get a list of all the areas needing attention and then decide if it is worth putting into a body shop or not.
The drivers mirror has sorted itself out which is good, although the motor is noticeably noisier than the one on the passenger side when the mirrors fold in. Still, it works and so I am inclined to leave it alone.
I drove to work again in it today and either I am getting used to it or the suspension is quietening down with use. Either way, I am happy.
I am now looking forward to a long weekend with some time to give the car a good clean inside and out. I have lots of cleaning goodies on order which will hopefully be here by Friday. I generally notice more paint and bodywork defects when I am washing a car, so I will get a list of all the areas needing attention and then decide if it is worth putting into a body shop or not.
The drivers mirror has sorted itself out which is good, although the motor is noticeably noisier than the one on the passenger side when the mirrors fold in. Still, it works and so I am inclined to leave it alone.
I drove to work again in it today and either I am getting used to it or the suspension is quietening down with use. Either way, I am happy.
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