New x308 owner
Discussion
Hi Everyone
Just bought an R reg 3.2 XJ8 on Saturday. Boyhood dream.
What a bit of kit????
Why?How? What? Why didn't I have one before? How does it drive like it does? What can I do, not to spend every waking moment wanting to be in it?
Been in company cars (Mondeos, Vauxhall and VW's) most of my life. Saw it on a forecourt in Clevedon, Bristol and couldn't believe the sales guy who said it was a nice car. Got 97k on the clock, paid £1700 and took it straight round to a garage owner mate of mine who was blown away, too. Bit of welding at the front end, slight blow on one of the pipes, but he reckons a good slap of used oil will preserve it. He thinks I've got a good 'un. Feckin' hope so, don't need me dream spoiling, so soon.
Got a couple of young daughters (11 & 13) who thought I was MAD. Picked it up and now they think it's so COOL. ME? Cool? Wow.
Read 6potdave's story (buying from lestershaw) and whilst my motor's not in the same league (I love the colour) and the way it's been looked after (a credit to him), I now understand why you boys like these Cats!
Saw on another post that the tensioners are prone to failing. Anyone know of a good independent in the Wiltshire/ S/West area? Saw a couple of references to Swallows, are they my nearest option? I need someone to talk to, get advice, not just turn up and look in me pockets for small change.
PS
Didn't realise you could get to 4mpg, pulling away! Think I need to switch the average trip off?
Just bought an R reg 3.2 XJ8 on Saturday. Boyhood dream.
What a bit of kit????
Why?How? What? Why didn't I have one before? How does it drive like it does? What can I do, not to spend every waking moment wanting to be in it?
Been in company cars (Mondeos, Vauxhall and VW's) most of my life. Saw it on a forecourt in Clevedon, Bristol and couldn't believe the sales guy who said it was a nice car. Got 97k on the clock, paid £1700 and took it straight round to a garage owner mate of mine who was blown away, too. Bit of welding at the front end, slight blow on one of the pipes, but he reckons a good slap of used oil will preserve it. He thinks I've got a good 'un. Feckin' hope so, don't need me dream spoiling, so soon.
Got a couple of young daughters (11 & 13) who thought I was MAD. Picked it up and now they think it's so COOL. ME? Cool? Wow.
Read 6potdave's story (buying from lestershaw) and whilst my motor's not in the same league (I love the colour) and the way it's been looked after (a credit to him), I now understand why you boys like these Cats!
Saw on another post that the tensioners are prone to failing. Anyone know of a good independent in the Wiltshire/ S/West area? Saw a couple of references to Swallows, are they my nearest option? I need someone to talk to, get advice, not just turn up and look in me pockets for small change.
PS
Didn't realise you could get to 4mpg, pulling away! Think I need to switch the average trip off?
Cheers.
Def a keeper. Will be looking for a friendly garage. Mate I play Footie with has a garage in Malmesbury (David Hendry Cars) and whilst they do run of the mill stuff, also sell SSANG YONG (Yep, he's the ONE) and deal in and service TVR's. So am thinking they may be a safe bet for looking after big engined beasts. Any thoughts?
Read lots of your posts, Steve. Seems you have lots of love (and knowledge) for the Cat.
What was your first one? Had any real dogs?
Mo
Def a keeper. Will be looking for a friendly garage. Mate I play Footie with has a garage in Malmesbury (David Hendry Cars) and whilst they do run of the mill stuff, also sell SSANG YONG (Yep, he's the ONE) and deal in and service TVR's. So am thinking they may be a safe bet for looking after big engined beasts. Any thoughts?
Read lots of your posts, Steve. Seems you have lots of love (and knowledge) for the Cat.
What was your first one? Had any real dogs?
Mo
Why post when you are uninformed?Euro5stars said:
Cheers.
Def a keeper. Will be looking for a friendly garage. Mate I play Footie with has a garage in Malmesbury (David Hendry Cars) and whilst they do run of the mill stuff, also sell SSANG YONG (Yep, he's the ONE) and deal in and service TVR's. So am thinking they may be a safe bet for looking after big engined beasts. Any thoughts?
Read lots of your posts, Steve. Seems you have lots of love (and knowledge) for the Cat.
What was your first one? Had any real dogs?
Mo
My first XJ was a BRG manual gearbox series 3 bought in 1991 with some inherited cash that was supposed to go into a pension... I had that for about 8 years, sacrificed half the garden to build a garage and workshop round it and during my ownership virtually completely rebuilt it. That sold to a guy who flew from Gurnsey to buy it, the next was a XJ40 bought from a friend of the family which had been standing for a couple of years, that one was bought to fix and sell on which I did and that helped to buy XJ number three which was a X300 3.2. I had that for around 5 years and took it to 100k with no problems. Def a keeper. Will be looking for a friendly garage. Mate I play Footie with has a garage in Malmesbury (David Hendry Cars) and whilst they do run of the mill stuff, also sell SSANG YONG (Yep, he's the ONE) and deal in and service TVR's. So am thinking they may be a safe bet for looking after big engined beasts. Any thoughts?
Read lots of your posts, Steve. Seems you have lots of love (and knowledge) for the Cat.
What was your first one? Had any real dogs?
Mo
XJ number 4 was the first V8, again a 3.2, this one was bought from an elderly gent in west London who'd done less than 800 miles in two years and had it because it looked nice. I had that for around 5 years too and it sold to a guy in Derbyshire with 101k on the clock.
Current XJ 3.2 is a 2001 Executive in Carnival red which I bought last December from the estate of a retired aircraft engineer who'd pamperd it from new. It had just 31k on the clock when I bought it. It came with a FJSH, plus a massive pile of reciepts and a years tax and MOT and is absolutely pristine. Best of all I paid just £3000 for it - the late owner's son wanted it to go to a good home. I obliged
Fortunately none of my XJs have been dogs. I'm an ex mechanic and they've all been bought very carefully, often with not much money and well looked after. I have a real soft spot for the Series 3 'tho but the current one has to be the best of them all.
Current V8
I've done the rounds of Jaguar specialists in the area and all I can say is that I've been using Swallows for about five years now and won't take either of my Jags anywhere else. Friendly, knowledgeable, fast turnaround, competitive prices and always anxious to please. The only slight demerit is that they are right out in the middle of nowhere!
Euro5stars said:
Got a couple of young daughters (11 & 13) who thought I was MAD. Picked it up and now they think it's so COOL. ME? Cool? Wow.
I can relate to this bit. I used to drive mine (7 and 9 at the time) around in a Daimler X308 with LWB, separate rear seats, picnic trays, inlaid wood etc. They and all their friends thought it was the coolest thing on earth - way cooler than all the brand new German metal which their parents had Welcome to the club!
My kids absolutely hated my Series 3, it made them carsick and they both refered to it as the World's Fastest Lorry. Needless to say the ungrateful little s
ts didn't get all the lifts they wanted at the time...
On the other hand my son's girlfriend is a huge fan of retro-arty stuff. She thinks the XJ8 (and my huge collection of 1970's Prog Rock on vinyl) is uber cool
ts didn't get all the lifts they wanted at the time...On the other hand my son's girlfriend is a huge fan of retro-arty stuff. She thinks the XJ8 (and my huge collection of 1970's Prog Rock on vinyl) is uber cool
Jaguar Steves got a fabulous looking motor. He obviously knows what to look for. Sounds like its been a better investment than a pension would've been anyway. What do you do now Jag S? Can't just be light duties? You thought about writing?
Swallows has come up a couple of times, but likes' already been said, they are up Gods armpit. No good moaning about, if they're as good as everyone indicates. Will give them a ring. Thanks MAM (will have to watch me grammar and punctuation- with you being a journo).
Like some of the terminology too.... Wafting and huhning. Evokes great imagery of days gone by.
Hope me partners son's 20 year old girlfriend feels the same as Jaguar Steve's lads girlfriend!!!!!! Sounds a bit wrong at 55, my apologies.
Claybar? Worth doing? Any down sides or things to watch out for?
Mo
Swallows has come up a couple of times, but likes' already been said, they are up Gods armpit. No good moaning about, if they're as good as everyone indicates. Will give them a ring. Thanks MAM (will have to watch me grammar and punctuation- with you being a journo).
Like some of the terminology too.... Wafting and huhning. Evokes great imagery of days gone by.
Hope me partners son's 20 year old girlfriend feels the same as Jaguar Steve's lads girlfriend!!!!!! Sounds a bit wrong at 55, my apologies.
Claybar? Worth doing? Any down sides or things to watch out for?
Mo
I'm semi retired and kept in comfort by Mrs JS. Which is nice
Clay bar is well worth the effort. You'll be surprised how much crud it'll get off what you previously thought was a clean car and how smooth the paint is afterwards. You can't polish a turd so for best results get paintwork spotlessly clean and scratch and swirl free before you start waxing and polishing. Lots of demos and advice on the Meguiars website.
Clay bar is well worth the effort. You'll be surprised how much crud it'll get off what you previously thought was a clean car and how smooth the paint is afterwards. You can't polish a turd so for best results get paintwork spotlessly clean and scratch and swirl free before you start waxing and polishing. Lots of demos and advice on the Meguiars website.
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