2009 Jaguar XK
Discussion
Breadvan72 said:
I loved my XJS , although it was mega rusty. It was a 1992 model with that lovely straight six engine, Brooklands Green with a pale interior and a J-gate gear selector, and cross-spoke alloys.
The XK has indeed got four pages of fuses listed in the manual, and the fuses are located in various annoying places all over the car.
Today's excitement has been finding the battery in the boot, so that the XK can jump start my ex's 2004 X Type Estate, which is on its arse outside her flat.
Yes, that battery location is designed to make my back twinge! The XK has indeed got four pages of fuses listed in the manual, and the fuses are located in various annoying places all over the car.
Today's excitement has been finding the battery in the boot, so that the XK can jump start my ex's 2004 X Type Estate, which is on its arse outside her flat.
Edited by Breadvan72 on Friday 8th May 08:14
There is a positive charge point somewhere in the boot under a cover or similar apparently, that might be ok to take a jump lead off, but I'm not sure. Would be easier than dissasembling the back of the boot to get to the battery if it is.
I like the way that the designer gave the car haunches. Also, Jaguar in the post Ford era evidently decided to up the game in terms of interior quality - the leather on the seats, the shiny bling on the centre console, the alcantara headlining, and all that, make the car feel swish and posh.
I tested the XK8 at the same forecourt dealer first. It felt more old school, but made me think that if that was what I wanted on this occasion I should go and buy another XJS, and that would have defeated the practicality objective, because although I am a staunch defender of classic cars as dailies, I do recognise the reliability risks that this entails.
I add that, at the time of purchase there was a Jensen Interceptor III on sale for 24,000, and I was sore tempted, but that is now way too cheap for an Interceptor , and buying it would probably have been a mistake. I ran an Interceptor II as a daily for two years 2010-12, and even drove it to Rome and back with only one minor problem, but even I have to realise that running a car that is almost fifty years old as a daily is a bit daft. The XK, like the XJS before it, does everything that an Interceptor does but better (with the exception of luggage capacity - the Interceptor boot is huge), and in the case of the XK in a greener and safer way.
2010 - Hotel Les Vaults de Lugny, Burgundy.
I tested the XK8 at the same forecourt dealer first. It felt more old school, but made me think that if that was what I wanted on this occasion I should go and buy another XJS, and that would have defeated the practicality objective, because although I am a staunch defender of classic cars as dailies, I do recognise the reliability risks that this entails.
I add that, at the time of purchase there was a Jensen Interceptor III on sale for 24,000, and I was sore tempted, but that is now way too cheap for an Interceptor , and buying it would probably have been a mistake. I ran an Interceptor II as a daily for two years 2010-12, and even drove it to Rome and back with only one minor problem, but even I have to realise that running a car that is almost fifty years old as a daily is a bit daft. The XK, like the XJS before it, does everything that an Interceptor does but better (with the exception of luggage capacity - the Interceptor boot is huge), and in the case of the XK in a greener and safer way.
2010 - Hotel Les Vaults de Lugny, Burgundy.
As with all modern cars, the engine bay is swathed in plastic covers, so you cannot see the engine. An RAC patrol guy told me that he spends ages on jobs undoing clips and fasteners to remove plastic covers so that he can get to the mechanical bits. Most RAC patrol dudes I have met (and I have met a fair few) rather like old cars because they can access the bits, and fix them with hammers, wire, cable ties, and so on.
The rear seats are useless save for children. I am not tall, but I struggle to get in and out of the rear seats, and cannot sit upright when in them. The XJS had better rear seats. The only 2 x 2 GT that I have owned that had back seats that were seriously usable by adults was a Lotus Excel. The rear seats in an Excel are very deep, and you sit with your knees up, but an adult of average height can sit there in reasonable comfort for a long journey and does not have to bend their neck. In an Interceptor the rear headroom is OK but there is no leg room unless the driver sits too close to the steering wheel.
The rear seats are useless save for children. I am not tall, but I struggle to get in and out of the rear seats, and cannot sit upright when in them. The XJS had better rear seats. The only 2 x 2 GT that I have owned that had back seats that were seriously usable by adults was a Lotus Excel. The rear seats in an Excel are very deep, and you sit with your knees up, but an adult of average height can sit there in reasonable comfort for a long journey and does not have to bend their neck. In an Interceptor the rear headroom is OK but there is no leg room unless the driver sits too close to the steering wheel.
In my XJ Coupe I can sit behind myself if I set the drivers seat where I need it and I’m 5ft 11 and can sit in the back comfortably. Then they moved to the XJS and you had to be under 5 to really be in the back and then the XK where they may as well not have bothered. Things just got progressively worse.
Breadvan72 said:
I am sooooooo jealous of you for having an XJC - one of the most elegant cars that Jaguar ever made, and a proper coupe, in the sense of having a shortened wheelbase rather than a truncated roof line.
Pics please!
It’s been in for restoration for a while now. It’s in readers cars Pics please!
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
v8ben said:
A fine motorcar indeed. I worked at Jaguar when these were launched as was responsible for the A3 size launch brochure. I think they are based on an aluminium platform - which probably has some connection to the x350 aluminium XJ. Assuming this is the case your free of XJS bits and bobs, though of course the XJS is a lovely machine .....
I have and XJS here in the states, no rust at all. I love the thing and don’t plan on parting with it. It is a 1995, so vastly improved from the earlier ones. The XK8s used the XJS platform iirc. The next gen XKs were all new underneath. I have a Merc SLK350. I love that car with that engine; however, we are doing a bit more state to state travel here which is better suited for a GT like the XK. Looking at one myself now. Jimbeaux said:
v8ben said:
A fine motorcar indeed. I worked at Jaguar when these were launched as was responsible for the A3 size launch brochure. I think they are based on an aluminium platform - which probably has some connection to the x350 aluminium XJ. Assuming this is the case your free of XJS bits and bobs, though of course the XJS is a lovely machine .....
I have and XJS here in the states, no rust at all. I love the thing and don’t plan on parting with it. It is a 1995, so vastly improved from the earlier ones. The XK8s used the XJS platform iirc. The next gen XKs were all new underneath. I have a Merc SLK350. I love that car with that engine; however, we are doing a bit more state to state travel here which is better suited for a GT like the XK. Looking at one myself now. Breadvan72 said:
PS: I think that it may have been the XK8 that had some XJS underpinnings (just as a DB7 has). I like the elegant shape of the XK8, but if I am going to battle rust I would rather do it on something that has a proper Jaaaaaag straight six rather than a somewhat Fordy V8. I shun V12s because they have twice the hassles of sixes. But a good XK8 is now 5K, whereas a good XJS is 15K or more.
I love my AJ16 straight six in my XJS but iirc, the 5.0 in the XKs are not “Fordy”, are they? Maybe the 4.2 before?Jimbeaux said:
Breadvan72 said:
PS: I think that it may have been the XK8 that had some XJS underpinnings (just as a DB7 has). I like the elegant shape of the XK8, but if I am going to battle rust I would rather do it on something that has a proper Jaaaaaag straight six rather than a somewhat Fordy V8. I shun V12s because they have twice the hassles of sixes. But a good XK8 is now 5K, whereas a good XJS is 15K or more.
I love my AJ16 straight six in my XJS but iirc, the 5.0 in the XKs are not “Fordy”, are they? Maybe the 4.2 before?Cracking engines though, the 5.0 S/C particularly, both my current cars have this engine, immense oomph when you want it.
Piersman2 said:
Jimbeaux said:
Breadvan72 said:
PS: I think that it may have been the XK8 that had some XJS underpinnings (just as a DB7 has). I like the elegant shape of the XK8, but if I am going to battle rust I would rather do it on something that has a proper Jaaaaaag straight six rather than a somewhat Fordy V8. I shun V12s because they have twice the hassles of sixes. But a good XK8 is now 5K, whereas a good XJS is 15K or more.
I love my AJ16 straight six in my XJS but iirc, the 5.0 in the XKs are not “Fordy”, are they? Maybe the 4.2 before?Cracking engines though, the 5.0 S/C particularly, both my current cars have this engine, immense oomph when you want it.
Piersman2 said:
Jimbeaux said:
Breadvan72 said:
PS: I think that it may have been the XK8 that had some XJS underpinnings (just as a DB7 has). I like the elegant shape of the XK8, but if I am going to battle rust I would rather do it on something that has a proper Jaaaaaag straight six rather than a somewhat Fordy V8. I shun V12s because they have twice the hassles of sixes. But a good XK8 is now 5K, whereas a good XJS is 15K or more.
I love my AJ16 straight six in my XJS but iirc, the 5.0 in the XKs are not “Fordy”, are they? Maybe the 4.2 before?Cracking engines though, the 5.0 S/C particularly, both my current cars have this engine, immense oomph when you want it.
Breadvan72 said:
I like the way that the designer gave the car haunches. Also, Jaguar in the post Ford era evidently decided to up the game in terms of interior quality - the leather on the seats, the shiny bling on the centre console, the alcantara headlining, and all that, make the car feel swish and posh.
I tested the XK8 at the same forecourt dealer first. It felt more old school, but made me think that if that was what I wanted on this occasion I should go and buy another XJS, and that would have defeated the practicality objective, because although I am a staunch defender of classic cars as dailies, I do recognise the reliability risks that this entails.
I add that, at the time of purchase there was a Jensen Interceptor III on sale for 24,000, and I was sore tempted, but that is now way too cheap for an Interceptor , and buying it would probably have been a mistake. I ran an Interceptor II as a daily for two years 2010-12, and even drove it to Rome and back with only one minor problem, but even I have to realise that running a car that is almost fifty years old as a daily is a bit daft. The XK, like the XJS before it, does everything that an Interceptor does but better (with the exception of luggage capacity - the Interceptor boot is huge), and in the case of the XK in a greener and safer way.
2010 - Hotel Les Vaults de Lugny, Burgundy.
Big hat off to you for taking a Jensen on a European trip, mine was a an exercise in why you should follow your head rather than your heart.I tested the XK8 at the same forecourt dealer first. It felt more old school, but made me think that if that was what I wanted on this occasion I should go and buy another XJS, and that would have defeated the practicality objective, because although I am a staunch defender of classic cars as dailies, I do recognise the reliability risks that this entails.
I add that, at the time of purchase there was a Jensen Interceptor III on sale for 24,000, and I was sore tempted, but that is now way too cheap for an Interceptor , and buying it would probably have been a mistake. I ran an Interceptor II as a daily for two years 2010-12, and even drove it to Rome and back with only one minor problem, but even I have to realise that running a car that is almost fifty years old as a daily is a bit daft. The XK, like the XJS before it, does everything that an Interceptor does but better (with the exception of luggage capacity - the Interceptor boot is huge), and in the case of the XK in a greener and safer way.
2010 - Hotel Les Vaults de Lugny, Burgundy.
A fond recollection was feeling a reduction in power, if that is possible given the generally torpid nature of the engine despite having over 7 litres at it's disposal.
Check of the pressure and temperature gauges - all is fine. Ten seconds later that lovely chromed radiator cap made a break for freedom, the shape impressed into the bonnet, steam billowing everywhere and still the dials reported all was OK.
Few months later, a falling tree limb broke the rear screen during a storm. The cost to replace that was outrageous even in today's money.
Still miss the old girl though.
I love these. You never really get the proper sense of how big these are in photos unless you park next to another average sIzed car for reference.
The XK feels like a newer more modern step up for myself, I have a 4.4L V8 E64 6 series, hence the interest I show in yours.
Strangely the wheels do look better smaller, I think sometimes a GT car just needs lots of tyre to keep the beefed up muscular look.
The XK feels like a newer more modern step up for myself, I have a 4.4L V8 E64 6 series, hence the interest I show in yours.
Strangely the wheels do look better smaller, I think sometimes a GT car just needs lots of tyre to keep the beefed up muscular look.
Jimbeaux said:
Breadvan have you had any issues with the supercharger? I am trying to decide between XK or XKR. I know there are more options and cosmetics with the XKR, but I’m asking about the engine itself. Thanks!
Not BV72, but I ran an XFR with the same engine for 3 years and 40k miles. Engine was perfect: immense and sonorous. It never needed anything other than servicing. Window regulators and minor electrical items were less impressive; but that does not impact your choice. Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff