Any Jag owners out there?

[silverback mike]

Thanks for the offer HC.
I will hang onto the beemer for a bit longer, and then throw it away when it dies (if!!!).
I need to have a go in a few to justify my desires.
Plus I am still toying with the idea of an s2 or s3 as well as the beemer and wifeys Leon.
I will give you a shout sometime later if I am really going for it, until then I don't want to waste anyones time being a bit of a happy shopper.
Regards, and thanks,
Mike.

[Hedders]

Hi all

I am new to the forum, but thought i would add my name to the list of XJ owners.

I own a 1982 Daimler Double Six, recently taken back to bare metal, had any rust cut out and replaced with new metal, resprayed in Metallic BRG, which was its colour anyway.

Looks great, goes fast, and classic insurance is only £300 a year

Added:
There should now be a picture of it in my profile



>> Edited by Hedders on Wednesday 17th September 18:34

[bobfrance]

Welcome aboard!

Is that your car for sale in the classifieds?

If so, what are you thinking of getting to replace it?

[Hedders]

Thanks for the welcome

Yes, Thats my car...to be honest, I don't really want to let her go....I am hoping no one offers me decent money, so i can justify keeping her, but I would take what I am asking

But I don't know what i would replace it with ...It has to be a sensible decision, but I am sure i will manage to justify buying something fun. I am on a budget though and I have got used to classic insurance at £300 a year for a very fun car...I don't want to end up with a car that costs me more to insure than i am spending on feeding my thirsty beast, cos then i may as well keep her.


I don't do much mileage, so the 5000 miles a year restriction with my insurance is no problem.

I will gladly take advice..i am after something that is fun, and that any mechanic can work on, cheap parts etc...or extremely reliable. My budget would be about £3000.

It doesn't matter how many doors/seats it has either..I aint planning on having kids anytime soon. But I need room for a set of golf clubs.

I don't really know how much it is likely to cost for insurance in a hot hatch or similar because Although I have never made an insurance claim I don't have any no claims bonus. Classic insurance doesn't work that way, so i would be starting fresh

So, for insurance purposes i am 35, 3 points a few months ago from a revenue cam, no other driving offences in 17 years.







>> Edited by Hedders on Saturday 20th September 19:27

[silverback mike]

My 325i touring is great fun. You can pick a decent one up for about £1500. They are bombproof, easy to work on, handle well and can lug lots of stuff around.
Try to avoid a red one, they do tend to go a little pink around the gills, my mirrors have faded, along with the bonnet.
I am 33, it costs me £260 to insure fully comp, and quite frankly for the money I dont think there is anything that will touch it...
I know I know, its a Bmw I too fancy a Jaguar, but for the meantime, this old beemer just keeps on going.
I forgot to mention, it has done nigh on 180k, is still on the same engine and gearbox, original everything (other than obvious stuff like pads, discs etc)and has never ever broken down.
Reliability like that is hard to find. Bit boring though.
Regards.
Mike.

[Hedders]

Thanks for the info,
I would consider a beemer....

I Might be prepared to spend a bit more than £1500, is there a model that you wish you had got instead of that one? or is that particular model the best of the bunch? I have no experience of Beemers, but i would love an 850 ...in another lifetime!

[bobfrance]

What about a TVR?

You could get a good 280i FHC for under 3K.
My old one went for less than that and it was in great nick.
And they are very cheap to run.
Just not as luxurious as a Jag.

Alternatively, have you considered getting a later 6 cyl XJ40?

[silverback mike]

Hedders said:

Thanks for the info, I would consider a beemer.... I Might be prepared to spend a bit more than £1500, is there a model that you wish you had got instead of that one? or is that particular model the best of the bunch? I have no experience of Beemers, but i would love an 850 ...in another lifetime! The 325i touring does everything well, and for me is a fantastic in between car. However, I have had a lhd alpina e36 which was great (but lhd). Alternatively an E36 3 series M3 is a smasher, more car than you need for anything really. What about an XJ - R. That would make me smile Regards, Mike.

[silverback mike]

Messed the quotes up on that one by the look of it!

[Hedders]

while I would Like a TVR, or an XJR, the only reason I would sell my current Jag, is because i now can't afford to fix anything expensive that may go wrong..I can't be driving a car that costs £2-400 everytime a mechanic opens the bonnet

Right now, they rub their hands together as i drive up! Maybe i just need a new mechanic , not a new car!

If i do replace the car though, i think it should be with a much newer, smaller car of some description for about £3000, hopefully with cheapish insurance, a nice looker thats fun to drive...am i asking for too much?









>> Edited by Hedders on Monday 22 September 10:19

[bobfrance]

Hedders said:

If i do replace the car though, i think it should be with a much newer, smaller car of some description for about £3000, hopefully with cheapish insurance, a nice looker thats fun to drive...am i asking for too much?

Then you need a car from the land of the rising sun.
It shouldn't break down so much, but if it does it will be dearer to repair than your Jag (unless you're being ripped off by your mechanic).

However predict you will miss the specialness of your jag more than you can imagine.

[silverback mike]

You won't go wrong with a 325i.
Haven't spent a penny other than routine stuff on mine.
Previous owner did 160k, again, never spent a penny on non routine items.
Being a touring, you can fit everything in as well.
Bob is right though, jap cars are very good, just seem to lack something for me.
Plus it does 0-60 in 7.
And tops out at over 140.....and you can get a dog in the back!!!!!!

[Hedders]

I am not even sure if i am being ripped off by mechanics..I used to use a really good licensed jag mechanic, but every time i went in there he would try and get me to do something really expensive! EG: I was toying with the idea of putting a manual gearbox in it. I was thinking it would be done for maybe a grand, he quoted me £4000! He charged me a little over £2000 when he sorted out all my brakes and suspension, which could have been right...? The guy just did not want to get his hands dirty unless I made a few mortgage payments for him!

I moved to a more down to earth mechanic, but now i get the feeling they spend more time locating faults than fixing them, and it all seems to be trial and error.

I care too much about the car, everytime i hear a strange noise, I trot down to the mechanic who gladly charges me for not finding/fixing any problems, but telling me it should be ok
I know i will miss it a great deal, There is nothing (i have driven) quite like it, but now i have done the paint and everything, i am worried about who is going to scratch it in the car park and stuff like that...I scrathed the wing with my belt buckle and it was in the paint shop within an hour... I think I might be better of with a car that I view as transport and not a trophy, but i am rambling so much i am wondering who i am trying to convince..you or me?

I will have a look at some 325's and see what i think. What year is yours?











>> Edited by Hedders on Monday 22 September 14:03

[silverback mike]

Mines a 'g' reg.
If you are near bristol, you are more than welcome to take mine out for a beasting to get the feel of them.

[silverback mike]

However, I reckon you are too attached to the jag.
Why don't you keep it, and buy a cheapie, like I did.

I just ended up keeping it!

[Hedders]

Thanks for the offer, but i am down in London

I think you may be right about keeping the car, but i just have this bad feeling about owning two cars...on a budget.

But the Daimler will hopefully go up in value rather than down...decision, decisions As you can tell though, I don't have loads of cash to throw around, especially if i don't sell the Daimler....I think i might just have to save up some more cash..I could stretch to £1500, but I would be in trouble if I brought a lemon, so i have to also allow £100 for an inspection...I have never brought a car without one.

What sort of mileage do you get when booting it, (hypothetically) and what is the best you can expect?
I currently get about 18mpg at 70-80mph, and about 10-13 MPG when booting it around town !


ADDED: I have just spied a G reg 325i SE in black with Black leather 150k miles, FSH, priced at £1100
Is that a good price? Damn, i just noticed it had a new engine fitted in '01...calling him now




>> Edited by Hedders on Monday 22 September 16:32

>> Edited by Hedders on Monday 22 September 16:34

[bobfrance]

Hedders said:

ADDED: I have just spied a G reg 325i SE in black with Black leather 150k miles, FSH, priced at £1100 Is that a good price? Damn, i just noticed it had a new engine fitted in '01...calling him now

Sounds like a good compromise.
It's a shame you don't live near Manchester, the guy who looks after mine is fantastic. In fact quite a few people from London bring their classics up to him. I think because it still works out cheaper and they trust him.
A bloke even drove his E-type over from France a couple of weeks ago to have it sorted out.

Best of look with your car-hunt Hedders.

[Hedders]

Yeah it seems a lot of things are cheaper if you leave SE england

I should buy the car up there too!

[bobfrance]

Hedders said:

Yeah it seems a lot of things are cheaper if you leave SE england I should buy the car up there too!

Yeah, just don't try and sell one up here!

[silverback mike]

I rarely drive like a loony, and manage easily 26mpg. However this is spirited motorway driving, and may drop a little around town.
Its not that bad really, but when you think about the performance, pretty good.
I would suggest a touring though.
Don't worry too much about mileage, they go forever, just make sure it has had the oil changed every 6k and the required cambelt changes.
Other than that, they really are bombproof.
Just watch the arse end in the wet, if you boot the accelerator, all sorts of mad things can happen.
Fun really.
Any questions give me a shout.
With regard to running 2 cars, Keep the daimler locked away, it can only go up in value, and steam around in the beemer.
My wife has a Seat Leon, I have the beemer, and hopefully will be getting a TVR S2. If I was sensible I would sell the Beemer, and get a nice sensible car. But then, thats not the way ahead for me.
Have both, you can park the beemer anywhere, and still have the daimler for weekend wafts!
Any questions re beemers give me a shout, I know them quite well.
Mike.