Jaguar XJ and two days in a XF
Discussion
I have a 2006 Jaguar XJ8 in Slate Grey with Charcoal leather.
It's the 4.2litre model. It's been such a great car, and I regularly get 35mpg on the motorway.
It's been the most reliable and near perfect car I've ever had. (Although, having owned 9 Jaguar's it's not saying much!).
Since buying it four years ago, I've driven it across Canada twice (coast to coast), and across the USA twice (coast to coast). Motorway cruising is just effortless!
I have not yet made any upgrades to the car, but there is one upgrade I'd like to do which is dye the door panel piping in mulberry to give it a bit of contrast. I'd also like to apply some mulberry piping to the leather seating. I have a base model, so it doesn't have the nicer piping of the higher trim models.
Here's some photos. It is surprisingly fun to drive in snow, especially drifting around corners, it feels very easy to control and predictable even though it does slide around quite a lot. I regularly take it on ski trips, but the only trouble is I haven't found a ski rack for it and I have taken to sticking my long skis out the rear window - it certainly attracts a lot of attention!
anyhow, at the beginning of 2009, I was offered a 2009 XF at a price I almost could not refuse. The only problem was that the colour was Winter Gold which I hate. So I technically bought the car by trading in my XJ8, but two days later despite finding the car was great to drive, I could not warm up to the colour at all, and returned the car to the dealer. I picked up my XJ8 where I left off, it's been good to me ever since and I hope to keep it for a very long time.
Here's a photo of the XF. It took me a while to figure out how the seats folded down ... hence the skis sticking out the rear window!
It's the 4.2litre model. It's been such a great car, and I regularly get 35mpg on the motorway.
It's been the most reliable and near perfect car I've ever had. (Although, having owned 9 Jaguar's it's not saying much!).
Since buying it four years ago, I've driven it across Canada twice (coast to coast), and across the USA twice (coast to coast). Motorway cruising is just effortless!
I have not yet made any upgrades to the car, but there is one upgrade I'd like to do which is dye the door panel piping in mulberry to give it a bit of contrast. I'd also like to apply some mulberry piping to the leather seating. I have a base model, so it doesn't have the nicer piping of the higher trim models.
Here's some photos. It is surprisingly fun to drive in snow, especially drifting around corners, it feels very easy to control and predictable even though it does slide around quite a lot. I regularly take it on ski trips, but the only trouble is I haven't found a ski rack for it and I have taken to sticking my long skis out the rear window - it certainly attracts a lot of attention!
anyhow, at the beginning of 2009, I was offered a 2009 XF at a price I almost could not refuse. The only problem was that the colour was Winter Gold which I hate. So I technically bought the car by trading in my XJ8, but two days later despite finding the car was great to drive, I could not warm up to the colour at all, and returned the car to the dealer. I picked up my XJ8 where I left off, it's been good to me ever since and I hope to keep it for a very long time.
Here's a photo of the XF. It took me a while to figure out how the seats folded down ... hence the skis sticking out the rear window!
Stedman said:
Great to see a XJ being used in all weathers! I'm guessing you run winter tyres on it?
I seriously miss my parents one. I very nearly bought it! They are simply perfect. If only the seats were up to Volvo standards then they'd surely be the perfect car?
You're quite right there, the seats in Volvo's are sublime! I seriously miss my parents one. I very nearly bought it! They are simply perfect. If only the seats were up to Volvo standards then they'd surely be the perfect car?
I don't run winter tyres actually... I run all-season tires on the car. I went through one winter with 30% tread, it was pretty slippery, but amazing fun. Call me reckless, but I am a very safe driver and growing up in Canada, I know how to drive in snow properly. (yes, the traction control on the Jaguar is useless in snow, and it doesn't help that the handbrake is electronically activated)
The greatest thing I've found with my XJ is that I don't have to worry about washing it down after a drive in the snow. I tend to wash it very occasionally during the winter as it has an aluminium body.
Whereas with the older Jaguar's, every time I take it for a drive in the snow, I come home spend four hours using hot water to rinse out the salt from the undercarriage, and washing the whole car. It's almost not worth it to drive it in the snow, but it is entertaining to see the people's faces as they see a vintage 1973 Jaguar driving through the snow.
The best car for the snow I've ever had is the Porsche 911 (1996 993). Just some all seasons and with most of the weight on the back wheels, it doesn't steer very well, but it grips so well in snow. The looks on the pedestrian's faces are amazing because they don't expect a red Porsche to be driving around in 6 inches of snow.
Whereas with the older Jaguar's, every time I take it for a drive in the snow, I come home spend four hours using hot water to rinse out the salt from the undercarriage, and washing the whole car. It's almost not worth it to drive it in the snow, but it is entertaining to see the people's faces as they see a vintage 1973 Jaguar driving through the snow.
The best car for the snow I've ever had is the Porsche 911 (1996 993). Just some all seasons and with most of the weight on the back wheels, it doesn't steer very well, but it grips so well in snow. The looks on the pedestrian's faces are amazing because they don't expect a red Porsche to be driving around in 6 inches of snow.
John Boy 616 said:
respect given in bucket loads, great car history, excellent pics.
thanks, I also have a Maserati... but I really am a Jaguar fanatic. Now that I am down to one Jaguar (the XJ8), my next addition will have to be an XJS. I think it is interesting that me being a single guy and relatively young - I have always written off 2 door Jaguar's for practical reasons - despite not having children to cart around or ever having passengers in the back seat! I think this would look terrific in my garage....
Here are some photos of the car during my road trip across Canada! It was quite a drive especially driving solo.
among the grain silos in Saskatchewan - Central Canada. Nothing but wheat fields and potash mines for miles and miles on end.
from the rocky mountains in western canada
to the boring prairies
and to Manitoba the eastern edge of the prairies - the car looking suitably filthy!!!
among the grain silos in Saskatchewan - Central Canada. Nothing but wheat fields and potash mines for miles and miles on end.
from the rocky mountains in western canada
to the boring prairies
and to Manitoba the eastern edge of the prairies - the car looking suitably filthy!!!
quote=chevy-stu]nice shot with the skis.... ! 
[/quote]
It is, put a slight smile on my face. But that colour is an acquired taste...not that it looks too bad
[quote=MPoon]The best car for the snow I've ever had is the Porsche 911 (1996 993). The looks on the pedestrian's faces are amazing because they don't expect a red Porsche to be driving around in 6 inches of snow.
[/quote]
Top stuff!
[/quote]
It is, put a slight smile on my face. But that colour is an acquired taste...not that it looks too bad
[quote=MPoon]The best car for the snow I've ever had is the Porsche 911 (1996 993). The looks on the pedestrian's faces are amazing because they don't expect a red Porsche to be driving around in 6 inches of snow.
[/quote]
Top stuff!
monthefish said:
North America is/was Jaguars biggest market.
No, most people just think i'm driving some old car from the 70's, and don't realise this design made it into the 21st century. I do get more attention than most car owners in this class.... sales of Jaguar XJ-series in Canada are comparatively fewer in number to Lexus LS, Mercedes Benz S-class, BMW 7-series, and Audi A8.
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff