Bit of a story .. 2007 XJ 4.2 LWB Sov..
Discussion
Ok,first ever “Readers car” post so I’ll apologise in advance for the length of it and apologise again if it’s of no interest to anyone ! The back story does eventually lead on to the titled car ... honestly.
My first car memory is sitting in-between the two front seats of a family friends 2.8 series1 XJ6. I was probably around 6 or 7, it was circa 1971/72 and I was in complete awe,those dials were like Emperor Mings spaceship when all I was used to my dads 1967 minivan.
Dads dream had always been to own a Jag and years later with the rewards of much hard work he bought 4 year old 1973M Reg series 2 XJ for £3995. As a 12 year old kid I spent literally hours polishing that thing,whilst wearing dodgy hair and dodgy flares....
So moving on, mum and dad were together 62 years before we lost mum 20 months ago, and dads world collapses. Nothing my sister nor I can do seems to bring him out from his loss, and now sadly my all time hero is facing his own cancer battle and has been given only a 50% chance of making three months....
A year ago I started looking at getting an XJ I’ve always loved them, just never felt the right time,but more importantly Dad has always wanted me to have one,he couldn’t understand my TVR’s,the Nobles etc when I could have a Jag instead .... ( strangely though he understands my Rover 75’s!)
With Dads news, my search took on much more importance, as I was determined to bring a smile to his face in his last few weeks..There was one particular car ( criteria was 4.2 petrol, lwb, non supercharge ) that I couldn’t work out why it was so expensive ... nice spec but 07 so big tax, 118k miles, nothing special to warrant the price especially as a private sale, nicely worded advert though and said previously “ restored “.Over the course of 6 weeks I watched the price tumble, and last bit the bullet and rang a very nice lady who explained it was her father’s pride and joy, he'd come into some money and as a present for later life spent a fortune on his car last year,but very sadly he had passed away suddenly and got only a few chances to drive it...(this is starting to fall into place now and we are both close to tears on the phone as I relay my story to her as well !)
When the conversation got back to the car( and I promise this post will as well !) I asked her to tell me about the resto’, and she said she’d send some bits through.
Well, f
k me has it had restoration ....all £15,000 of it in 2017!!!!
![](https://thumbsnap.com/sc/Xb2budxp.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="https://thumbsnap.com/MxghsMy7" Target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[img]https://thumbsnap.com/sc/MxghsMy7.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="https://thumbsnap.com/pGC4iZK7" Target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[img]https://thumbsnap.com/sc/pGC4iZK7.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="https://thumbsnap.com/NRZENCPi" Target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[img]https://thumbsnap.com/sc/NRZENCPi.jpg)
So.. the upshot is, it’s now mine, bought to bring a smile to dads face. I’ve bought it without seeing it,let alone driving it, it’s 550 miles away in Aberdeen.I’ve gone on the strength of the photos, the reputation of the classic car restorer who did the work,the paperwork I’ve seen and worst still the emotional attachment of the sellers and my story’s!!... so pretty much against everything I’ve always told myself!!
So, to conclude, apologies again for the length of the opening post,if you got to the bottom of this without falling asleep, kudos to you,and you have my word any thread updates will be much much shorter!!!
I’m nervous and excited ...wonder what I’ll find when I fly up on Tuesday
My first car memory is sitting in-between the two front seats of a family friends 2.8 series1 XJ6. I was probably around 6 or 7, it was circa 1971/72 and I was in complete awe,those dials were like Emperor Mings spaceship when all I was used to my dads 1967 minivan.
Dads dream had always been to own a Jag and years later with the rewards of much hard work he bought 4 year old 1973M Reg series 2 XJ for £3995. As a 12 year old kid I spent literally hours polishing that thing,whilst wearing dodgy hair and dodgy flares....
So moving on, mum and dad were together 62 years before we lost mum 20 months ago, and dads world collapses. Nothing my sister nor I can do seems to bring him out from his loss, and now sadly my all time hero is facing his own cancer battle and has been given only a 50% chance of making three months....
A year ago I started looking at getting an XJ I’ve always loved them, just never felt the right time,but more importantly Dad has always wanted me to have one,he couldn’t understand my TVR’s,the Nobles etc when I could have a Jag instead .... ( strangely though he understands my Rover 75’s!)
With Dads news, my search took on much more importance, as I was determined to bring a smile to his face in his last few weeks..There was one particular car ( criteria was 4.2 petrol, lwb, non supercharge ) that I couldn’t work out why it was so expensive ... nice spec but 07 so big tax, 118k miles, nothing special to warrant the price especially as a private sale, nicely worded advert though and said previously “ restored “.Over the course of 6 weeks I watched the price tumble, and last bit the bullet and rang a very nice lady who explained it was her father’s pride and joy, he'd come into some money and as a present for later life spent a fortune on his car last year,but very sadly he had passed away suddenly and got only a few chances to drive it...(this is starting to fall into place now and we are both close to tears on the phone as I relay my story to her as well !)
When the conversation got back to the car( and I promise this post will as well !) I asked her to tell me about the resto’, and she said she’d send some bits through.
Well, f
k me has it had restoration ....all £15,000 of it in 2017!!!!So.. the upshot is, it’s now mine, bought to bring a smile to dads face. I’ve bought it without seeing it,let alone driving it, it’s 550 miles away in Aberdeen.I’ve gone on the strength of the photos, the reputation of the classic car restorer who did the work,the paperwork I’ve seen and worst still the emotional attachment of the sellers and my story’s!!... so pretty much against everything I’ve always told myself!!
So, to conclude, apologies again for the length of the opening post,if you got to the bottom of this without falling asleep, kudos to you,and you have my word any thread updates will be much much shorter!!!
I’m nervous and excited ...wonder what I’ll find when I fly up on Tuesday
Edited by sjc on Saturday 8th September 16:14
Oi_Oi_Savaloy said:
It's not just about the car though - you've done that lady a service by her knowing it's going to go to a great home, for the right reasons. Allays her worry etc etc. Just a great story all round and I'm quite sure it's going to be an excellent purchase, even if you've not actually seen it yet or driven it etc etc. 
That's interesting you said that, as she made the point that it was important to her that it went to someone she felt would have the same connection with it. (Christ I sound like some bint out of Love Island!).Edited by sjc on Friday 31st August 15:13
So as it's already generated three more replies than I thought it would, the immediate plan is..
Fly up Tuesday morning from London City, arrive 11pm be met by a member of the family at the airport. See the car for the first time, test drive, read paperwork ( slightly concerned that the service book was lost prior to 2013 and it's bloody difficult to get any previous history on cars now because of Data Protection... and of course there's nothing in it for the dealers as they can't be arsed). All being well, transfer money,and after a couple of hours poodle off relying on an out of date sat-nav ( if it works) with cruise on ( if it works) and do the 300 miles to Scotch corner where I'm booked in for the night. Leave Wednesday morning at 7.am to do 80 miles to the Jag specialist in Doncaster where he's gonna do a gearbox oil change ( no record of it), maybe fit a lower mesh grill if it arrives in time ( rather than the normal black plastic that's on it), then once it's done and he's happy ( no doubt I would have found a few gremlins squeaks etc to be sorted while he's got it) I'll do the final 170 miles back to Chelmsford.
Fly up Tuesday morning from London City, arrive 11pm be met by a member of the family at the airport. See the car for the first time, test drive, read paperwork ( slightly concerned that the service book was lost prior to 2013 and it's bloody difficult to get any previous history on cars now because of Data Protection... and of course there's nothing in it for the dealers as they can't be arsed). All being well, transfer money,and after a couple of hours poodle off relying on an out of date sat-nav ( if it works) with cruise on ( if it works) and do the 300 miles to Scotch corner where I'm booked in for the night. Leave Wednesday morning at 7.am to do 80 miles to the Jag specialist in Doncaster where he's gonna do a gearbox oil change ( no record of it), maybe fit a lower mesh grill if it arrives in time ( rather than the normal black plastic that's on it), then once it's done and he's happy ( no doubt I would have found a few gremlins squeaks etc to be sorted while he's got it) I'll do the final 170 miles back to Chelmsford.
steve-5snwi said:
Looking forward to more pictures, it sounds like it will be perfect and one of those cars thats just mean't to be.
It has felt a bit like that, Tuesday was the only day I could go up, it was also the only day the seller was available, happened to be cheapest flight of the week, Wednesday morning was the only slot the Jag Specialist had available for weeks etc etc ..Mind you the flip side is sometimes if it seems too good to be true it probably is!!
Oi_Oi_Savaloy said:
There will always be things you'll want to do the car, it's a given; but the whole back story, her story, the car, the way it's all come together. Just great tbh. As someone else said - it's just meant to be.
So when it turns out to be a rusty stter with all the character of a wet tea bag and you look back over the 1st year of ownership and realise it's cost you on average £800 per month, for less than a thousand miles driven, you'll be able to give yourself a hug and say 'at least I did right by that woman'!!
Half of that mileage will hopefully be getting me home!So when it turns out to be a rusty s
tter with all the character of a wet tea bag and you look back over the 1st year of ownership and realise it's cost you on average £800 per month, for less than a thousand miles driven, you'll be able to give yourself a hug and say 'at least I did right by that woman'!! 
Bit of digging reveals that the car was last sold in 2014 by ........oops .
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.thesun.co.uk/ne...
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.thesun.co.uk/ne...
Finding it very difficult to trace it’s early history as I’ve been passed from pillar to post and the fact that dealers have been led than helpful.
However Jaguar customer services have confirmed that it was ordered directly from Jaguar as a Royal Household lease car which is a nice touch.They’ll confirm it in writing when I have the V5.
However Jaguar customer services have confirmed that it was ordered directly from Jaguar as a Royal Household lease car which is a nice touch.They’ll confirm it in writing when I have the V5.
Oi_Oi_Savaloy said:
Just as an aside - yesterday I drove my brother-in-law up to Chesterfield to buy a car (at Stoneacres). From Pembrokeshire. Anyway - we got there early (it opened at 10.30, we'd set off at 5am...... so actually got there with loads, and loads of time to spare). Whilst looking around the 5 different main dealerships they own there came across a.....Jaguar XJ (for £8,000). Really nice, 58 plate, with circa 84,0000 miles on it in black with a light interior (can't remember if cream or grey but definitely not black). I actually said out aloud to my brother in law 'that's just like sjc's' to which he looked at me like i'd gone faintly potty. .......
Which having read that ... is quite possible !Mark Benson said:
What a lovely story, I hope it works out for you.
I loved my X350, often wish I hadn't sold it - the mate I sold it to won't sell it back (but he says I can have first refusal if he decides to let it go).
I live very close to Scotch Corner so if you get here and find you need anything, send me a PM (there's a good Jag indy in Darlington too, just in case - http://northeastjags.co.uk/).
Really appreciate that,many thanks.I loved my X350, often wish I hadn't sold it - the mate I sold it to won't sell it back (but he says I can have first refusal if he decides to let it go).
I live very close to Scotch Corner so if you get here and find you need anything, send me a PM (there's a good Jag indy in Darlington too, just in case - http://northeastjags.co.uk/).
So the journey begins this morning .... with my bloody train cancelled and none for 40 minutes... no cabs available ! Whilst walking back to my house a complete stranger who I’d had a 10 second interlude with on the platform saw me and offered me a lift to the next available station as he was in the same predicament.Heard about his wife having had a stroke in her 30’s and being treated at Addenbrokes for 9 months and how he’d been fundraising and was presenting a cheque on his next visit.
As he wouldn’t take anything for parking, petrol etc his fund is a little bit better off this morning.
As he wouldn’t take anything for parking, petrol etc his fund is a little bit better off this morning.
Well....
All gone to plan so far. Bodily the car is literally perfect as you’d expect so soon after a resto, other than a couple of bits of chrome round the windows that are a bit milky... not even a stone chip I can see.Wheels perfect with brand new J rated P-zero’s!( although I will be changing them for Sepangs).
A few nicks on the interior to do but it’s a 11 year old 120k mike interior. Front fogs don’t work as per the MOT, and the back of the base of the drivers seat isn’t lowering, so hopefully both sorted tomorrow on the way home with the gearbox oil,and a tiny tiny hum at motorway speeds which I can’t quite fathom.
All good so far then...
All gone to plan so far. Bodily the car is literally perfect as you’d expect so soon after a resto, other than a couple of bits of chrome round the windows that are a bit milky... not even a stone chip I can see.Wheels perfect with brand new J rated P-zero’s!( although I will be changing them for Sepangs).
A few nicks on the interior to do but it’s a 11 year old 120k mike interior. Front fogs don’t work as per the MOT, and the back of the base of the drivers seat isn’t lowering, so hopefully both sorted tomorrow on the way home with the gearbox oil,and a tiny tiny hum at motorway speeds which I can’t quite fathom.
All good so far then...
Thanks for everyone’s interest and kind words.
Done 300 miles today in the car , and in the inimitable XJ way ... it’s just got “ something”.
Hopefully tomorrow the Jag specialist will confirm it’s a goody.
One other thing ... having got all the paperwork I’ve added up the resto costs over a 6 month period ... it’s double what I mentioned in my opening post !!!!
Done 300 miles today in the car , and in the inimitable XJ way ... it’s just got “ something”.
Hopefully tomorrow the Jag specialist will confirm it’s a goody.
One other thing ... having got all the paperwork I’ve added up the resto costs over a 6 month period ... it’s double what I mentioned in my opening post !!!!
Home, 578 miles .. that’s a proper shake down for a car that’s hardly been driven in months.Few things flagged as requiring attention, nothing too serious but annoying as there’s invoices showing that they been done recently by the restorer.
Had the car cleaned and polished when I got back, the colour suddenly popped. There’s not so much as a stone chip or scratch, just a couple of slightly cloudy headlights and the same for a couple of the plastic covered chrome window surrounds, which will be done.There should be a pic below of the bonnet under the harshest of strip lights.
The interior has a few nicks and grazes, and even though it’s overkill I’ll get it done so it does the exterior justice.
I reckon if I throw another £1500 for bits and bobs.. some necessary, some not I’ll have something in that will look and feel just like it did when someone paid circa 60 grand for it .
Had the car cleaned and polished when I got back, the colour suddenly popped. There’s not so much as a stone chip or scratch, just a couple of slightly cloudy headlights and the same for a couple of the plastic covered chrome window surrounds, which will be done.There should be a pic below of the bonnet under the harshest of strip lights.
The interior has a few nicks and grazes, and even though it’s overkill I’ll get it done so it does the exterior justice.
I reckon if I throw another £1500 for bits and bobs.. some necessary, some not I’ll have something in that will look and feel just like it did when someone paid circa 60 grand for it .
Edited by sjc on Thursday 6th September 13:30
Fun Bus said:
MJK 24 said:
Great thread.It’ll have been owned by JLR when new with it having a ‘BJ’ registration number.
Could it have been supplied new by a West Midlands Jaguar dealer instead?Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff