Hello,
I feel a bit of a fraud because I haven't collected my Jag yet - going over to the UK in a couple of weeks to drive it back but I have a couple of questions which I'll try to fing the right forum for.
I've lived in France for about 20 years - we own a cattle farm in the Limousin and love the place.
I had a lot of fun with a 1945 ****** Jeep which I finally sold to an old friend who took it back to the UK and did a wonderful restoration. The only old vehicle I currently own is a 1954 Terrot motorcycle.
I've always wanted a Jaguar since I had a BRG XK120 in 1954 - but I was 10 and it was a Dinky toy. I started looking at XK150s as an investment some time ago but we all know that looking after a high value vintage car is a two-edged sword.
I came across the XKR almost by accident and - what can you say - they're so beautiful and so cheap that I intend to make an old man (me) very happy.
I'm sure they will be collectible one day but doubt I'll live to see it.
The only thing that worries me is the complexity. We refuse to buy tractors with electronic linkage controls because they either work or they don't and when they don't you can kiss €2000 goodbye for a microprocessor which is worth €20 and the amount of processing going on in an XKR defies belief. I hope they're good in thunderstorms - we get some Brahmas here.
Anyway enough prattling - I look forward to getting to know you all (hopefully not to ask how to rebuild the engine/gearbox etc.)

 

Hey Steverino;

Welcome to the Forum.

Congrats on your new XKR.

You will really enjoy it.

I am only a month ahead of you in ownership of the same car but they are a pleasure.

My only advice would be to have any preventative maintenance done before you left the UK by a good garage, dealer or independent.

If you need advice about locating a good garage you can ask on the Forum....these guys must know every decent garage in the UK between them....they will know of a place close to where you are picking up the car.

It will be cheaper, faster, and better handled than on this side of the channel.

So if there is anything on the list to do, transmission fluid change before 70,000miles, radiator flush, oil change with synthetic oil, wheel refurbishment, etc, etc get it done or schedule it to be done before you pick it up.

There is lots and lots of info on here about how to avoid trouble and how to fix it if you can't avoid it with these magnificent but complicated cars.

And yes I wish I still had my college car of the '70's a 1959 XK150 red convertible.....sheesh they are over 100,000 these days.

Enjoy, you have a perfect area to drive your XKR in.

We cruised through there on our trip to Biarritz and Montauban this past Sep.
Did a canal boat trip on the Garone River for a week with the dogs and in-laws then down to the beach.

cheers and as always send/post photos,

jj

 

Yes; many thanks for that excellent advice. I'm getting a full service done as part of the deal and will check the report before handing over all the cash - I'm now worried about rust having browsed around the XKR forum. I'm buying from a Hampshire dealer - Richard Savin at Lymington Cars who seems a very decent guy but if anyone has any horror stories I'd appreciate a PM (if that doesn't infringe the Rules + Regs of course)

 

Part of my family actually hails from Lymington and the Isle of Wight but sadly I never lived there so don't know any garages there.

You didn't say how many miles are on your car but regardless one of the things to do is change the transmission and differential fluid because despite Jaguar claiming it is a sealed for life system it most definitely is not according to numerous forums on the subject.

60-70,000 miles is a good target range to have it done at before you get complications.

Yeah rust is an eye opener for me as well since it wasn't on the list of things to worry about for XK's until I started looking around seriously here and on other forums.

Astonishing that a £63,000 car, when new, had no rust proofing in the 21st century...to be honest the thought never crossed my mind until two days ago.....

Good luck to all of us on that issue.

Will have to organize an Expat XK drive in the Bordeaux/Loire area this summer I think.

Are you up for that? There are several members in France. Might even get a few UK members to stop by on their drives to Spain, Al?, Translator?, etc.

What color did you get? Don't forget the photos.

cheers,

jj

 

Hopefully a pic will appear!
80K miles with FSH - I'll ask about the oil change.
Definitely up for a rally. The Cantal (just south of here) is IMHO the most beautiful part of France - such scenery that it's seriously dangerous to drive through. We'd have lived there but the winters are formidable. Great rally territory though with excellent food (and, of course, wine). I did a number of rallys in the Jeep and you get a lot of cooperation (and pots d'amitie) from the villages there. They also can turn off the Gendarmes which can be useful in case of an excess of pots!

 

Like I said gorgeous color combo....not likely to have a transmission or diff oil change even with FSH which turns out to be usually just the check marks in the warranty book.

The reason it is unlikely is because the dealers always say it is a sealed for life system no worries....wrong.

Get it changed...if they can't prove it was done earlier..... it is pricey but worth it...takes a special pump because there is no drain in the transmission.

The fluid is about £20 a liter and takes about 5 liters....just had it done before I picked up mine.....be sure they are using Jag spec fluid...though there are some posts on here about how to save some money going to different manufacturers...be sure you are on the 6 speed ZF transmission spec sheet and not the MB 5 speed sheet.

Don't know why I am wasting my breath since you are an engineer you know more about all of this than I do.

Look forward to the rally, we will have to work on that after the new year.

cheers,

jj

 

Welcome to the forum,

Excellent advice above, don't forget the pics when you collect the car.

 

Thanks for the welcome. A most useful forum (if you're into Jags). Seems a thoroughly decent membership.
I actually like the fact we can drift off topic without some overzealous administrator giving us a b*ll*cking

 

Welcome to the forum.

It is wet up here at the moment.

Spent many long weekends on 4x4 events around Lot, Correze. Know all about the 'pots', could have probably run my Landrover Fire Engine just by blowing into the intake.

 

If you are a newly registered member?, Did you catch the Forum Guidelines? >> HERE <<
Mais Bah Oui bien sûr.
I do think a Jag pot consuming rally has a certain attraction (but we need to watch out for the Dangerous Magnetic Ditch (been there)

 

Thanks for the compliment about the style. The members are a great bunch of automotive enthusiasts, mostly with a good sense of humour, so yes, some of the less technical threads will drift. All part of the fun, although we try to keep tech repair threads reasonably clean.

If you want the more off the wall stuff, check out the Off Topic section.

The members themselves are very good at self policing, so very rarely is there a requirement to wave the big stick.

Know all about "DMDs" from competition, but thankfully with your RHD XK you will be able to look at them directly, and judge.

PS, note, I have deleted my sig' from this reply. LOL

Richard

 

Translator;

You in for a rally or drive down south this summer?

Sure we will need you to get us out of the 'pots'.

cheers,

jj

 

Hey there Steve, welcome aboard, great to have you with us here at JF ....I see you've already "met" yourneighbour and Supermod, Richard...all good.


Really nice intro thanks for sharing. Glad that you found your way here with your Jag too.

Many thanks for the compliments you give on the site, dare I say some of the best members / mods around all helps to make it what it is


There really are some amazing and friendly guys here....you're in really good company to discuss anything Jag related or have a few laughs!

A really great mix of information, camraderrie and fun

I've manually upgraded you to full forum access so you can better view the site and all its features so jump on in and enjoy

 

Jim,
Thanks for the kind words and Happy Hogmanay to you one and all.