Hi everyone,
new member here, and very new to the world of Jaguars, and i must admit, new to the idea of a high end car. I always thought cars as simply utilitarian, but the past few months I've been seeing them in a whole new light.

. Back in May my family and I went up to Red River for a quick weekend away, and we happened upon a car show, which was nice. Then, someone turned me on to Top Gear, and I've been a rabid fan ever since. It also opened up a whole new world of cars for me that I never really considered.

So now, I have a developed an intense fascination with high performance cars...it's not totally about the speed. Its about the aesthetics of the vehicle coupled with the art and skill of driving at that level. The act of such driving is where physics and math and geometry can converge in an artful line through space/time. Like music, or dance.




I am either an idiot, have serious issues, or am having that dreaded and cliched mid life crisis


Nonetheless, I'm learning, reading, and researching, and have decided that aesthetically and performance wise, Im bonding more with the Jaguar aesthetic and vibe than any other marque. Im mysteriously drawn to Jags...there's a nice kind of understated aspect to them, this mix of elegance and power, fist-in-glove vibe that I like.



If I play my cards right , I may can swing the right older used one -- but I've decided I do want to learn to drive well first, be worthy of this kind of car and get the most from it. I'm investigating performance driving school options in the area.


The interwebs seem full of good deals on used high end cars. A '98 XJ8 is going for what my '96 Toyota Rav4 would fetch, lol. I think people get more car than they can handle and then have to dump them.



the top contenders in the used market here (Albuquerque NM) that have caught my eye are a 1996 XJR-6, 112xxx miles, needs a tranny sensor. Theres also a 98 xj8 though the details are little more hard to come by.

At a used car dealer there is an 04 X type, looks beautiful, very clean, low mileage.

The 96 and 98 are at good price, but whatever I get, it will be my only car, and i do a lot of running around , so reliability is key. I feel more secure in that regard with the 04 X type, though its of course more outlay. I also know X Types get sniffed at as being a "baby Jag" thats just a tarted-up Ford, but underneath the hipster punditry that likes to blow these off, there's some merit to these I think.

Anyway, happy to be here, happy to be learning, and looking forward to people's thoughts on the three I listed or any other models, factors etc I should be considering.

thanks!

 

Great intro.
Welcome to this friendly and helpful forum.
Of course it all depends on your budget and personal circumstances.
Obviously the newer the car the less problems you SHOULD have.
High mileage doesn't seem to be as much a problem as the passage of time - indeed some members reckon high mileage cars are more reliable.
I'm biased, of course, but think the pre-2006 XK's are the most beautiful cars Jaguar ever made. They have four seats but the back ones are only suitable for young children.
Look around the sub-forums here for the models that interest you - you'll soon find the warts!
Good luck.

 

Welcome to the forum norumba,

Great Intro - you've got a serious case of Jaguar fever.

Check the FAQ's in the sections for the models that interest you to get an idea of regular issues. If you can't find the answer to something, make a post and you'll get plenty of advice.

Enjoy the learning curve. Hope you decide you can plunge into Jaguar ownership.

Graham

 

Bonjour Steve,

Thanks for the welcome! ca va? Lived in Montpellier as a kid, but that was a long long time ago..., j'oublie beaucoup de mon Francais...

lots to learn and research here. I do have two teenagers who arent of driving age yet, so i do shuffle them around a lot. and my son istaller than me, so he needs a little room, lol

i carry some music gear, but my rig is fairly portable. I do have to figure on the cost of maintenance as well.

many thanks again --- its 3 am here, i have to be up at 7, but im glad to be here and meeting fellow Jaguar enthusiasts!

 

thanks GGG, ill dig into those FAQ sections by type in the morning!

 

ça va bien, merci.
Quite a change from Montpelier to NM - maybe you'll be back one day.
I'm afraid you've ruled out the XK series.
There are two particular Bêtes Noires to avoid if possible on a lot of earlier engines - plastic timing chain tensioners and Nikasil liners.
As Graham says a scope round the FAQs is an excellent idea.

 

Welcome to the forum Norumba,

Good to have you with us.
The bug has bitten you hard, happy hunting.

If you haven't done so already you should add your car details to your signature to help others to help you.

 

thanks Noori , but I dont have a jag to put in my sig yet

 

You've been on this Forum 24 hours and STILL haven't bought anything ??
I can only quote the name of Jacques Delors mother
Mere Delors
(sorry, folks, a rare French joke which probably only Translator will decipher)

 

Je comprends

ive been looking over the subforums, getting a sense of what to be careful of. I ll try to take X type on a drive today... the '96 XJR6 has a lot more info re its condition so that may be worth pursuing.

I do hope to get back --- was in Paris briefly in 2009, and did some back and forth to Europe in in the late 90s. Hopefully a current project or two will get me over there next year...

 

Moi aussi,



C'est une blague.

Graham

 

Welcome, norumba

I can tell you that I completely understand the fascination with Jaguars as I recently experienced the same thing.

I ended up buying my 2005 X-Type VDP in Connecticut and then drove it back to my home in Western New York. It was about a 7-hour drive but spending that much time with my new car was so enjoyable that the time flew by.

I can personally vouch for the X-Type as a fantastic daily driver. I love the all-wheel drive (can't wait for winter here) and the ride is as smooth as glass. Gas mileage is decent too, but in all honesty I'd rather drive a car like a Jag that gets 20 MPG than a Prius that gets 45 MPG. It may be a "baby Jag" but the quality is definitely there if you're not ready to step into a large luxury sedan.

You can find great deals on these cars too. Mine was literally pampered to the extreme and barely driven. I bought it with 54,000 miles on it, brand new tires, immaculate interior and exterior, and the premium Alpine audio system. The price? around 11K. Admittedly I haggled a bit and ultimately ended up getting such a deal because the dealer needed to move inventory for a large renovation and re-paving project, but you shouldn't have too much of a hassle finding a similar deal on an equally fantastic car.

Happy hunting, and be sure to keep us updated!

 

Thanks, emaraszek!

they are fascinating

the used lot has the 04 X type , 69K miles at 9950; there is a 2005 from a private person with 45K miles for 11350, sport version...both seem really decent prices.

the used lot car has a carfax report showing a nice regular maintenance record at the dealership here, so its been well loved.Private sale says carfax report available as well. Im about to call on that one right now!

 

drove both (as i posted on this thread) and put a deposit on the 2005 sport!

 

Congratulations - remember pics when it arrives.

Graham

 

welcome aboard, good to have you here with us

Hope we can help.....
There's a really great mix of information, camraderrie and fun here..... Jump on in and enjoy the site.................

 

it has arrived
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/m...s-jaaaag-5115/

 

Looks great.
Eight days after putting the deposit down. You must have been going mad waiting.

NOW you can update your Signature line vehicle details.

Graham

 

thanks!
it was a bit nerve -wracking -- i had a lot of false starts on the rAv $ sale, which had to happen in order for this to take place, but alls good.

More details and impressions on this thread , , and i'll update the signature!

 

Nice one Norumba, congrats

See you around the fourms, if you're not too busy driving.....lol