Why a jag and not a vette?
#1
Why a jag and not a vette?
This is what my buddies have been asking me after I picked up this 97 XK8. I had a 89 XJS v12 and it was a fun car and yes it helps to be sum what of a mechanic to own a jag ( older one ). I just got the XK8 on Thursday. I traded off my 2000 Yamaha Vmax motorcycle even up for it. The car runs and drives great but does need some service work. I will do all of this over the winter here in MN. My buddies think the Jags are an old mans mid-life car ( isn't that a vette also ? ). I just love the style of these cars. Where I live you just don't see them. Great forum, thanks for having me and there will be many more post to come.
#2
Welcome to the forum! I've owned a vette, fun car to drive for sure. This time around I just didn't like the new styling, the hard top coupes were cool looking, but no built in nav, plus everywhere you look in the interior...plastic...I don't regret the 07 XK for 1 second! Plus it seems everyone and thier brother owns a vette, XK series not so much and always getting compliments and stares.
#3
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Hey there BigJ welcome aboardglad to have you here at JF...the more the merrier
Nice intro thanks for sharing
The XK section is full of info and very friendly / helpful members with a good FAQ section too.....should all be good!
Loads going on, plenty of very friendly and helpful members as well as some excellent tech advice......all good!
In the meantime I've manually upgraded you to full forum access so you can better view the site
#4
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#5
Vette - No exclusivity.
XK - Affordably exclusive
Vette - C3/C4/C6 - Classless
XK - Classy
Vette - Still a Chevy (they also have trucks, economy cars and electric cars)
XK - Still a Jaguar (they don't have trucks or economy cars)
Vette - Driven by folks whos children have left the nest.
Jag - Driven by folks whos children have left the nest.
Vette - Say you have a Vette and elicit the response "yeah my neighbour has one too"
XK - Say you have a Jag and elicit the response "How can you afford that?" Similar reaction if you said you had a Ferrari or Aston Martin, most people just know they are high end cars.
Need I go on?
Welcome to the forum Big Johnson. You made the right choice.
XK - Affordably exclusive
Vette - C3/C4/C6 - Classless
XK - Classy
Vette - Still a Chevy (they also have trucks, economy cars and electric cars)
XK - Still a Jaguar (they don't have trucks or economy cars)
Vette - Driven by folks whos children have left the nest.
Jag - Driven by folks whos children have left the nest.
Vette - Say you have a Vette and elicit the response "yeah my neighbour has one too"
XK - Say you have a Jag and elicit the response "How can you afford that?" Similar reaction if you said you had a Ferrari or Aston Martin, most people just know they are high end cars.
Need I go on?
Welcome to the forum Big Johnson. You made the right choice.
Last edited by Fedoraja1; 08-14-2011 at 12:49 PM.
#6
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#7
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#8
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The relative rarity of Jags appeals to many, including me.
Different cars stir up different imagery and stereotypes, very often wrong. I think Jags more commonly stir images of refinement, understatement, and an appreciation of the finer things in life. Corvettes are more commonly associated with loud, brash, and look-at-me types. You know.....Brooks Brothers suits versus gold nugget pinky rings. Going to the theater versus going to a strip club. James Bond versus Rambo. That sort of thing.
As I say, though....very often wrong.
I've owned about 30 or so cars. Once, as a 40s-something family man with kids, I had a 5.0 Mustang GT. That Mustang was lots of fun and I really liked it. I sold it because I thought I was too old for it. It seemed like a car for the under 21 year old crowd with their backwards baseball hats.
It was pretty stupid to sell it for that reason. Now I wish I still had it.
I've driven every iteration of Corvette made, even a 1953 with the "Blue Flame Six". I've enjoyed them all, although some definately more than others. There are a number of them I'd like to own even if someone pigeon holes me incorrectly because of it.
Cheers
DD
Different cars stir up different imagery and stereotypes, very often wrong. I think Jags more commonly stir images of refinement, understatement, and an appreciation of the finer things in life. Corvettes are more commonly associated with loud, brash, and look-at-me types. You know.....Brooks Brothers suits versus gold nugget pinky rings. Going to the theater versus going to a strip club. James Bond versus Rambo. That sort of thing.
As I say, though....very often wrong.
I've owned about 30 or so cars. Once, as a 40s-something family man with kids, I had a 5.0 Mustang GT. That Mustang was lots of fun and I really liked it. I sold it because I thought I was too old for it. It seemed like a car for the under 21 year old crowd with their backwards baseball hats.
It was pretty stupid to sell it for that reason. Now I wish I still had it.
I've driven every iteration of Corvette made, even a 1953 with the "Blue Flame Six". I've enjoyed them all, although some definately more than others. There are a number of them I'd like to own even if someone pigeon holes me incorrectly because of it.
Cheers
DD
Last edited by Doug; 08-14-2011 at 02:12 AM.
#10
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#11
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#12
I forgot C4!
But no, C5 is just neutral. It's not classy like a Jag but it's not... ugly or boorish or cheap like a C3/C4. It's not stylish like a C1 and it's not an wannabe on the luxury market like a C6. I'm not knocking performance, just saying the C6 has lost it's way. It looks too much like a Viper now and wants to be a Ferrari all the while attempting to be a suitable GT to compete with Aston Martin, Jaguar and Maserati but with a fraction of the budget and none of the panache (thanks to the C3-4 versions).
A Jaguar is a Jaguar. It has its own identity. It has its own stigma. You can trace it's heritage through the ages and it's lineage is intact with really no change in direction or purpose for the various models. The Corvette went from elgance (C1) to pure sex (C2) to something of a hillbilly mobile (C3) to a cheap pile of junk (C4) to a fairly unique car with an appropriate amount of muscle, refinement and ingenuity (C5) then to a lost cause (C6).
That's why a Jaguar is better.
But no, C5 is just neutral. It's not classy like a Jag but it's not... ugly or boorish or cheap like a C3/C4. It's not stylish like a C1 and it's not an wannabe on the luxury market like a C6. I'm not knocking performance, just saying the C6 has lost it's way. It looks too much like a Viper now and wants to be a Ferrari all the while attempting to be a suitable GT to compete with Aston Martin, Jaguar and Maserati but with a fraction of the budget and none of the panache (thanks to the C3-4 versions).
A Jaguar is a Jaguar. It has its own identity. It has its own stigma. You can trace it's heritage through the ages and it's lineage is intact with really no change in direction or purpose for the various models. The Corvette went from elgance (C1) to pure sex (C2) to something of a hillbilly mobile (C3) to a cheap pile of junk (C4) to a fairly unique car with an appropriate amount of muscle, refinement and ingenuity (C5) then to a lost cause (C6).
That's why a Jaguar is better.
#13
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#14
#15
Got the S Type as a total loss in February. It's Laurie's car...her dream car if you will. A C5 is on my "bucket list". I'm looking to get one the same way as I did her Jag. I thought for a while about settling for a C4 but after seeing them in person, I think I'd have a tough time getting in & out. Plus everyone I talk to says the C5 is light years better.
BTW, yesterday I bought 3 raffle tickets for a 2011 Vette Convertible. I could force myself to drive a C6 for 20 bucks.
BTW, yesterday I bought 3 raffle tickets for a 2011 Vette Convertible. I could force myself to drive a C6 for 20 bucks.
Last edited by Bodyman; 08-14-2011 at 01:09 PM.
#16
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And the C6 is light years ahead of the C5. I got to drive the first C6 brought into Canada and .......WOW! me want
#17
Vette - No exclusivity.
XK - Affordably exclusive
Vette - C3/C4/C6 - Classless
XK - Classy
Vette - Still a Chevy (they also have trucks, economy cars and electric cars)
XK - Still a Jaguar (they don't have trucks or economy cars)
Vette - Driven by folks whos children have left the nest.
Jag - Driven by folks whos children have left the nest.
Vette - Say you have a Vette and elicit the response "yeah my neighbour has one too"
XK - Say you have a Jag and elicit the response "How can you afford that?" Similar reaction if you said you had a Ferrari or Aston Martin, most people just know they are high end cars.
Need I go on?
Welcome to the forum Big Johnson. You made the right choice.
XK - Affordably exclusive
Vette - C3/C4/C6 - Classless
XK - Classy
Vette - Still a Chevy (they also have trucks, economy cars and electric cars)
XK - Still a Jaguar (they don't have trucks or economy cars)
Vette - Driven by folks whos children have left the nest.
Jag - Driven by folks whos children have left the nest.
Vette - Say you have a Vette and elicit the response "yeah my neighbour has one too"
XK - Say you have a Jag and elicit the response "How can you afford that?" Similar reaction if you said you had a Ferrari or Aston Martin, most people just know they are high end cars.
Need I go on?
Welcome to the forum Big Johnson. You made the right choice.
"THAT'S A JAG??? A JAG???!!!" I heard him exclaim in utter astonishment...
I just smiled. This is but one reason I own an XK...
#18
#19
Vette - No exclusivity.
XK - Affordably exclusive
Vette - C3/C4/C6 - Classless
XK - Classy
Vette - Still a Chevy (they also have trucks, economy cars and electric cars)
XK - Still a Jaguar (they don't have trucks or economy cars)
Vette - Driven by folks whos children have left the nest.
Jag - Driven by folks whos children have left the nest.
Vette - Say you have a Vette and elicit the response "yeah my neighbour has one too"
XK - Say you have a Jag and elicit the response "How can you afford that?" Similar reaction if you said you had a Ferrari or Aston Martin, most people just know they are high end cars.
Need I go on?
Welcome to the forum Big Johnson. You made the right choice.
XK - Affordably exclusive
Vette - C3/C4/C6 - Classless
XK - Classy
Vette - Still a Chevy (they also have trucks, economy cars and electric cars)
XK - Still a Jaguar (they don't have trucks or economy cars)
Vette - Driven by folks whos children have left the nest.
Jag - Driven by folks whos children have left the nest.
Vette - Say you have a Vette and elicit the response "yeah my neighbour has one too"
XK - Say you have a Jag and elicit the response "How can you afford that?" Similar reaction if you said you had a Ferrari or Aston Martin, most people just know they are high end cars.
Need I go on?
Welcome to the forum Big Johnson. You made the right choice.
#20
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