Maybe I'm going to feel like an idiot, but why is it bad to take it through a car wash?

 

The auto carwashes are terrible. The brushes hold dirt from all the cars before you, and they are too rough on your clearcoat.

Think about it, say you are behind some guy who just went mudding in his Jeep in line at the auto wash. Or a construction worker's truck. All that grit and dirt isn't going to leave the brushes by the time you go through. You end up sanding your car. The touchless car washes are a little better but I don't like high pressure on the paint either.

IF the car is white, probably no big deal. But a black car....you just ruined the paint. Black cars require so much more attention and careful washing since everything shows up.


My X has always been handwashed, only by me. Garden hose and clean lambs wool washmitt is the only way to go. That's what she deserves!

 

Good thread Bolly..... I don't have an X eventhough it was the first one I looked at (a silver wagon). All the negative posts on here actually drove me to respond to one. Remember one thing all.... From the Tata Nano to the Rolls Royce Phantom, all cars are made from sourced components.. Remember a Rolls is part of BMW and has an engine from BMW. Even "back in the day" Rolls used to source it's radios from Delphi. They had the same head unit as a Caprice! So, all the nay-sayers that bash Jag for being owned by Ford at the time just don't know anything about the auto industry...

Heck, without Ford, Jaguar may have gone the way of Rover Cars and MG....

Oh, Just for giggles, here is a Rolls dash with the GM radio! LOL

 

To me the x type is one of the most distinctive looking cars in it's class. In Washington DC you see lots of BMW 3 series, Audi A4s and ofcourse x types and the x type really stands out, both from the inside and the outside - particularly the 06 onwards. The 3 series are just wayyyy to common around here and the Lexus look like Toyotas and the new Acuras...what can I say! The x type looks like a classic to me. Very nice paint job, beautiful outside lines and proportions.

In terms of aging, I feel our x type has aged much more gracefully than the Mercedes C280. Both are 2007 year models.

Given that I use my x type mostly to commute to work (4 miles round trip) with the occassional drive down to the city (6 miles) on weekends, the size is ideal and the AWD really helps in the winter.

Most people who comment on the car think its a much more expensive car than it really is

Also, some have mentioned the resale value, but it terms of % depreciation at least in the Washington DC area is about the same for the x type as it is for the XJ (XJ is actually worse for all models other than the XJR, which is about the same as the x type and the S-type is in fact worse than the x type). In terms on reliability so far my car has been rock solid. On par with Acuras I have owned and my Mercedes.

 

In fact as per JD Powers, from 2006 onwards jaguar is rated the #1 brand in terms of customer satisfaction among all luxury brands. So, some of the criticisms is based on conventional wisdom...

Also, I recall reading plenty of reviews where the reviewer was misinformed. These include comments like:

1. x type is the US Ford Contour. It's not. The version of the Mondeo that the x type uses never made it to the US as a Contour because it was too expensive. In any case the common components was around 18% (far less than ANY Lexus or Acura or Audi when compared to their lesser cousins)

2. The x type was underpowered compared to rivals. Actually, the x type had the same or higher horsepower and tourque than either the BMW 328xi or Mercedes C280 4 matic and only sligtly less than the A4 3.6 Quattro.

3. The x type was sluggish compared to it's rivals. Actually it had a better 0-60 than either the BMW 328xi or the C280 4 matic and close to the Audi A4 3.6 Quattro. It had similar salom, Gs and quarter mile performance.

4. The x type had poor quality interiors. Acutally at the same price while the x type was almost fully loaded with leather, both the 328xi and C280 offered leatherette (vinyl). There is nothing cheaper than vinyl. Also, my x type has LESS plastic than my C280 and the general interior fittings are of a higher quality in general

So, there were a lot of unsubstantiated claims that went unchallenged and coventional wisdom won out in the end...

 

The carwashes here have the option of not using brushes/soft cloth, the two times I've gone in its been 'touchless.' Thanks for the tip though, appreciate it.

 

I also have always hand washed my X-type in the 2 years that I have it. Never touched an automatic car wash. Like the Chris X said a garden hose and a wash mitt is the way to go!

 

What great responses on this thread so far. Keep it up members! The more positive comments the better! :-)

ChrisX I agree no car wash for me either. Hose and handwash done only by me. Its my pride and joy so why rely on some machine to do the job to save 1 hour of your life.

I am really glad this thread has taken off and you all agree with me.

 

Thank You for the insights. I am very happy with my 2004 X Type. My brother purchaced the car new and never had a problem with it. He felt it was one of the most trouble free cars he had ever owned. The car has been just as dependable for me.

 

Well touchless is the better choice for sure. What some don't know or realize is that when the high pressure spray typically used in a touchless wash hits your paint, and that paint is dirty, it can actually drive the dirt into the paint or act as an abrasive. Just something to keep in mind.

Another reason for the handwash is to get familiar with any scratches, chips, acid spots, and the general texture of the paint so you know if you need to bust out the claybar or do some chip filling.

Of course your reply really didn't need a response, this is mostly just shameless blabbering for the post count!!

 

+1 on all of the above.....every bit of it

touchless / hand car wash for me all the way, even then its difficult to reduce the amount of swirls on your paintwork unless using the correct 2 bucket method / wash mitts and microfibres towels

Saw a BRG XF today....lovin it

 

You and me are having a sensitive skin ourselves, so we don't go any places to have a mechanical wash up, but we enjoy having a nice gentle shower instead... We are individuals as a humans so are our cars, especially Jaguars are individuals from all the automobile brands.

I just want to tell all of you here, that I have a special emotional relationship with my x-type Lyu (as are three letters in her register plate) and I'm experiencing this first time in my life with an automobile.
When I've read some disrespectful posts with great dissatisfaction with them Jaguars here... I did smile because it sounds like any relationship with an other individual. This might be too deep attitude, but we all should go to the front of mirror if we are in the middle of unsatisfying relationship with someone or something as understood here. Friends as we are here, are alltogether the salvation in this kind of problematic situation. My relationship with my x-type is still working a quite well, in spite of all steep uphills on our journey, but, me and my darling Lyu, will enjoy our trip a lot more together, because of you my dear friends here. We should not ask what our companion could do for us but we should think what we can do for her or him.

 

Bolly,

I'm with you! Every time I get in my X, I realize what it is, and get happy all over again.

 

I bought my 2002 Red X-Type Sport, loaded with Nav, phone, etc... everything that was available in November of 2002 as a demonstrator ($50,000Cdn that retailed at $75,000). It has been demanding, but much has been replaced under warranty, TCase, Transmission,... etc.... but after 8 years, the car drives like new, and has taken me from TO to LA to Florida and the east cost fully loaded with kids, up mountains and across deserts... it is a great car, and still turns heads. All in all I'm a happy owner, and am thinking of buying another for my daughter now that the price is so cheap

 

Great to hear from those that appreciate the X-Type. Yes, many of the posts on this site seem somewhat negative, but numerous owners are seeking knowledge for a D.I.Y. fix, or a cheaper alternative from the dealer. Hard to do with electonic-based vehicles.

I love my estate; have owned it for since August, 2008. Rare on the left coast of Canada, but it is a Jag through and through. I have an E-type, purchased in 1972, and have spent a few years with a Mark II.

Experienced XJ's through my father; early 1970's to 1999. The X-Type is unique in view of an entry model, but it is all Jag, and in reference to a much earlier advert: "Pace, Space, Grace".

Many thanks to the original poster, and these threads will definately add 'more smiles per gallon'!

Cheers,

Bruce

 

I love this thread!

 

I washed mine TWICE on Sunday.

Honest Injun!

 

This is my first experience of owning a Jag. and I am now seeing the error of my ways in the past with all the German cars & Fords that I have owned. To me Jaguar cars have a soul, a pedigree & considerable history. To own one is to be part of that.
I will be hard pushed to come away from the brand now even though I have started with an X type the entry level car. So in my opinion they where right to have made this model as surely has made the brand more available. The long game was played very well, you like the X you may then buy an S, then XF etc.
We all are probably concerned about the rising fuel cost and Jags can be very thirsty. However the diesel engines car getting better & better. 20 years ago the thought of a diesel engine in a Jag just would not have been entertained. Now they have the performance of a lot of petrol engines!

Thanks for posting on this thread its been great to read that not everyone on here is complaining or asking for a fix to a problem.

Keep the positivity alive!

 

A diesel option in North America would be quite welcomed in my opinion. I'd love to have one for sure. Hopefully the regulators and manufacturers will find common ground and we will see more and more diesels in the future. A diesel XJ like the one Clarkson drove on Top Gear would be splendid for road trips in the US!

 

Do you not have diesel Jags in the US? I find that surprising if you dont. Why ever not.

I watched that TopGear where he drove it to Blackpool. Amazing especially at the end when he said they inspected the tank afterwards as said there was still enough diesel to do another 120 miles.

All I can say is " I want one"