Some of you read my posts about my VDP being down. In these posts, I mentioned that I am seriously thinking about moving to the snow country with more personal freedoms than one can find in CA.

The parts for the VDP are here, and I will make her happy again, next week. But I feel like I am about to lose a good friend/pet or something like that.
I went out yesterday and bought a Range Rover. I will need it for the upcoming trip, and if I move, it will be my DD. IF the property I am going to check, checks out, I will be moving, and my VDP, and my wife's 03, are going to be sold. I already have a buyer for the VDP, who keeps calling daily, to see if it's ready to be picked up. He is willing to pay the premium, because my "Garfield" looks and feels like a new car.

If the property is mispresented, I will be staying in SoCal until I find something else. In that case I will keep the VDP for a while. Both cats are Southwestern cats, and I don't want to take them to the rural, snow covered roads. I am VERY attached to my VDP (like I haven't been attached to a machine since I was a boy), and it's going to be a hard farewell.

Anyway,.....since I might not be a Jag owner much longer, I will stop visiting this forum as well. I found couple of guys from this forum, on the Range Rover forum, and that's where I'll be once I move.

I chose 2006 HSE for only ONE reason though. From 02 to 05 these British beasts had the BMW engine. 2006 was the first year, they gave them the Jag "heart". My off road beast has the Cat's heart!

And the cats live on.

 

. . . doesn't mean you can't stop by to say hello occasionally.

 

Also, even if you're not a current Jag owner, you certainly have a wealth of knowledge and experience from your time being one.

Since the X308s have been out of production for 11 years now, the knowledge base of those of us who own, or have owned, them is becoming more critical for keeping these beasts on the road.

I can understand your activity level probably dropping considerably, but do keep checking in to see "what's up" and to offer your insights.

 

Farewell thee fellow...I'll remember your banter and calling out a faker to much amusement on this very forum. Enjoy the RR it's still JLR family.

 

We'll miss you. Do let us know how the repair goes.

After 8 years with Land Rovers, I think you will like the product. Both the 4.4s and 4.2 Jag motors were superior to the Bavarian engine. The EAS, however, is a PITA as is the EPB.

Great snow and offroad vehicles, particularly strong pulling horse trailers in style.

 

Word of caution on the Range, it may have lived happily in sunny Cali however if the front struts are exposed to freezing temps the bags will almost certainly fail. I think even the Arnott replacements are still rather pricey. Even with a jag heart those Ranges still have plenty of their own demons. The ZF 6hp is perfectly happy moving a Jag around town, not so much with a transfer case and an extra 1000lbs.

 

Yup, I've seen you over there on the RR forum -- you sure made a quick purchase! Congrats and will look forward to your RR posts.

I'd suggest keeping one of your Jags, since you'll always wish you hadn't sold them!

 

Very nice words from you all. I will definitely pop in here once in a while, because I felt good around here. This forum has some great people, and the wealth of combined knowledge, that's hard to top. I learned a LOT from all of you. Thank you.

If someone would show up to buy the Benz, I'd keep one of the cats for sure. I don't have any attachment to the MBZ. It's a beautiful car, only 80K on the clock, AMG package,...the works. But somehow "bland", in the way German machines usually are. No soul. For two people (wifey and I) to have SIX vehicles (not counting three motorcycles), is just pure insanity. None of them get to be driven as they should. We drive about 35K miles a year (between two of us), and when you spread this over six cars........too much goes out for insurance, tags, etc.

I will update you all on my repair I am about to start next week. I think it can be done the way I described it, and I will let you know, in case someone else has the same problem in the future.

 

The wife and I used to have six cars, but since I lost her to cancer five years ago, I've been downsizing, including going down to two cars -- one in FL and one in WI. I'm about to go back up to three when I find the right Range Rover for me!

 

Sorry to hear about your wife Mike, I can't even imagine. I am on my fourth marriage now (and the last one I hope!), and they were all MUCH younger than me (this one is 12 years my junior). I hope I kick the bucket before her.

You are looking for an RR? What's holding you back? I decided I want one, about two weeks ago. they are not easy to find in SoCal. I wanted to go to the dealer, and I ignored all private party ones. Wanted the "certified" one. Could've saved few grands, but I don't trust people any more (and that's not to say that dealers are more trustworthy,....not by a long shot!!).

Since I was a dealer back in the 90s, I "speak their lingo", I KNOW how to deal with them. Found a place in Fullerton, CA where they have a sizable inventory of the RRs. Since I got out of the car business, I bought MANY vehicles, but this was BY FAR the most pleasant experience ever.

I walked in at 12.30PM, gave them my offer (low ball), and went for a lunch. Came back, they counter offered, and I went up $500 on my offer, and told them they have 15 minutes of my time, and I WILL walk. They called the owner, I got on the phone with him, introduced myself (turned out we have some mutual friends in the business), and "gave him" $1700.- profit. Usually they will take that deal, if you finance the vehicle (because of the "kick back" from the lender), they get "back end" profit. I offered straight cash, no back end, no extended warranties, nothing. Just 1700 on the front. He took it. (and back in the day, I would've too). I wrote the check, and drove off at 3PM.

So why are you still searching? There are MANY RRs with low miles out there (I looked EVERYWHERE!). If you don't mind private parties, you can get them below 20K. I just wanted the BIG dealer to stand behind the vehicle, and if something goes South, I have BIG money backing them, and to take to the court.

 

Well, quite a post Danielsand..

I really hope it all works out for you and you get what you want in all of it.

Such a shame that you may be selling the Jag, but life moves on I guess.

Either way Jag owner or not, you'll always be welcome here to help by sharing your accumulated knowledge, or just even to drop by for the craic and a little banter.

All my very best

Jim

 

What's holding me back is the same thing always holds me back -- I'm looking for the perfect one!

Actually, the reason is this -- I prefer to buy locally, but south Florida is a dangerous place to buy a used car, if you know what I mean! I've done my share of car buying in my 58 years, and know my way around a car-deal, but in this area there just seems to be more than our share of crooks who'll lie, cheat and steal to get your money. I'm also looking for a "second car" that can be a bit of a project if need be, so my price point is much lower that yours! I will eventually find the right one and pull the trigger.

On the other hand, maybe I just enjoy the hunt more than the kill...

Mike

 

Thank you Jim for the kind words. I will do my best to get rid of the S430, and keep one of the cats. There is simply no comparison between the two. Benz is MUCH faster (only 200cc bigger engine), and a BIG comfortable ride. It doesn't smell like the cat, it doesn't look like a cat, and it can never feel like a cat.

These Jaguars are VERY sneaky! They get under your skin, and we give them almost human atributes, and treat them like we would treat a pet, or some other living being, and not the machinery.

Even my wife talks about my VDP, like it's some kind of poor injured animal that has to go to the vet. And before we got together, she was buying a new MBZ every year, and never looked at the Jags!

"Old Mike".......your post made me laugh. From our previous exchanges on this forum, I knew that we are the same age. What I didn't know, is that you think about FLA, the same way I think about CA. No offence to any "natural born Californians" (one of them is my wife!), but I consider this to be the land of fruits and nuts, and I am not talking about the edible kind either!

Fruits, nuts, flakes, and crooks GALORE. Put the crooked liberal government on the top of that, unfriendly gun laws (I am an avid shooter/collector), traffic jams, cops collecting revenue - not serving/protecting, gangs, drugs.......need I say more? Absolutely beautiful state, with heavenly climate, that's been overun by the above mentioned. 1100 acres in ID sounds like something I want to spend the rest of my life in. And I lived in: MN, Yugoslavia, Germany, Japan, Italy, PHX, D.C. FLA, LVN, CA. Enough is enough.

For the same reason you stated (crooks, flakes) about "looking for the right one", I went to the dealer. Most of them are crooks too, but IF they pull a fast one, I have some recourse. Mostly I was tired of driving to all corners of the three counties, to look at a POS that was described by the owner as "MINT". Seems like "mint" in CA is the candy you chew to mask your bad breath. These people have no clue what "mint" in the car description means! And the CA traffic? When it's all said and done, and you spent 3-4 hours in traffic to look at a "mint" POS, you come home with murderous thoughts.

So,.....look at the dealers, dig up the records, walk in with cash, and take no prisoners. I am happy with my purchase. I know these things have their own quirks/demons, but I am not afraid of turning the wrench, and I know where to get the parts. The rest is easy.

 

Hey Daniel- hope you keep the jag, and stay in touch. I was also a bit frustrated looking at cars folks have for sale here in "mint" condition....

Looking forward to hearing about the fix!

 

My wife and I grew up in So Cal.

We will NEVER EVER live there again.

I agree 110% with your summary of California.



I hope everything works out for you.

I am thinking about getting my wife a Range Rover to replace her Denali.

Maybe I'll see you on another site.

Stewart

 

Hey D!

I am off to ID on Thursday. Be back next week. Wanna meet up? I know what I promissed, and I WILL deliver, but it would be even better if you would look over my shoulder while I'm putting her together.

 

Hmm. Very tempting offer- I am out that way the 11th but might be able to figure out a way to swing up there earlier, just let me know what your schedule looks like.

 

Dan & D, if I lived over there I'd help - you guys could drink Miller and take the p1ss out of my accent (and swearing) hope all goes smooth and she's back purring.

 

Cars and women. My two downfalls! LOL.

California almost got me three years ago (well, a California woman is what almost got me). Sacramento, yes Sacramento. She was a lawyer for the state. Nothing wrong with lawyers - don't get me wrong. It was not her liberal nature I minded so much as her NIMBY attitude. She was all about massive CA government spending but when they threatened to furlough her two days a month she was indignant. Like they COULD DO SUCH A THING. NIMBY.

Btw, lawyers employed by the State of CA have a union that filled an injunction against Arnold saying it was illegal to furlough state employees. So while all other state employees got furloughed the state lawyers did not. Jerry Brown (her boss) is now governor and has conveniently caved and never pursued getting the money from the Union that held the State hostage. Amazing but then again, he's looking out for his own. The CA way in politics for sure.

I still like visiting CA and do so two or three times a year. Palm Springs in May in Daniel's backyard and even Fullerton for continuing medical conferences at the Optometry School there.

I guess this Charleston boy is staying put for awhile. Love CA but dodged the bullet of living there. Still miss the girl tho.

Yeah, better luck with cars for sure.

 

MILLER!!!!? My horse's pi$$ probably tastes better! I drink single malt Scotch (12 year old MINIMUM!), or good Vodka (in the emergencies). Miller!?
Holly crappola,.......I wouldn't touch that stuff if I would be you.

D,......I'll be back from ID on Wednesday next week. No rush, no hurry....maybe we can get together next Saturday, and play with cars.

Robert,....I don't know what to say. CA woman got me! They are not all bad, you know. Highy educated (and SMART!) professional, from Irish and Greek parents (what a combo!!), and lived in Europe for many years. Looks Irish, and cooks Greek (my favorite),....in bed she is the typical "L.A. woman" (Doors). I guess I'm just lucky!!