Its a car. You drive and have fun with it. I avoid pot holes and tight parking spots - thats about it.

You can't compare the wood and leather interior of a Jaguar with that in a standard american or Japanese car. A Jaguar is something different. One is leather and wood and the others --- well ...parts of it did come from a cow -- and recycled plastic bags.

Most larger rims with low profile tires will bend if you hit a pot hole.

Both the ZF and the MB transmissions are installed in numerous vehicles - they regularly go 150k without a problem

What they are is old cars -- with the normal problems associated with old cars.

 

I tend to use the steering wheel and pedals. And unlike many on the road I look in my mirrors before making a move and I even use those new fangled turn light things.

 

This car is a drivers car and I use it as such. I exhibit most all driving styles, from sedate luxury cruiser, to spirited muscle car. This car simply responds appropriately to way you want to drive it. I have no fear of it failing any more or less than any other vechicle I have owned, and to this point has been very worry free and has already provided 25k miles in just over a year of ownership.

I couldn't ask for anything else, unless it was the convertible XKR!

 

+1

 

It's not simply just having leather. I wouldn't want velour in my XJ at all.

My dad's E39 has leather that is very durable. No cuts, cracks, or discoloration on it despite the abuse like sharp coat hangers from the cleaners, bags of top soil, constant coffee spills and etc. Clean it up and even after 11 years, it looks and feels new again. I admit an ivory colored VDP interior is going to be the most delicate of the XJs, whereas the E39's interior is grey.

The E39 has no rattles and I'm not hating on the XJ, but the E39 feels much more solid. The door clips on my XJ's door planels broke and had to be replaced. I still have a rattle somewhere in my passenger door. I baby this car too. People comment that they are afraid the interior door release handles on my XJ feel like they might break off when they pull them. The A/C vents feel like they could break if used with too much force. Turn signal stalks are flimsy. My sunroof button has already broken off and had to be fixed. The radio button's feel brittle and cheap. Even the keyfob feels cheap.

Kinda off topic, but I just feel that these cars aren't very rugged IMHO. My dad isn't a car lover and treats his BMW very poorly. If the car was sold, it can be cleaned up and probably even be considered in "good condition". If he had my car, it would look awful. It literally might not be driveable.I actually feel like this car might be the most fragile car I have driven. Maybe the XJR/XJ8 interior feels more durable?

 

Well I love the leather in my car. I just find it to be quite a delicate material.

 

After one month and reading the various horror stories on this forum, I treat my XJ8 like a glass slipper! I know that in time I that feeling will subside..But I do love when it just effortlessly leaves other cars for dust when pushed a little harder on the throttle :-)

 

Sterlings were pure trash. When introduced here in the US they seemed to have a lot of promise. An Aunt bought one and the tranny "fell out" while on the highway. Before knowing this I nearly bought one because it looked great. Once I drove it I found there was nothing right with the car.

 

My 9 year old said the same thing. I told her she just needs to pull harder but I appreciate her using care. When a 9 year old girl finds something flimsy..

 

Reminds me of the days I exercised race horses and when another horse approached I usually left them in the dust on the race track.

I see lots of POS cars pull up to challenge and zoom suddenly they're in the rear view mirror getting tiny by the millisecond.

 

Thank you good sir. This motorcar simply brings it out in me. Yea verily, it makes me want to be a better person.

<HANDSHAKE>

SirJag

 

Thinking about LEATHER... I bet if the original owner kept the leather treated and conditioned regularly, it would look magnificent for the next owner. I think the only thing most people do to their leather seats is plop their big rears into them. Imagine what YOU'D look like after 10 years if someone did that to YOU.

SirJag

 

i drive my xj8 like driving miss daisy but my xkr at first when i get in i say that i am not doing nothing stupid but as soon as i say this i am off it is like mad man its fantastic

 

your not the only one buddie I always say to myself "I'm going fast relax on the turnpike or open roads" haaaaaaaa that's a NO, soon has I hear my STR supercharger whining, I just haul ***

 

I use my car, and by that I mean I drive it. I do cruise most of the time, but will drive it like my pants are on fire, carry loads of gear and stuff on the rear seat and along roads which wouldn't look out of place in 3rd world Africa. The only problem that I find in doing this is the car gets dirty on the outside. If I'm putting things in the back I'll use a seat covet to protect the leather, if I'm carring dirty things in the boot, I'll use the load liner and I'll protect the carpet with masking paper.

I love my car but I expect it to work for all the care it gets! Even though I use it in the same way one might use a Land Rover Defender, it still looks very presentable.

 

It was a great car. Never needed anything other than the odd quart of oil(in lieu of actual oil changes) and brake pads over a twelve year period. The interior was mint and everything worked when the building management towed it to the impound lot.

Did you know that it was actually a twin to the Acura Legend? Powertrain(including transmission), suspension. The brakes required different pads.

Its only failing was being FWD.

 

+1

It's an appliance. A very nice appliance, but nonetheless an appliance.

Most of the owners here are not the original owner. As such it is a used vehicle by definition.

Every make specific forum will have owners that complain of brand X being delicate. It just goes with the territory. The various 4x4 forums are a probable exception. Over there it is a badge of honour to show off how much mud is on the vehicle from the weekend.

Every make has a weak spot that most original owners will be fortunate to not find out about. Then the car is passed on to a subsequent owner who has to deal with an aging vehicle.

Now, if someone says brand X is bad and brand Z is good, then why aren't they driving brand Z?

 

I really enjoy my 87' XJ6 Vanden Plas. I haven't had it a week yet, so I am pretty cautious at this point. I like to cruise and pretty much let the car drive itself, especially on open roads. I have pushed it a few times on the expressway, which still handles very nice past 70mph, but my driving style has drastically changed to a much more conservative, laid-back mode.

I'm sure there are several different answers to this question depending on the specific model and/or condition of the car.

Great post, by the way.

 

I am careful of the tranny. By that, I mean I always wait until the trans is engaged and in gear before hitting the throttle. I'm a little careful of the door handles inside and out. I also try to keep the leather clean and conditioned (when I get around to it). But, there are certain spots around where I live where I can open the throttle up for a gear or two and watch the tach wind up as a large grin stretches my face. I don't do it often, but I won't hesitate to drive 1000 miles in it at speeds as fast as I can safely go without getting pulled over. I am conscious of things like the door handles and the tranny because I've read other people's stories on places like this. I've changed the filter and fluid in my tranny and it's fine after 10 years and >100K miles, door handles are fine. Leather and wood are fine. I did the tensioners and water pump when I got it, no problems there. My wife drives the Land Rover and abuses the cr@p out of it and I drive the Jag. It's a good thing because if it were the other way around I fear the Jag would be a problem child. Be the car, be the car ...

 

I drive my Jag like its the best car on the road, Because it is! Im very careful in town and cruise the speed limit on the highway, HOWEVER,If some punk in a "Blawmmer "or MB thinks they are going to pull ahead of me at a stop light I give them something to worry about. I usualy drive in the Sport mode and use the J-gate shifter. MORE FUN.
Oh it did just cost me $900 to fix the front end from a pot hole I dont even remember hitting. I always avoid them!

By the way, were getting married LOL