​​​​​​... and my wife complains that I have a bad habit with buying cars from friends!

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful little habit that you have there! I am looking forward to find out which one you will pick.

Does Gregory entertain coupés only saloons?

 

Splendid way of describing our problem. Elsewhere on this forum I posted my falling ill to this same disease, and the recommended cure was not as intended as yours. One dose only, was advised.

that's where you hit jackpot! I wish ...

I would tend to agree!

But, I must ask: which is, or was, your favourite?

 

This is a good question...and very difficult to answer. I love the Series III XJ - the V12 is magnificent and, properly maintained, very, very reliable. hmmmm.....the X308 that Ken has is utterly gorgeous, fast, luxurious - a worthy successor to the Series III especially in XJR form:


The X350 - the aluminium bodied car, not as svelte but sybaritic in its luxury and the 4.2 litre V8 with the 6 speed ZF transmission, delicious. The gorgeous XK - mine had the same engine as the X350 - and those curves! just looking at it made me weak in the knees. I was stopped twice by police for exercising the car appropriately (in my opinion), once by the RCMP and once in the US by an Oregon trooper. They both did give me a fine but the very first thing that each of them said was how beautiful the XK was (!).


The Mk 2? Fun in a 60 year old way. This car has just 27,000 original miles on it and uses gasoline as though I owned shares in EXXON:





But for excitement, the F-Type....there is no car on the road that combines a timeless beauty with this kind of performance, the only thing coming near it is an Aston Martin:


I'm pretty sure that it needs another coat of wax:



So my favourite? it is always the one that I am waxing at any given moment, even if it is the relatively unloved S-Type.
After the 15th coat of wax...do you think it might need a 16th?:



I love the glistening (original + those coats of wax) finish:


To be honest, I cannot say that I favour one model over another; they all have their charm. There is something about the Series III V12 cars that captures the essence of a Jaguar: an unpetentious, honest, timeless elegance, strength, purity of line, silence and smoothness - in a way that embodies what a Jaguar is:

 

I'm very pleased with my recently purchased S-Type. Better than expected. Many good qualities.

But.....

Today I drove my Series III for the first time in a few weeks. No doubt about the Series III has "that feel" that simply cannot be duplicated by the S-Type nor, likely, any other car. 'Tis the most modern of all antique automobiles.

Cheers
DD

 

My dear comrades in this shared affliction, two are the errors that an XJ Series owner can become entangled in: buying one, in the first place, and selling it.

The purchase, is the first mistake, because it will never remain a mere car, it will become a ghost that will steal both the heart and the soul. Relinquishing it, however, is an even greater error because, while one can hate the faults of his Jaguar, one will never forget it. It's not a dream that has become reality but, rather, a reality that inhabits the owner's dreams! And, if true that one can always always find flaws in reality, one can never find them in a dream.

My father's Double Six, was the best car of my life. From mundane errands, to continental Grand Tours, it was our steadfast companion for 207,000 kilometers and, when it was sold, we held onto the essence of our journeys, its steering wheel. I still own it, and it will replace the wheel of my acquired Daimler, that I am currently restoring.

In my automotive dalliances, I've owned many beautiful Jaguars, perhaps even surpassing the Series in this, or that, aspect. Yet, the first Series remains an immutable milestone — a rite of passage, akin to innocence lost. Its memory, like virginity surrendered: forever cherished, forever beyond reclamation.

I simply had to own one. Again. My friends, do not sell your big cat Series. Ever. They will haunt your memories.

 

For the life of me I don’t know why you prefer sharing that photo to one of these:

 

Shortcomings are easily forgiven when there's so much to love. A Series III Jag isn't perfection in every possible aspect. However, be it a person or a Jaguar we love it for what it is. Not for what it isn't.

Cheers
DD

 

I've never sold a Jaguar, I couldn't. I learnt to drive on my Mk2 that my father bought from a relative when it was 6 years old. We bought the Daimler series 3 V12 in 1992, took it to America with us and brought it back. It's lived in the UK, US, the Netherlands and Italy. We bought the X type when we moved back to England in 2014 and the XKR a couple of years later. And they are all in their own way the best car that I've ever owned. I've had affection for all or almost all my cars (Mini, Alfa, Renault, Rover, Toyota, Ford, Buick, Opel ...), but none made it to the Jaguar level though the Alfa GTV and Opel Manta were special. If I had garage space, I might add an X300 or X308 XJR and an F-type to the Jaguar list. And I should have bought an E-type or XK150 when I had the opportunities.

Now just to show my judgement might be questioned, I'll list the worst cars that I've ever driven (but not owned), noting that they are all regarded by many as all time greats: VW Beetle, Nissan (Datsun) Cherry, and Mercedes 300SL Gullwing.

 

Peter, you mention Mercedes, please, let me let's clarify something. Mercedes are, always, either the poor man's Rolls-Royce, or the rich man's taxi ... not fish, nor meat!