Looks like I'll be putting my Series III in semi-retirement....at least for the time being. I'm at a bit of a crossroads with the car. It drives like a dream but years of daily use and outside storage in the weather have taken a toll. Rust has taken hold in several places, the leather is all coming unstitched, the diff (or perhaps a rear hub) is growling. And a peculiar intermittent front end vibration needs investigation. In short, it has become a bit ratty. It'll take quite a bit of labor.... and money... to bring it back to the standard I want. I'm not sure that this particular Series III is the right candidate to shovel heaps of money into.

Plus I have a bit more work I want to do on the TR6.

I just bought an '05 Jag with just 38k miles to become my new daily driver while I ponder the dilemma with the Series III and wrap-up the TR6. It won't have that wonderful feel of an older Jag but I reckoned it was time to put at least one foot into the modern-ish world.

Cheers
DD

 

Yeah, and Portland weather would be a killer for Elderly Jags, wouldn't it.
I understand that not everyone has the circumstances, but when we bought Nix the PO made me Promise I wouldn't drive it in the rain. (He knew what he was talking about as for the next couple years, most of it documented here, we dealt with some Serious rust which he failed to reveal to us) I've kept that promise even though some things he told us he was lying through his teeth!

Whatever you decide, Doug, I wish you success.
(';')

 

All the best on wherever your journey takes you in whatever you're driving!

 

It's a fair bet that, one way or the other, I'll always have a Series III.

It really comes down to money. I'm not crazy about dumping money into a so-so car. I'd rather buy a primo replacement....but they're not getting any cheaper !

Cheers
DD

 

Good chhoie Doug.

I went X200 after the X300, mainly for ease of access, one partial leg is a fair mongrel over that Sill Panel Hump..Add arthritis, whoops.

After the MAJOR service, same as yours, never looked back.

The Black one was demolished by a Landcrab in the car park, no comment from me here.

The Silver is still doing what it should.

The Black replacement, 12/09 X Type, as S Type at the time were too expensive and not in good shape. OK car, has its moments (hence I label it The Pretend Jag). As soon as the sucker starts electrickery issues, ITS GONE. Front Wheel Drive and a Bog Block 2.1 V6, hahaha, but it works. Must be one of the last built, as I know the last X Type came off the line on Dec 14 2009.

Good luck.

 

Doug,
I'm glad you're keeping a spot in your stable for a Series 3. I bought my last brand new vehicle in 1992 (a Suburban) and while modern vehicles have many more sophisticated operating systems, my S3 is the only one that brings a smile to my face when I start it and head out on the highway. I wish you well.

Dave

 

Which flavor of '05 Jag did you buy? The X350s have their peculiarities, but I do miss mine sometimes.

 

It's an '05 S-Type 3.0 V6

Here's the actual car:



Buying online carries a lot of risk, obviously. It certainly isn't my preferred method of buying a car. But there are actually very few used Jags in my neck of the woods. If I wanted a BMW, Audi, or most any other more mainstream brand I could hop in my car, find and buy a creampuff, and be back home in two hours.

Being devoted to a single particular brand can carry disadvantages

The car is being shipped up from California, hopefully next week. I'm fairly confident that it'll be as good as it looks but there's a bit of "fingers crossed" in all this.

Cheers
DD

 

Doug, I’ve bought 3 cars sight unseen on line, albeit from someone with a pretty good reputation in the Jaguar world, one every eight years as it turned out. I still have two of them. I hope your turns out equally well.

 

So you've joined the Forduar contingent!!
Desperate times call for Desperate measures.
You're right about how unplentiful used Jags are. I happened upon a 2017 F-Pace for sale by the road, gave it a pass though.

First off it was (ugh) White, and at 6+ years old probably due for electronic foolishness to start giving trouble if it hasn't already (This was a Rolling Laptop! How many people keep their laptop more than a couple years??).

And he wanted Real Money for it. The way he responded, I was probably the only one to show interest.
I didn't ask though and I kick myself later, Why he didn't just trade it in on that new Denali they bought....
(';')

 

Thanks Ken

Over 20 years ago I bought an XJS off Ebay. It was a great experience. Flew from Portland to Sacramento with a pal/co-driver. Seller (private party) picked us up at the airport. He was a great guy, the car was fine, the 650 mile road trip home was fun and trouble-free.

I'm hoping this experience will be good. Be it cars or anything else one never knows how large or deep their allotment of good luck will be.

One troubling aspect is differentiating between benign incompetence and actual malfeasance. From a distance the two things can closely resemble each other.

Cheers
DD

 

I know, I know ! I hang my head in shame.

Some degree of redemption is found in the obvious retro-styling, a clear nod to Jaguars of yore.

There IS heavy Ford content in the S-Types. This can be a plus. But it certainly detracts from the Jaguar-ness.

There are no other cars that have that special feel of the older Jags....and that includes newer Jags. I've resigned myself to that.


My youngest daughter just leased a new VW. It's a marvel (or nightmare!) of electronics. In fact the salesman's parting words were "Enjoy your new rolling computer".

Cheers
DD

 

I should NOT have said that. I should know better.

Today, the Jag Gods hit the beast, and the Rad Fans are stuck ON unless you disconnect the battery. Bugga.

 

Yeah, but we do get carried away sometimes, don't we.
"Out of the heart's abundance the mouth speaks (or the fingers type)"
(';')

 

Been there! Sometimes the fates conspire against us.

Don't the X-types have a fan control module known for failing?

Good luck

Cheers
DD

 

They do. If the fans are on all the time, 99% of the time it's a faulty module.

 

They do Doug, but most of that was Pre 2005. This being the last of the line I would have thought better,. Grandures of delusion from Downunder.

Initial searching has Ford, RangeRover, etc all use the same arrangement, even the same Module, and they also have massive issues,

Off to the X Side now to see what pearls of wisdom have arrived overnight, lotsa fun me thinks.

The For Sale sign is written, trust me.

 

Of Course they all have the same parts and same issues, Grant! It's a Forduar!!
I know where you can get a 2017 F-pace, fella swears there's nothing wrong with it, and for a WHITE car it does look pretty good.
But he didn't mention why he's trying to sell it by the side of the road and didn't trade it in on that new Denali they bought.

 

My first Jaguar a 1976 XJ6 4.2litre series 2 was bought in 1995, this was followed in 2000 by a Daimler V8 2 1/2litre, and then in 2012 a Jaguar X330 4.0 litre Sovereign of 1996 vintage which is my daily driver. All are automatics. The Daimler is my show car and is much restored/renovated, it has heavy steering and gains a lot of attention whenever it is shown or on the road, the Series 2 has had a replacement engine, the original suffered cracking between the bores, and is beginning to show its age and remains tucked away in its garage most of the time. They all have their own characteristics but I rate the Forduar the best of the three. However, I did work for Ford for 27 years so could be biased! To balance that, I also claim to be a Coventry kid having been a Rootes trained metallurgist (making Humber, Hillman and Sunbeam cars) whilst spending the first 24 years of life in Coventry and its environs.

 

Doug, I understand that all things must pass at some point, but can't help feel some of your post-partum pain. We will follow "The New Adventures of Doug" and I for one will still pester and probe your knowledge base. Enjoy your new ride, and No, I don't have your Red XJ - my mistake. Ian