First off, I am not a mechanic, however my adolescent "mechanic" experiences with my Yamaha YZ dirt-bikes and Datsun Z-cars has contributed a bit of knowledge about automobiles in general. I am not involved in a technical field, but consider myself a fairly technical person. Moreover, I have found that upon becoming a DIY mechanic, a more intimate bond develops between owner and vehicle...

The first impulse I had with my last dilemma/technical problem (see thread, ‘New Dimension in Sound’) was, "Oh, just another quirky XJS problem..." I even used profanity toward my beautiful Kitty (which I am now regretting). I was way out of line. The problem was my own fault and I believe the majority of problems encountered with these cars are “owner activated.” In the above listed thread, a simple, accidental crossing of the 3A and 3B spark plug wires made her slightly, yet incessantly “fart” during acceleration. After meticulously re-assembling the distributor/plug wiring during the Marelli (fire-hazard reduction) rotor mod, this terrible and unnerving sound coming from such a beautiful piece of art was one of the most disconcerting experiences I have had in recent years. Apparently, I was not meticulous enough as the prospect of driving her that evening (with freshly rebuilt brakes, and reduced "fire paranoia") prevented me from double-checking my work. Thankfully, this forum (particularly member, Doug Dwyer) provided the insight needed for me to re-examine my work and solve the problem.

I have begun to realize that it is wrong of me to continually compare her to her rear-engine, German stepsister. She is an entirely different animal almost twice her size and weight. She requires meticulous attention and a detailed orchestration of procedures (the majority of which are a PITA) to keep her happy and purring like she should. In the end, she satisfies you with her grace, elegance and sense of sophistication. You can’t blame her for simply requiring the attention she deserves because she’s just “high-maintenance.” Maybe this is why there are so few of these gorgeous vehicles on the average road. She’s a different breed, and so must her owners be…

THANK YOU everybody for your continued support!

*Please stay tuned for my next Marelli "fire prevention" inquiry: 'Gauges for Sensing Bank A / B ignition failure OR Cat Converter Temperature?"

 

Owning an XJS is no easy accomplishment. It takes some guts to jump in! The majority of owners and mechanics are intimidated by them....that's why so many are neglected. Keeping a philosophical outlook, as you are doing, is important :-)

And, yes, fter the money and effort comes a LOT of satisfaction. And, once you get everything sorted they just require occasional tinkering. I had one for years. When I sold it I reviewed all the invoices (big mistake!) and realized that the bulk of the money spent was in the first year. Less the second year, even less the third, etc. The last year I only spent about $200 on the car for repairs and upkeep.

Cheers
DD

 

@Mike

I think I said in another post that you don't own an XJS, you have a relationship with one :-) And with all relationships there are ups and downs.

Totally agree about a lot of faults being user activated but I guess you could also call this experience.

I have struggled for 18 months with mine and I am only now starting to reap the rewards. I attended a posh car show in Palo Alto here in California last Sunday, and driving back with the roof down and the sun shining was an experience that would be hard to beat. At that moment I wouldn't have swapped the XJS for anything

 

That's some extraordinary perseverance! Like I said, "She’s a different breed, and so must her owners be…"

 

"And so my fellow Jaguar enthusiasts, Ask not what your Jaguar can do for you; ask what you can buy for your Jaguar.

 

My list this week calls for a pair of OEM ignition coils...