I've been working nights for the last month starting up a nuclear plant after a major power uprate. I stopped on the way home for breakfast (dinner?) at a diner. Some guys came in shortly after me and sat down at the table next to me. You could see my XKR through the window and they started talking about it, wondering what kind of car it was. One guy said it was a Chrysler (I was a little insulted by that remark), one of the others said it was a Jaguar, and the third said he thought it was an Alpha Romeo (at least that was better than the first guy). I turned around and told them it was a Jaguar XKR. They saw my security badge from the plant and asked me if I worked at the nuclear plant. I said I was a consulting engineer helping them startup. Then they wanted to know if the plant was hiring because they'd like to be able to afford a car like mine. I didn't bother to explain, it would have been a waste of time and breath.

Mark

 

Folks that are even casual "car people" know that these cars are something special even if they cannot readily identify them. Then there are folks that are oblivious to cars and only regard them as something to get you from A to B. I can imagine someone like that not knowing what kind of car it is but they should still recognize that it is something classy.

Doug

 

I had almost the same thing happen to me tonight, I stopped to buy a slice of pizza from a local store when a guy came up to me and said,"Thats a really nice jaguar have... what kind of job do you have to drive a car like that?" When I responded saying I was a motorcycle technician, he went out snapping pictures of my XK8 mumbling he has to become a mechanic. These cars ARE something special and yet will get you from A to B... most pleasantly. On the odd chance I drive it to work, my co workers all "hate-on-me" saying, "you get paid too much" I respond with this," I paid less for this than my wife's hyundai and, it get 28 mpg... it's my economy import!" Honestly, I LOVE THIS CAR... 133,000 miles and it still feels as new.

 

Well, they did start talking about the car. If it were almost any other car there would have been no reason to comment at all.

 

The reaction to anyone walking up to a stranger in England and saying "that's a really nice Jaguar... what kind of job do you have to drive a car like that?" would be very different. More likely to involve a Hospital visit!

Graham

 

I agree with you on that one graham lol

 

When asked what sort of job to sponsor such a car, I suggest a slow smile then... "car thief"

regards

david

 

I hear you guys. I have less than $5k invested in my '97 including the purchase price. Bought it here in the Twin Cities from a guy with a swanky house on a nice lake. He already had the new BMW vert in the garage and this was out on the curb like the trash. It needed a power steering hose and therefore could not be test driven. I wasn't in the market for a car but lowballed and found myself a Jag owner.

I live in one of the hoity toity suburbs (although I am in the "poorer" neighborhood) and find myself explaining that I bought it for only $4k. My boss is mumbling about wishing he could afford a Jag while his new Nissan Armada probably cost 8-10 times what I spent. I got this deal becasue I was in the right place at the right time and know how to turn wrenches.

I am getting married in a week and a half and the Jag will be our drive off car. Everybody will be taking there gifts back shortly after we leave.

B

 

And THAT would be the key phrase. Buying the car was easy financially...but owning it would be impossible for me if I didn't do almost all of the work myself. But honestly, I love working on the thing almost as much as I love driving it.


.

 

Right time, right place, right result!

Congratulations for the forthcoming wedding and best wishes for the future.

Graham

 

I just used mine about 9 months ago as well. Congrats.

 

I'm not in England, but here in the US it's not meant offensively. I still like making conversations awkward and would blank face stare and say "I'm a prostitute."

 

I was at a gas station the recently and a I overheard a lady say "i really like that old timey Jaguar". I was impressed that she knew it was a Jag but I don`t know about the "old timey" comment.....it`s a 2003 XKR convertible. Maybe she was referring to me...I`m 55...

 

Puled into a winery near Helen Ga last week and the were having a classic car show. A young girl was directing traffic, everyone else was turning to the right and i started to go that direction. She stops me and says that i need to go to the left. So i went to the left. It was an early model Ford V8 show. A gentalman walks up to use and says we are in the wrong area. I expained what happened and he laughs and says this was his grandduaghters first show. I laughed and said Ford did owner Jag when the car was made. Parked the car and enjoyed the show. Tina shows up a hour later smiling from ear to ear (must have been the samples) with 3 bottles of wine. And of course my account was a $100 dollars lighter. Jim

 

You know it's funny.

I have a day job as the IT director of a fortune 50's company's World Headquarters. I also own a used car dealer as a side business / hobby.

I have an 04 XJR, a 99 Arden Xk8 and an 03 Escalade. The escalade gets zero attention in the parking garage, and blends in with the other hundreds of soccer mom trucks.

However any time it's nice and I take one of the Jags to work... The commentary, grumbling and snyde remarks are unbelievable. And are generally from people driving newer entry level luxury cars, and or near new SUV's. Now how do you explain to these ppl that you have less invested in BOTH your Jags then they do in their 3 series or Tahoe or Lexus?

Personally I've given up on trying...

Take care,

George

 

Women probably know more about the jags than we believe, and they know there is a new model which they like better/more.

Maybe thatīs where the "old timer jaguar" is coming from.

Just ask your wife/girlfriend which XK she prefers and she will certainly point out the new shape.

 

Believe me or not my wife test drove the new xk and told me it looked cheap and did not have the elegant look of the xk8. Thank god that saved me a few $$$$$. Jim

 

Tina works for the local police dept and uses the Jag as a daily driver, just imagine the comments in a rural community. But we love it and smile everytime we start the engine. Jim

 

We left the car in the supermarket car park at Stornaway, on Lewis. Came back to find an old guy walking round the car... "I'm not coveting it", he said... No of course you weren't... Meanwhile at Lochboisdale on Uist the hotel keeper stuck her head through the window "Lovely, lovely, lovely", says she. It is a nice car though...

 

NO WAY,I HAVE NEVER MET A WOMAN YET THAT WOULD PREFER THE NEW JAG XK OVER THE OLD ONE AND IF I DID I BET THAY WOULD CHANGE THERE MINDE AFTER DRIVING AND SITTING IN ONE