[FlatOut]

Anything older or heavy on fuel is almost worthless in Britain, on account of high labour rates, high fuel costs and a sad attitude to anything which isn't new or almost new - I believe this is endemic around the globe.

I've driven many miles in the 6 cylinder XJRs, and found them utterly lovely. I've also driven older XJ6s quite often in the past and adored their English club feel. Back in the 1980s build quality was an issue at times, but today it is a different matter. Those in the know are buying new Jaguars, not Audis, certainly not MBs and definitely not BMWs!

Although XJR values are low, they will only rise. Now is a good time to buy in Britain, if you can find a good one.

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by FlatOut

a Mercedes or BMW were perfectly effective modes of transport, but a journey in Jaguar was akin to entering another world. Very difficult to engineer in such feelings of soul.

Yes it is very difficult to express one's feelings when you own a Jag from that era up until the recent past. Especially when a journey in Jaguar was truly akin to entering another world - that of the Jaguar dealer's workshop.

It was a truly extraordinary experience to have seen all those exotic numbers on their quotes - as a mild example, the quote for an A/C Control Unit on my S-Type R would've bought a second hand Discovery with enough spare cash to put in a lift kit.

I have since moved on to Mercedes where the ownership experience is totally eventless, so I can totally empathise with your sentiment about engineering in such feelings of soul. How can one possibly go through two years with just 3 visits to the service station for scheduled maintenance? Who will one curse? It really kills your soul to be so expressionless.

The 'experience' with the Merc is on the road, not at the service centre.

[FlatOut]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

Yes it is very difficult to express one's feelings when you own a Jag from that era up until the recent past. Especially when a journey in Jaguar was truly akin to entering another world - that of the Jaguar dealer's workshop.

It was a truly extraordinary experience to have seen all those exotic numbers on their quotes - as a mild example, the quote for an A/C Control Unit on my S-Type R would've bought a second hand Discovery with enough spare cash to put in a lift kit.

I have since moved on to Mercedes where the ownership experience is totally eventless, so I can totally empathise with your sentiment about engineering in such feelings of soul. How can one possibly go through two years with just 3 visits to the service station for scheduled maintenance? Who will one curse? It really kills your soul to be so expressionless.

The 'experience' with the Merc is on the road, not at the service centre.

I thought the S-type was a Lincoln/Yanky Ford, with a bit of Ford's typical badge-engineering. Not even classed as a Jag by many Brits. It was reputed to be truly awful at first, and Jaguar had to spend a lot of time improving what Ford wanted them to make. Sounds like they never got it right.

I'm still sorry for your bad experience, it can happen in any car. The JDPower survey puts Jaguar at the top with its XF - ie very good reliability. Ahead of the E-class and various Audis and BMWs.

A Mercedes from the late nineties would have long since rusted away, even if the switches were still working. Not that I don't like Mercedes - just that modern ones are in my eyes ugly and don't have a clear advantage over the competition like they once used to. On the other hand my 124 touring is peerless! Even if its aircon compressor has been put out to grass where my friend's XJ6 still blows cold!

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by FlatOut

I thought the S-type was a Lincoln/Yanky Ford, with a bit of Ford's typical badge-engineering. Not even classed as a Jag by many Brits. It was reputed to be truly awful at first, and Jaguar had to spend a lot of time improving what Ford wanted them to make. Sounds like they never got it right.

friend's XJ6 still blows cold!

Ha! The Hyundai boys went and copied the S Type panel for panel in their original Sonata! What were they thinking? That the world would jump and buy their cheap imitation because it was just that, cheap?
A Jag is a Jag is a Jag....

[Nitrous Power]

Originally Posted by FlatOut

I thought the S-type was a Lincoln/Yanky Ford, with a bit of Ford's typical badge-engineering. Not even classed as a Jag by many Brits. It was reputed to be truly awful at first, and Jaguar had to spend a lot of time improving what Ford wanted them to make. Sounds like they never got it right.

Yes, it was badge-engineered product by Ford. It shared chassis/platform with Lincoln LS. S-type was highly unreliable and so was Lincoln LS. But you are right, XF is performing well as far as reliability is concerned.

[9thsphinx]

Coming back to the E-class - there was a Sport edition package available for a short time on the E and the C. Was it a country specific package unlike the AMG version that is being offered worldwide?

For someone who doesn't want to spend a lot for the pricier AMG version the Sports package was indeed a good deal albeit only cosmetic changes it still looked sporty.