I own three Jaguars…
2002 S Type 4.0
2010 XF 4.2 (a benchmark for cars…it’s about as perfect as you can get).
and …the newly acquired 1986 XJ-SC 5.3, which I just put about 6 grand into maintenance…should have it in a few weeks and really looking forward to it.
Ok, so what is it with this cult of Nissan drivers? They’re everywhere and they almost invariably want to challenge me on the road…it’s a very popular brand… it’s a car that wants to be bold, to be a performer…to say something about the driver…these Nissans always want to race me…lol…I look at these new cars and it’s funny…because a Jaguar has nothing to prove…no matter the year, the model (except maybe the X Type?) …it has its mystique, its majesty, and its performance…I can’t figure out why anyone would think about getting a car and think Nissan…no matter how hard Nissan tries to compete… it’s just really a strange world to be in.
At the risk of stating the obvious, the issue is with Nissan drivers, not the matque…
Many young drivers who own Nissans gravitate towards the iconic Skyline, and due to its reputation as potent “boy racer” ride, boy racers drive them, and they suffering from testosterone poisoning.
Nissan vehicles are generally well-engineered, and the BRs seem to want yo “choose” them to speed contests.
The young BR types tend to consider Jags to be “old farts’ cars,” which is generally correct, and feel they need to prove how young and virile they are.
When some BR chose up my Jag, Id just smile, and go slowly, so they could get a good look…
Great answer…but I get ALL Nissans at my heels…the dumb “maxima,” “altima” “Rouge” …please…I have rented a few brand new Nissans, the 'rogue" and the “sentra,” the “maxima,” and the “altima.” I’ve also rented a 2019 “camry” and they were all big piles of crap…a huge step down from a Jetta, not to mention a Jag…competent handling is not good driving…I would even suggest that the rickety response from these cars was less than competent…and these Nissan owners are just not nice either…
I think you identified the problem perfectly, and I too think that Nissan’s selling pitch is about performance and they do try to translate that into their cars. From the first Maxima that was front wheel drive in the 1985 models, they were pitched as ‘four door sports cars’ and I drove one for some 350,000 miles. I stepped out of Chrysler K-cars, and the Nissan was a revelation. It performed, got great mileage and was comfortable at the same time. One of the most reliable cars I have ever owned in my 60 years of driving. Moving on, I did step up to Infiniti’s, and they were even more performance oriented. The ride, the feel was all there. So there you have it, and it is not wise to just put all cars in some box, and thing yours is superior. I too have 3 Jaguars, and even the XJ6 has a ‘Jaguar’ feel about it. The newest part of your collection is that XJSC V-12, and you mentioned dropping six thousand dollars into maintenance, and therein lies a big message. I have a 92 model, and it currently is in need of brake repair. I have been quoted as much as 3000 dollars to make it right. We spend on our cars, and think that is ‘normal’, while most folks would never put up with that. That old saw about ‘One man’s meat is another man’s poison’ really applies to us.
Honestly, I have never particularly noticed Nissans on the road, and certainly have not had the misfortune to have to deal with this type of nonsense from Nissan drivers. My understanding is that since their hookup with Renault, most Nissans are not particularly reliable vehicles, at least by the standards of their Honda / Toyota / Mazda peers.
lol…true, but the upside is just too god for me right now to not spend the money. Also, I have never financed a car in my life, that’s why it doesn’t bother me that much. Really, the comparison should be Nissan or Toyota v. Jetta…and the 2015 Jetta I had performed way better than the newer Nissans or Toyotas I drove …but the Jag was a huge step up from the Jetta…my first was the 2010 XF and it literally changed my life.
I’m with you James L. I don’t challenge anyone. I do enjoy “spirited” driving, but not as a testosterone competition.
The supercharged 2009 XF we just traded away would flat get it though.
The V12 XJS we still have is an automatic xmsn. Sometimes I wish it were manual. But I can mesh gears in my Nissan 350Z which IS manual. So I cover all my driving desires.
