On Sunday I drove to the Toronto area to check out the British Car Day that is held by the Toronto Triumph Club. As an aficionado of British cars and many things British, I made it a point to attend after a 25 year absence. Admittedly I attended late in the day, but I was disappointed by the Jaguar turnout. The E-Type was well represented, as was the X300 and newer models, but I saw one sole representation of the XJ40, and it was for sale by owner! It’s as if it only attended to be sold.
I prize my XJ40 and never intend to sell it as it is the car I wanted since 1986, watching the car’s development closely in motoring magazines.
The XJ40 is the unloved underdog because it’s design parted from the so loved curves of the series I, II, III cars. Hardcore Jag enthusiasts will never accept the XJ40s despite it’s advanced technology compared to it’s predecessor. Just like they’ll never accept the XJS after the E-Type.
It’s a shame because its design stands on it own two feet (four wheels) in it own right. I can’t imagine how the purists feel about some of Ian McCallum’s car designs like the XF, XE, and XJ.
I admit that the series III XJ models are the most beautiful 4 door cars Jaguar ever made. Well, it’s a Pininfarina design, no wonder they look so good. But it wasn’t enough for me to buy one. I chose the XJ40 for it’s performance, easier maintenance and one more gear.
XF cars look pretty good, not crazy about the XE and the last gen. XJ. I didn’t like the back of it in the beginning but over time it grew to me. But what I can’t accept is the lowered dashboard. It’s a deal breaker for me.
I like the Series III as well and can easily understand why many people find it the most beautiful Jaguar made, but on the XJ40’s own merits and forget the gorgeous older Series III sister, the XJ40 is the one I always wanted to marry and did. And I’m not complaining about it’s somewhat limited attraction. I like what I like. I just hate to see these taken for granted and die off when its such a marvelous vehicle.
I must add the F-Pace and certainly the F-Type to the fold of appealing modern Jaguars. Long live Jaguar!
Although I own a 1990 XJ6 I contend the X350 (2002 to 2007) is the best looking, and for a tall person the most spacious. First of the aluminum bodied cars, they were the answer to customer complaints of inadequate interior space of the earlier body shell. Then the complaints came in that the X350 looked too much like a Ford Crown Victoria. It’s hard to please all the people all the time! As to the XJ40, like the long neglected too fat Mark 10/420G it will come into its own in time and there will be survivors, the most pristine of the bunch, and in future decades collectible. Keep yours nice, do not wear it out and it may become one of those…
I look at it like this, Since we all love the Marque I see it different.
I look at the TIME, the ERA the politics of local governments which all play apart.
The Series 3 XJ6 WAS and will ALWAYS be beautiful.
The lines, the times, the whole 1980’s It was a wonderful time.
BUT…
Not one person on this forum would tolerate spending 15 days a MONTH at the dealer with parts FALLING off or kookie break downs that American cars at the time cured 30 years earlier.
FOOTNOTE…I miss those days as your local Certified Jag mechanic was JESUS as we spoke cars and made the car run great for a couple of weeks.
Great car , EXPENSIVE to maintain but it was truly your GIRLFRIEND on the side and was the way it was in the 1980’s
Lets move on to the XJ40
Like the 1990’s the mood changed, the markets crashed and so did the initial XJ40s
The Tokyo dash, The boxie lines the choke hold seat belts and in the states the NON SEALED headlights looked TERRIBLE.
It had much better room and comfort, more modern feel but with 5 miles of wires and the WORSE warranty claim records ever for Jaguar it was tough to swallow.
There was a reason EGAN came into the picture.
Now I had a 1993 UPGRADE EGAN Ill call it xj40, cover head lights with the 4.0
It drove wonderful but ALWAYS had issues. Built like a tank but had issues.
Footnote, My uncle had a 1988 new , never changed the oil, never changed the antifreeze or tranny fluid, never changed a burnt bulb. Beat the crap out of it in MANHATTAN for 6 years, put 135,000 miles and it never broke down. I’m not kidding.
The 1992/1993 and 1994 were a lot better than the earlier cars but had inherent flaws.
The 1995 x300 to this day is a classic, Bullet proof and Ive had 6 of them from new to used.
They compare to a 1978 MERCEDES DEISEL STATION WAGON…THEY GO ON FOREVER!
In closing I love ALL jags, some better than others.
gtjoey1314
Once the x308 to present came, they are all plug and play and as cold as any German car on the market, just Ehhh
I have met him, AFAIK he was a parts man at the local dealership years ago.
His house has a nice setup with a 4-post lift in his basement and (in my opinion) he’s most familiar with traditional carburetted models, like the E’s etc. He did seem like a bit of a know it all when I met him and not really that forthcoming - I think he could see I wasn’t going to be a money tree.
My parts car was serviced by him and I’m not sure he’s quite as well versed in the XJ40’s idiosyncrasies. The PO replaced many components chasing down running issues, finally selling me the low mileage car for a song because they couldn’t sort out the problem. Very little wrong with that car in reality, the intake was full of goop and the TB was carboned up …that was about it.
So I ended up getting a spare set of new injectors, a bunch of new sensors and a cylinder head that did NOT have a “sticking valve”.
If you need a Jag mechanic in Victoria, Frank’s European on Government street would be a much better bet, lighter on the pocket too.
I definitely think the X350 was a huge improvement over the X300/X308 getting back to the Series III styling, but like any retro car design, it often reaches it limit. I liked the S-Type when it came out, only started wondering recently if I liked it styling, then pondered one in a lot yesterday and decided I shouldn’t have any doubts about its looks. I think the most unfortunate aspect of Ford buying Jaguar in 1989 (as well as adding Aston-Martin and Range Rover to its fold) was that it cribbed all the luxury car designs for its own vehicles. XF has certain elements of the Fusion / Mondeo, particularly from the rear, Explorer cribs some Range Rover HSE elements. I think my Jaguar will outlast me…
John, I need to ask you: assuming you are using the stock 15" wheels, what tires do you run on your '90? Do you recommend the current tires on your XJ6?
Currently running Michelin Harmony 205 70R 15 tires. Costco would not fit them to my car abut 10 years ago when I bought them once they learned it was a Jaguar. Got a another tire shop to fit them if I simply carried the wheels in and told them to put them on. Here in my states, California, and now Oregon, tire shops are a PITA with all their legal paranoia. Since I never drive the car over 65-70 the speed rating was not an issue for me. Not sure if Michelin Harmony tires in this size are even available now. My car just turned 72K miles and probably since I have 5 other British cars for most of my use it gets maybe 800 miles a year now.
Thank you, John. It’s interesting that tires were already difficult to source ten years ago. Hopefully for me, the legal paranoia is limited to the Golden State. It’s bad enough trying to find tires for the car but I don’t need another set of hoops to jump through for the tire fitting itself.
I like the early XJ40 models’ 15" Pepperpot wheels and the chrome turbine wheels, but don’t find the '94’s (aren’t they called Kiwis?) wheel design attractive. The size looks great but the design in my eyes too generic.
