Emotion has now really won over ratio. A week ago I bought a 1997 Jaguar XJ. Although (most) friends and family think it is a beautiful car, it also raises a number of questions.
A year ago I wondered aloud what kind of car I wanted to put in front of the door. Because of working from home a ‘sensible’ car was no longer necessary and so there was room for a car that you actually have to be an enthusiast for to go for it. I let my thoughts slide through the most diverse cars and even briefly considered a Ford Escort Mk4, purely for nostalgic reasons. But as quickly as that particular option had popped into my head, it vanished just as quickly. Finally I decided in February of this year that it should be a Peugeot 205. I had had that one ten years ago – that ticked the box for the nostalgic aspect – and it was nice and cheap to have at your doorstep, both in terms of fixed costs and maintenance. It was therefore also rational to explain.
I have now been happily tumbling around in my red boyfriend for ten months. It does a fantastic job and it is indeed the ‘trip down memory lane’ I expected every time. In the 205 I have found the perfect balance between hobby, nostalgia and ratio. Still, as has happened to me before, after not too long I’m going to look again at what else is for sale. Especially because I can’t deny that the 205 is the only car now and then a bit on the spartan side. If you once again with pain and effort to slam a door that just doesn’t close properly or try to squeeze the thing into a parking space with combined forces without power steering, the desire for something ‘more car’ grows in the long run.
The 205 absolutely does not have to go and costs me almost nothing every month. Something could well be wrong. When that decision was made, it was soon clear what it should be: a Jaguar XJ. Just about the complete opposite of the 205. I think the Jaguar XJ Series II is one of the most beautiful cars ever made and the X300 (and X308) I think is the most beautiful ‘modern’ XJ. I had it like daily driver never seriously considered before, but now with the 205 in front of the door it was suddenly possible as a second car for the ‘nice rides’. So I went looking for an X300 and after a relatively short focused search it became a 3.2 Executive from 1997. Just as old as the 205, so that pretty much sums up all the similarities. Oh yeah, they both have power windows too.
It is an XJ as I prefer to see it: in green (in this case Spruce Green Pearl) with a beige interior. An interior that is almost spotless, especially when you consider that the thing is almost 25 years old and has a good end towards 3 tons on the counter. I would have found that mileage a lot scarier if I hadn’t delved into the XJ X300 a bit more and came to the conclusion that there is actually something rational to consider about this choice: the X300 is generally known as the best XJ ever made in terms of reliability. Perhaps even the most reliable Jaguar.
That does not alter the fact that it is extremely exciting to get started. This XJ, too, can have me crying at my wallet in no time. If that’s not due to unforeseen technical faults, it will happen every time I arrange a tank full of E5 for €160. During the first test drive there was a slight oil leak, but after an inspection on the bridge it turned out to be a leaking hose from the power steering. That has now been repaired. Now an extensive technical inspection is still waiting to reveal any hidden defects, although it seems to be OK for the time being. If it is indeed not that bad, the jar reserved for technical refurbishment can be used to have a number of dents addressed and to polish the here and there slightly scratched lacquer layer.
My first meters in the XJ during the test drive. The dashcam is now out, it belonged to the previous owner. Photo: Lars Krijgsman.
The reactions are generally positive, although there are certainly also critical questions: “Why on earth do you buy such a thing now that the petrol prices are skyrocketing? Aren’t you afraid that it will cost you a lot? What’s on your mind? huh?” Correct comment, that’s for sure. Most importantly though, I’m madly in love with it. How beautiful it is and how unrivaledly it drives. The six-in-line pulls in peace and without effort the approximately 1,730 kilograms heavy and thick 5 meters long British seating area on wheels and the automatic transmission shifts silky smooth through its resistance. If you give him the tracks, then the Jag is downright smooth, but he especially invites you to glide quietly and stately over the roads. There is no beep or creak. If you put on the naughty shoes, you could drive it to Paris in one go and get out with no pain.
No gloss without friction, so even if I end up with a heavy lid on my nose, it was worth it. I’ve already made a dream come true by putting an XJ out front. No one can take that from me anymore.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl