Selling the XKR
Selling the XKR
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Horse_Apple

Original Poster:

3,795 posts

258 months

Wednesday 31st January 2007
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Back in November last year I found myself wandering around a TVR garage while the Griff was in having a service and I walked out with a T350, leaving the Griff behind.

I found myself thinking that I'd had the Griff for 12 years as a second car and that in that time my needs had changed. I realised that I wanted aircon and power steering to make life a little more civilised. I'd always liked the look of the T350 and so swapped to one of those.

The problem started from there. Since picking up the car I've not driven the Jag once. The new TVR is such a huge improvement in comfort over the Griff that I have been using it as daily transport for 2 months. It is comfortable, practical and fun. It doesn't leak, it doesn't stink of fumes.

The last few weeks I have found myself thinking that I cannot really justify having the TVR and the Jag. I'm also about to buy a Smart Car for general urban travel and so I was coming round to the way of thinking that I needed to get rid of a car.

TVR or Jag?

Well, it boiled down to this: Quite simply the TVR is more fun. Life can be boring, it's important to have fun. I need to sell the Jag.

After making forming this basic idea in my mind I drove home in the TVR, parked it and got into the Jag.

First thing that I noticed after not using it for 2 months was that I didn't need to bend my body into a funny angle to get into it. Nor did I have to twist my left leg to get it under the wheel, as the wheel retracts.

After two months of non use I turned the key. The engine only just turned over, but the engine caught almost instantly, slightly impressed.

I then started looking for all the buttons to turn the lights on, demist, etc etc. It took a short time to remember that all of this was unnecessary as everything that was needed came on automatically and that the car didn't mist up.

Then, off for a drive. Wondered where the clutch pedal was for a brief moment, but soon got my head around that and we were off. Drove for about an hour last night and commuted in to the office this morning.

No faffing about changing gears, no feeling of every bump and ridge in the road, no having to crawl at 1mph over speed bumps, no noise. Just simply gliding along in total comfort, completely relaxed and still with the ability to use the loud peddle to excellent effect.

It was when I arrived at work that a moment of clarity reached me and while 'fun' is not only important but essential in life, so is serenity.

Quite simply, the Jag is sublime serenity after two months in the Tiv and I am happy again knowing that the two complement each other so perfectly, just like the Jag and the Griff used to.

triple7

4,015 posts

253 months

Wednesday 31st January 2007
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So you are NOT selling???

G

l1off

3,544 posts

272 months

Monday 5th February 2007
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I have an XJ8 Exec and a Saggy. Perfect pair.
Alan

johnniem

2,719 posts

239 months

Wednesday 7th February 2007
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Well Horse Apple, since losing my powerboat to a series of terrible storms on the south coast I am beginning to look very seriously at the possibility of chopping in my Jag XJR (6 pot 1995 model with manual gearbox) for a 4.5 litre Chimaera. I fell in love with the Chim on a Le Mans trip in 2005 and just really hankered after one. The power is phenomenal and so different from the Jag. Its a really difficult decision because of the reliability factor but I am due a mid-life crisis and without my muscle boat (5.3 litre V8 with 290 horses and a lot of unsilenced noise) the Tivvy seems the perfect solution. Perhaps you have a different view? I have had 6 years of unbridaled excitement with the 'R' but there must be an easy answer somewhere. What do the PH Jag massive think?

Horse_Apple

Original Poster:

3,795 posts

258 months

Thursday 8th February 2007
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johnniem said:
Well Horse Apple, since losing my powerboat to a series of terrible storms on the south coast I am beginning to look very seriously at the possibility of chopping in my Jag XJR (6 pot 1995 model with manual gearbox) for a 4.5 litre Chimaera. I fell in love with the Chim on a Le Mans trip in 2005 and just really hankered after one. The power is phenomenal and so different from the Jag. Its a really difficult decision because of the reliability factor but I am due a mid-life crisis and without my muscle boat (5.3 litre V8 with 290 horses and a lot of unsilenced noise) the Tivvy seems the perfect solution. Perhaps you have a different view? I have had 6 years of unbridaled excitement with the 'R' but there must be an easy answer somewhere. What do the PH Jag massive think?


The XKR is a superb wagon. It is very smooth and will fly along when pressed, but it is a tourer rather than a sports car.

The more modern, roofed, TVRs seem a little confused as they are sold as sports cars but actually make excellent tourers.

The two do compliment each other but I do find it hard now which car to chose for a journey, whereas when I had the Griff it was very simple to make a descision based on whether I was going to arrive gassed and tired or refreshed and relaxed.

The Jag gear box is second to none and the real backbone of the car.

tvron

276 posts

264 months

Monday 12th February 2007
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Have sold Chim 450 after six years and bought XKR 4.2S convertible.
I cannot compare these cars as their character totally different and as over half says the Jag is not a sports car but a very good GT.
I do not think that it willever replace TVR in my affections but I needed to get something a bit more refined as I was probably one of the oldest TVR drivers around.
It is a shame that TVR did not continue making good basic cars such as Chim and Griff with just a bit more refinement for those of us that use our cars for touring most of the time.
No doubt in time I will come to enjoy the Jag as much in a different way. Certainly it performs and handles much better than I was expecting and the luxury is only as Jag can do it

GR1FF1F

523 posts

250 months

Tuesday 13th February 2007
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This all rings very true. I've spent the last six months agonising over which toy had to go - Jag or Sag ? I've had the XKR from new in 2001 and can honestly say that it has never given me a moment of grief. Totally reliable, a joy to drive fast or slow, and believe me I sit in plenty of traffic commuting from Kent into London every day. At the same time the Sag is such a beast and I'm only just starting to get used to its potential.

On March 1 the V8 Vantage arrives and the driveway is staring to look a little congested so in the end the coin was flipped and, not even wanting to stick my head in the TVR residuals box based on the current goings on, I elicited a bid for the XKR. The problem was immediately solved when I got the call back from the dealer. I laughed so much I nearly crashed the car, but immediately realised that at that price it was the all time bargain.

So the wife now has to move the mini over and make a little room 'cause I'm keeping all of them. It's the perfect solution to depreciation - never sell ! Besides there's always days when you need a convertible.

Triple7

4,015 posts

253 months

Tuesday 13th February 2007
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GR1FF1F said:
......... the perfect solution to depreciation - never sell !


Amen bro!

Horse_Apple

Original Poster:

3,795 posts

258 months

Tuesday 13th February 2007
quotequote all
GR1FF1F said:
This all rings very true. I've spent the last six months agonising over which toy had to go - Jag or Sag ? I've had the XKR from new in 2001 and can honestly say that it has never given me a moment of grief. Totally reliable, a joy to drive fast or slow, and believe me I sit in plenty of traffic commuting from Kent into London every day. At the same time the Sag is such a beast and I'm only just starting to get used to its potential.

On March 1 the V8 Vantage arrives and the driveway is staring to look a little congested so in the end the coin was flipped and, not even wanting to stick my head in the TVR residuals box based on the current goings on, I elicited a bid for the XKR. The problem was immediately solved when I got the call back from the dealer. I laughed so much I nearly crashed the car, but immediately realised that at that price it was the all time bargain.

So the wife now has to move the mini over and make a little room 'cause I'm keeping all of them. It's the perfect solution to depreciation - never sell ! Besides there's always days when you need a convertible.


Indeed.

I found myself last week (during the weather) thinking about getting a Range Rover. Obviously, it wouldn't clash with the T, so that would stay and so it would have to replace the Jag.

Another mile down the country road and I thought that the RR would be all well and good for some occassions but the road that I was on is one of the great summer roads and the Jag with the roof down after a long spell on the motorway out of London is just unbeatable.

Another mile down the road having decided that the Jag and the TVR would have to stay I was wondering whether the wife would like a Range Rover that I could use on occassions

After lunch driving back down the same road I then found myself thinking that maybe a Morgan would be fun in summer to keep down here.

At that point I gave in and realised that I had to get a grip and just stick with what I had as it's a pretty good combo.

So many cars, so few legs and arms to use them.

GR1FF1F

523 posts

250 months

Tuesday 13th February 2007
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The wife and I went through all this yours and mine thing, and whose cars were taking up all the room. As a result the dogs now have their own ML, which they kindly allow us to use when it snows or if they want to go for a walk a bit farther away.

Horse_Apple

Original Poster:

3,795 posts

258 months

Tuesday 13th February 2007
quotequote all
GR1FF1F said:
The wife and I went through all this yours and mine thing, and whose cars were taking up all the room. As a result the dogs now have their own ML, which they kindly allow us to use when it snows or if they want to go for a walk a bit farther away.



So you're saying I need to buy a dog? Wife can have the Moggy then. Everyone happy.

Triple7

4,015 posts

253 months

Tuesday 13th February 2007
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Ha ha ref the dog.

I can recommend a Range Rover for any occasion! It would complement the other stable mates, in fact I bet you'd end up never driving anything else.

G