Old School Cool For A New Driver - The V8 Jaguar XJ Driven By A 19 Year Old!

Concluding this week's series on interesting cars attainable to young drivers on a budget is this - Sam's 2002 #Jaguar #XJ #Sport - a luxury limousine with a sweet 3.2L V8 engine - the car of choice for grandparents, gentry and gangsters all over Britain.

Follow us on Social Media:

LOVE MY CRAZY SHIRTS?

Need oil for your car?

Enter "jayemm10" in your basket at Opie Oils for 10% off your next oil order!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[RichieRouge]

That interior is also a refreshing change from universal, depressing black of new cars

[MrRicardo]

Ford wasn't a dark period for Jaguar. If it wasn't for Ford Jaguar wouldn't have survived. Ford gave them better reliability better electronics and they spent less time in the garage being fixed. . Original Jaguars before Ford were a disaster and used to break down at point of delivery and consistently thereafter

[cologne]

You're spot on with your observations of speed ! My experience with an XJ8 was that despite nearly 300 bhp it just didn't matter. It's the only 'fast' car I've driven that made me want to drive more slowly. It was so calm and peaceful I just didn't want to do anything that upset it in any way. A truly outstanding ride for reasons I can't really articulate. I've driven the equivalent 7 series and A8 and they're very good but just not the same. Conclusion: it must be a Jaag thing.

[parttimetourist]

The Jaguar has an appearance of class style luxury and comfort unmatched by any other in its class. Simply peerless

[bally_malone]

My first Jag was a used 2000 Xj8. To this day regret letting it go. It was a beautiful light dusty blue (Minstrel Blue). People always commented on the nice color. Next up was 2007 Xj8L, Dark blue a dream ride. Your description of what it feels like to be behind the wheel of the big cat is spot on.

[davidhunt]

I've had Jags on and off since I was seventeen back in 1981 when insurance was a lot cheaper.
I used to own a Jag breakers back in the 90s and used to drive the scrappers until their MOTs ran out (If they had one). Rot was the number one killer of old Jags back then closely followed by head gasket issues.
The X308s represented a huge leap in quality (once the nikasil liners were dispensed with), the engines are so smooth, definitely in a par with the V12s (of which I've owned many) and the build quality is good. The British Leyland era represented the real nadir for Jags, although the Series 1 is my all time favourite (in powder blue with dark blue or black leather unless it's a V12 VDP in which case anything is good).
Modern S Types rot out because some nutcase in the design department thought it would be an excellent idea to fit plastic sill covers over the metal sills thus creating a water and dirt trap that no one could see. Quite often you can put a hole in the sill by just pressing gently with your fingers, if there's a sill left to press that is.
A 1999/2000 X308 is the best bet because the nikasil liners were gone and the chain guides had been upgraded but the new tax brackets don't apply into 2001 models.

[ericrawson]

Ive had my 1998 XJ3.2 since 2001. Was a daily driver for 6 years on country lanes. Now use it occasionally but as you say, for a car worth a couple of thousand it is so good. To buy anything I want as a new car is 80k plus. Why bother. As you say it is wonderfully relaxing to drive, and I find that I am way less aggressive in my driving style than when I drive a manual car. Having said that, I love an opportunity to max out the revs, the sound always makes me smile. Any journey is a nice experience, not just getting from A to B. Very little has gone wrong in the time I have owned it. The biggest cost was replacement of the first generation plastic chain tensioners with metal ones, which I did as preventative maintenance. A garage quoted more than the car is worth, so I did it myself. Learnt a lot, took a couple of days, but can stop worrying about a potential catastrophic fail now. Only 85k miles, so with luck should last a few more years. I am thinking perhaps it will be a second hand XFR next time - supercar performance for 20 to 30k. Or perhaps the new shape XJR, or even an F type R. It's got to be a V8!

[ettinold]

I remember a mate's Dad getting a brand new XJ-R when they came out in 1995. I thought it was an old man's car, until my mate's Dad lobbed us the keys and told us to be careful!! 5 minutes is all it took to change my mind.

[dbpole]

The relaxation Jay mentioned when driving one of these Jags is spot on. I get the same feeling in my x-358. These cars just eat up miles and do not tire you out as the driver. I am also with Jay on not hurrying in a Jag. Seems undignifying.

[fettlemaster]

My first car - I drove one at university. Paid about £6k for what was at the time a 7 year old car. Sadly it ended up in a hedge but I did love it. Replaced it with an XJR that I drove for years. Relative lack of depreciation meant it didn't actually cost me that much to own (except insurance which I didn't think was that crazy once I had some no claims). Drove it all over Europe, from Norway to the South of France. Wonderful.

[deandomino]

I have just purchased one of these myself, actually, at the grand old age of 20. I’m new to the motoring world, having only passed my test back in January, but I’ve had an obsession with Jaguar for a long time. I used to want my Dads X-type since he passed away and it held a lot of sentimental value, but as soon as I saw the X308, it stole my heart. Also thousands cheaper to insure myself on, bizarrely, being that it’s much bigger and more powerful. I would’ve loved to own the XJR, but a good, low-mileage example of one of those costs far too much for a minimum wage worker like me. So at the moment, I have a 3.2 Executive and I love it. It’s just a shame. At the moment, I’m in a bit of financial trouble, so I can’t afford to have any restoration/work done to it, but hopefully, once I’m in the clear, it will still be around and I swear I will spend as much as I can to restore it to tip top condition. This is a car I wouldn’t mind driving for the rest of my life, and I truly do mean that. I know my dad would love it as well. So, if anyone has a few thousand pounds to throw my way and make a young man very happy, please get in touch 😂

[tmphotography]

refreshing to see a lad thinking outside the box and not going the normal young lad way of a crappy hatch back

[anonymous_bot_bot]

46 now. 22 years ago I bought a 4.2 SIII. I loved it. 1700 quid, fully loaded and great condition. A few years later bought a 735iase. Both wonderful. Now I have an Elise and integrale and drink a lot of coffee. Do miss the wafting....

[mickmullins]

Don't buy one of these, if you object to people gawping at you! I have owned a 1999 V8 four litre for over 2 yrs. It's dark blue in great condition.People stop me to talk about and admire it.I had the Series 2s and 3s xj6s and also a Daimler 66 and loved 'em, but this is far superior.Driving these makes what would be a chore in a normal car, an enjoyable experience.It's almost a hobby ! OK, so it can drink for England, but after you've paid so little brass for it, there's a lot left over for the filling station.

[phili]

And why not, I had a '79 XJ6 series III in the early 90s when I was 21, when all my mates had XR3is & Golf GTIs. Be different!

[Charles_Kos]

If I lived in UK, I would drive nothing but CLASSIC

[dvef]

I had a 1998 version of this exact car back in 2012 aged 30. Everyone called me an old man but I bloody loved it and completely agree with the review. Paid just £1400 for it but felt very special. Lazy wafting whilst it emptied my wallet.

[vicbonett]

One of the best presenters I ve heard for ages, no shouting, no selling, just tells it as honestly as he can, .. and he s got taste!

[Nikast]

I've owned a 2000 Jaguar S-Type 4.0 V8 for the past 3 years and I absolutely love it. Can't go wrong with a Jag!

[LKDK]

Mate.. I’ve had the daimler super v8, xjr, and sovereign models, and I have to say this is the BEST most accurate review I have seen/heard top stuff!