XJS Forum First Annual Bash 2008?

[Norman]

Events in 2008 for the XJS Forum

Hi all
Sorry for not getting back sooner but I am looking at arranging a trip to North wales on 21 March 2008 over the Easter brake and stay over night for 3 nights at a Castle converted into a Hotel with entertainment every night and half board included so its a fixed cost to budget for. The price will be £285 per person for a shared room which includes;

3 nights accommodation
Breakfast and evening meal
Entertainment at lunchtime and the evening
Supply new type BMW Mini cooper for the driver and passenger plus maps etc for the Treasure Hunt on one of the days. (Could make this optional to reduce the price but I think it would fun)

What makes it different is they let you drive a new type BMW mini cooper (not sure if its an S type) with a passenger for half a day to go on a treasure hunt on one of the days you stay. Should be great fun and we will award the one with most points with a special XJS Forum 2008 trophy which the winner would keep and another grander trophy which would be passed to the current winner each year and would have all the previous winning badges on the cup so you could trace the history of past winners.

The other piece of news is some of the members on the XJS Christmas Booze Cruise would like to stay at the Hotel Chateau Tilques for 2 or 3 nights to make it less of a rush and take in some of the sights near the Hotel

Last but not least I like the idea of all us XJS owners meeting in mid 2008 so its nice weather for the convertibles who are less hardy than Paul Sinnott who on this years XJS Booze Crouse drove his XJS with the hood down with the rain coming down and almost had to leave the convoy before he was destined to float away in the French Channel back to Dover !!!! ( he told me it would not sink as his car was wax treated last year !!!).

I would need to find an interesting location for the 2008 gathering of the clans, say the midlands so the Southern and Northern members travel a similar distance.


Look forward to hearing your comments if you would like to go to the above places. Please note we only had 10 XJS's on the 24 November 2007 Booze Cruise to Chateau Tilques

Have a great Christmas, drive carefully and look forward to seeing you all next year.

Norman Hicks
XJS Forum Co-ordinator

[dhdove]

Dear All

Norman, "not getting back sooner"?

Is this an XJ-S Forum Event or a JEC Event?

Is It Me Did you read the previous two pages of this thread?

Having tried long and hard to encourage Forum members that it was a good idea to meet up (informally) for the first time, i thought we almost had a consensus, ie Browns Lane, JDHT Museum, Early 2008 (probably March). Petrol costs only, free guided tour of the Museum, courtesy JDHT.

Your plan to go to an hotel in North Wales at a cost of £285 each (that's £570.00 for Libby and me), plus petrol - say £40-£100, plus any other costs - seaside rock, postcards, quails eggs etc. came as something of a revelation.

I hadn't intended to ask Forum members to shell out over £600.00 (though I note it's a fixed cost ) for the privelage of saying Hello and kicking a few tyres ( Auto-Glymed or otherwise). I know that the club organises events where members ship their cars to South Africa or America at the cost of several thousands of pounds, but I have always thought that this Forum was more a grassroots thing, for those who drive their cars on any budget.

Due to the mileage I do each year I get my car serviced twice a year, Spring and Autumn, I think I'd rather pay for my March service...and hopefully have some change.

Sorry I missed out on the consultation on this idea.......I don't mean to be sarcastic, but since it's not April 1st, to be honest I'm lost for words.

I do appreciate your input as "Forum Co-ordinator", but I think you may be wide of the mark on this occasion.

I for one will not blow £600.00+ on his shindig...........I could stay at Littlecote House for the weekend for similar money...............but I haven't been able to afford that yet either

Best Wishes

Dh Dove

[Brakebuster]

i agree with DH to be honest,

and was also surprised to see that the same post was also on another thread selling the same idea

BB

[Norman]

Hi All
I can see you guys shoot from the hip, so before I get shot down in flames let me respond to each comment in Dh Dove post reply on 13 Dec 2007.

By the way to show my dedication to the response I have received to my post, it’s now 2.30 am on Saturday morning 15 Dec, and I have just got back from the JEC Kent Region annual Christmas dinner. My wife Pam who could not go, is fast a sleep, so could be in the dog house if she finds me on the computer at this time of day!!!

Before I go into defence mode, the above Kent event was absolutely fantastic, as it was a Murder Mystery Christmas Dinner with the theme being set in France during the German occupation and was set in the Allo Allo Allo Café Albert, and we all dressed up in the period with lots of different outfits. It was very similar to the Goodwood experience in terms of going back in time but set in France. I dressed up as a Spiv selling nylons to the girls dressed in a pin striped suite, black shirt, white tie and trilby hat. No sarcastic comments please!!!

The real Dame Vera Lynn now 90 years old was the quest of honour and arrived in the Queen Mother’s Jaguar MkVII, escorted by a real 1960s black Jaguar police car, complete with blue flashing light on her arrival at the Chartwell, Westerham, Kent restaurant. The event will be covered by the Daily Express, Jaguar World and JDC magazine and raised over £7000 towards The Dame Vera Lynn Trust for children with Cerebral Palsy. So by reading the XJS Forum BB you get the news first !!!!

Sorry for the diversion but treat the above as if you were reading the BB on the Price of Fish section, but now back to my response to Dh Dove post:

Response to Dh Dove 1st comment:
The title of my post was Events in 2008 for the XJS Forum so it was intended for JEC XJS owners. That’s the easy one out the way now for the more contentious issues.

Response to Dh Dove 2nd comment
I have read all the previous 2 pages and my suggestion to hold an Annual 2008 Bash was for the more formal event in 2008, which would involve as many as possible of the JEC XJS owners to gather at one place, bearing in mind we currently have 1123 XJS cars on the XJS Forum register, plus other XJS cars owned by JEC members who have not registered YET !!! please seek them out and apply gentle persuasion prior to using Thumb Screws or mole grips/adjustable spanner if thumb screw not in your tool kit.

A trip to the JDHT Museum can be arranged but they have no facilities for refreshments, so we could not all sit round some tables to have a chat and talk about Jaguars and the price of fish over a cup of tea. Even the car park in front of the JDHT Museum is now not owned by Jaguar and may cause a problem for parking, as this has been sold off.

One other suggestion for an informal XJS trip, is to go to the Jaguar Castle Bromwich plant to have a guided tour round the plant to see how the new aluminium body XK or XJ8 Saloon is manufactured/tested and if its still their, the special XF show room.

Jaguar does not charge for the tour and it is very professional with individual headphones for each person, so you can hear the guide speaking when you are at the back of the group. We would be able to have Tea/Coffee and biscuits and/or light refreshment food on round tables, but we would have to pay for these however I’m sure I could negotiate a reasonable rate i.e. not Jaguar Dealership prices but more like Jaguar independent type prices.

Response to Dh Dove 3rd comment:
My suggestion for a 3 night stay in a Hotel Castle in North Wales was to see if some, but not all, XJS owners, would welcome a longer stay to allow more time for bonding so to speak, at a different place and type of location used in the past by the JEC main events committee. The idea came from requests during the November 2007 Booze Cruise to stay at the Chateau Tilque Hotel for a few nights to allow time for members to have a chat, relax and explore the local region, prior to going home, especially as some members were paying for bookings at a hotel in Dover prior/after the day we all left for France.

Response to Brake Buster Dec 13 commentI placed the post in both places in case some members were not following the initial post XJS Forum First Annual Bash 2008? by Dh Dove

Please let me have your comments on the above. I wont get hurt as I now wear a bullet proof vest !!!

Best regards

Norman Hicks
XJS Forum Co-ordinator

[Brakebuster]

i will post a reply , i am not up late, dedication is relative, i am dedicated by paying my membership fee every year....and getting my XJS restoration project on the road as soon as possible while maintaining the quality

this will not be a detailed in depth response either,

Mr Co-ordinator
you are perfectly correct in that an organised trip would be a good idea , why not start its own thread and let the members decide what they want to do, dont jump on the existing thread, it is commonly accepted as bad manners to do this on BB forums

secondly , i am a fully paid up member of several years, and decide to register/not-register my car is fully up to me, i would not like to receive or to give pressure to other members either way with regard to their own cars, they may well just want to look around now and again and not get fully involved with the club

we know there are no catering facilities , we were making other arrangements.....

please listen to your Members ,

glad you had a good time at the Kent meet

BB

ps, with regard to your proposed weekend, why would i want to drive a Mini ?? i would think many other members would feel the same , though i cant and am not speaking for them, maybe a test drive in the new XF would be better, i have arranged this in January with my local dealership, who were more than happy to let me have a go.......

[keithbaker]

Dear all

I for one would like to thank DH Dove AND Norman (& others) for their attempts to arrange events for the rest of us.

Although we have XJS's in common, I'm sure we all have different incomes, commitments (financial & otherwise) and priorities, meaning that it is very difficult to find the "right" one-size-fits-all event. So having a variety of options surely has to be the best way forward. Let's not fall out over this.

May I wish everyone a very peaceful Christmas.

[poprivet]

I agree Keith, I was looking for words which wouldn't add fuel to any fires and yours fit the bill perfectly.

It is indeed difficult. Last year I 'arranged', if thats the right wording, a meeting at Santa Pod. Only three members turned up Thats fine with me, I recognise not everyone has the same likes and dislikes, at least they had a choice.

The club already has some excellent regional meetings along with first-rate national meetings. Added special one-off events can only add interest which I am in total favor with, although as with any member, I may, or may not decide to join in.
Pop

[masterb]

I am a new owner and member so maybe I am missing the point.
But Why would anyone want to go on a 3 day Jolly for jag/xjs owners, and then drive a Mini! ???

Also I would like to point out that although myself and others own a slightly extravagant toy/car.
This does not mean that we all have a mile long driveway to the country house, and get the butler to park it in the mock tudor centrally heated garage when we arrive.
Nope some of us are on a shoe string, do our own work/maintenance, and would be happier at 90 - 150 for a 3 day break.
Certain coach companies manage to do that, and at good hotels to mind, like Hilton's.
And they also do it, for you if you don't take a coach and get there yourself.

600 quid! is that with a chauffer and unlimited free bolinger and caviar?
Perhaps if these are the standards of an xjs owner, i perhaps should take up owning a mini.
MrB.(and empty piggybank)

[masterb]

Although let me add,
That at least Norman made a suggestion and an effort to organise something.
A meeting or event at somewhere central would be good, and by central i don't mean just above watford gap!
Stoke perhaps, in fact north wales is great 4 me but not the Mini!

[dogbitedavie]

well, at least people are discussing the subject !

a meeting in Coventry in the New Year would be fine by me, but you may have to go a bit further to advertise it, it seems to be the same few people on the BB who express an opinion one way or the other, and appear interested in the trip.

Norman has organised two very good trips to france, which were affordable,and well advertised, but even then only a handful of cars turned up,so cost can't be an issue, maybe the travelling, ( but I managed it from Doncaster) or maybe just apathy.

The Welsh trip might be interesting, if expensive. But only by putting the idea on the BB will any feedback be gained.

Another idea, maybe, have a look at http://www.classiccartoursinternational.co.uk/tours/uk/

i attended the Lakes tour earlier on in the year. It was well attended by a variety of vehicles, very well organised, and a good driving break.they have a variety of events thoughout the county and the year. Maybe we could hijack one of them!

anyway, hope you all have a good Christmas and a Happy New Year.

[dhdove]

Dear All

Ok...........so perhaps I do "shoot from the hip".........to be honest Norman's post took me aback somewhat.
I certainly don't expect any of us are going to fall out over this, in fact I hope - quite the opposite.

I fully agree with DogbiteDave - it's GREAT to see that some interest and comments have been promoted - that was the whole point of this thread in the first place. It was looking like hard work, but a little controversy has fuelled a discussion, so I think that the result is a good thing. (BTW Dave - I'm not apathetic, I just didn't want to drive to France to stock up on booze- our local Vintner does a very good job )

My opinion so far is

1. Wales Trip - yes, there is room for every suggestion and no doubt some people will want to go and I hope they will have a good time. I'm not knocking that sort of event in general. But (you knew there was a but coming, didn't you) perhaps we should walk before we run, or alternatively, it should be a "JEC Magazine" led XJS Owners outing.

2. Re a factory trip to Castle Bromwich - Brilliant I'm all in favour and the points made about Browns Lane are fair comment. I only suggested Browns Lane because of the historic aspect of the site which will soon be gone and the Museum location. Also I know Julia Simpson, the Archivist, a little and had discussed it briefly with her.
I'm as happy to go to Castle Bromwich instead (or even better AS WELL AS) - just let's get on with it and sort out WHEN.

3. As to who should go, my original intention was that it SHOULD be a trip limited to BB Forum Members. The fact that the same old names crop up the whole time was the whole point - ie it was to be an opportunity for those of us who actually USE this Forum to meet up and put names to faces. Therefore a day trip seemed most appropriate, with costs kept to a minimum. The JEC organise more than enough other "general" events I think to satisfy everyone else. Though I have no wish to exclude any other XJS owners, if they don't use the Forum they won't get to know about Forum Members organised events. So maybe when they hear about them they wil be encouraged to take a look at the forum.

I think that perhaps this is where the controversy has arisen...........

4 We should certainly think about piggybacking onto another previously organised event - this was the idea behind using Turweston Wings and Wheels in September as a meeting point. Though again I think that this approach would be more appropriate to a full JEC/XJS Event if it runs over several days. Perhaps it could be advertised in the Mag but booked here on the Forum?

I think that's enough for now. As Steve Wright says....."None Intended"

Best Wishes and a Happy Christmas to you all and your families.

DH Dove

[davidm]

I've been following this topic since it started but only now have been motivated to stick my oar in. I know how difficult it is to organise events because I do it for another club - but you have to start somewhere and you have to recognise you will never get a big response for any single event. The skill is to at least please some of the people some of the time. Norman obviously has our interests at heart and we should support and guide him. Like many of you I was a bit taken aback by the 'Mini' suggestion, yes - lets play with Jaguars but with Minis?????.... I think he has now got the message!
I am now a bit perplexed by DH Dove's suggestion that events are limited to members of this BB. He says 'I have no wish to exclude any other XJS owners, if they don't use the Forum they won't get to know about Forum Members organised events. So maybe when they hear about them they wil be encouraged to take a look at the forum.' Isn't he confusing the Forum with the Bulletin Board? The XJ-S Forum is a JEC initiative published in the magazine. This BB is part of that Forum. If he has no wish to exclude any other XJ-S owners, why not publicise events in the magazine That way we might create more interest and enthusiasm. Also there must be many XJ-S owners like me who often visit this BB but rarely if ever post on it.
Personally I would be very interseted in day trips to the factory and to the museum. Also I think better rendezvous arrangements for Forum members at events like Stoneleigh, Littlecote etc would be worthwhile so that we can meet up and share gossip face to face.
Price is of coarse a factor but value for money is the real decider for me.
Thats all for now
David

[Norman]

Dear All

After reading DH Dove response on Dec 18 2007 I feel a lot more at ease and thanks DH Dove for you time to give such good overview of the current status and the way forward for the XJS Forum BB.

Prior to reading DH Dove response today I was having a cup of coffee in a coffee bar while my wife Pam was shopping (not always to be recommended as she had the credit cards!!!), and as you do my thoughts went to XJS Forum First Annual Bash 2008 responses since I posted my rather controversial post on 13/12/07.

I feel some very interesting points have been raised for me to consider on how we could move forward, so these are some of my suggestions after taking on board your comments.

1. JDHT Museum Visit
I agree with DH Dove, lets first concentrate on the visit to JDHT Museum at Browns Lane, while it still exists at this location. I would suggest that DH Dove checks with the JDHT on the current impact of the planned demolition work to the car park in January 2008, and possible revised entrance to the museum. I have been informed that only a few cars would now be able to park near the museum. However this could have improved by the date you would wish to visit. I hope to have a response by 21/12/07 for the possibility of special parking near the museum for a JEC XJS Forum visit.
Please let me know if you would like any support with regards to the JDHT Museum trip.

2. Castle Bromwich Jaguar Plant Visit
How about we make the Castle Bromwich Jaguar plant visit for another date after the visit to JDHT Museum, so we could have two relatively cheap visits planned for 2008.

3. 2008 Cost ant Types of Trips Survey
As a result of reading the various past and present views on what XJS members would like to spend on different types of trips in 2008 . I am going to try and arrange a survey type sheet on the XJS Forum website, so members could select what they would like to spend per person on the different types of trips in say ranges of: £0 to £24, £25 to £49, £50 to £74, £75 to £99, £100 to £149, £150 to £199, £200 to £249 and £250 to £299.
Also to include a section on the survey sheet to allow members to tick the types of trips they would prefer.
From the survey I hope to get a feel for what kind of budget and types of trips are the least and most popular amongst members, and hence try to arrange trips to reflect the spread of budgets and types of trips to suit the majority of members in XJS Forum.
As mentioned by DH Dove the more elaborate trips could be covered by the main JEC events with most of the advertising covered in the JEC magazine, and on the Home pages for the main JEC and XJS Forum website.



4. XJS Forum First Formal Bash 2008
With regards to the more formal XJS Forum First Formal Bash 2008, how about we discuss that in the new year and/or during the JDHT Museum visit, with regards to the number of expected XJS cars to attend, the location, the budget to be allowed for setting up the event and cost for people to attend. Note some people attending will be people interested in the XJS, potential buyers of an XJS, and may be as mentioned in one of the posts we could have an Auto Jumble for XJS related parts only. This would encourage more people to attend, and may be possible for XJS owners to sell there own parts provided the JEC were not responsible for the sale of the private people selling these parts, otherwise some buyers would try to claim from the JEC if parts were found to be faulty or unsafe.


OK that’s all for now, make sure you all drive carefully over the Christmas and New Year holiday, there will be lots who wont be, with all those party/pub drinks being consumed.


Best Wishes for Christmas and hope you all have a great Christmas and fantastic new year.

Norman
(Ph 01689 838737)

[Norman]

Hi All again

I was just about to go to close down the computer when I noticed a post from david m was also posted on 18/12/07 after the one from dh dove on 18/12/07. I did not realise this when I posted my post on 19/12/07 (by the way thought it was still 18/12/07) Just goes to show when you are on the XJS Forum BB time just melts away.

Nice to see the BB posts has generated “ fire in the belly” of david m as a BB reader, and has now posted a response, which I hope is now to become one of many in the future.

Looks like we will have plenty to talk about in the new year on the types of future trips for 2008, which I am sure will get better as words turn into actions and the trips take place.

On one final comment, my goal is: “To try to please most of the people most the time but we will never be able to please all the people all of the time”

Just one more comment on the Mini saga, I was thinking of the movie “The Italian Job” and the poor old E Type that had to go over the cliff like they all do in the movies. Well perhaps the next film could use an XJS in the movie but to be part of the movie with your XJS you would have to be able to drive a mini, so may be the winner of the “Mini Car Treasure Hunt” would be picked at the movie auditions for the drivers part to drive both the XJS and the Mini !!!!!!!!!!!!
I get the feeling I shall never live this Mini thing down, so may develop amnesia when I next meet you all.

Happy Christmas and New Year again.

Norman

[dhdove]

Dear All

Wow.........."I'll just click my heels together three times and Ill be back in........."

David M

Good Point, my understanding was that "The Forums" were a web based contact area, based on the Bulletin Boards (BB) - after all , that is the Forum isn't it? which then spawned the pages in the magazine? (easier to fill the mag? ) In my experience the XJS Forum pages in the magazine bear no resemblance to what goes on on this site. To be honest I've never really worked that one out.
NB Don't get me started on parking at Littlecote House.............

Norman - I'm glad you're now at ease

YES Support would be super - I'm a bit confused as to who is contacting you by 21/12/07 but I'm sure you can handle it.
All we need is a date, I think.

Castle Bromwich - Brill - -sounds good to me another date required. Hopefully before the "Summer Season" gets going.

Costs and types of Trips Survey - Sorry Norman, you really must try to get to bed at a reasonable time!
I like the idea of the £0-10, a slap up meal at a Little Chef comes to mind and there's loads of free parking (no really I like their Breakfasts!)
Seriously I think there are only two types of event, relatively cheap ones ie less than £30.00 plus petrol, and the others £50.00+ plus petrol. Not sure where the £30.00-£50.00 ones fit in!
I know this is simplistic but I feel I may have gone to watch the Xmas telly before I complete your form
On a personal note, I don't really mind WHERE we go, as long as we can GO SOMEWHERE and meet up and chat.

Re Parts Sales - don't worry all parts sold by myself are Fully Warranted for 12,000 miles or the end of my street, whichever comes first.

So glad that we seem to be moving forwards,
Very Best Wishes

DH Dove