Thinking about an S Type

[steve_m]

I' thinking of downsizing from the XJR6 to an S Type V8 or possibly even an R; is this a wise move?
The XJR6 won't fit in the garage, hence the reason for the change.

[rosemary]

No, build a bigger garage and get a 350/358 V8, all the motoring press heap plaudits on this last version as the best Jaguar ever made. Check with Mike on the 350 Forum.
Dave

[steve_m]

I don't have room to build a bigger garage and I don't want a 350/358.
Maybe I'll buy a Corvette instead.
She quite fancies a later Mustang.

[Montana5]

I don't have room to build a bigger garage and I don't want a 350/358.
Maybe I'll buy a Corvette instead.
She quite fancies a later Mustang.

STR is 5" shorter and 10" narrower, assuming your XJR6 is 197" x 71" (all inc Mirrors)

Doug.

[steve_m]

Thanks Doug, that has saved me a bit of research!
That should definitely fit although at 10" narrower it sounds a bit snug inside for the, ahem, slightly larger build.
Mind you, did have a diesel one as a courtesy car a few years ago and that was fine.
Quite surprised at the mid range punch in it too.

[steve_m]

I need to get something a tad smaller than the XJR6 as it doesn't fit in the garage.
Thinking about an S Type but obviously don't want to lose all that power.
Is the STR worth the premium over a normally aspirated 4.2 V8 in real world driving conditions? Is it worth paying the extra for the additional 106hp?
Presumably the ride and handling are on a par?
Does the normally aspirated one have a valley pipe to worry about?

[davidr]

Hi Steve - good to see you on Saturday
Have you considered an XK8. It's a bit shorter than the XJS for example so has a chance of fitting in your garage?

[steve_m]

Hi David.
Good to meet up again although I don't like the new parking arrangements at Kemble; can't see the cars!
Also, what idiot put a Buccaneer in the car park?
Vestigial rear seats in the XK8; none of our friends are getting any younger or more bendy as time moves inexorably on.
Also quite like the 'Q' car idea of a V8 4 door saloon that isn't German.
Also, still can't afford an Aston!

[davidr]

Yes the closure of the parking in front of AV8 does put the mockers on our tyre kicking sessions.
Like you, I quite enjoy a Q car. My wife used to have a Volvo V70 T5 that we had subtly enhanced. It was seriously quick but looked like a fairly standard "mummy" Volvo estate. Great fun to leave boy racers in BMWs eating dust!
In that case, an STR will be ideal. If it's as fast as my XKR but less obvious then you'll enjoy it.
By the way, the plane in the car park is a Hawker Hunter...

[steve_m]

Yes, of course of it was a Hunter, silly me.
Neighbour Wendy had an 850 T5R which was stupidly quick as long as you were aiming in a straight line when you floored it.
Otherwise you went stupidly quick into the undergrowth; the torque steer was immense; hats off to the Touring Car guys.
Anyway, is it worth the extra premium to go from 300 to 406 hp?
Also, again, does the normally aspirated one have a valley pipe or not?
Anyone?

[Montana5]

Steve,

Moved your previous and related posts from JohnMc50's thread to here, keeps it all together.

Doug.

[steve_m]

Thanks Doug, getting confused in my old age!

[davidr]

Steve - the n/a V8 may well have a valley pipe (I don't know) but the issue on the supercharged versions is that it is hidden deep beneath the supercharger and inter cooler bricks so it's a big job to get to it.

[steve_m]

Thanks David.
It is more to use as a bargaining point than anything else!
I must go and look at a couple of cars.
There was a NA fairly close to home but it got sold.
I'm in Southampton at the moment and there is an R one about 8 miles away but I don't think I'll go and see it; has anybody seen the traffic around the M27 corridor at 1700?
How can people live this and do it everyday, twice a day.
I would explode.

[J44EAG]

Steve,

Register on the Trovit Cars website and plumb in your search parameters and distance you are willing to travel. Emails then get sent to you each time a suitable vehicle comes on the market. Unsubscribe when you have found your car. Trovit is gold. It harvests most of the usual UK websites and puts everything in one place. It saves an awful lot of searching across sites.

Mike