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FEATURED ARTICLES
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The Elegant Jaguar of the
80's reviewed. 15
Aug 2000
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I fell
in love with British automotives the day I was given a spin in a 1970 S2
Series Lotus Europa twenty years ago. Well, that fascination extended
itself to the Jaguar after watching "Harold and Maude", the
cult film of the 70's, in which the hero would parade around in a black
E-series Jag that resembled a hearse on cocaine. So I decided that given
the choice between a new $20,000 Neon and a used Jaguar at less than half
that price, I would at least get flat tires in style...
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And flat tires I got. Wire wheels are a beautiful thing to behold until they get a bit aged...then one is
faced with putting tubes in tubeless tires. It don't work. Changing the tire is
even a tower's nightmare, as the sockets that come with the car are too wide to
fit into the lug slots. The only cure is to buy at set of new wheels...hell,
some other jag nut will buy the old ones for sure.
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| No
matter. I still love my Jag. The 12 cylinders are so well-balanced (unlike
the author of this article), that there is barely a vibration when running
the car. And its 5,000 pounds of weight make driving in high winds a
snap. Wonderful steering, meant as a true touring vehicle. Great
visibility all around, and I was surprised that the speakers sounded good
after fifteen years. I did put a new JVC stereo in it, and feel quite
content listening to the Buzzcocks while cruising a back road in the
springtime.
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| I was
always warned about Lucas electronics, but never had a serious
electrical problem with the car. All electrical issues were just a
matter of old wiring or poor attachments and wear.
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The engine compartment is a
great showpiece in itself. There is just so much engine that they had to put the
battery in the trunk. Working on it, however is a pain, and any major work
towards the front of the engine will require the hood to be removed.
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transmission is good 'ol GM 400 hydramatic. Very smooth shifts, noted for
durability.
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| I use my
Jag as a daily driver and it makes life more bearable in long commutes
to work. All in all, I wouldn't trade it for that Neon, no way.
Cranky
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