Yeah, but Jag owners are such a natural target!!! :)
Joe
"Milotay, Mark ISTA:EX" wrote:
>
> Right on Jay,
>
> I have owned many British cars from the various marques(Morris, Triumph, MG,
> Austin,
> Hillman, Rover, and Land Rover) and there are things that I like about all
> of them.
> If we need to be in an us and them mindset, then lets show our allegiance to
> all car
> enthusiasts. I've taken my Spit to a few car shows aimed primarily at
> American classics
> and muscle cars. I get a lot of compliments from the other owners, and while
> I can't
> see myself owning any of their cars, I can appreciate the love & work they
> put into them.
> Tolerance is becoming more and more scarce in this world & I think it is
> time that we look
> at the things we hold in common & not split into smaller and smaller camps.
> It must be a
> quiet Friday afternoon here in the office, as I don't usually like to ascend
> the soapbox.
>
> -Mark
> '80 Spitfire
> '81 Volvo 245
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-spitfires@autox.team.net
> [mailto:owner-spitfires@autox.team.net]On Behalf Of Jay S Baker
> Sent: Friday, May 19, 2000 12:51 PM
> To: spitfires@autox.team.net
> Subject: The Difference 'tween Triumph and Jaguar owners
>
> I am a lurker, but I have to respond to the recent comments about Jaguar
> owners.
>
> I am a very lucky person! I love British autos! And because of this, I have
> been
> labeled a nut case by just about everyone I work with. I perform ALL of the
> work required to keep my families cars on the road. I am an Electrical
> Engineer
> by trade and I have found that nothing relieves the stress from my work
> better
> that turning wrench in my spare time.
>
> My daily driver used to be a 1980 Spitfire which I acquired a bit over 4
> years ago.
> This car became my good weather drive about a year ago when I began driving
> a
> 1993 XJ-6 daily. I have owned the Jaguar for over about 3 1/2 years (my
> wife's
> car before I inherited it). In the time I have owned these autos I have put
> 40,000 miles on the Spitfire and 90,000 miles on the Jaguar.
>
> Now let's look at cost of ownership. Yes my Spitfire cost me MUCH less to
> purchase originally than the XJ-6. HOWEVER I have put FAR more money into
> keeping the Spitfire on the road that I have put into the Jaguar. When I
> bought
> the Jaguar I paid less for it that I would have paid for a new Honda or
> VW. In fact a 3 year old Jetta was being offered for sale for more money
> than my 4 year old Jaguar!
>
> Jaguar owners have more money than sense.... NOT!
> Jaguar owners never work on their cars.... NOT!
> (And I am not alone. Check out the Jaguar-lovers email list(s) and you will
> see
> the same sort of advice for the person who does his/her own work as you see
> on the Spitfire list.)
> Jaguars are very expensive to own and operate.... NOT (if you do the
> maintenance
> yourself and don't buy parts from the dealer)!
>
> Come on people. Please stop the Jaguar owner bashing. We are all riding in
> the
> same boat (or is that "a similar LBC"). We love these cars for what they are
> (and also for what they are not). Don't blast someone for loving a
> different
> British auto than you. After all most of what you say about the cost and
> mentality
> of Jaguar ownership can also be said by a MG owner about the owner of a
> Triumph.
>
> cheers
> jayb
>
> P.S. You might ask why my wife gave up her XJ-6? It is because I needed
> something
> a bit more reliable than the Spitfire, especially when I need to drive the 3
> hours
> to San Francisco for work. We looked at several different new cars and
> ended up
> buying her yet another Jaguar (a 1994 XJS convertible) which cost us a bunch
> less money.
> It was a win/win/win since we now own three beautiful British Autos! And I
> will say
> that I REALLY enjoy my 1/2 hour commute (through winding country roads in
> the
> foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California) no matter which car
> I drive!
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