Jaguar XJ-S Manual (1988) - Owner Stories #6

[@carolfidler5505]

Lovely car 😍

[@jowithey1648]

Beautiful car 🤩

[@carolfidler5505]

Interesting car, knowledgeable owner.thanks for posting.

[@NightfallDrives]

Thanks for watching, Dan certainly knows his stuff.

[@davidwithey9118]

An impressive bit of kit in excellent condition. Looks like a dream to drive.

[@NightfallDrives]

It certainly was, on all fronts 👌

[@VenxmYT]

Enjoyed watching it Dan. Hope you are well

[@directaffinityeurope2886]

Hi Nigel, glad you enjoyed it. All well thanks, hope you are too.

[@d30hjg]

A very enjoyable watch - really enjoying these videos!

[@NightfallDrives]

Thanks very much for the comment, glad to hear it! They're fun to make and there are more in the pipeline like this, plus some roadtrips 🤩 Any feedback gratefully received from anyone, it's a learning curve! 😎

[@paulwilkinson6463]

That looks a lovely slick gear change. Very interesting video, thank you.

[@NightfallDrives]

Thanks very much Paul, glad you enjoyed it. The gear change was sublime in Dan's hands, and I very quickly got to grips with it - a longish throw but accurate & satisfying :)

[@georgiapitt8828]

Beautiful car!! 🚗 🤩

[@directaffinityeurope2886]

I think you might be a little biased... 😆

[@boilerbonz]

350 of the early V12s were manuals? This number seems quite high. Is there a source for this number?

[@NightfallDrives]

Indeed: manualjaguarxjs.wordpress.com/2012/01/24/introduction-to-the-manual-jaguar-xj-s/#:~:text=The%20manual%20gearbox%20V12%20version,making%20it%20a%20rare%20machine. There can’t be many left today, however Dan may be pleased to hear I keep an eye on the classifieds, and one needing restoration has come up recently on Car & Classic 😆

[@boilerbonz]

@@NightfallDrives Thanks! I didn't realize they offered a manual on the V12 XJS into the '80s. I don't think a manual was ever an option on the V12 XJS in the States? A manual was optional in the US on the 4.0L XJS in '93 and '94. I own a manual '94.

[@NightfallDrives]

I’m not sure about the supply to the USA, but wouldn't be surprised if they were all autos at that stage. A manual 4.0 sounds fun 🤩

[@directaffinityeurope2886]

All the XJ-S reference books I've seen agree on a number between 350 and 352 + so early pre-build cars that were later destroyed. In terms of how many are left well that's a different matter altogether...

[@wayland7150]

"It keeps up with modern traffic" - what a strange thing to say about a 230bhp sports car. I've been driving since the 1980's and I'd say that 'modern traffic' is a lot slower than it was 20 years ago.

[@NightfallDrives]

I think Dan's point here is that the average modern family car now has a lot more performance than in the 70's/80's, so if you’re looking at classics the XJ-S has more than enough 'go' to not feel like you’re in the way when the traffic is flowing. Agree roads are definitely much more congested though now, compared to when I started driving in the early 2000's.

[@wayland7150]

@@NightfallDrives They keep lowering the speed limits and adding cycle and bus lanes. That has a lot to do with it. Possibly the written part of the driving test has degraded people's ability to drive. Visibility from modern cars is poorer too.

[@NightfallDrives]

Yes, I think I’m spoilt by living somewhere quite rural and not tending to do much town/city driving. Visibility is a good point - the Jag was fantastic in that regard (while having a lovely view out over the bonnet).

[@wayland7150]

@@NightfallDrives '80's cars were like driving a greenhouse. The pillars started thickening in the '90's until today it's like driving a deep water submarine in some cars. There is a trip I used to make in my mini pickup in 1983. 12 miles in 12 minutes because national speed limit all the way. I did used to do 93mph on one stretch to make up for a small stretch of 30 limit that I would stick to. Cars may have a lot more than 60BHP these days but I'd challenge even a motorcyclist to do it in 12 minutes now. All these B roads are full of limits now.