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Hi is this event open to any Jaguar owner regardless of location i.e. can someone from up North Wales region attend, wife and I would love to make a weekend break of this staying over some place locally Friday/Saturday travelling back to North Wales on Sunday.

I think that it can't be too long before an S-Type owner switches on the ignition and gets the horrific shock of seeing multiple failures all being reported at once. The problem is that the electronics in our cars is susceptible to firmware corruption at low voltages and as a result the car will try to "fail safe" by shutting down various systems when it detects a low voltage state. In days gone by, you'd get a warning of impending battery failure because the lights would go dim and the starter motor would make the instantly recognizable churning noise. Not so with our cars though. The first indication is when you get the heart-stopping song and dance routine on the instrument panel. Following advice, I adopted the following solution and offer it here as food for thought. I tend to put my car's battery on trickle charge once a week overnight. Since I started doing so, I've never suffered the failure routine again. Being of a generally lazy disposition though, it had to be easy I wanted a trickle charger that would condition the battery and could remain connected without any possibility of damaging the battery or associated electronics in the car. I chose a CTEK trickle charger following advice and a fair bit of research (I HATE to spend money and not get the best value). CTEK's web site Further, I wasn't keen on lifting the boot floor and messing with crocodile clips so I went for their panel socket which is a small panel fitted in the boot lining. It has a three colour flashing LED system to indicate battery condition. I've found this to be somewhat pessimistic but, rather that than the other way round. Here is a Link showing what I did with my setup. I have the luck to be able to use this in a nice warm dry garage but I know of several who just plug the output lead of the CTEK in and close the boot lid outside their house and there seems to be no problem with water getting in to the boot. No. I don't work for CTEK I'm sure there are some equally good trickle chargers made by other manufacturers but this works for me.

Hi Dave, Paul does not blow his own trumpet, but he is a top class electrical expert. A suitable one could be found to do the job. Regards, Peter.

Hi Andrew, In 1986 I had a Austin Maestro 1.6 with rust on drivers door when delivered. A very quick little car. I had been playing Golf at Whitby Golf course and had to drive back with my golfing partner. Behind us was another member of our club and in a 2.0 litre Austin something or other who trie d to overtake me on the twisty roads. As I often visited my sister who live close to the golf course I knew that road and every bend well, and he couldn't get anywhere near me. Over Malton and Pickering ne tried and couldn't get anywhere near, but on the duel carriageway when I was doing a clever 70 mph he passed me like a rocket right though the Radar trap that was always there. As you say, Happy days. Regards, Peter.

Jim. Thank you. Tim

HI Steve, I am uncertain what the tickover revs should be on a 3.0 lite petrol. On my diesel it is 750 rpm when fully warm Check without the s button on and see if it drops. Nowadays there is no car without an automatic choke, a pity in a way, as you can't check visually when the choke is out or in. Regards, Peter.

Hot off the press! Lancaster Insurance, specialists in Classics Insurance are getting involved with our event! Many thanks to them for choosing to get involved with our event :-) More info to follow as soon as I have it :-)

mine in my local this Friday Dave, I'll feed my experience back on this thread bud.

I see a bit of deja vu

Yeah but Peter I'm 27 and trying to hang onto my youth!

Absolutely James, I agree with Jim. Go for it and help bring the so called and rumoured 'average driver age' down ... and help make it a young man's car too! As Jim's sons are doing. Find yourself a beauty, which, given your budget, should be eminently do-able. As Jim suggests, take your time, and maybe test drive a few options; but always keep one eye on the all important history which, in fairness, you would be doing with any car you buy. Good luck, Rowley.