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Wonderful, glad you are happy and "way under budget" is a decided bonus as well! With regard to the MX5, an ex-colleague of my partner had one, and my partner says that when, on two occasions, he drove it, he couldn't see what all the fuss was about......as you say, definitely didn't have "IT". My partner was originally looking at acquiring a Series 1 or 2 RR Silver Shadow, but when it came down to it, something wasn't quite right. We then found ourselves looking at a Bentley Arnage as the high days and holidays motor, with a S-type as more regular use (we also have a Citroen Picassa as the "lorry/dog taxi"etc etc). My partner then exclaimed "there's only two of us and we travel light" so, for high days etc, why do we need more than 2 seats?! Enter our '07 XK and the S-type for more regular use.....and, yep, they both most definitely have "IT". Never looked back. Strange folk, aren't we! With regard to add-ons, we are definitely in the "as it left the factory" corner. Our S had a mesh grille at production, and we do, actually, think the mesh grille looks better. With regard to a bonnet-mounted leaper, it's not for us unless we can afford a nice Mk2 which had it from new. That's just us, and we suppose that we haven't got the courage to drill holes in a perfectly serviceable bonnet! We, as you seem to be, fall firmly in the "as good as she can be" category, and that is the satisfying part of ownership. No crawling around underneath anymore, but plenty of carnauba wax, tyre gel, cotton buds and what have you. Looks like you have definitely been bitten by the Growler bug, first symptom of which is a permanent facial grin when behind the wheel.

Hi Ron, and other S type owners, I read your post with interest, and I think you have hit the nail on the head in regards to the Jaguar Mk 2. The Jaguar Mark 2 was produced in 1959 and at first had the XK 3.4 litre engine, plus its other two cousins, the 3.8 litre and the 2.4 litre engines. There were several other differences from Jaguar models, with much less luxurious fittings, including the them new seat material known as Rexine. The Mark X Jaguar was introduced in 1961 and had many technical refinements such as independent rear suspension [which also went into the E Type] and a triple SU carburettor system to accompany the 3.8 litre XK engine. Bill Lyons was soon made aware that the Mark 2 was needing anordered an updated version of the Mark 2. The Code name of the Mark 2 was the "Utah II " and the new model was code named the "Utah III". The new model, although identical in looks to the Mark 2 was more luxurious and had the independent rear suspension instead of the live rear axle. It would have had the triple carburettor couple with the 3.8 litre engine, but the engine bay was not big enough and the car was sold with a twin carburettor system. The cars Sporty looks suited the name "S type" and that is how the car was marketed. The Mark X was renamed the Jaguar 420G and was developed further and the Jaguar 420 appeared and was given the 4.2 litre engine, which suited the American Market and was designed to replace the Mark 2 and S Type, but because they were selling well they were retained. Jaguar were sell 4 models at the same time. and eventually all were replace by the XJ6. The S type as we know it could well have had the mundane name as Jagusr Mark 3, bur Jaguar was then owned by Ford and Geoff Lawson pressed the company into letting him design a "real" Jaguar instead of a rebadged Ford, as had been done with the first X Types which were Ford Mondeo Ghias with a Jaguar Badge and which sold less that 100 cars before Ford saw the error of their ways, as it were, and let the Jaguar design team make proper Jaguars. The face life version of the S type was designed by Ian Callum who was the then head of the design department. I think that the S Type is a future classic, and when TATA feel a bit nostalgic, they might well produce an electric/hybrid car that uses the style of the S type and could be called the S Type Mark 4. I hope people fine this interesting, Regards, Peter.