Jagaman

Ahh you had a run in with the stealer... Bet you feel light as a bird now you've removed all that dosh from your wallet DavidAC!

This pretty much sums up why I joined recently Alastair. Yes I'm still a noob here but I like what I see and over moderation is a killer in my personal experience (having built & run my own unrelated forum) so I think the more frequent posting mentioned here will happen...in time...

Oh I agree, cost is always a factor. What I considered was the firstly the cost of my time spent cleaning off birdpoop, cleaning fluids, back breaking snow/ice clearance and how much of that saved time/energy I could spend on more productive activties. So now aside from people in my street constantly asking about my beautiful cars fuel economy for the hundreth time, now they ask where I got the cover and for how much and state what a good idea it is. Only they don't value their time/labour as much as I do. Some people just enjoy an hour before work moving snow around...yay!

I bought myself a decent cover two winters ago. I don't use it day to day but it's a God send when the snows arrive. I feel for the price I paid it was good value. Perfect fit over my XJ8 too... http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jaguar-Tailored-Outdoor-Waterproof-%1A97-%1A02/dp/B001QJ1PCG/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1350235597&sr=8-16

In all reality, Jaguar....cheap......no. But it's not meant to be, it's like owning a Spitfire. It has a kickass engine and handles like a dream, take care of her and she'll never let you down. Every day you sit in your cat you'll say ''Wow!''. Be negligent and the wings will fall off on a steep dive. However you'll need to do your service history research carefully and make sure all the XJ8 known problems have been ironed out by previous owners, or that you have the budget to do so asap. Forget warranties and ensure you can put aside money as your own warranty for when you need to fork out (and you will), that way even on your tight budget you'll be prepared. You'll probably want to make friends with a Jag breaker too so you can get all your parts instead of crying about the cost of things from the stealer. If you'd be willing to cut your recreational milage to under 3000/year you'd probably get a better insurance deal too.

The main coolant pipe is sited in that area, the originals have a few weak points at the bends which were corrected in later parts. If you get a replacement pipe from the dealer it'll probably be around the £80 mark before fitting costs. At the age of your cat it's probably general wear and about due. Also you could check the coolent tubes that run over the engine area whilst you're at it, they can become brittle with age and leak especially at the connection points. If you let the engine get hot and then pop the hood you'd probably see a coolant leak from those. They're quite cheap and easy to replace...

Not that it's manufacturer recommended but you could try cleaning the injectors with something like Redex, it'll help reduce consumption a little. Ensure you aren't in sport mode as that'll burn extra fuel, so regular mode and easy does it on the gas peddle. If you observe your instant fuel consumption data on the dash you can monitor how your driving style is affecting things. Check how much junk you have in the boot, lighter goes further for less juice. Keep your oil topped up too, your cat will respond in kind. I suggest 'Castrol Edge Sport'. Everything is smooth and efficient on that stuff!

Congratulations! B) Happy driving...

As you say you suspect an electrical fault, it reminds me of when I had the battery disconnected causing a full system reset (code required for radio etc)...that fixed so many electrical gremlins I was amazed! Sensors can be a weak point though, like the temperature sensors wearing out and provoking all kinds of warnings. So worth checking that speed sensor you mentioned.

Goodluck with Tesco Lombard, they were pretty ruthless when it came to my pet insurance. Mentioning the name Adrian Flux makes my skin crawl at the moment, despite me being impressed with their professional paperwork and efficient handling at the start of a policy. Maybe want to read up on them before taking any of their 'oh so low' offers. Especially if you want customer service (which is important to me) as they really save money by not having any care for their customers with rudeness and attitude in abundance (complaint in writing on it's way). I like anyone loves a low insurance quote, but I also want to feel that my insurance company (or broker) has my back should something go wrong, Adrian Flux would not IMHO. They have hidden charges and admin fees from every direction and that low original quote won't look so rosy after a few months. I have however read good things about A-plan, Greenlight and Chris Knott Insurance from other high performance car drivers. Greenlight actually quoted me £291.40/year less than Adrian Flux today for a more inclusive full comp cover. My search for an even better deal and reputation for customer service continues... If anyone has any recommendations I can try next for a quote please let me know?