Old Peter

Stanlow refinery have just upped production, Trevor, so you will be OK for petrol! Peter.

Welcome the club, Jon. I don't get on with electrical things, but there will be someone who does. If Kenny pops by he might be able to help. Regards, Peter.

H Samuel???? The Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham means that my wife does not even look in the window of H Samuel at all. It is well worth a visit for those in the West Midlands if you are looking to buy Jewellery. Peter.

You have made me think, Philip. The Human body is a bit like a modern car. Many of the moving bits can be assisted in their functions by the use of oils and spares being fitted to parts that are wearing out. But if the thinking parts start to go, you can't replace them --- that is the bit that is different. Peter.

That's an achievement, Trevor. I was brought up in the belief that the customer is always right, and especially when that customer has put down a lot of cash for the product. I have only had a couple of problems with main dealers, and when they got a bit obnoxious I would give them the gypsy's warning. When one didn't heed it I blocked the entrance to the dealership and went and sat quietly in his reception lounge, and waited for all hell to break loose. Which it eventually it just a bit after the police arrived to clear the traffic that had blocked the main road. Problem solved, they did the promised work on a 3 month old car. I then took the business from my offices away from them -- quite a few company car services and purchases and took the business to another main dealer ho wee wonderful. They might lend you an F type coupe. It looks good in white. A local footballer has one. Regards, Peter. Peter.

They are, Colin. I was looking for a E class some years ago, but they wanted silly money money. Peter. Is the car still under warranty, Trevor.

Trevor, Mercs are made by Germans, as was the Tiger Tank. Jaguars are made by British workers. Peter :)

Colin, Your s type is one of the early models and indeed, at that time the fastest production car ever made by Jaguar. There will come a time when your car starts appreciating in price as they stopped building them at the very end of 2007. There were not very many 4.0 litre s types manufactured and a lot of those went to the USA. I would be inclined to keep it, keep the paintwork nice and shiny and the bodywork straight and you will have a head turner in a few years. It is a pity that your garage didn't replace both tensioners while they had the chance. Track rod ends are not that expensive, and what you spend of keeping your tracking correct you will save on tyres. Regards, Peter.

Hi Colin, "One day" you will be surprised how great Jaguars are. Carpe diem! Regards, Peter.

Twenty years ago I had occasion to travel in the USA and while passing though Arizona I stopped at a small trading post in a place called Tuba City. I think it was called a city because there was nothing else within a 30 miles radius. I was introduced to a very wise old medicine man who was reputed to know everything, and I was invited to test his knowledge. So I asked him who won the FA Cup in 1968. He said, quite correctly that it was West Bromwich. I was amazed and went on my way. About ten years later I was travelling on the same road and stopped by a small lodge at the side of the road to buy some Navajo Blankets. I had just completed my purchase, when in came the old medicine man. I greeted him in the Navajo way by holding my hand up and saying "How". He replied "Jeff Astle scored 3 minutes into extra time, and the favourites, Everton, were never in the game as the West Bromwich Goalkeeper had a great game." I still have one of those blankets. Peter.

Welcome to the Club, Dennis. Brilliant first post! And a great looking car. Regards Peter.

Welcome to the Club, Clive. You will find that the Club is a rather friendly group of people, who will always try to assist. Sharing experiences is a great way of passing on good information. Regards, Peter.

My wife's brother in law is named Emmett. I think he should change his name to Grockle. Peter.

Welcome to the Club, Cheri. You have a very nice car --- I hope you get a nice summer down there in Cornwall so you can enjoy overtaking the caravans with the roof down. [Trevor is caravan hater!] Regards, Peter.

This is a very true and recent story. Rugby League have a "Magic Weekend' when all the 12 top clubs play a match at the same location. This year it is in Gateshead and people are booking well ahead and finding that all the Gateshead hotels are either full or exorbitant. There was one bright spark from Widnes who booked a lovely hotel for two nights at £56 a night for two people in Newcastle. Quite a few other followed suit as he put the link on one of the club sites. Someone checked out the location and found that it was Newcastle under Lyme where they had booked instead of Newcastle upon Tyne. There is much hilarity in the town at the moment.

Welcome to the club, Andy. You have a real classic car. I hope I have a future classic. Regards, Peter.

That is tricky, Stewart. There was a topic some time back on VIN numbers from which you could find the exact date of manufacture. My car was manufactured on the 8th of March 2007 and first registered on the 31st March 2007. And is is also stated to be a 2008 model. You would have to check the exact date of manufacture as against the exact dat when production finished. The only snag you will come up against is the fact that Ford were much better engineers than statisticians. Peter.

Arizona is the best place to go in the winter. Rent a car, get a suite in a hotel --- you can self cater too -- and away you go. Peter.

A boxed set of the full Sopranos series might be coming my way, so there is 90 hours of watching TV when we are stuck in. I don't get smellies -- us Northerners still use carbolic soap. Peter.

Engine light came on again to day --- Too much exhaust gas going to EGR valve [or too little]. I went to Halfords in Lichfield to give the car a burst of speed and get some Wynns EGR cleaner. Having bought it with £1.50 discount, I drove back home and the warning light went off. The threat of squirting some of that down the air intake must have made the valve afraid. Peter.

Front fog lights are non existent on my S Type. Jaguar did not fit them on the 07 and 57 plates for some reason only known to themselves. I am thinking of having a retrofit. Peter.

Welcome to the club, Gary, I am a bit like Charlie, but there are some who will know. Regards, Peter.

Welcome to the Club, Colin. You should not have to reprogram after a battery change unless the battery has been out for a long time. If it is not working then you will have to find a local dealer or an independent Jaguar specialist, which could be cheaper than a Jaguar main dealer. There is a list of recommended independent garages on the Club site -- Jaguar owners Lounge. Regards, Peter.

Peter, Have you tried turning up the brightness and see if you can make out what you need to do, I have just had to disconnect the battery due to "Handbrake Fault" --- Picking up the grandchildren after school in Lichfield and the car won't go! Apart from the wheelbase I only carry two spanners in the car --- both for the battery connections. I had to buy them when I got a modern car as my collection of spanners that used to fit everything are all imperial. All well now! Peter.

I got an invitation to go to the Castle Bromwich unveiling of the XE in early December, but although Castle Bromwich is only 6 miles away the journey at the time it was organised for puts it right in the middle of the rush 2 hours in Birmingham and as well as that traffic there are horrendous road works in the area. Gleneagles would have been less stressful. Peter.