Old Peter

Andrew, the s type is a nice car to drive and it can be driven slowly and sedately, as well as quickly and safely. Your 4.2R is very quick, and can see off most other cars on the road --- if you want --- but even my rather slower 2.7D can attract a brown envelope with a suggestion that I attend a speed awareness course next week. Apparently they have also taken a nice photograph of me driving it on the A5. Pter.

Hi John, and Welcome to the Club. I have not the DPF warning yet, but I do make a point of at least one long run a month. I agree that it would be nice for aDPF status to be available on the dash. I have had a small issue with the EGR valves and found that a good blast with the S button engaged has cured it. The other thing I have done is to have the Terraclean service done and it has made a world of difference both to performance and mpg. I had to drive up to Sheffield two weeks ago using the A38 and M1, the latter having a 50 mph limit the whole way and I got 53 mpg, which I thought was pretty good. Regards, Peter.

Welcome to the Club, Ian. I hope you enjoy the XF. A young woman round here has a Bright Red one -- I think she is married to a footballer -- there are quite a few round here on a big private estate that has been there for 70 odd years -- just across the road! Regards, Peter.

Welcome to the Club, Andrew. The S type is a great car to drive, either quickly or slowly, and I hope you enjoy the Jaguar experience. The Lexus is a Luxury Export to the US. Allegedly said at a meeting of the Toyota USA management to determine the name of the new product. Written on the back of an envelope by a secretary and then sent to Japan. Regards, Peter.

Hi Phill, Glad it is sorted somewhat. I am guessing that a quality check has found a minor fault in a component from a supplier --- both suppliers and assembly do have fairly strict quality controls, which is good. I agree that telling the truth in the first place does often prevent bad feeling later. I worked in the Steel Industry almost all my working life after my small accountancy business was not getting customers due to my refusal not to condone practices that the Inland Revenue [as was] would not approve of. I hope the sun shines on your daughter's wedding. Regards, Peter.

Hi Mark and welcome to the club. Potholes cost me four tyres in the last 3 years. I have them, especially in the dark! You could try Rimmer Bros, who have been recommended by another member. Just google them and take it from there. Jaguar Classified will also have some on sale but I think they sell 4 at a time! Let us know how you get on. Regards, Peter.

Hi Phil, I have had a few enquiries and find no explanation for what your dealer says. None of my contacts seem to know anything about cars not coming out of the factory as they are still coming off the production line without any hiccups. Short of sitting outside the factory gates [not difficult with the massive roadworks at the moment] I can think of no other solution. If you have a firm date from the dealership I would ask for an appointment with the Managing Director. It could be that the particular dealer from whom you have ordered the car is not getting cars delivered to him for some reason only known to the MD. Sorry not to have been able to find out more. Regards, Peter.

Hi Scott, There are lots of opinions about changing to winter tyres, and a lot depends on where you live. I lived quite high up in Derbyshire for 12 years and had to dig my car out on a couple of times, and had there been winter tyres available and had it not been a company car I might have done so. When I lived in North Wales in the 60's I did have Town and Country tyres on the rear wheels which were brilliant in the snow. Living here in the Midlands where anything over 250 feet is a mountain I use Pirellis all year round without a problem. I do believe that there are garages which will store your winter/summer tyres. But as Kenny says, have a look around. Regards, Peter.

The bracket on my S Type has retaining nuts on the top ---- it must have been redesigned. Peter.

Thanks, Kenny. I thought of going back to check when I got the letter, but the roadworks were only about 100 yards long and there was a strong probability that the roadworks [painting road markings] would have been finished by then and all back to normal. There was no way of proving it, unfortunately. Peter.

On the Sutton Coldfield bypass [A38] a motorcyclist was caught by an hand held speed camera, and the Magistrates sent him for a Psychiatric assessment! There is a time and place for everything, and they determined that it wasn't the A38 but rather Donnington Park.

Hi Gerry, Don't get me going on speed cameras. On the 5th July I went through some roadworks on an empty dual carriageway where the speed limit is normally 70 mph. I was doing 60 isn and didn't see any camera warning or speed signs and neither did my wife. I reduced my speed to 50 mph as that is the usual reduction on dual carriageways with 70 mph limits. A week later I got a letter telling me I was doing 50 mph in a temporary speed restriction area and they had photographic evidence. And that is why I have to spend 4 hours doing a speed awareness course next week! Peter.

Welcome back, Lee, I had a same year x type in Metallic red that someone borrowed without permission --- great car! Regards, Peter.

Hi Kenny, I have had a look at some Jaguar Suppliers and found one [Pro Flow] in the West Midlands which supplies stainless steel exhausts to Jaguar and other major manufacturers. The old method of checking whether the steel used on your exhaust is stainless is to apply a magnet, and if it stuck it wasn't stainless, as the British formula for stainless usually uses more nickel that steel. However, Japanese steel uses a slight different mix of elements. The experts would call it ferritics. But it does show that Jaguar did make some cars with Stainless steel exhausts, but I think that might have been a customer specification. Regards, Peter.

Hi Kenny, I have had a good look around and have found nothing about fitting stainless steel exhausts from new for any car. There are quite a few companies in the West Midlands who manufacture stainless steel exhausts , and not fitting one as standard would save Jaguar about £350 a car. Peter.

Welcome to the Club, Gerry. The X type is a very nice car and I think you will enjoy it. Regards, Peter.

Hi Scott, I have found that on a later XJ model the limiter allows 174 mph, and also that the 5.0 litre F Type can reach 195 mph. I have looked at some other sites and randomly have found that the XJ's kerb weight at 1700 kilos is quite a but lower than the kerb weight on my S Type. Peter.

Hi Scott, I have looked around and can't find that information, just the limited speed. It might be found on one of the review sites -- I will have a look and get back to you. Peter.

Hi Barry, I think the XKR must be included in the XK section. Peter

I didn't think there were any individual cars in my profile, Bazz, I just think my wife is missing the boy racer in me though! Peter.

Hi Michael, and welcome to the club. That is some quick car you have! Regards, Peter.

Hi Stevie, I have used the same mobile mechanic for 12 years, and always run ideas past him. Experiences teach new solutions and a good mechanic is always ready to listen. Regards, Peter.

Hi, Stephen, ASC is Active Stability Control. I am no expert but I have found someone with this issue who appears to have done the same as you. He was advised to have the warning codes deleted from the ECU. Additionally, and slightly away from the problem, Jaguar advise that the climate control should always be set on auto -- just a thought that it might have had something to do with it. There might be others with similar cars who could possibly advise. Regards, Peter.

Hi Phill, I will try to find out a little on Monday by using the old boys network. I have been retired for 15 years but still have contacts in the automotive industry who might give me some information not from Jaguar Management. Meanwhile, if you were nearer, i wold volunteer my 7 year old S Type! It has been used before! regards, Peter.

Hi Phill, and welcome to the Club. I do know that talks with Unite about pay are underway and have been adjourned for three weeks as from today, but there is no indication about any industrial action of any kind and work is going on as normal. I do know that when there is a glut of cars on the market due to low sales that can be a reduction in production, but I also know that demand for Jaguar Cars has not diminished, rather the opposite. The Birmingham Evening Mail reports nothing about Jaguar other than what I have said. And I do have some connections with the Unions at Castle Bromwich and can tell you that nothing is awry. I can guess that your local dealer made a promise he cannot keep. I live only 6 miles from Castle Bromwich, and other than a 4 car pile up closing the M6 is the only news from that area today! I would have a discussion with your local dealer asking for a loan car for the 10th and see what happens. Tell him that the company will get mentioned in your speech and that information will be passed on to the press! Regards, Peter.