Open Road

Nothing important, but it struck me this morning:

With the recent purchase of my Jag XK, I joined a popular Jaguar forum. Being new to Jag (my '58 XK150 was so long ago, and it certainly wasn't a "modern" Jag) I have had a bunch of questions about various maintenance and upgrade things. It seems every time I post a question, I never get a straight answer. They always seem to meander around the question and either don't answer it directly, partially answer it, or state something that is opposite of details I posted. Strange, and kind of amusing.

I haven't experienced that on Ferrarichat, here, or on the Mercedes boards when I ask something. Must have something to do with British cars being somewhat unpredictable.

David993S wrote: ↑Sun Apr 28, 2024 8:00 am Nothing important, but it struck me this morning:

With the recent purchase of my Jag XK, I joined a popular Jaguar forum. Being new to Jag (my '58 XK150 was so long ago, and it certainly wasn't a "modern" Jag) I have had a bunch of questions about various maintenance and upgrade things. It seems every time I post a question, I never get a straight answer. They always seem to meander around the question and either don't answer it directly, partially answer it, or state something that is opposite of details I posted. Strange, and kind of amusing.

I haven't experienced that on Ferrarichat, here, or on the Mercedes boards when I ask something. Must have something to do with British cars being somewhat unpredictable.

Could it also be that the people on there aren't necessarily "car people" so they just don't know? But to save face they still try to provide somewhat of an answer?

Just a wild guess...

Helpful hint from a British Car forum:

Q: My car won't start on some mornings.

A: Have you tried lowering and raising the passenger side window? Works every time for me.

fpena944 wrote: ↑Sun Apr 28, 2024 10:07 am

David993S wrote: ↑Sun Apr 28, 2024 8:00 am Nothing important, but it struck me this morning:

With the recent purchase of my Jag XK, I joined a popular Jaguar forum. Being new to Jag (my '58 XK150 was so long ago, and it certainly wasn't a "modern" Jag) I have had a bunch of questions about various maintenance and upgrade things. It seems every time I post a question, I never get a straight answer. They always seem to meander around the question and either don't answer it directly, partially answer it, or state something that is opposite of details I posted. Strange, and kind of amusing.

I haven't experienced that on Ferrarichat, here, or on the Mercedes boards when I ask something. Must have something to do with British cars being somewhat unpredictable.

Could it also be that the people on there aren't necessarily "car people" so they just don't know? But to save face they still try to provide somewhat of an answer?

Just a wild guess...

That's possible. I think most of the regular posters are at least semi-car people. Some contributors seem to know about many of the quirks of Jag, but I think many just drive and enjoy their cars. Nevertheless, it's sometimes interesting to see the tack some take on a question.

It used to be that British car folks all eventually got to know each other, by offering assistance when meeting on the side of the road.
Lucas Prince of Darkness and all that.
I expect the newer Jaguar owners are a lot like newer Porsche owners, most are not actually sports car enthusiasts and are only vested into the marque (including SUV's) until the lease expires.

The latest input from the Jag forum has to do with a question regarding upgrading the brakes on my XK. Stock XK rotors are solid (but vented) rotors. I asked on the forum if anyone had experience or brand recommendation for upgrading to drilled, or slotted, or drilled and slotted rotors. About the only constructive input I got was to not buy cheap, Chinese rotors (which I wouldn't do anyway). Most all the other comments were along the lines of drilled/slotted rotors wouldn't be an upgrade, if Jag thought they were an upgrade it would have been an option, drilled rotors crack easily, etc. (ironic that Jag offers a brake upgrade/option on the later XKR's with drilled or slotted rotors). One of the guys posted a photo of a drilled rotor that had obviously seen severe use and heat (lots of cracks) as an example of how drilled rotors were bad.

I do have a little bit of experience with brake upgrades, but I'm not going to waste my time trying to educate them on brake performance. Once I buy and he installs them, I might post a photo just to make their heads explode.

Actually, I will give some of those guys credit for knowing what causes and how to remedy the myriad of electrical gremlins from which Jags seem to suffer.

David993S wrote: ↑Thu May 02, 2024 12:36 pm . . .

Actually, I will give some of those guys credit for knowing what causes and how to remedy the myriad of electrical gremlins from which Jags seem to suffer.

It's called "Having to get to where you were going" (6 Year Triumph GT6 Driver)

David993S wrote: ↑Thu May 02, 2024 12:36 pm The latest input from the Jag forum has to do with a question regarding upgrading the brakes on my XK. Stock XK rotors are solid (but vented) rotors. I asked on the forum if anyone had experience or brand recommendation for upgrading to drilled, or slotted, or drilled and slotted rotors. About the only constructive input I got was to not buy cheap, Chinese rotors (which I wouldn't do anyway). Most all the other comments were along the lines of drilled/slotted rotors wouldn't be an upgrade, if Jag thought they were an upgrade it would have been an option, drilled rotors crack easily, etc. (ironic that Jag offers a brake upgrade/option on the later XKR's with drilled or slotted rotors). One of the guys posted a photo of a drilled rotor that had obviously seen severe use and heat (lots of cracks) as an example of how drilled rotors were bad.

I do have a little bit of experience with brake upgrades, but I'm not going to waste my time trying to educate them on brake performance. Once I buy and he installs them, I might post a photo just to make their heads explode.

Actually, I will give some of those guys credit for knowing what causes and how to remedy the myriad of electrical gremlins from which Jags seem to suffer.

On the internet everyone is an expert!

That's why when I found "that other site" years and years ago I was happy to discover a place where Porsche owners did things aside from discuss how expensive their custom options were.

Ask those owners how many have tracked their vehicles?

It's a British car thing I think. I've found similar stuff on AM forums. Very few people work on Brit mobiles that were made after 1996~. Outside of brake work and oil changes, people on these forums do jack shit to their cars and know less.

fast_freddy wrote: ↑Tue Jun 11, 2024 1:39 am Outside of brake work and oil changes, people on these forums do jack shit to their cars and know less.

I've poked around in one of the BMW forums to figure out how some stuff on my X5 works, and I've seen several threads asking what kind of windshield washer fluid to use.

On the X5 subreddit this morning there was a whole thread started by a new owner that literally didn't know what to do when he picked up his car from the dealer and the tire pressures were incorrect.

tooloud10 wrote: ↑Tue Jul 02, 2024 12:01 pm

fast_freddy wrote: ↑Tue Jun 11, 2024 1:39 am Outside of brake work and oil changes, people on these forums do jack shit to their cars and know less.

I've poked around in one of the BMW forums to figure out how some stuff on my X5 works, and I've seen several threads asking what kind of windshield washer fluid to use.

On the X5 subreddit this morning there was a whole thread started by a new owner that literally didn't know what to do when he picked up his car from the dealer and the tire pressures were incorrect.

Wait till he panicks when that flashy green thingy comes on as he accidentally touches the blinker stalk.

lupo.sk wrote: ↑Tue Jul 02, 2024 1:07 pm

Wait till he panicks when that flashy green thingy comes on as he accidentally touches the blinker stalk.

I think the delivery instruction s for BMWs are carful to tell you never to touch that.

Also, you must ALWAYS use your rear fog lights even in clear weather and during the day.

N_Jay wrote: ↑Tue Jul 02, 2024 1:24 pm

lupo.sk wrote: ↑Tue Jul 02, 2024 1:07 pm

Wait till he panicks when that flashy green thingy comes on as he accidentally touches the blinker stalk.

I think the delivery instruction s for BMWs are carful to tell you never to touch that.

Also, you must ALWAYS use your rear fog lights even in clear weather and during the day.