I daily drive a 1994 Jaguar XJ6 (XJ40) that I have owned since around 2007. It looks like a real junker because the body has several dents and dings in it from the previous owner's accidents. But the car is rust free and generally starts and runs very reliably. Also years ago when I lived in Phoenix AZ I was driving a 1972 Jaguar XJ6 and when moving through an intersection I was hit in the driver's door by a car turning left through the intersection. The car that hit me was a full size Chrysler 300 sedan. The driver's door and A-pillar of the XJ6 were pretty badly damaged (the door no longer opened) but I walked away from the accident without a scratch.
Phoenix drivers are crazy, I was in my XJ40 driving home from Phoenix and was T boned the car was totaled, all I had was a bruised chest from the belt.
@ It’s an amazing car. I bought it 4 months ago after it had been sitting in a garage since 1996. I fitted all new hoses , fuel lines, tanks , brake system and gave it a good clean and polish . It’s the smoothest most comfortable car I’ve ever driven.
We used our '78 as much as possible. The only downside, if you live in a city, is someone running into you. The first time that happened, it took six months to get her back on the road (nearside rear). The next time, front nearside, was four months. That said, there is nothing like the feeling of a Double.
My work van is 25 years old, my daily car is an 1983 Mercedes 300sd that gets 30 mpg. I started tearing into my 1986 XJ6 that I traded a 1985 Suburban for two years ago. I started pulling the plugs and found the previous owner put one in at an angle 🤦♂️. I am going to clean up the threads and get it go in properly. Finish the tune up and replace the belts check the brakes, and get it on the road. I have been running 20 plus year old cars for the last 40 years. I have only bought 1 brand new truck. I agree, if you can do your own work this is much cheaper to run than a new vehicle. The new cars today will not be running in 25 years let alone 50 years. I don’t like all the electronics, and computer. I enjoy my ‘83 Mercedes that I was given in 2020, this is my second diesel Mercedes. I drove an ‘86 XJ6 in 1991 and fell in love with the way it handled and how solid the car was. I am very excited to get this one on the road. I agree, these are green vehicles now because we are recycling them, and the carbon footprint is extremely low. They are also more fun than modern cars. My toy car is a 1921 Model T, that is registered as a regular car, and I use it every week in decent weather to run errands, not just tours or car shows.
Hello Adam. I couldn’t agree more with your video. I have a 1974 XJ6 that I bought in 1999. I use it fairly regularly in the summer. As well as that I have a ‘60 MK2 and a ‘69 GT6+. Insurance for those three is cheaper than one Jeep Liberty that we also have. I service all my vehicles but I am getting close to 80 so it is getting harder to do that work. I am too afraid to use the old cars in the winter. Everything rusts quickly where I live. The old cars are very economical. I could never afford a new car off the lot.
My XJ6 may start to rust at some pint but I have decided that if that happens I will have it welded and fixed. It’s done me so well so far. How is the GT6? They seems great
Thank you for this great video extolling the virtues of using a 50 year old as a daily driver! I’ve been trying to get this message out to friends for years but with little success! Zero depreciation and a lot of fun. Mine’s a 1987 Range Rover 3.5l and I love it.
My daily is a 72 Jaguar XJ6. Love it!! I've added sound deadening and a modern stereo (with a period retro look) and it's a nearly perfect car for me. It will be my perfect car when I finally get around to converting it to a XJ12. Keep up the great work!
My daily driving is split up between my 1986 XJ6 and a 2005 L322 Range Rover. The Jag does stay at home for most of the winter to keep it away from the salt and sand on the roads here in Calgary, Canada. I have purchased three new cars in my life - a 1986 Mazda B2000 that I drove for 430,000 km and replaced it with a new 2002 Saturn that finally was totalled by a hit and run driver in 2018. My last new car was a 2018 Mazda CX-5 which I sold in 2022 when resale prices went crazy. I purchased the XJ6 and Range Rover and totally sorted them both out and still have $10K left over in the bank! It used to be possible to buy a reasonably priced new car, maintain it yourself and keep it for 15-20 years but now a new car will cost you a fortune, impossible to fully maintain yourself and will be totalled out in 8-10 years by some electronics failure. I am 70 years old so with proper maintenance done by myself, the XJ6 and Range Rover could possibly be the last cars I will purchase!
I'm 23 and got into cars through my father and Herbie. I bought my first car at 17. A Suzuki Samurai, which i completely restored last summer on my own. A year ago i bought my second car. An XJ40 Daimler 4.0. Both are being daily driven and I love it.
And my dailies are a 95 Buick Roadmaster and an 89 Lincoln Town Car. Have two Jaguars also, which is why I like your channel. Cheers, Doug from Detroit
Hi! I live in Antwerp, Belgium and i daily a '92 Mini Cooper and have a Triumph GT6 Mk1 on the way. I agree on all fronts. Financially it is the cheapest way to have a second car. Environmentally speaking, by the time you offset the carbon footprint equivalent of the production of a new electric car, you really have to rack up the miles with your classic. Driving a classic triggers all of the senses. If you walk up to your classic, you see something unusual, you touch different materials, you smell 'the' smell, you hear the engine and exhaust note on startup, and you haven't even driven the thing yet! The driving itself sometimes needs some muscle and manual work and you need to adopt a defensive driving style, but that only gets you involved in what you are supposed to be doing, driving (not fiddling touchscreens and such). Indeed not for everyone, but for those who like it, the rewards are epic!
I have an original 1979XJS. It's driven almost yearly except mid winters, a lot of salt, and therefore rust in my area along the coast. So many amazing things about having a classic car like the $200 a year insurance. though mine is in such great shape I don't like to leave unattended and it's cap in garage so it's safe and secure. Whenever I'm in public people flock to it like crazy. Like a fine wine it's become more beautiful over the years. And also this year starts the 50 year anniversary of the XjS! Keep up the great videos Adam and thank you for helping us. Keep our beautiful cars running thanks to your encouragement and great videos.
Two days a week I drive a 1987 Series III XJ6, and two days a week I drive a 2 year old SUV that I use on the weekend for family trips. My daily round trip commute is 90 miles and I absolutely enjoy doing it in the XJ6! I remember 4 years ago when you first had your XJ6 on the channel and have enjoyed every video on it!
Great video Adam. I have a 1983 XJ6, it has about 126,000 kilometers on it. I paid a bit much for it, about 10k Cdn dollars, and I had it painted, an interior ceiling replaced, and a bunch of other things so I have a fair amount more invested in the car than you do, but mine looks better than yours haha. My mileage is about the same as yours and the insurance cost about the same, but I only drive mine when there is no snow or ice around. What I love about the car, is the way it drives, and the way it looks. The ride is so smooth and comfortable, just the best I have ever had in a car. The look, in my opinion, it is the best, most handsome sedan that was ever built. Also one of my daughters has laid claim to it, she is in her 40's, and when she drives it, she says all these men come and want to talk about the car, the drawback she says, "is that they are all old" LOL ! Vid time 13:00, yes, absolutely, the car was built years ago, and I have not had to replace it, no car has been built since then that I would want to replace it with. So, all that energy and pollution generated to build a new car, well a new one wasn't built for me, so look, it's a green car now. Thanks Adam, a pleasure to watch your vids.
I just thought I drove an old Jaguar til I saw this video. Mine’s a 2009 XJ8 with 166,000 miles on it. I bought it in 2021 with 73,000 miles, so I’ve put nearly 100,000 miles on it in 4 years. I have no plans on getting rid of it anytime soon, even though it’s showing its age. I also have a 1977 Grand Marquis that I’m restoring. The engine is in pieces in my garage right now, but when I get her put back together, I definitely need to take her out and drive her a lot more.
Great channel. I love my p38 I’ve restored, never as cheap as people expect but way cheaper than a new car. I have multiple cars including a disco 5. The issue with the p38 and my old defender is the fuel economy and emissions but I love driving them regardless. A warning to old car buyers, if you can’t afford a good one then you definitely can’t afford bad one…
I’m with you brother. I sold my last newish car three years ago - a 2017 Mini . Since then my daily drivers are a 2000 VDP and a 2006 S-Type. Love driving them both. If something major goes wrong and I need to replace lace them, no worry as I have saved far more money driving these used and fully depreciated cars than I would have spent buying something new. Because they are inexpensive I also have a 2000 XKR that I try to drive les frequently. Good video and good advice.
Up to 3 months ago ,I daily drove a 21 year old S Type 3.0 auto , never let me down Due to health ,sadly had to sell it , at least it has gone to a good home .
Wasn't really a _Jaaag_ then was it old boy?😉 Bit more of a Ford 😅 - I'm sure you get that a lot... Never got to try one personally - I was told they were essentially Mondeo's with a different body and trim, but what was your experience? How was the weight and feel, the ride quality? I always thought it looked eminently "chuckable" like its predecessor name-sake and wasn't there a 4.0 somewhere in the mix? Not looked, but never saw any youtube demo's either - funny that. I think I'll make a point of taking a look - thanks for your post Sir! 🙂
The X-Type was the one that was built on the Mondeo platform. Jaguar reworked the Ford 3.0 V6 and got a lot more power out of it, and made the X-Type AWD where the Mondeo was FWD. The S-Type was slightly larger, and RWD. It was co-developed with Ford engineers. The “Ford” version was the Lincoln LS. They later used the same platform for the Thunderbird. The X-Type and S-Type both used the same V6 engine. It started life as the 24V DOHC Ford Duratec V6 in both 2.5 and 3.0L versions. Jaguar engineers redesigned the cylinder heads and added variable valve timing for a bit more horsepower. The X-Type got the 2.5L engine as the base engine, and the 3.0 as the optional upgrade. The S-Type came with the 3.0 standard (at least in the US. Euro market cars had other engine options as well), with Jaguar’s 4.0L V8 as the option. The 3.0 in the S-Type made 235 horsepower, basically the same as Ford’s 4.6L V8 that they were putting in the Mustang and the Grand Marquis when the S-Type launched. Jaguar’s 4.0 V8 was making something like 280 or 285 horsepower in non-supercharged trim…so the 4.6 was rapidly getting outclassed by smaller engines. When the S-Type launched in 1999, it fed all that horsepower to the back wheels through a Ford 5R55N five speed automatic transmission. Independent rear suspension and 4wheel disk brakes were standard, as they had been on Jaguars since the 1960’s. In 2003, the 4.0 was replaced with the slightly larger 4.2L V8, which really didn’t add much total horsepower, but did have a little more low end torque. The 4.2 was a slightly refined version of the 4.0, with most of the 4.0’s early reliability issues being corrected. Also in 2003, the somewhat problematic Ford 5R55N transmission was dropped in favor of the ZF 6HP22 6 speed automatic, which was a much more reliable gearbox. Jaguar also introduced a high performance version of the S-Type, called the S-Type R with bigger wheels and tires, bigger brakes, and a sportier suspension. It seems like they did something else to the R for more performance, too…what was it? Oh, that’s right! A supercharged version of the 4.2 L V8 making 400 horsepower. While it’s undeniable that the S-Type shared a lot of its DNA with Ford products, it was light years ahead of the Mondeo, and even in V6 trim was a better performer than the V8 Lincoln Town Car, while being every bit as luxurious and comfortable. I love all Jaguars, but the Ford era cars are some of my favorites. Even though they never sold in the numbers Ford hoped, the Ford era cars were probably the best Jaguars made. The 1995-1997 XJ6’s were absolutely Lexus-level reliable, and way sexier. The 4.0 V8 wasn’t as reliable out of the box, but by the time Jaguar introduced the 4.2L version, and backed it with the ZF 6HP transmission, they hit upon an absolutely magical drivetrain combination. You can buy a 4.2L S-Type for well under $10,000 today, and have a fast, luxurious car that you can easily drive until it hits 250,000-300,000 miles.
I have a 14 year old Range Rover L322 but that is about to be supplemented with a 1969 Morris Minor Van which will be used for local trips. The Range Rover will continue to be used for long journeys , off road and towing (We have a small farm). I love the XJ6 and it does make a great daily having done that myself a few years ago.
'Daily' is a 2007 Saab 9-5 2.0t BioPower on 243,000km. Bought it a dozen years ago. I have maintained it myself for the last decade and pretty much know it inside-out. Gearbox, timing chain and rust are the biggest concerns for the future, but I will never, ever sell the car and, should the engine explode tomorrow, I will simply rebuild the engine and carry on. I own several other Saabs and Volvos but that 9-5 does the heavy lifting. Lives at 120 km/h and still has good overtaking speed. It was quite a new car when I bought it, so it's funny to see it become one of the older cars on the road where I live. Have always admired your approach to the XJ!
I've been dailying an '87 XJ12 for almost 2 years now. Loving it so far. And I gotta say, it's been quite unexpectedly reliable! Starts at -30 every time!
Great video Adam-I think you are right on the money with reasons for using a classic. I use kind of a hybrid technique since I drive around 90 miles daily for work using my 2020 Subaru WRX which has been great and I plan on keeping for the long haul. My backup is a Volvo 850 Turbo Wagon which I bought new that my wife used as her daily for 9 years, then went through each of my 3 kids, coming back to me with around 200k miles needing some work/TLC. I have gone through it mechanically and had a repaint so now and it drives so well-use it for weekend working and all errands, giving the Subaru a rest. I like driving it more now than ever and will never sell it. Since it is over 25 years old, no emissions exam is required with only a basic safety exam yearly- for around 5k miles/yr it should outlast me. Always look forward to your videos and wish a Happy New Year to you and your family.
Totally agree with your philosophy. Im still restoring my xj6 s1 Daimler version. One my biggest expenses recently was renewing the front steering and suspension. It will finished when the weather improves.(No garage). My daily is a '99 Vauxhall Vectra I rescued and restored from the breakers. I do very minimal mileage well under 1000 miles a year. I also help my niece run a 2012 Kia Rio. I dont agree with the knockers of these cars, properly serviced they are reliable and good to drive in town. Thats enough of me, looking forward to seeing the xjs pass its test.
Great statement from You ! I do the same and like it very much . A lot of people start talking to you at the service station . I drive two cars as daily so one has always enough time for the repairs or inspections needed . Daimler XJ 6 3.6 L from 1988 (XJ 40 ) and my Daimler Double Six series two from 1977 running the V12 on gas ! Runs like a kitty cat ! Greetings
Hi Adam, you have one of my favourite channels, I really enjoy your knowledgeable content and laid back style. I daily drive a 1995 X300 3.2 in The Netherlands. Apart from the government taxing the hell out of it (€100+ per month) I agree wholeheartedly that daily driving is great comfort, good value and environmentally sound.
My daily, kind of by default, is a Mini Cooper Convertible 2009, which was my late wife's pride and joy - and is never to be sold. Between us, it's been in our hands for ten years, to date. Then there's the XF, my indulgence, again never to be sold, as the weekend/when not working car, for longer journeys, too. It makes sense.
Hello Adam, really appreciate daily driving 50+ years old cars, sometimes (from spring to autumn) I drive my very early XJ6 4.2 (manufactured December 68/January 69) daily. For winter driving and longer distances I use x202 (2002.5) S-Type 4.2 v8 and (also have 2.5 v6 S-Type) :) Regards from Prague, Petr
I do a daily Saab 9-5 2,3 turbo from 2007, a Rover 75 CDTi from 2003 ( amazing car!), a Jaguar S type 3.0 from 2000 and a Lancia Thesis from 2007. Love all these cars but do also all the maintenance myself, so they are ridiculously cheap to run. And the environmental issue? I totally agree with you and I think more people are going to realize this more and more, especially of increasing new car prices
Similar idea, my last 6 years of working I drove either an 88 Porsche 924S or 84 944 to work. It was 150 miles a day, so I totaled over 150K between the 2. The cost of the cars broke even ( I sold them for what I paid), and there was some maintenance. A bonus was several times going through a drive through for coffee, the person ahead bought it for me - saying nice car! keep the old cars rolling.
Sure, I like new stuff, especially when it gets old. Daily a 09 Merc E350 Estate 4-matic. Bought it in 2019 with 92k for $9,700. It now has 140k miles. It replaced my 01 Merc E430 w/ 167k miles that was overrun with rust (a problem for that generation of Mercs. I loved the car and miss it very much.). I enjoy caring for it, service and maintenance, but also preventative work with an eye toward long term ownership. Mpg is 20-22 - not great but I don’t drive more than ~8-9k miles per year. Another thing I appreciate is that I can operate everything without using a computer screen. there are lots of good old fashioned buttons, dials and levers. When I reverse I simply twist around and look or use the mirrors. Thanks for the refresher on why you live with a classic. Regards from Minnesota USA.
I’ve been driving electric since 10 years. My wife drives a Honda e. I have an Ioniq 6. Saved around $25’000 or 14 cubic meters in fuel. Other costs like depreciation is similar. Less cost to maintain with service and repairs: Cars I’ve sold have been passed on in good condition. I’m interested in classic cars but haven’t really found the motivation of keeping one myself.
Great vid Adam. I drive a 2001 XJ8 V4.0. Just love it. Agree with your environmental comments - nope I'm not a denier. My XJ is like my favourite old coat, I have others but this one just feels right. Keep up the good work.
You are fortunate to be able to do the work yourself. If someone was paying to have repairs done, things would get a lot more expensive, IF you could find a mechanic. Hard to find anybody willing to work on older cars. Mechanics nowadays are used to plugging in to the car and reading the diagnosis. I have a fleet of old Lincolns and parts cars and, like you, I can do the work myself.
With regard to the clean energy and the environmental movements, the World's largest battery storage facility for "Clean Energy" is now burning out of control in Moss Landing, California. The fire departments are just letting it burn to the ground, because there is no way to extinguish the lithium batteries once they catch on fire. There are enormous clouds of poisonous, toxic gases being spewed into the atmosphere by the fire. Mass evacuation of the City of Moss Landing has been mandated by the local governments, as well as all of the local schools being closed. The local governments are also telling the residents in Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties to keep their doors and windows closed so the smoke and deadly gas cannot enter their homes. It's a huge disaster. The company responsible is Vestra Energy.
Opel ( Vauxhall ) Corsa C 2000 75HP I bought the car “cheaply”. I also put the purchase value into the car. Check him regularly. It's rust-free, runs well and parts are cheap so far. It has to be said that the parts are slowly becoming significantly more expensive. But I am very happy with my little Corsa
I drive a 2001 SUV daily but i also have my 1990 Jaguar XJS V12 HE coupe . When I owned a business before retiring I leased a new upper scale car . It fit my tax bracket and was deductible tax wise .
Hi Adam. Well my daily is a 2003 Citroen Berlingo (gifted to me by my wonderful cousin who had to return to the States ) But l was regularly driving my '78 MGB roadster until the clutch blew ! And l'm determined to drive my '66 "e" type once it's finished !
I’ve had lots of jaguars since my first one mark2 that I bought in 1977 then two XJ6 saloons and a XJC 2 door manual with over drive and 2 XJS V12 HE and a 3.6 automatic I now drive aBMW E60 2.5i now 19 years old with 90 thousand miles on the clock I’ve had it since 2015 second owner never lets me down from Scotland 🏴
I daily a 23 y.o. Toyota Avalon with average miles and full history. In great condition and plenty of modernity without intrusive tech. It makes great sense to keep it going and its a much nicer drive than a lot of the tinny SUVs costing $60,000 new
I daily drove a 1961 3.8l Mk. II back in the 80s. I believe I spent almost as much time under it as in it. Major time waster. It had the head off and hadn't run in 13 years when I bought it, plus parts had been cannibalized. I got the wrong fuel pump for it and it was constantly flooding. The driveshaft shook violently at cruising speed.
Ive been driving a 1996 volvo 850 t5 auto estate for 5 years now, and i love it😊 its done 240k same engine and box. 23 mpg, but i dont care, and yes i feel real safe. Hate new cars especially the EV rubbish. So im with you brother. Happy clàssic motoring.
Not sure I'll fit in, but I have a 2005 Fiat Panda. It runs flawlessly, and despite it being an Italian car, I will likely outlive most of cars currently in production, because it is simple and dead easy to maintain.
all my cars are old enough to vote!.....04 VW Jetta (200k) 04 Jeep Libery ( 150k ) 90 MB 300SL ..(167k)....work from home, retiring next year...trying to never by a new car again.....low insurance, low personal property taxes...all run great
Great work, and a lovely car (I always loved these old Jags...but never got around to owning one). My daily is a work car (self employed) - 2009 Skoda Superb Tdi as I do a fair bit of long distance trips hence fuel economy is important. However I am in the process of getting a "modern classic" ready for "personal" use - it's a 1993 Ford Fairlane Sportsman Ghia. I have never in my life leased a car or taken finance (except for a couple grand from my parents for my first car - which I paid back when I started working) to buy one. I am now in my late 50's and my plan is to run a small fleet of classics as daily's when I retire in a few years (my thinking is that at least one of them will be running properly at any given time, and here in Australia (VIC), classic registration and insurance is cheap). Cheers!
It all depends. Yes I absolutely love my XJ40, but there is no way that I'm putting it on our Canadian super salty winters. Fuel mileage also gets quite bad when it's getting near the winter. Yes it is very cheap to run and repair for me, as I fix it myself, but if someone was going to send it to a shop for repairs, it wouldn't be as cheap as running a 5-10 years old normal car, as my 2008 Mazda 3 or a Corolla. The Mazda 3 also take half the fuel and always works, but it's a cheap winter beater, and not a wonderful Jaguar with an amazing suspension. There is also the wood factor. 😊 The Jag has plenty of wood!
My car is not old (2013 subaru impreza). But I want to keep it longuest possible because I like it and it has a manual transmission and awd. No more new manual in the same range.
I daily a ´91 Mazda MX5....without having a modern car so regular insurance rate but beeing the lowest you can get for a car in germany... Bought for 900€ in 2020, I did some maintenance (timing belt & all fluids) + minor rust repairs and enjoy it ever since..
I haven’t personally bought a new car in over 20 years, and even then it was with company money. I have a 2018 Lexus Hybrid CT200h, which is very cheap to run on fuel, but more expensive on insurance than I would like. Very dull to drive, but calming and reliable! I guess that would be my daily, even though it might not get used a few days per week. The car I really like is my 1998 XJ8 4.0 Sport. I use it 1 to 3 times per week. I’m in Australia, so it was a lot more to buy than your 1975, but I have no finance. $60 less per month to insure than the Lexus. A classic club plate is an option, instead of full registration, but that’s quite limiting on usage. I love it! Had to do a couple of high ish cost thing (chains and tensioners), but rest looks good. I’ve done some improvements inside, all with used stuff off eBay. Plan is to keep hold, and values are steady and even creeping up for well looked after examples.
Hi Adam- interesting video and take on classic ownership. Here in the UK, there's one issue that is a problem (and before all the haters of various makes and nationalities of origin start the usual sarcastic comments - it affects all makes and models, even those supposedly galvanised against rust) - corrosion. A combination of liberal use of salt whenever a frost is suspected and a damp climate really challenges the long-term viability of older cars. I am sure you have seen how You Tubers like Matt of Furious Driving and Ian of Hub Nut have to wage a constant battle to avoid their fleets corroding away. Anyone over here wanting to use a classic as a daily driver needs to factor in the need for constant attention to their cars' bodies and regular use pf appropriate mitigation. It looks like the Swedes don't use as much salt in winter (I've only ever been in Sweden between June and September, so have not seen what is done).
Been using a 99 Mustang for 2.5 years now. At 6 feet away it looks great. Getting 18-19 mpg with the 3.8 V6 puttering around town. And it keeps miles off the 2018 Taurus that I love. Obviously the 2018 car is worth significantly more than the 1999 ... but it's the 26 year old that gets 'nice car' at the drive through or random thumbs up from people. Very simple engineering and a platform from 1977, engine from 1982 honed over the years so Ford got it right by 1999😅.
I’m trying to get my 1969 Rover P5B V8 (same engine as your P6) running well enough that it could be my daily. But it has no aircon and I am in Australia so aiming for Winter, Spring and Autumn use only with very occasional Summer use.
Hi Adam I love you XJ I was daily driving my 1995 XJS currently still with my mechanic I lost reverse after a metal pipe on the ZF transmission failed I had to nurse it off the highway parts from ZF arrived so he is attempting a repair in situ the good news was no metal in the pan so now I drive a Subara Forrester 2017 model hoping to get the Jag back soon unless Tim has to do a full rebuild which he can do he has worked on Jags for almost forty years a full rebuild kit is $649 so we will have to see what happens as regards insurance for the XJS full cover for the year with Hagerty was $630 with a driving range of 7000 miles a year loved the video best regards Andy Allen.
Hi from Sydney, Australia. I'll be 69 years old in a few days, I was 26 years old in 1982 when I bought my last new car, which I still own, was paid for by insurance as the 1980 model was stolen and policy had a 3 years new for old clause if car was a total loss for some reason. I own 4 other classic cars besides the 1982 replacement car. When I was a young doctor just out of uni' the national government placed an extra import tax on imported cars & also on luxury cars, that was a 44.75% tax PLUS sales tax. HUGE extra taxes, but not on older but good condition secondhand luxury cars and if I chose to register for/as business use I could claim EVERY CENT back from my tax bill, so all mechanical repairs, fuel, insurance, tyres. Aussie tax office sees a person in an older car registered for business use as a genuine person claiming business use costs against their tax. However our tax department sees a brand new luxury car as a "show offs personal look at me statement" charged to tax as they could not otherwise afford to own it. So some 20 years ago the tax department/government said ZERO REFUNDS WHEN CLAIMING an under 10 year old luxury car, and worse the Taxman saw it as business possession, an asset that could have even further tax charged against it until 10 years old. These new tax rules near wiped out the sales of S class Merc's, BMW 7 series, Jaguar XJ's, Rolls/Bentleys, so from near 2000 NONE were being purchased as company/business cars, the few being sold were to "old Money" well off people who could simply afford to buy them outright. The only new Merc's & BMW's you see on Aussie roads now are the little cheapie entry level versions the young monied kids buy or receive and then thrash and crash them. Other thing with a lot of the Euro cars is electrical component failure when parked daily in open air carparks in the Euro car killing relentless Aussie sun My two favorites out of my five classics are my 1967 Jaguar MK10 or 420G as the 3rd update was called and my 1974 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham Talisman. Talismans were something completely special made for just 3 years with the first the '74 model being the most elaborate. I bought it from its original owner in 1982, have been driving it as my primary daily car ever since, I've serviced it properly & now, today in January 2025 it has 712,000 kilometers on it, I've put 610,000 on it, and the car still looks very nice. Some of my colleagues cannot understand or get why I'm still driving it. As a Talisman it came with "Maxtrac" joint traction control and ABS (brakes), additionally self levelling air shocks (so like modern "active" suspension) ACRS air cushion restraint system (airbags as GM patented airbags in 1973 & fitted them in cars as an option from '74) but best off all as a factory RHD export special, ZERO anti-pollution equipment so you get real performance from its 8.2 litre V8 add to this it has the high altitude kit with larger radiator, larger tranny cooler and the GM THM400 tranny has the variable pitch stator and stall kit like the original 400's had before accountants cost cut them. This adds to fuel mileage from such a big heavy car as it's a 2 x 6 metre vehicle, weighing in at 3180 kilos unladen. It has advanced safety equipment recently fitted to cars such as traction control, ABS brakes, Airbags and an active suspension system but this is in a THREE TON car , not a little plastic one, and out front is & feet of steel before you get to the cabin, and it has crumple zone in it too, so who needs a new car when you have one of these and as the export version engine they were built to run on any petrol from 75 octane unleaded ethanol, right up to 102 octane leaded fuel with internals and block/heads of tungsten ferry chrome steel made to last forever. The ill-informed knock old Jaguars saying unreliable, money pit etc, however the doctor who ordered my old Jag new selected the ultra-high performance bronze head, like was used on their race car engines, so no usual alloy head on steel block woes. In the 50 years I've owned it, there have been no major issues, just routine servicing. I get as much fun now, today in 2025 driving it as back in 1975 when I bought it, it's been loved & looked after, they just DO NOT make cars like this anymore. Plus, when I bought it from its original owner all those 50 years ago he had ordered it with the heavy-duty suspension option which included bigger front sway bar and Koni gas shocks all around so when cornering it stays almost flat like on rails, excellent, like a rocket propelled lounge room on wheels.
I have made a deal for '96 Jeep Gran Cherokee 5.2 and I'am thinking using it as a daily driver for upcoming year. Price is 3500€, yearly taxes are 350€ and insurance is ~200€. Currenlty driving '11 Volvo XC90 D5, yearly taxes 920€ & insurance 650€. Volvo's consumpion is ~9.5l/100km and Jeep ~16.5l/100km. So I can drive 7200km to make up with Volvo's taxes&insurance.
I drive a 2008 Chevrolet Spark which I bought in 2012. It still works well and has been extremely reliable but is looking very tatty. I live in Croatia where it would be difficult to get parts for something like the Jag.
My daily is a 2001 Fiat Brava 1200… scruffy but lively and economical and full of character…. with a 2005 Rover 75 1.8 as a respectable quality backup. I might consider a 7 or 8 year old Fiat 500X 1.4 turbo now they are becoming affordable…..
Hi there! Living with my 1960 XK150 is a never-ending treat. Still looking forward to your SU electric choke vid. It stopped clicking and hissing after a longer than usual rest cycle. Cleaned the varnish off the solenoid and it clicks again but still not hissing. What is likely plugged up and how do I best clean it?
I had a ‘97 BMW 740 for a couple of years, until a dear tried to mate with the front bumper. Now for the past year, I’m driving a ‘88 Oldsmobile Toronado Trofeo. A real ugly duckling but unique. That’s why I love driving old cars (and they’re cheap to own)!
I am daly 2 Nissan Xtrail 2003 and 2006. I was using my Rover 75 Tourer from 2001 bout due the salt on the roads in Sweden is it only for summer use (and som fixing upp is ongoing so standing now). I am thinking of geting something 50+ years because no MoT and 30+ MoT every second year and no road tax. I will as previous Daly Rover P6 and moget get on or a Maxi.
I feel like people are weird about the costs of maintaining old cars. They'll be outraged at the thought of having to spend a few thousand to keep a nice old car on the road and then they'll go out and spend tens of thousands on a new car that depreciates the second they drive it. Yes, old classics can be money pits, but that's not a problem if you know what you're getting into. Most new cars are basically money pits as well.
I often tell my customers this when I give them quotes. If the car needs major work the bill is equivalent to a big service in a modern car yet the work that has been done will last 10 years at least
If the XJ6 has low revs on the highway, it likely has the rear diff from a US-spec Series 3 XJ6 in it. In the USA, Jaguar put something like a 2.88:1 rear diff in all XJ6's sold here in order to improve their gas mileage. That diff is also in demand if you have are going to put an American Chevy V8 in the car, because it lowers the engine's revs to the "sweet spot" preferred by American V8 engines.
2003 Jaguar XJ 4.2 V8, 2004 SAAB Aero convertible 2.0T, 2005 2 Door Rav 4, all petrols, 2007 Mercedes W211 diesel. estate 320d. Bangernomics is king and I agree reuse, recycle and repair is what ecomentalists preach and then they dig up mountains of lithium using child labour and swan around claiming the moral high ground, it would be funny if it wasn't so sad. Get a good old car and maintain it well it will serve you well, be enjoyable and cost less in overall cost of ownership considering purchasing, depreciation interest and maintenance and fuel.
I love your Jag! My daily driver is a bit younger at 21 years (a VW Bora 2.0), but still. I am not interested in the current overpriced low quality cars.
To me it's not about the money... I willingly pay more for the privilege of driving only old cars (yes, unlike this guy, I DONT have a modern car in the background) I simply prefer manual gearbox, manual windows, simple and easy to maintain, and style. For me, analog cars rule !! It's purely a personal preference.
I don’t have a modern car but my wife does. I really only drive classics except maybe 1% of the time when I drive one of her cars. I much prefer being in one of my classics
Those big modern car’s uses more fuel and are worn out and worthless within 10-15 years. Huge maintenance costs and Electronics F….. up Electric car’s are not at all good for the environment, when You considder the natur- ressources used to make them (Batteries) and their short lifespan All in all, I’m sure Your Jaguar is far better for the environment
I daily drive a 1994 Jaguar XJ6 (XJ40) that I have owned since around 2007. It looks like a real junker because the body has several dents and dings in it from the previous owner's accidents. But the car is rust free and generally starts and runs very reliably.
Also years ago when I lived in Phoenix AZ I was driving a 1972 Jaguar XJ6 and when moving through an intersection I was hit in the driver's door by a car turning left through the intersection. The car that hit me was a full size Chrysler 300 sedan. The driver's door and A-pillar of the XJ6 were pretty badly damaged (the door no longer opened) but I walked away from the accident without a scratch.
Phoenix drivers are crazy, I was in my XJ40 driving home from Phoenix and was T boned the car was totaled, all I had was a bruised chest from the belt.
I've been using my 77 Double six as my daily lately and its amazing.
What a great daily!
@ It’s an amazing car. I bought it 4 months ago after it had been sitting in a garage since 1996. I fitted all new hoses , fuel lines, tanks , brake system and gave it a good clean and polish . It’s the smoothest most comfortable car I’ve ever driven.
@ ua-cam.com/users/shortsKebmuavHss0?si=6TMIqBBdrifPAzP2
@@Omegaman1969
Nice Ride for the last Man on Earth😅
We used our '78 as much as possible.
The only downside, if you live in a city, is someone running into you.
The first time that happened, it took six months to get her back on the road (nearside rear). The next time, front nearside, was four months.
That said, there is nothing like the feeling of a Double.
My work van is 25 years old, my daily car is an 1983 Mercedes 300sd that gets 30 mpg.
I started tearing into my 1986 XJ6 that I traded a 1985 Suburban for two years ago. I started pulling the plugs and found the previous owner put one in at an angle 🤦♂️. I am going to clean up the threads and get it go in properly. Finish the tune up and replace the belts check the brakes, and get it on the road.
I have been running 20 plus year old cars for the last 40 years. I have only bought 1 brand new truck. I agree, if you can do your own work this is much cheaper to run than a new vehicle.
The new cars today will not be running in 25 years let alone 50 years. I don’t like all the electronics, and computer.
I enjoy my ‘83 Mercedes that I was given in 2020, this is my second diesel Mercedes. I drove an ‘86 XJ6 in 1991 and fell in love with the way it handled and how solid the car was. I am very excited to get this one on the road.
I agree, these are green vehicles now because we are recycling them, and the carbon footprint is extremely low. They are also more fun than modern cars.
My toy car is a 1921 Model T, that is registered as a regular car, and I use it every week in decent weather to run errands, not just tours or car shows.
Hello Adam. I couldn’t agree more with your video. I have a 1974 XJ6 that I bought in 1999. I use it fairly regularly in the summer. As well as that I have a ‘60 MK2 and a ‘69 GT6+. Insurance for those three is cheaper than one Jeep Liberty that we also have. I service all my vehicles but I am getting close to 80 so it is getting harder to do that work. I am too afraid to use the old cars in the winter. Everything rusts quickly where I live. The old cars are very economical. I could never afford a new car off the lot.
My XJ6 may start to rust at some pint but I have decided that if that happens I will have it welded and fixed. It’s done me so well so far.
How is the GT6? They seems great
...have 5 old Jags, 3 are dailys and the other two are waiting fixing...they are very economical to run and own...GT6's are awesome!
David, sir, you are an inspiration to us all.
Get rid of that steering wheel asap it looks way out of place says everything about the owner doesn’t it!
You're not the only one driving an old car happily. My 57 year old Volvo Amazon has been my daily driver for a decade!
Awesome! I plan to film with an Amazon in the spring. Great cars!
Thank you for this great video extolling the virtues of using a 50 year old as a daily driver! I’ve been trying to get this message out to friends for years but with little success! Zero depreciation and a lot of fun. Mine’s a 1987 Range Rover 3.5l and I love it.
What a great Dailey! I love a Range Rover
My daily is a 72 Jaguar XJ6. Love it!! I've added sound deadening and a modern stereo (with a period retro look) and it's a nearly perfect car for me. It will be my perfect car when I finally get around to converting it to a XJ12. Keep up the great work!
That's not just a 50 year old car, it's a 50 year old British car. That's quite an achievement. Nice Jaguar.
My daily driving is split up between my 1986 XJ6 and a 2005 L322 Range Rover. The Jag does stay at home for most of the winter to keep it away from the salt and sand on the roads here in Calgary, Canada. I have purchased three new cars in my life - a 1986 Mazda B2000 that I drove for 430,000 km and replaced it with a new 2002 Saturn that finally was totalled by a hit and run driver in 2018. My last new car was a 2018 Mazda CX-5 which I sold in 2022 when resale prices went crazy. I purchased the XJ6 and Range Rover and totally sorted them both out and still have $10K left over in the bank! It used to be possible to buy a reasonably priced new car, maintain it yourself and keep it for 15-20 years but now a new car will cost you a fortune, impossible to fully maintain yourself and will be totalled out in 8-10 years by some electronics failure. I am 70 years old so with proper maintenance done by myself, the XJ6 and Range Rover could possibly be the last cars I will purchase!
Hi Adam, I love your show. I daily a 2005 Jaguar XJ8L and absolutely love it. It's reliable, comfortable, and beautiful.
I agree. Also you are bringing wonder and joy to every child who sees you out driving.
I'm 23 and got into cars through my father and Herbie.
I bought my first car at 17. A Suzuki Samurai, which i completely restored last summer on my own.
A year ago i bought my second car. An XJ40 Daimler 4.0.
Both are being daily driven and I love it.
And my dailies are a 95 Buick Roadmaster and an 89 Lincoln Town Car. Have two Jaguars also, which is why I like your channel. Cheers, Doug from Detroit
Hi! I live in Antwerp, Belgium and i daily a '92 Mini Cooper and have a Triumph GT6 Mk1 on the way. I agree on all fronts. Financially it is the cheapest way to have a second car. Environmentally speaking, by the time you offset the carbon footprint equivalent of the production of a new electric car, you really have to rack up the miles with your classic.
Driving a classic triggers all of the senses. If you walk up to your classic, you see something unusual, you touch different materials, you smell 'the' smell, you hear the engine and exhaust note on startup, and you haven't even driven the thing yet! The driving itself sometimes needs some muscle and manual work and you need to adopt a defensive driving style, but that only gets you involved in what you are supposed to be doing, driving (not fiddling touchscreens and such).
Indeed not for everyone, but for those who like it, the rewards are epic!
I have an original 1979XJS. It's driven almost yearly except mid winters, a lot of salt, and therefore rust in my area along the coast. So many amazing things about having a classic car like the $200 a year insurance. though mine is in such great shape I don't like to leave unattended and it's cap in garage so it's safe and secure. Whenever I'm in public people flock to it like crazy. Like a fine wine it's become more beautiful over the years. And also this year starts the 50 year anniversary of the XjS! Keep up the great videos Adam and thank you for helping us. Keep our beautiful cars running thanks to your encouragement and great videos.
Two days a week I drive a 1987 Series III XJ6, and two days a week I drive a 2 year old SUV that I use on the weekend for family trips. My daily round trip commute is 90 miles and I absolutely enjoy doing it in the XJ6! I remember 4 years ago when you first had your XJ6 on the channel and have enjoyed every video on it!
Great video Adam. I have a 1983 XJ6, it has about 126,000 kilometers on it. I paid a bit much for it, about 10k Cdn dollars, and I had it painted, an interior ceiling replaced, and a bunch of other things so I have a fair amount more invested in the car than you do, but mine looks better than yours haha. My mileage is about the same as yours and the insurance cost about the same, but I only drive mine when there is no snow or ice around. What I love about the car, is the way it drives, and the way it looks. The ride is so smooth and comfortable, just the best
I have ever had in a car. The look, in my opinion, it is the best, most handsome sedan that was ever built. Also
one of my daughters has laid claim to it, she is in her 40's, and when she drives it, she says all these men come and want to talk about the car, the drawback she says, "is that they are all old" LOL ! Vid time 13:00, yes, absolutely, the car was built years ago, and I have not had to replace it, no car has been built since then that I would want to replace it with. So, all that energy and pollution generated to build a new car, well a new one wasn't built for me, so look, it's a green car now. Thanks Adam, a pleasure to watch your vids.
I just thought I drove an old Jaguar til I saw this video. Mine’s a 2009 XJ8 with 166,000 miles on it. I bought it in 2021 with 73,000 miles, so I’ve put nearly 100,000 miles on it in 4 years.
I have no plans on getting rid of it anytime soon, even though it’s showing its age.
I also have a 1977 Grand Marquis that I’m restoring. The engine is in pieces in my garage right now, but when I get her put back together, I definitely need to take her out and drive her a lot more.
Great channel. I love my p38 I’ve restored, never as cheap as people expect but way cheaper than a new car. I have multiple cars including a disco 5. The issue with the p38 and my old defender is the fuel economy and emissions but I love driving them regardless. A warning to old car buyers, if you can’t afford a good one then you definitely can’t afford bad one…
I daily a 2012 Skoda fabia, it's cheap and works. I only do 2k miles a year
Sounds like a good daily
I’m with you brother. I sold my last newish car three years ago - a 2017 Mini . Since then my daily drivers are a 2000 VDP and a 2006 S-Type. Love driving them both. If something major goes wrong and I need to replace lace them, no worry as I have saved far more money driving these used and fully depreciated cars than I would have spent buying something new. Because they are inexpensive I also have a 2000 XKR that I try to drive les frequently. Good video and good advice.
And if something goes wrong they’re easy to work on.
Up to 3 months ago ,I daily drove a 21 year old S Type 3.0 auto , never let me down Due to health ,sadly had to sell it , at least it has gone to a good home .
Wasn't really a _Jaaag_ then was it old boy?😉 Bit more of a Ford 😅 - I'm sure you get that a lot...
Never got to try one personally - I was told they were essentially Mondeo's with a different body and trim, but what was your experience? How was the weight and feel, the ride quality? I always thought it looked eminently "chuckable" like its predecessor name-sake and wasn't there a 4.0 somewhere in the mix? Not looked, but never saw any youtube demo's either - funny that. I think I'll make a point of taking a look - thanks for your post Sir! 🙂
The X-Type was the one that was built on the Mondeo platform. Jaguar reworked the Ford 3.0 V6 and got a lot more power out of it, and made the X-Type AWD where the Mondeo was FWD.
The S-Type was slightly larger, and RWD. It was co-developed with Ford engineers. The “Ford” version was the Lincoln LS. They later used the same platform for the Thunderbird.
The X-Type and S-Type both used the same V6 engine. It started life as the 24V DOHC Ford Duratec V6 in both 2.5 and 3.0L versions. Jaguar engineers redesigned the cylinder heads and added variable valve timing for a bit more horsepower. The X-Type got the 2.5L engine as the base engine, and the 3.0 as the optional upgrade. The S-Type came with the 3.0 standard (at least in the US. Euro market cars had other engine options as well), with Jaguar’s 4.0L V8 as the option. The 3.0 in the S-Type made 235 horsepower, basically the same as Ford’s 4.6L V8 that they were putting in the Mustang and the Grand Marquis when the S-Type launched. Jaguar’s 4.0 V8 was making something like 280 or 285 horsepower in non-supercharged trim…so the 4.6 was rapidly getting outclassed by smaller engines.
When the S-Type launched in 1999, it fed all that horsepower to the back wheels through a Ford 5R55N five speed automatic transmission. Independent rear suspension and 4wheel disk brakes were standard, as they had been on Jaguars since the 1960’s.
In 2003, the 4.0 was replaced with the slightly larger 4.2L V8, which really didn’t add much total horsepower, but did have a little more low end torque. The 4.2 was a slightly refined version of the 4.0, with most of the 4.0’s early reliability issues being corrected. Also in 2003, the somewhat problematic Ford 5R55N transmission was dropped in favor of the ZF 6HP22 6 speed automatic, which was a much more reliable gearbox. Jaguar also introduced a high performance version of the S-Type, called the S-Type R with bigger wheels and tires, bigger brakes, and a sportier suspension. It seems like they did something else to the R for more performance, too…what was it? Oh, that’s right! A supercharged version of the 4.2 L V8 making 400 horsepower.
While it’s undeniable that the S-Type shared a lot of its DNA with Ford products, it was light years ahead of the Mondeo, and even in V6 trim was a better performer than the V8 Lincoln Town Car, while being every bit as luxurious and comfortable. I love all Jaguars, but the Ford era cars are some of my favorites. Even though they never sold in the numbers Ford hoped, the Ford era cars were probably the best Jaguars made. The 1995-1997 XJ6’s were absolutely Lexus-level reliable, and way sexier. The 4.0 V8 wasn’t as reliable out of the box, but by the time Jaguar introduced the 4.2L version, and backed it with the ZF 6HP transmission, they hit upon an absolutely magical drivetrain combination. You can buy a 4.2L S-Type for well under $10,000 today, and have a fast, luxurious car that you can easily drive until it hits 250,000-300,000 miles.
I have a 14 year old Range Rover L322 but that is about to be supplemented with a 1969 Morris Minor Van which will be used for local trips. The Range Rover will continue to be used for long journeys , off road and towing (We have a small farm). I love the XJ6 and it does make a great daily having done that myself a few years ago.
'Daily' is a 2007 Saab 9-5 2.0t BioPower on 243,000km. Bought it a dozen years ago. I have maintained it myself for the last decade and pretty much know it inside-out. Gearbox, timing chain and rust are the biggest concerns for the future, but I will never, ever sell the car and, should the engine explode tomorrow, I will simply rebuild the engine and carry on. I own several other Saabs and Volvos but that 9-5 does the heavy lifting. Lives at 120 km/h and still has good overtaking speed. It was quite a new car when I bought it, so it's funny to see it become one of the older cars on the road where I live. Have always admired your approach to the XJ!
I've been dailying an '87 XJ12 for almost 2 years now. Loving it so far. And I gotta say, it's been quite unexpectedly reliable! Starts at -30 every time!
Great video thanks Adam.
Thanks for watching!
Great video Adam-I think you are right on the money with reasons for using a classic. I use kind of a hybrid technique since I drive around 90 miles daily for work using my 2020 Subaru WRX which has been great and I plan on keeping for the long haul. My backup is a Volvo 850 Turbo Wagon which I bought new that my wife used as her daily for 9 years, then went through each of my 3 kids, coming back to me with around 200k miles needing some work/TLC. I have gone through it mechanically and had a repaint so now and it drives so well-use it for weekend working and all errands, giving the Subaru a rest. I like driving it more now than ever and will never sell it. Since it is over 25 years old, no emissions exam is required with only a basic safety exam yearly- for around 5k miles/yr it should outlast me. Always look forward to your videos and wish a Happy New Year to you and your family.
Totally agree with your philosophy. Im still restoring my xj6 s1 Daimler version. One my biggest expenses recently was renewing the front steering and suspension. It will finished when the weather improves.(No garage). My daily is a '99 Vauxhall Vectra I rescued and restored from the breakers. I do very minimal mileage well under 1000 miles a year. I also help my niece run a 2012 Kia Rio. I dont agree with the knockers of these cars, properly serviced they are reliable and good to drive in town. Thats enough of me, looking forward to seeing the xjs pass its test.
Great statement from You ! I do the same and like it very much . A lot of people start talking to you at the service station . I drive two cars as daily so one has always enough time for the repairs or inspections needed . Daimler XJ 6 3.6 L from 1988 (XJ 40 ) and my Daimler Double Six series two from 1977 running the V12 on gas ! Runs like a kitty cat ! Greetings
Hi Adam, you have one of my favourite channels, I really enjoy your knowledgeable content and laid back style. I daily drive a 1995 X300 3.2 in The Netherlands. Apart from the government taxing the hell out of it (€100+ per month) I agree wholeheartedly that daily driving is great comfort, good value and environmentally sound.
My daily, kind of by default, is a Mini Cooper Convertible 2009, which was my late wife's pride and joy - and is never to be sold. Between us, it's been in our hands for ten years, to date. Then there's the XF, my indulgence, again never to be sold, as the weekend/when not working car, for longer journeys, too.
It makes sense.
Hello Adam, really appreciate daily driving 50+ years old cars, sometimes (from spring to autumn) I drive my very early XJ6 4.2 (manufactured December 68/January 69) daily. For winter driving and longer distances I use x202 (2002.5) S-Type 4.2 v8 and (also have 2.5 v6 S-Type) :) Regards from Prague, Petr
I do a daily Saab 9-5 2,3 turbo from 2007, a Rover 75 CDTi from 2003 ( amazing car!), a Jaguar S type 3.0 from 2000 and a Lancia Thesis from 2007. Love all these cars but do also all the maintenance myself, so they are ridiculously cheap to run. And the environmental issue? I totally agree with you and I think more people are going to realize this more and more, especially of increasing new car prices
Similar idea, my last 6 years of working I drove either an 88 Porsche 924S or 84 944 to work. It was 150 miles a day, so I totaled over 150K between the 2. The cost of the cars broke even ( I sold them for what I paid), and there was some maintenance. A bonus was several times going through a drive through for coffee, the person ahead bought it for me - saying nice car! keep the old cars rolling.
Love this Adam, I couldn't possibly pay for a new car. I daily a 1992 Mercedes 220e and I love it.
Sure, I like new stuff, especially when it gets old.
Daily a 09 Merc E350 Estate 4-matic. Bought it in 2019 with 92k for $9,700. It now has 140k miles. It replaced my 01 Merc E430 w/ 167k miles that was overrun with rust (a problem for that generation of Mercs. I loved the car and miss it very much.). I enjoy caring for it, service and maintenance, but also preventative work with an eye toward long term ownership. Mpg is 20-22 - not great but I don’t drive more than ~8-9k miles per year.
Another thing I appreciate is that I can operate everything without using a computer screen. there are lots of good old fashioned buttons, dials and levers. When I reverse I simply twist around and look or use the mirrors.
Thanks for the refresher on why you live with a classic.
Regards from Minnesota USA.
Great video !!! Very well explained !! I was raised by a Jag lover and I have raised a son who is one also. We have 8 in our family.
I’ve been driving electric since 10 years. My wife drives a Honda e. I have an Ioniq 6. Saved around $25’000 or 14 cubic meters in fuel. Other costs like depreciation is similar. Less cost to maintain with service and repairs: Cars I’ve sold have been passed on in good condition. I’m interested in classic cars but haven’t really found the motivation of keeping one myself.
Great vid Adam. I drive a 2001 XJ8 V4.0. Just love it. Agree with your environmental comments - nope I'm not a denier. My XJ is like my favourite old coat, I have others but this one just feels right. Keep up the good work.
You are fortunate to be able to do the work yourself. If someone was paying to have repairs done, things would get a lot more expensive, IF you could find a mechanic. Hard to find anybody willing to work on older cars. Mechanics nowadays are used to plugging in to the car and reading the diagnosis. I have a fleet of old Lincolns and parts cars and, like you, I can do the work myself.
70’s jags are my favourite models .my father had Daimlers when I was growing up
With regard to the clean energy and the environmental movements, the World's largest battery storage facility for "Clean Energy" is now burning out of control in Moss Landing, California. The fire departments are just letting it burn to the ground, because there is no way to extinguish the lithium batteries once they catch on fire. There are enormous clouds of poisonous, toxic gases being spewed into the atmosphere by the fire. Mass evacuation of the City of Moss Landing has been mandated by the local governments, as well as all of the local schools being closed. The local governments are also telling the residents in Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties to keep their doors and windows closed so the smoke and deadly gas cannot enter their homes. It's a huge disaster. The company responsible is Vestra Energy.
I wonder if the smoke from a burning petrol storage facility might be less toxic than the fumes from that battery storage facility...
Opel ( Vauxhall ) Corsa C 2000 75HP I bought the car “cheaply”. I also put the purchase value into the car. Check him regularly. It's rust-free, runs well and parts are cheap so far. It has to be said that the parts are slowly becoming significantly more expensive. But I am very happy with my little Corsa
I drive a 2001 SUV daily but i also have my 1990 Jaguar XJS V12 HE coupe . When I owned a business before retiring I leased a new upper scale car . It fit my tax bracket and was deductible tax wise .
Hi Adam. Well my daily is a 2003 Citroen Berlingo (gifted to me by my wonderful cousin who had to return to the States ) But l was regularly driving my '78 MGB roadster until the clutch blew ! And l'm determined to drive my '66 "e" type once it's finished !
I’ve had lots of jaguars since my first one mark2 that I bought in 1977 then two XJ6 saloons and a XJC 2 door manual with over drive and 2 XJS V12 HE and a 3.6 automatic I now drive aBMW E60 2.5i now 19 years old with 90 thousand miles on the clock I’ve had it since 2015 second owner never lets me down from Scotland 🏴
Lexus IS250 from 2011. I keep it well maintained and intend to keep it for many years. RWD and six cylinders is a good concept.
I daily a 23 y.o. Toyota Avalon with average miles and full history. In great condition and plenty of modernity without intrusive tech.
It makes great sense to keep it going and its a much nicer drive than a lot of the tinny SUVs costing $60,000 new
I daily drove a 1961 3.8l Mk. II back in the 80s. I believe I spent almost as much time under it as in it. Major time waster. It had the head off and hadn't run in 13 years when I bought it, plus parts had been cannibalized. I got the wrong fuel pump for it and it was constantly flooding. The driveshaft shook violently at cruising speed.
Ive been driving a 1996 volvo 850 t5 auto estate for 5 years now, and i love it😊 its done 240k same engine and box. 23 mpg, but i dont care, and yes i feel real safe. Hate new cars especially the EV rubbish. So im with you brother. Happy clàssic motoring.
Splendid choice !
Not sure I'll fit in, but I have a 2005 Fiat Panda. It runs flawlessly, and despite it being an Italian car, I will likely outlive most of cars currently in production, because it is simple and dead easy to maintain.
all my cars are old enough to vote!.....04 VW Jetta (200k) 04 Jeep Libery ( 150k ) 90 MB 300SL ..(167k)....work from home, retiring next year...trying to never by a new car again.....low insurance, low personal property taxes...all run great
I like that! All old enough to vote haha
My biggest issue is the way other people drive and it has no safety features. I value my life more than looking cool or cost.
Great work, and a lovely car (I always loved these old Jags...but never got around to owning one). My daily is a work car (self employed) - 2009 Skoda Superb Tdi as I do a fair bit of long distance trips hence fuel economy is important. However I am in the process of getting a "modern classic" ready for "personal" use - it's a 1993 Ford Fairlane Sportsman Ghia. I have never in my life leased a car or taken finance (except for a couple grand from my parents for my first car - which I paid back when I started working) to buy one. I am now in my late 50's and my plan is to run a small fleet of classics as daily's when I retire in a few years (my thinking is that at least one of them will be running properly at any given time, and here in Australia (VIC), classic registration and insurance is cheap). Cheers!
It all depends. Yes I absolutely love my XJ40, but there is no way that I'm putting it on our Canadian super salty winters. Fuel mileage also gets quite bad when it's getting near the winter. Yes it is very cheap to run and repair for me, as I fix it myself, but if someone was going to send it to a shop for repairs, it wouldn't be as cheap as running a 5-10 years old normal car, as my 2008 Mazda 3 or a Corolla. The Mazda 3 also take half the fuel and always works, but it's a cheap winter beater, and not a wonderful Jaguar with an amazing suspension. There is also the wood factor. 😊 The Jag has plenty of wood!
mmmmm...wood! Cheers!
My car is not old (2013 subaru impreza). But I want to keep it longuest possible because I like it and it has a manual transmission and awd. No more new manual in the same range.
I daily a ´91 Mazda MX5....without having a modern car so regular insurance rate but beeing the lowest you can get for a car in germany...
Bought for 900€ in 2020, I did some maintenance (timing belt & all fluids) + minor rust repairs and enjoy it ever since..
I haven’t personally bought a new car in over 20 years, and even then it was with company money.
I have a 2018 Lexus Hybrid CT200h, which is very cheap to run on fuel, but more expensive on insurance than I would like. Very dull to drive, but calming and reliable! I guess that would be my daily, even though it might not get used a few days per week.
The car I really like is my 1998 XJ8 4.0 Sport. I use it 1 to 3 times per week. I’m in Australia, so it was a lot more to buy than your 1975, but I have no finance. $60 less per month to insure than the Lexus. A classic club plate is an option, instead of full registration, but that’s quite limiting on usage. I love it! Had to do a couple of high ish cost thing (chains and tensioners), but rest looks good. I’ve done some improvements inside, all with used stuff off eBay. Plan is to keep hold, and values are steady and even creeping up for well looked after examples.
Hi Adam- interesting video and take on classic ownership.
Here in the UK, there's one issue that is a problem (and before all the haters of various makes and nationalities of origin start the usual sarcastic comments - it affects all makes and models, even those supposedly galvanised against rust) - corrosion. A combination of liberal use of salt whenever a frost is suspected and a damp climate really challenges the long-term viability of older cars. I am sure you have seen how You Tubers like Matt of Furious Driving and Ian of Hub Nut have to wage a constant battle to avoid their fleets corroding away. Anyone over here wanting to use a classic as a daily driver needs to factor in the need for constant attention to their cars' bodies and regular use pf appropriate mitigation.
It looks like the Swedes don't use as much salt in winter (I've only ever been in Sweden between June and September, so have not seen what is done).
Been using a 99 Mustang for 2.5 years now. At 6 feet away it looks great. Getting 18-19 mpg with the 3.8 V6 puttering around town. And it keeps miles off the 2018 Taurus that I love. Obviously the 2018 car is worth significantly more than the 1999 ... but it's the 26 year old that gets 'nice car' at the drive through or random thumbs up from people. Very simple engineering and a platform from 1977, engine from 1982 honed over the years so Ford got it right by 1999😅.
I have a few classics that I alternate between, mostly old Mercedes but also a Citroen and a Jag.
I’m trying to get my 1969 Rover P5B V8 (same engine as your P6) running well enough that it could be my daily. But it has no aircon and I am in Australia so aiming for Winter, Spring and Autumn use only with very occasional Summer use.
Hi Adam I love you XJ I was daily driving my 1995 XJS currently still with my mechanic I lost reverse after a metal pipe on the ZF transmission failed I had to nurse it off the highway parts from ZF arrived so he is attempting a repair in situ the good news was no metal in the pan so now I drive a Subara Forrester 2017 model hoping to get the Jag back soon unless Tim has to do a full rebuild which he can do he has worked on Jags for almost forty years a full rebuild kit is $649 so we will have to see what happens as regards insurance for the XJS full cover for the year with Hagerty was $630 with a driving range of 7000 miles a year loved the video best regards Andy Allen.
Hi from Sydney, Australia. I'll be 69 years old in a few days, I was 26 years old in 1982 when I bought my last new car, which I still own, was paid for by insurance as the 1980 model was stolen and policy had a 3 years new for old clause if car was a total loss for some reason. I own 4 other classic cars besides the 1982 replacement car.
When I was a young doctor just out of uni' the national government placed an extra import tax on imported cars & also on luxury cars, that was a 44.75% tax PLUS sales tax. HUGE extra taxes, but not on older but good condition secondhand luxury cars and if I chose to register for/as business use I could claim EVERY CENT back from my tax bill, so all mechanical repairs, fuel, insurance, tyres. Aussie tax office sees a person in an older car registered for business use as a genuine person claiming business use costs against their tax. However our tax department sees a brand new luxury car as a "show offs personal look at me statement" charged to tax as they could not otherwise afford to own it. So some 20 years ago the tax department/government said ZERO REFUNDS WHEN CLAIMING an under 10 year old luxury car, and worse the Taxman saw it as business possession, an asset that could have even further tax charged against it until 10 years old. These new tax rules near wiped out the sales of S class Merc's, BMW 7 series, Jaguar XJ's, Rolls/Bentleys, so from near 2000 NONE were being purchased as company/business cars, the few being sold were to "old Money" well off people who could simply afford to buy them outright.
The only new Merc's & BMW's you see on Aussie roads now are the little cheapie entry level versions the young monied kids buy or receive and then thrash and crash them. Other thing with a lot of the Euro cars is electrical component failure when parked daily in open air carparks in the Euro car killing relentless Aussie sun
My two favorites out of my five classics are my 1967 Jaguar MK10 or 420G as the 3rd update was called and my 1974 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham Talisman. Talismans were something completely special made for just 3 years with the first the '74 model being the most elaborate. I bought it from its original owner in 1982, have been driving it as my primary daily car ever since, I've serviced it properly & now, today in January 2025 it has 712,000 kilometers on it, I've put 610,000 on it, and the car still looks very nice. Some of my colleagues cannot understand or get why I'm still driving it. As a Talisman it came with "Maxtrac" joint traction control and ABS (brakes), additionally self levelling air shocks (so like modern "active" suspension) ACRS air cushion restraint system (airbags as GM patented airbags in 1973 & fitted them in cars as an option from '74) but best off all as a factory RHD export special, ZERO anti-pollution equipment so you get real performance from its 8.2 litre V8 add to this it has the high altitude kit with larger radiator, larger tranny cooler and the GM THM400 tranny has the variable pitch stator and stall kit like the original 400's had before accountants cost cut them. This adds to fuel mileage from such a big heavy car as it's a 2 x 6 metre vehicle, weighing in at 3180 kilos unladen.
It has advanced safety equipment recently fitted to cars such as traction control, ABS brakes, Airbags and an active suspension system but this is in a THREE TON car , not a little plastic one, and out front is & feet of steel before you get to the cabin, and it has crumple zone in it too, so who needs a new car when you have one of these and as the export version engine they were built to run on any petrol from 75 octane unleaded ethanol, right up to 102 octane leaded fuel with internals and block/heads of tungsten ferry chrome steel made to last forever.
The ill-informed knock old Jaguars saying unreliable, money pit etc, however the doctor who ordered my old Jag new selected the ultra-high performance bronze head, like was used on their race car engines, so no usual alloy head on steel block woes. In the 50 years I've owned it, there have been no major issues, just routine servicing. I get as much fun now, today in 2025 driving it as back in 1975 when I bought it, it's been loved & looked after, they just DO NOT make cars like this anymore. Plus, when I bought it from its original owner all those 50 years ago he had ordered it with the heavy-duty suspension option which included bigger front sway bar and Koni gas shocks all around so when cornering it stays almost flat like on rails, excellent, like a rocket propelled lounge room on wheels.
Daily an S Type R but restoring a 1975 XJC - might end up dailying that!
I have made a deal for '96 Jeep Gran Cherokee 5.2 and I'am thinking using it as a daily driver for upcoming year. Price is 3500€, yearly taxes are 350€ and insurance is ~200€. Currenlty driving '11 Volvo XC90 D5, yearly taxes 920€ & insurance 650€. Volvo's consumpion is ~9.5l/100km and Jeep ~16.5l/100km. So I can drive 7200km to make up with Volvo's taxes&insurance.
I drive a 2008 Chevrolet Spark which I bought in 2012. It still works well and has been extremely reliable but is looking very tatty. I live in Croatia where it would be difficult to get parts for something like the Jag.
Great! I daily drive old cars. 2 Mercedes (1979, 1990) and a Jeep 1997.
My daily is a 2001 Fiat Brava 1200… scruffy but lively and economical and full of character…. with a 2005 Rover 75 1.8 as a respectable quality backup.
I might consider a 7 or 8 year old Fiat 500X 1.4 turbo now they are becoming affordable…..
I saw a Fiat Brava a few weeks ago. First time I saw one in years. Always liked their styling
Hi there! Living with my 1960 XK150 is a never-ending treat. Still looking forward to your SU electric choke vid. It stopped clicking and hissing after a longer than usual rest cycle. Cleaned the varnish off the solenoid and it clicks again but still not hissing. What is likely plugged up and how do I best clean it?
You are doing great to get 18-20 mpg with your XJ6.
I had a ‘97 BMW 740 for a couple of years, until a dear tried to mate with the front bumper. Now for the past year, I’m driving a ‘88 Oldsmobile Toronado Trofeo. A real ugly duckling but unique. That’s why I love driving old cars (and they’re cheap to own)!
‘96 Cougar, 4.6 V8 as daily. I own 2 nicer cars but I saved the Cougar from the scrapper and it’s fully depreciated.
I drive a 1979 jaguar xj6L and a 1994 Saab 900 S.
I am daly 2 Nissan Xtrail 2003 and 2006. I was using my Rover 75 Tourer from 2001 bout due the salt on the roads in Sweden is it only for summer use (and som fixing upp is ongoing so standing now). I am thinking of geting something 50+ years because no MoT and 30+ MoT every second year and no road tax. I will as previous Daly Rover P6 and moget get on or a Maxi.
I feel like people are weird about the costs of maintaining old cars. They'll be outraged at the thought of having to spend a few thousand to keep a nice old car on the road and then they'll go out and spend tens of thousands on a new car that depreciates the second they drive it. Yes, old classics can be money pits, but that's not a problem if you know what you're getting into. Most new cars are basically money pits as well.
I often tell my customers this when I give them quotes. If the car needs major work the bill is equivalent to a big service in a modern car yet the work that has been done will last 10 years at least
If the XJ6 has low revs on the highway, it likely has the rear diff from a US-spec Series 3 XJ6 in it. In the USA, Jaguar put something like a 2.88:1 rear diff in all XJ6's sold here in order to improve their gas mileage. That diff is also in demand if you have are going to put an American Chevy V8 in the car, because it lowers the engine's revs to the "sweet spot" preferred by American V8 engines.
Someday I’ll check what the ratio is. It does suit the car very well though
My Rear Diff Ratio is 4.55:1
Xj6 S1 2.8 with Manual/Overdrive. For Swiss Mountain Roads😅
Very nice
A 1972 Daimler Sovereign S1 4.2
I daily an F-Type. I would daily my classic car, but my wife hates old cars :(
2003 Jaguar XJ 4.2 V8, 2004 SAAB Aero convertible 2.0T, 2005 2 Door Rav 4, all petrols, 2007 Mercedes W211 diesel. estate 320d. Bangernomics is king and I agree reuse, recycle and repair is what ecomentalists preach and then they dig up mountains of lithium using child labour and swan around claiming the moral high ground, it would be funny if it wasn't so sad. Get a good old car and maintain it well it will serve you well, be enjoyable and cost less in overall cost of ownership considering purchasing, depreciation interest and maintenance and fuel.
My day cars are 1998 beat up Ram truck and a 1999 XK8 I would not have a modern car, as soon as I finish my 1964 MKII I shall be using that.
i daily drive a 2002 infiniti q45, before that, I daily drove a 1998 lexus gs400
Jag brukar en xj40 och sen har jag bland annat en 77 camaro också men den brukas bara på sommaren.
Does Sweden salt the roads in winter? I'm worried by XJ-S would dissolve after one Massachusetts winter...
Looking at the steering wheel says everything about the owner doesn’t it folks!
Any more RR P38 on the horizon
I love your Jag! My daily driver is a bit younger at 21 years (a VW Bora 2.0), but still. I am not interested in the current overpriced low quality cars.
I’ve heard that they can do really long mileage and last well
To me it's not about the money... I willingly pay more for the privilege of driving only old cars (yes, unlike this guy, I DONT have a modern car in the background) I simply prefer manual gearbox, manual windows, simple and easy to maintain, and style. For me, analog cars rule !! It's purely a personal preference.
I don’t have a modern car but my wife does. I really only drive classics except maybe 1% of the time when I drive one of her cars. I much prefer being in one of my classics
Those big modern car’s uses more fuel and are worn out and worthless within 10-15 years. Huge maintenance costs and Electronics F….. up
Electric car’s are not at all good for the environment, when You considder the natur- ressources used to make them (Batteries) and their short lifespan
All in all, I’m sure Your Jaguar is far better for the environment
They are cars. They need to work.
👍🇦🇺