New wheel and tire set, some brake work, and then....... totaled.
In early June, I was getting the car ready to come out for the season by painting my new wheel and tire set, I got last summer. Also with newly painted calipers, and new pads and rotors in back.
Painted these 18" OE Venus wheels a gloss black with Rustoleum rattle cans.
Turned out good.
Front calipers before,
and after painting.
Old rear pads and rotors.
New rear pads, rotors, and painted calipers.
Finished look.
One week later, on our way to the beach, in Texas, run off the road by a semi in Missouri.
No one was hurt. We were still drivable, and no rental cars to be had, so we rolled all ghetto on vacation.
In 2007, The Jaguar XK came with a 6 disc CD changer, (they did offer a factory USB Aux input for the sound system a model year later, I think) Mine did not have that.
However there was an aftermarket option available. I had to have the dealer activate the aux input software with their factory scan tool. That was $165 labor.
Then I bought this item for $129. Came with good installation directions
As you can see in these photos the stereo is integrated into the infotainment console, so replacing it with a single DIN or double DIN is not an option. the harness above is inserted between the stereo connector and the wire harness with a bluetooth receiver attached.
The infotainment console needed to be pulled out to get at the connector. and the glove box needed to be dropped to get at either the ground, or power wire, I had to connect to. So now, (like all other modern cars) I can stream music from any app on my iPhone through the cars sound system.
Dropped the glove box to access this power or ground wire on the glovebox light. the adapter has the red wire to run over and connect.
also just recently changed the 12 volt battery. it sits in the back next to the Nav DVD player. The wires coming off are for the battery tender.
At about the time I wrote the blog post called "British racing green". I started to be attracted to Jaguars and Astons. Fast forward a few years and I found myself window shopping for an X100 chassis XKR (2005-ish model year). after some feedback from owners. I decided that the next generation, X150 chassis, was a better drivers car. and I loved the styling of this coupe. I like this car in red, as it actually makes it look like an Italian exotic (a little bit).
I picked up the car below on Valentine's Day 2015, bought from a car dealer in Naperville, Illinois. The car, when new, had a window sticker of $85,000. I got it when it was 9 years old, for almost exactly $20K. It had about 72,000 on the clock. The body was in excellent shape with minimal rock chips, and hardly a scratch. I have spent a few thousand in mechanical work, at my local dealer, since buying it. This car came with optional 20" Senta wheels, and a "luxury" option package, which included a premium sound system, leather interior, and other exterior details such as: chrome "gill" accent, wire grill, chrome side mirrors.
It has an all-aluminum monocoque chassis (can't rust), with a 300 hp, naturally aspirated, DOHC 4.2 V8, and a 6-speed automatic, with paddle shifters. This coupe is known as a 2+2. It's a two seater, but it has 2 "pretend" seats in back. (really just big enough for a purse or a shopping bag. This is done because it lowers insurance premiums, from just being a two seater.
It has very comfortable seats, plenty of power, and I look forward to this car as my go to, for long road trips.
Leather and burled walnut interior
Xenon HID projector headlights
A few stats on this car:
0-60 mph / QT mile
Motor Trend - 6.1 sec / 14.6 @ 97.4 mph
another Motor Trend - 5.8 sec / 14.3 @ 98.3 mph
Motor Week - 6.5 sec / 15.0 @ 97 mph
Jaguar itself claims - 5.9 / 14.4-14.5
0-60times.com -5.7
A video Motorweek Review of the 2007 Jaguar XK
Testing the (then newly designed) Jaguar XK around the Nurburgring
