Jaguar Problems

I'D strongly advise against this. It's too big a job and too expensive. Jaguar produced an XJC cabriolet -- a two-door convertible much like you're wanting -- so perhaps you can seek out one of those. Or go for an American convertible. The quote seems too low for a decent job. If you go ahead, find out as much as you can about the person doing the work. Also, talk to a VicRoads-licensed engineer.

I BELIEVE in servicing cars to keep them in good fettle, but I wouldn't think your car has sustained any damage because the first service was missed. If it is running well, I would feel comfortable that it hasn't been damaged. I would, however, have stern words with the salesman who obviously misled you, probably because he was too lazy to check the car's service records before advising you when it should next be serviced.

IT'S a Jaguar XK150 coupe. A fire in the factory disrupted Jaguar plans and the company had to continue with an update of the ageing XK120/140 series instead of pressing ahead with a new-generation sports car derived from its great racing successes of the 1950s. The XK150 was the result. It began production in 1957 and continued until the E-Type arrived in 1960.

BY LAW you're required to bring the car to a halt when you switch between gas and petrol, or vice versa. That's to avoid the potentially dangerous situation of losing power when switching on the road. In any case it's not advisable to be fiddling with switches while driving. Apart from that, the only other thing to do is to not have your foot on the accelerator as you switch over.

You've obviously done quite a bit of homework, and it seems you have done the most important thing: identify what it is you want from your toy. As your regular cars are prestige cars and not dissimilar to the Jaguar model you are considering, you could consider a sportier car, such as a coupe or a convertible Mercedes or Saab, which would be a little more special, or perhaps even a Jaguar XJS. Any Jaguar is quite a good choice, though the Series III suffered because Jaguar were too cash-strapped to de-bug it properly before it went into production. That and shoddy build quality mean many of them gave their owners heartburn. But there are many around that have been sorted and they make nice cars. There are several Jaguar specialists who can help find a car for you, but remember they are in business to make a profit. Caulfield Jaguar rebuilds Series III XJ6s to your specification. They appear to turn out good work, though their rebuilt cars will cost more than the $14,000 you want to spend. I recommend you contact the Jaguar Car Club and get the advice of people who have owned the models you are interested in buying. Their experience is invaluable and real.