Better Beaters - Building Cars and Daily Drivers

 The great Garage Massacre!

It wasn't a dark day, it was just night time!

The final report!

It was tough, but the final victim has been dispatched. A total of three cars have been sold. They have all been Jaguars. There was one addition, so far. The current vehicle count is four!

As I noted in a previous post, I never thought that I would be able to sell the XJS. But that wasn't the case. 

When my Mark VII was being loaded onto the carrier, one of my neighbors asked me if this was a sad moment.

Absolutely not, I told her.

My Wife did display a bit of regret as she has always liked the looks of the XJS.  She felt that it was certain to increase in value, ...someday. It's been out of production for 26 years. Shouldn't that have been enough time? I will concede that it is a beautiful looking car. But we just never hit it off.

When my Wife told my Son that I had sold the Jag, he said that he thought that I was going to keep that one. However, as he is learning the lesson as a new home owner, that there isn't always enough room to hold onto everything.

For myself it was all about moving forward. I had wasted quite a bit of time with the car. If I was really going to make a commitment and fix it, I would have done it years ago. My goal is to enjoy my hobby as much as I can, for as long as I can. There are no guarantees in life, I've been pretty fortunate so far. There are people around me that are dealing with the limitations and challenges of aging, and acceptance that they are reaching the end of their lives. This is a difficult but inescapable fact. Our Time is not unlimited. Just as Peter Egan has written,"There are only so many Summers left."

For me, it was a big relief getting rid of my last Jaguar. I certainly have no regrets at all. First, because it was the only way that I could keep my '96 Mustang, and second, it opened up some space.... that I get to fill! 

I suppose that many are tired of hearing that I'm just not too interested in most new cars. 

It's not just the "been there, done that" attitude.  

I have owned many older Cadillacs and a couple of Lincolns. While modern versions are better cars, they seem to have lost most of the old swagger and magic. Escalades sell because they are what's left of the Cadillac legacy. The new Navigator and its sibling the Aviator, have recaptured the aura of the Lincoln legend. 

There are a lot of desirable and affordable cars out there available at reasonable prices. These newer cars will be in much better condition, and will not require a complete rebuild or restoration. Just a little maintenance, repair, cleaning up, and detailing.  These newer vehicles are also more compatible with the requirements of modern driving. Almost anything gets better mileage than a '56 Cadillac, a '66 Riviera,... or a 12 cylinder Jaguar XJS!

So that is where I'll be directing my attention. Time to pick the low hanging fruit!

This is the last time that I rehash my whole Jaguar experience. Chapter closed!

I hope that everyone had a nice Thanksgiving Day, and wish everyone well for the upcoming Holiday Season.