Michael Witbeck

Confessions of a Jaguar Owner Michael Witbeck 1st edition

Jaguars are a minority among the millions of cars in the United States, but every year thousands of Americans still seek them out, passing by the more popular German and Japanese brands and opting for cars made by a quintessentially British company that nearly disappeared in the seventies and hasn't been British owned since 1992. Confessions of a Jaguar Owner sets out to explain why those drivers make such a choice and how they are rewarded (or punished) once the choice is made. The book begins with the author's initial reaction to his own Jaguar purchase, including a certain ambivalence about technologies such as computer aided suspension and dynamic stability control. He also learns a very low-tech lesson about what happens when you scrape a Jaguar wheel against a curb in a lovely seaside town. He begins to wonder why he bought such a car in the first place. Such thoughts lead to comparisons to some of Jaguar's chief rivals and to a search for the origin of the Jaguar brand identity by tracing the history of the company from its founding almost a hundred years ago. The author also checks up on what modern automotive pundits have to say about Jaguars, both on the Internet and in traditional media outlets from Car Talk to Top Gear. Then it's on to the more down to earth concerns of Jaguar ownership. How fast can I go in this car without killing myself or losing my license? Do I really need a front license plate? What is the J-Gate? Will my friends and relatives outwardly mock me but secretly envy me if I buy this car? And even more critically, what effect will a Jaguar have on attracting potential partners or on keeping the one I have? Also includes an overview of the current new and used market, noting possible pitfalls and zeroing in on where the bargains are to be found. Contains 37 color photographs, including shots of iconic Jaguar classics and a variety of Jaguar rivals.