knightsmith

Amanda, No I don't enjoy cleaning, and cannot stand dogs. It doesn't bother the wife as she is a professional mad person ( don't mean that in a nasty way, she is manic depressive) and I do all the slavery, including taking her dog for a three mile walk at 5-30 every morning . In her defence (she calls herself Princess Marcie of Ilfracombe) she did buy me the XKR for my birthday. A wet room eh, just how posh are you ? are you sure you haven't got a butler? ATB, Trevor

Peter , Same here, that's why I won't allow the dog in the car unless it's for the vets or kennels. And being Ivory colour you have to keep on top of it. The saddle soap is quite hard work in all fairness to do it properly , but Amanda will probably get the butler on to it White leather in the house and a dog do not mix well though . ATB, Trevor

Peter, Saddle soap does preserve the leather, I have used it on the last six cars, the house furniture, our leather coats and jackets, the wife's handbags . My friend uses it on her horse's tack . I have found it to be excellent stuff. ATB, Trevor

Andrew, Just get one, they are fab, the road tax on them is unfair, as it should be done on mileage alone. Also, welcome to the club. ATB, Trevor

Amanda, I just use saddle soap. and on the leather furniture indoors,and coats, seems to work fine . http://www.amazon.co.uk/Saddle-Leather-Conditioning-Soap-250mls/dp/B001F40E10/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1404077210&sr=8-1&keywords=saddle+soap One of the reviews : "Great product, cleaned the car seats removing the ingrained dirt and restoring them to somewhat near their original conditional.Would recommend. " ATB, Trevor x

Amanda, Welcome to the club . The Jags are fab aren't they ? had a Xj Supersport for eight months, then I decided b****s to the expense and got an XKR, it is fabulous. Used to own two Aston Martins, and both the jags will knock spots off them. You now know the reason why Jags have the best customer satisfaction. ATB, Trevor x

Ian, I presume it's similar to my XKR layout to . Don't know about changing colours but why not try the instrument illumination adjustment, it's the little round knob next to the fog lamp and fuel cap opening buttons to the right of the steering wheel near the door . Or from the main menu click on "vehicle" and from there you can alter contrast and brightness ATB, Trevor

John, Good news all round. I have an XKR and the XK's are fab (as are all Jags) . It is excellent news about your wife and I hope she remains in good health (as I hope all your family do) . Good on you for taking early retirement and being so positive about things, it all looks very exciting on the horizon . Have a fab time in Italy, I hope you sort somewhere to live, and very best wishes to you both in your new life. ATB, Trevor P.S. Just leave the kids some sandwiches

Andrew, Welcome, as you can gather by the early time I'm writing this I am the only sober one around here (northerners seem to like their pop) . I would also say that e new battery would probably cure the problem, is it possible to borrow one to try before you go splashing out? ATB, Trevor

Charlie, She could probably buy Scotland ( she has 30 bob to spare) when I met her in Brizzol she had a nice Ferrari 458 , 'er indoors tried to get her to swap if for the Aston and said a personalised plate would look good on it (AM1) . But you tend to find multi millionairesses are not that stupid ! It is a bit far, and i've done my crossing of the Thames for this decade when I went up T' North to Leicester a few weeks ago. But have a fab time all the same ATB, trev

Charlie, Don't eat any of that, one flat liner is enough . Amy MacDonald is the English persons' favourite Scot http://www.amymacdonald.co.uk/gb/home/ ATB, Trevor

Paul, They have always been fine with me, which part of Hampshire are you from? I used to live in Alton. ATB, Trevor

Charlie, Of course we do , but I'd hardly say it's cheaper in the South, a lot dearer if anything . Food is only dearer because they eat properly and not live on pie and chips and mushy peas. Don't know how the price of fuel compares . Housing is dearer, and here in the West Country we have the dearest water rates. I like Amy MacDonald though . ATB, Trevor

Peter, I can understand why southerners live longer now , although they do eat jellied eels, which in all fairness sound sound just as disgusting . and the Devon lot eat seaweed ! ATB, Trevor

Charlie, Parked next to a 2014 Vantage the other week , some one said the same thing, "Poor man's Aston" , I explained, "on the contrary, it is a sensible man's Aston, and better in every single way " Told him I'd had two DB9's and Matey boy who'd bought the new Aston should have held fire until they have the Merc engines and electrics, they might be semi decent then. ATB, Trevor

Charlie, Don't put any supermarket fuel in the Jag , it is rubbish, ask any mechanic, it is just the basic fuel without the additives and of inferior quality . ATB, Trevor

Charlie, You cannot own a Jag XK and complain about the price of fuel, even in Scotland! (are the Scots twinned with Yorkshire?) It is going down here by the way . ATB, Trevor

Charlie, Some peeps seem to like noise, not that bothered myself, although mine does turn a few heads if I burble through town in Dynamic Mode with the active exhaust, if that is what you like it sounds better than any Aston I promise you . I would bring it up to show you, but that would mean crossing the Thames! This car is exactly like mine except mine has Ivory interior . http://www.mycarcoach.co.uk/news/road-test-review-jaguar-xkr-by-nick-johnson/ ATB, Trevor

Peter, I give idiots short shrift now, and don't stand any nonsense . Also cannot stand bad service, that is why I'm banned from Marks and Spencers, PC World, and Hinds the jewellers , just for pointing out they sold rubbish . Don't know about pensions, presume i'll get one, but don't know how much ATB, Trevor

Charlie, That sounds like a brill birthday pressie, I will officially be a pensioner in a few weeks, I already have a corn, and have got a tin of those travel sweets for the car . But I will just use it as an excuse for more live music and and fast driving ! ATB, Trevor

Charlie, Why would you want it to sound like the overpriced, overhyped, overated useless Aston Martin ? A friend of mine buys and sells cars as a secondary business, he has had every make apart from a Jag until last week end . He got a XJ Portfolio, devil's fuel version and said it is the best car he has ever had, and can now understand why I raved about them so much . So don't ever be envious of Aston Martins, they are unreliable junk, the Jaaaaags are ten times better. ATB, Trevor

Paul, I use these for my XKR, as I did for the Astons and BMW's , but they all prey on people's fear anyhow . I agree with Peter about Adrian Flux , Swift Cover wouldn't insure me as I didn't have a tracker ( cannot use them in north Devon ) so I can't comment on them. https://www.endsleigh.co.uk/personal/motor-insurance/car-insurance/ The blonde girl comes free if you insure through them . ATB, Trevor

Peter, Wouldn't know, don't know what they are. ATB, Trevor

Peter, All that I know is when the XKR is in dynamic mode and the supercharger kicks in, it is well noisy ! ATB, Trevor P.S. Been ordered out to Minehead (love going up and down Porlock hill) now, as 'er indoors wants to buy some Steiff teddy bears, do you want anything while I'm there ?

Philip , Your car looks the same colour as my XKR. Me in thick mode now, what is the difference between a turbocharger and a supercharger? ATB, Trevor