Jason,

I am happy to report that the XK-150 won its class at the Jaguar meet at the Muckenthaler Show yesterday AND won best Jaguar overall. Since the SoCal Jaguar club had so many Jags show up at this event (about 30 yesterday), the event people gave us a separate area and class. The Jag Club supplies its own judges for their cars.

We scored a 99.94 with the only deductions coming from some issues in the engine compartment which should be easy to resolve. Overall it was a good chance for me to get the car on display and checked over by other sets of eyes before the sanctioned events start.

We had a crowd around the car all day, despite the competition from some real high- dollar vehicles on the field. The quality of the restoration was universally praised and I was not shy about telling folks where it was done. When I showed a few folks the photos of the side panels cut off the car, they could not believe the quality of the body work.

Most people thought I must have used two or three restoration specialists to get the quality and variety of work done on the car. It was a real surprise to some that such high quality paint and body, mechanical and upholstery work could be done in one shop. When most people saw my "before" and "after" photos they were shocked.

Please give my thanks to your team. Their care and concern throughout the restoration process made XKs a great company to work with and, most importantly, resulted in a restoration we can all be proud of.

Steve Kirby
Irvine, CA  

Click here to get the restoration story on this XK-150.

 

 

Dear Sir,

I wish to commend a couple of people in the XKs Unlimited organization, specifically Jackson Light and Steve Phillip - sales representatives.

My order for spark plug wires (Jackson, 5/31/05) and an order for a muffler and related hardware (Steve, 6/27/05).

Both orders arrived at my door the next day! Nice doing business with people who understand that anyone who owns and maintains a '67 E-Type (31 years) - needs all the help he can get.

Sincere thanks to all.

L.A.H, Calif.

Hello XKs,

Jaguar Drivers Club area #51 Louisville is very appreciative of your support for our recent 22nd Concours d'elegance. This year the weather was perfect and we had a very successful show. The quality of the cars was very high.

Your XK bags for entrants, pens, California car duster, small cat, Connolly Leather Cleaner and Hide Care and XK catalogues were all greatly appreciated by everyone. There were some happy Jaguar owners on our banquet awards event.

We placed your pens and all literature in the goody bags and also displayed the items in our welcome suite for all to view.

Your support is greatly appreciated and recognized. This year the weather was perfect and we had a successful show. The quality of the Jaguars entered was very high.

Thank you for your support of our JCNA Concours.

Robert E. Parks
Concours Chairman

Editor's Note: We've edited the following letter to remove reference to specific businesses.

Dear Sir,

I think I have been a customer for over five years; in fact, it could be over ten years. I have always had great service from your company and your staff during this time. The last five months I have had many problems and again your staff has helped me greatly. I have always been able to get a straight answer from all, but Jim Taliaferro has helped me so much during the last five months I wanted to write.

I have a Jaguar that is over twenty years old and has some problems my mechanic couldn't diagnose, so I went to the local Jaguar dealer in town. We only have one dealer, and in the past I have had no problem. One man just looked at the car and stated it must be the airflow meter and it would take around two weeks for the part. I stated I would get it through your company since the service is faster and I could get a rebuilt part for less. Then the car still didn't work. Took it back to Jaguar and they stated it was probably another part. Well, for six weeks parts kept on going and coming and Jaguar stated the parts from your company were bad. I stated I had never had any problems prior. I had to send over five or six parts back to your company because of what the Jaguar dealer stated. I'm sure your parts were OK and they were just selling me new parts, but I have no idea about cars.

The bottom line is that I will never deal with the Jaguar dealer again since I do not trust them. In fact, my mechanic stated I needed another part later to help with the brakes and I had no problem. He stated at the same time that the dealer was probably selling me new parts. During all this time I received all the help and credit form your company and Jim was great in helping. I was just so sorry for all the hassle caused by myself with my Jaguar dealer. It was unfair to your company who always gave great service and good products. I will always continue to deal with XKs Unlimited and wish [Jaguar] had another dealer here in my state, but they don't. My mechanic only knows so much about Jaguar cars.

Well, thanks for having a great company and staff that helps Jaguar owners. I have nothing to say but good things about XKs Unlimited.

Yours truly,

T.J.M.

Dear Jason,

On behalf of the Jaguar Owners Club and all of JCNA, thank you so much for all your sponsorship participation in the AGM. You provided invaluable support, providing us with the confidence and daring to put on what was probably the best AGM yet. The attendance broke all records and was certainly more than we expected.

We are so glad you were able to be there in person. It gave the people from other parts of the country a chance to put a face with XKs, personalizing the merchandise and services you offer. The cars you brought were a hit, and it was great to see the XKs trailer as a backdrop to the car display. Thank you for the goodie bags. They went home with people throughout the JCNA range. The wine glasses were a bright, extra touch. People were very surprised and pleased to find out they could take them home as momentos.

Your banner was large, but the Queen Mary's engineering department did a good job of finding a place to hang it in its full glory in the banquet room. As I write this, Creig Turner and my husband are driving out to the raceway to enjoy the action and to return your banners. You will probably have more use for them soon.

We have had lots of emails and notes already from participants who have told us how much they enjoyed the AGM. We hope that you, too, are glad to have participated.

Warm regards,

Judy Graven
AGM Co-Chair
Jaguar Owners Club, Inc.
Los Angeles, CA

Hello XKs,

In case I have not adequately conveyed how pleased I am with the car, this picture shows how I looked when I first saw the car in my garage. The other picture is out in the street.

Keith

Mr. Len,

I am writing to inform you of my absolute, complete satisfaction with the recent mechanical restoration/enhancement of my 1956 XK-140MC OTS at your facility. I took possession of my Jaguar on Wednesday, March 12 and drove it from your business to my home in Seal Beach. The trip was uneventful and the car performed beautifully. During the past week I have had the opportunity to drive the Jaguar more than 200 additional miles and found the car to be as close to new mechanically as I believe possible. Every mechanical aspect of the car performs flawlessly and exceeds my expectations.

Your restoration manager may have shared with you that this particular vehicle has been in my family since my uncle purchased it new in 1956. I was eleven years old when I first rode in this car and fourteen when I first drove it more than 100 mph in Kansas. Based upon my memory (which I believe is very good since I was a history student and teacher before retiring), the jaguar, performs like new since your technicians performed their work on my car. Both "Eric" and "Carl" are master mechanics and are second to none in their restoration abilities and skills. I hope you appreciate their abilities and provide appropriate compensation for their outstanding work. Kudos are wonderful, but monetary rewards are more lasting in holding onto talented personnel.

Throughout the process, your restoration manager kept me abreast of the progress on my car and followed my directions precisely as we had previously agreed. My intention was to make this car a "driver" and not a candidate for judged shows. That is exactly what I have obtained in contracting with your company, and for this I shall be eternally grateful. i selected the word "eternally" very carefully, since I want you to understand that this car will stay in my family for generations to come. My youngest daughter feels the same way I do about this car and she will take over from me when I am no longer able to enjoy the thrill of fast motoring in one of the world's truly fine vehicles.

Again, thank you for your efforts in creating an honest, reliable and technically precise automobile operation. I shall recommend your establishment to any and all of my Jaguar enthusiast in future conversations. And that is publicity you simply can not buy! Best of everything in your future endeavors, I remain respectfully,

Roger Wyatt

Hello XKs,

Thank you for the photos taken during the work on the Jag 120 . . good for my file. My drive up the Big Sur Coast was great . . sunny warm day . . drove up thru Santa Cruz . . Half Moon Bay and across the Golden gate to Sonoma in the wine country. Car ran flawlessly . . a great tune job by Eric . . . nice suspension too. From Sonoma the car went on a trailer back to Spokane, where winter is now setting in and the car will be put away until next spring. Thanks for all your attention to it. I will send a photo of the crew around the car at the Open House.

Nick Hudson

Dear Sirs,

In the last ten years "Customer Service" has become an oxymoron in this country. Companies advertise customer service but often do not deliver. I want to single out Mike, in your customer service group, as an exception to that rule. I was recently involved in a series of transactions with XKs Unlimited that had mistakes or misunderstandings on both sides. Mike took the initiative, sorted out the problem, communicated with me regarding the resolution, and delivered on his promise. Please express my thanks to Mike for a job well done. You should be aware that his actions and follow through made "customer service" a reality for your company.

Sincerely,
Jon Perlman

Hi XKs,

Car ran great!! One would think it was brand new - she has never run so well!! Thanks for having her look so "ship shape" upon customer pick up. Really makes a difference. Appreciate you taking the time to show me the shop -what a bunch of beautiful cars. Folks must love working there. You have a very satisfied customer and I am sure I will be requesting your services in the future.

Thanks,
Mike Demere

Hi Folks,

I received your two catalogs today. I'm very impressed and grateful that you'd send these, it wasn't "cheap". You're obviously a class operation. (I have no doubt you'll get the money back on future orders.)

Thanks again,
Jim Evens

Hi XKs,

One of the best performing "Grand Touring"; absolutely the prettiest XK-120s known to man. Wow! I've had this thing since 1997, and it seems to get better every day. I'm as pleased as can be. And thank you for the rear main seal kit for my 120 coupe. I'm really looking forward to the wind wings with the "leaper" to enhance my roadster.

Alan

Dear Jason and Bonnie,

Thank you so very much for your generous sponsorship of the JCNA event recently held in Franklin, Tennessee. It was a pleasure to have Dave and LaVonne Light attend on your behalf. I hope they enjoyed the wonderful array of Jaguars that gathered there. One will never forget the C-Types, D-Types, Lister and Lightweight 120 that took up a good part of the parking area at the Marriott! Your generosity certainly was above and beyond what we had expected. The wonderful door prizes were a great addition; we ticketed them, placed a ticket in each registration packet, when the registrants had compared numbers - and after they were on display until Friday a.m., they could claim their prize. I think it was an extra bit of fun for them. We did miss your presence; hopefully when 2003 is staged in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area you will once again be able to attend. I do not believe the date has been selected as of this time. Again, words cannot truly express our appreciation. Please accept this "itty bitty" momento of the event as our expression of thanks.

Yours truly,

Katherine E. Nell
JAGUAR CLUBS OF NORTH AMERICA, INC.
2001 CHALLENGE CHAMPIONSHIP
Franklin, Tennessee
July 24 - 28, 2001
kjnell@aol.com