Update-tastic
I just thought I would add to this thread again, as I never replied. Thanks for the kind words about the car, I don't think I have ever seen OcUK so agreed on a car !
It went in for an MOT today, something I had been dreading coming up - being an old Jag an all I had figured it would eat up all its contingency money, so you can expect my surprise when it came back with a totally clean ticket, no advisories
The MOT dude said it was as clean as a whistle apart from one tiny scab of rust on the inner part of the outer wing, the only thing nearly getting an advisory were the rear tyres - 2300 miles out of them, not bad
Apparently all the bushings under the front have been very recently done, so I double checked the history and so they have - he said it was the tightest driving XJ he had felt!
The sad news is she will be up for sale soon, I have to confess to being a student intern, so the decent regular income will be stopping again in September while I put the finishing touches on my degree. Half of me wants to store her, as its too good a car to let go, the other part says its a travesty to keep it from someone who would use it properly ! The sensible part says I should not have bought it in the first place, but being young single & earning a very decent wage for 18 months got the better of me, maybe I should put that flame suit on after all...