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My X-Type Story

Model: X-Type

Engine: 2.5 V6 SE

Transmission: Manual

Exterior Colour: Zircon Blue

Interior Colour: Barley Leather

Location: Middleton, North Manchester

Owned by Pete Smith since 2007

Album last updated: 8th July 2026 at 07:35

Introduction

P88 SMT is my 2003 Jaguar X-Type 2.5 V6 SE manual, finished in Zircon Blue with barley leather interior. I bought the car in 2007 to replace my ageing Vauxhall Vectra SRI, and as I had already taken delivery of a 1992 XJS the year before, I knew the replacement had to be another Jaguar.

Over the years the X-Type has become far more than simply a car. It has been my daily transport, my business companion, a holiday car, a show car, and a Jaguar I have never seriously considered parting with. Now with 178,000 miles on the clock, it enjoys a slightly gentler life, but it remains very much part of the family.

Finding the right X-Type

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Back in 2007 I decided to take the plunge and buy an X-Type. To me, the X-Type represented the last of the traditional-looking Jaguars, and I had always noticed the new cars waiting outside Halewood when travelling down the Mersey Expressway.

I went to Stratstone in Manchester, which was then a Jaguar and Ferrari dealer, and gave them my preferred specification. I was looking for either Zircon or Pacific Blue, with cream or barley interior, along with my preferred mileage and budget. After a few weeks I got the call: a 2003 manual in Zircon Blue with barley leather had arrived at their Edinburgh showroom.

The car was brought down to Manchester for inspection and a test drive was arranged. What I noticed immediately was the lovely comfortable armchair feel of the seats, the silky smoothness of the V6, and that slight growl from the exhaust. The deal was struck and, after transferring my own plate onto the car, P88 SMT came home a few days later.

I produced this article following the publication of an article I wrote about the car in the Jaguar Enthusiast's Club Magazine.

If you would like to read the original magazine article, you can find it here:

JEC Magazine Article – X-Type Story by Pete Smith

Business Companion

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For many years P88 SMT was not just a weekend or holiday car. It was my regular transport to the office and a car I used for business as well as pleasure.

The X-Type provided a great trip to work every day, along with many weekends away and longer journeys. By 2015 the mileage was just under 100,000, and the car had already proved itself to be a comfortable and dependable companion.

That mixture of everyday usability and Jaguar refinement is one of the reasons I became so attached to it. It was practical enough to use regularly, but still special enough to feel like a proper Jaguar every time I got behind the wheel.

Keeping P88 SMT Looking Its Best

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After many years of use, the time came to tackle some annoying areas of bubbly paint around the rear wheel arches. By then I was using the X-Type more for pleasure than business, so it felt the right moment to preserve the bodywork properly.

Pre-cut repair panels were used, which allowed a perfect match on what is a particularly difficult curved section of the car. Once the repairs were painted and blended, the result was excellent, with no obvious joins or mismatch in the finish.

It was important to me that the work was done properly. P88 SMT had already given me many years of loyal service, and I wanted the car to continue looking smart and presentable for future trips, shows and X-Type gatherings.

However, more trouble lay ahead for P88 SMT. In 2022, during the MOT, it was discovered the sill repairs carried out in 2017 had themselves started to rot through and so full rails were needed this time. Very disappointing, but once again there was never any question of having the work carried out.

Then in 2023 — disaster. Whilst carrying out a routine afternoon of polishing in the garage, I overlooked the fact the car was in gear and started it up. The car shot forward and into the back of the garage wall, taking out the bonnet, front bumper, nearside headlight cluster, radiator grille and moving the slam panel.

Saving an Old Friend

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Like any car that has been used properly over many years, P88 SMT has needed its share of mechanical attention. In 2015, with the car approaching 100,000 miles, I noticed the gears slipping and first gear becoming harder to select.

A visit to my trusted garage confirmed that a new clutch was needed. At the same time, a small leak on the garage floor was diagnosed as the oil sump gasket. Both jobs were carried out together, which is quite an involved task on the Jaguar V6 engine. I remember being horrified when I saw how much had to come out of the engine bay before the clutch and sump gasket could be accessed.

Other work during this period included a new radiator, two central locking modules and regular service items. Later, the car also required sill repairs, first with partial replacements and then, in 2022, with full rails.

Although some of these jobs were disappointing, there was never any serious question of not having the work done. By then the X-Type was not just another used car. It was an old friend.

A Jaguar for Exploring Britain

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Some of my happiest memories with P88 SMT are from trips away. The car has taken me to Northumberland many times, including visits to Etal Village, the Lady Waterford Gallery at Ford, and Cragside near Rothbury.

These are exactly the sort of journeys where the X-Type feels at home. Comfortable, refined and easy to drive, it has always been a relaxing car for covering distance, but still with enough Jaguar character to make the journey feel special.

For me, these photographs capture what ownership has really been about: not just keeping a car polished in the garage, but using it, enjoying it, and building memories around the places it has taken me.

Displaying P88 SMT

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P88 SMT has also enjoyed life on display, including an appearance at Manchester Airport. These occasions are a reminder that the X-Type is now becoming a car of genuine interest within the Jaguar community.

For a long time the X-Type was perhaps under-appreciated, but more people are now recognising its place in Jaguar history. It represents one of the first modern compact Jaguar saloons under Ford ownership, and good examples are becoming increasingly worth preserving.

I feel it is important that cars like P88 SMT continue to be seen, enjoyed and represented at club events and shows.

X-Type Adventures Continue

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The X-Type still continues to give pleasure, including through X-Type tours and club gatherings. One regular highlight has been the X-Type tour of Wales, based at Llanarchinda Farm, where owners spend a few days together and drive planned routes to local places of interest.

These events are about far more than the cars alone. They are about the people, the places visited, and the shared enthusiasm for a model that is now finding its rightful place within Jaguar ownership.

P88 SMT may now be enjoying a gentler retirement, but with 178,000 miles on the clock it still has plenty of life left in it. It continues to attend shows, take part in trips, and provide exactly the kind of enjoyment that made me buy it in the first place.

I took my XE RSport one year, and the photo below shows the magnificent Viaduct we had to pass underneath every time we went to or from the holiday accommodation.

In this anniversary year for the X-Type, I feel it is important to preserve as many good examples as possible. The model is an important part of Jaguar’s heritage, and I hope P88 SMT will continue to be part of that story for years to come.

Happy X-Type motoring.