More money, same problem

[Scoticus]

So, as many of you will know I am currently looking for my first Jaguar.

Following my first thread here http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

I have now come into a lot more money. This however, hasnt solved my problem.

I find my self looking at XK 4.2 (aliminium,non supercharged) and the newer XJR...

Obviously they both of pros and cons
the XK is stunning to look at and makes a noise like nothing else, but lacks the supercharger (300bhp)
Now this car is cheaper for my to insure and slightly better on fuel, but costs upwards of £6000 more then an XJR.

The XJR is again very pretty, has proper back seats and has a supercharger (400bhp)
Now this car as stated is cheaper to buy, but is more to insure and worse on fuel.

Now I know they are an odd choice to compare, but these are the two I constantly look at.

At the age of 22 this will be my first proper high performance car, and my first Jag, and as we all know, you only get one chance to buy your first jag, and it has to be right..

So really my question is; If you were in the position which would you buy?

The pretty coupe
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2013...


or the powerful saloon?
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2013...

these are just to show which models im talking about

Does the supercharger matter in the 'real world' or is it something thats used once a flood?

sorry to woffle, but I really need to get this right

thanks everyone

views, opinions and all comments welcome.. as much as possible

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Benbay001 said:

I was in a vaguely similar position to you.
Albeit i had less money to spend.
I am 2 years younger than you, i bought an S Type R, as the headline power figure won me over (albeit i didnt have any other jags on my shopping list).
The S Type's engine is the same as that in the XJR albeit the XJR is lighter.
I am very very happy with it, but its not loud enough. And i cant currently afford a throaty exhaust.
I cannot comment on the XK because i have never been in one, yet alone driven one.

If i was in exactly your position i would drive both, and if XK felt quick enough for me, then it would be the one i would buy. Simply because a big saloon is something you need as you get older and gain a family. (yes, the XJ and XK are probably the same size)

However, there is something very very nice about a supercharger!

you do have a point there.
the problem is, although I am 22, i look much, much younger.. I get ID'd for the lottery every time...
testing driving them may be an issue because of this..

My dad has the steel bodied XKR and it goes up the road like a stabbed rat, and that has a 4 litre supercharged engine.. so it puts expectations in mind as to what the other cars are going to be like...

I dont want to buy one car and the wish I had bought the other..

How quick is the XK? is it fast enough to not bother buying an XJR?

does anyone have experience of both cars?

it really would help

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Ecurie Ecosse said:

I had a newer model XK 4.2 on loan for a week a few years back. I really liked it - as you say, the noise is fantastic and they look so good - particularly in black with the bigger wheels as my car had:



It was a fast car, but not an Oh My God fast car like the supercharged cars (which can be made even faster with simple pulley mods etc). I have had an X300 XJR and now have an X308 XJR, but I haven't driven the newer model. Saying that, you don't use the full performance of the supercharger cars that often, given traffic levels, speed limits and the impact on MPG

The XK is very stylish, and as an overall package I would go for that, given your age. I got my first XJ when I was about your age, and the "old man's car" jibes got a bit tiresome after a while.

Something else to think about are the residual values - I think the XK will do better there too.

Now pictures like that dont help at all!

Lovely looking cars.. just wish i could stretch to the supercharged one..

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P700DEE said:

As the owner of a 4.2 S Type and a 4.0 XKR convertible I can tell you that although the 4.2 S Type can easily be driven as fast as the XKR there is nothing that compares to the kick from the supercharger and you find it is there all the time. I find my XKR seems much faster than the S but in reality it isn't. On this basis I would be looking at older shaped XKRs, spending less also means lower depreciation. Cars over 10 years old you should be able to get classic insurance. Why not take you dad and the XKR to some jag dealers (with your driving licence) and both of you try out the options

Thanks for this.
Sadly buying an older XKR isnt an option as the insurance is £1500+

I think ill have to try my luck and have a test drive of both the XK and XJR
see which i prefer.

I agree with you though, the kick down of my dads is amazing, and it goes up the road like nothingniv even driven

it makes me wonder what the newer, more powerful and light XJR would be like

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entwistlecymru said:

I'm a couple of years older than you and I've just bought an XJR, and as far as the ladies go the key is usually enough I tried a couple of XKs and plumped for the XJ just cos it's more of a wolf in Sheeps clothing. You also have the benefit of rear seats so you and your mates can use it as a ghetto gunship should you wish.

Now that makes more sense..

I do tend to become the taxi driver, because i dobt mind driving, and almost none of my mates can drive..

I find my self swinging to the XJR..

Thanks for your comment. its brought up some issues id not even thought about

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mph said:

Cue for a gratuitous picture of my XJR.

SOLD!

ill take one in black please

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Benbay001 said:

GavinPearson said:

Before you get either car, investigate running costs. They are expensive cars to run and service.

Yep.
My car will have soon had £800 of tyres put on it since September.
Have you looked at S Type Rs?
Alot cheaper, i know. But...

Iv looked at a few STRs, they arent really my cup of tea.. plua the insurance is way too much.. well north of £1300
The XJR is half that and the XK even less

Servicing and maintanance costs dont phase me at all, I wouldnt even consider a Jag if they did.. they are all part of running a high class marque

In all fairness, i find ny self coming down on the side of the XJR... there is a stunning paramount performance one in the classifides..

but, i little more research will be done..

Is the missing 100bhp really that noticable in the XK.. i weighs a fair bit less the the XJR so it should have similiar power to weight ??

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ewoudwo said:

Scoticus.. here we meet again The XK is the looker of the two but let me remind you of the following. You might have a future encounter with an XJR while driving an XK8 - to which my thought would be.. yeah should've bought the supercharged one. To me it never works the other way round. I work in a street where there is an M5 (v10) and XK8 staring at me in the morning. The XK8 to me doesn't excite me personally but the high-power sedans just keep tickeling my pickle. The XK8 to me is the same as a 328 with M3 badges. Why don't you just have it all and choose an XKR. WHen you buy a jaguar you really shouldn't think of criteria such as insurance and running costs. You're screwed anyway, but nobody can call you a square. Good luck

If only it was that simple.. the XKR is 7k more then the XK..

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car crazy said:

ryanjohnstott said:

At your age I would suggest that you will be a bigger hit with the ladies (or gents!) in the XK. The XJR will only get respect from old men and gangster types.

That's my view - over to everyone else!

I was thinking either of these choices would be more suited to someone in thier fiftys, for that kind of money I'd want a Nissan GTR or a secondhand 911 or R8.

One of the reasons I love these two cars. The old man image doesnt bother me either.. while people my age think that, they will be a cheap car to insure.. Other cars with similar power are double sometimes triple the amount to insure.. for example, the V10 BMW M5 is £1997.97 to insure.. the XJR is £700..

I have around £16,000 to spend.. I know that i cant get any of them for that money..


Today I went out in a 2008 4.2 XKR.. OH MY GOD! it went up the road like its arse was on fire!

I thought the previous 4ltr XKR was fast, but this was on a completly different planet!

Its just a shame I cant afford the supercharged XK.. however, I can afford the XJR from around the same year.. The question is, does the XJR go like the XKR?.. I know the XKR will have the advantage in the corners, but what about the straigh bits?

also, whats the non-supercharged XK like compared to the supercharged (4.2)

thanks

[Scoticus]

So today I test drove an XK 4.2 from 2007.

The car was brilliant, I could find a single thing I didnt like.. the noise is still with me!

However, I then went to look at an XJR, sadly the car had been sold so I was unable to take it for a test drive, it was still in the showroom so obviously I had a look around..

Given I have experienced the engine already, admittidy in an XKR, I have decided now that the XJR is the way to go.

I love everything about the XK, but the engine.. and for the money I would be paying out for a 2006/7 model I can buy an 2008 facelift XJR.. My man maths is this, why buy a mid-range sports coupe, when for the same money and less I can buy a top of the range super-saloon..

I would like to thank everyone for the advice and for putting up with my woffle.

[Scoticus]

mph said:

Good luck with your search and don't forget to keep us updated.

If you get a good one you won't regret it, but make sure you do your homework before buying.

Edited by mph on Friday 22 February 07:15

Thanks, this purchase is 2 years in the making.. theres not a lot I dont know about these cars now due to this..

As soon as i have my car ill put plenty of pictures up