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

[ryanjohnstott]

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!

[Benbay001]

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!

[Scoticus]

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

[mph]

Really it's down to what you want the car to do for you. They're both excellent cars.

IMHO the XJR is the better car overall, faster, cheaper to buy and more practical.The fact that it's a wolf in sheeps clothing also has a certain appeal to me.

When I got mine the OH was underwhelmed to say the least, but now she loves it. I also think if you get a really good one and look after it the depreciation shouldn't be too bad.

On the other hand if image is important to you there's no doubt the XK8 is the one to go for.

If you really don't mind which one you end up with then it's much simpler.

Just look at a few of each and buy the best one you can afford.

[Benbay001]

Ecurie Ecosse said:

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

I seem to find more than enough opportunities. (assuming the car isnt going to live in town all the time)

[Scoticus]

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..

[P700DEE]

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

[Scoticus]

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

[entwistlecymru]

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.

[Scoticus]

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

[mph]

Cue for a gratuitous picture of my XJR.

[Scoticus]

mph said:

Cue for a gratuitous picture of my XJR.

SOLD!

ill take one in black please

[gattonero]

I would go for the XK every time -XJR is an old man's car in my view and yes image is important. XJR puts you in the same bracket as a Saab driver (ask Clarkson). Yes, nice car etc etc but not a looker. It is going to be your first Jag so you want it to be memorable for goodness sake! This may be perceived as a totally shallow response, but you did ask! Whichever you choose - good luck and drive carefully, then the police won't have an excuse to stop you (usually).

[GavinPearson]

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

[mph]

gattonero said:

I would go for the XK every time -XJR is an old man's car in my view and yes image is important. XJR puts you in the same bracket as a Saab driver (ask Clarkson). Yes, nice car etc etc but not a looker. It is going to be your first Jag so you want it to be memorable for goodness sake! This may be perceived as a totally shallow response, but you did ask! Whichever you choose - good luck and drive carefully, then the police won't have an excuse to stop you (usually).

Not sure I'd agree with Clarkson as an image consultant

Having owned quite a few high performance Jags I've usually been more impressed with the saloon versions over the coupe. This goes back as far as the XJS days.

I've just got rid of an eighteen month old XKR convertible and taken on an XJR. Yes the XKR was absolutely fantastic and the performance was something else,but .... we didn't have a summer, it only holds two people and the XJR was less than 1/3 of the price.

I agree with you on the looks, there's no competition, and if the OP is wanting to impress others he should go for an XK. On the other hand if he wants an understated performace car and needs something more practical .... Go for the XJR.

[Benbay001]

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...

[Scoticus]

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 ??

[ewoudwo]

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

[Scoticus]

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..