Need a new XJ - look for a manual?
Discussion
Chaps,
My X300 is on her last legs - rust has bitten deep. Time to search for a new X300 or X308. Is it worth looking for a manual? I've driven a manual XJS and it was fun, but the clutch was very heavy for town. Quite fancy picking the gears myself. Auto suits the car better of course. Is it much faster? Can I get much better mpg? - I should hope so, the current car won't change into top until 50+, whilst the XJS could be slotted into fifth at 20 without complaint.
Thoughts?
My X300 is on her last legs - rust has bitten deep. Time to search for a new X300 or X308. Is it worth looking for a manual? I've driven a manual XJS and it was fun, but the clutch was very heavy for town. Quite fancy picking the gears myself. Auto suits the car better of course. Is it much faster? Can I get much better mpg? - I should hope so, the current car won't change into top until 50+, whilst the XJS could be slotted into fifth at 20 without complaint.
Thoughts?
If you are remotely interested, I can link you some manual cars I have found: I have one, and I wouldn't have an automatic. As I have said before, it is a heavy clutch, and a heavy gear change, but getting it spot on is the sweetest feeling I have had in a car!
Grab a sports exhaust as well and you have a subdued beast for town driving and motorway cruising and an incredible sounding beasty on the B roads (and I think I am right in saying the manual holds the gears substantially better than the auto, although I am happy to be corrected)
MPG has averaged 27mpg in the time I have owned it: I have seen 35 while driving very carefully, but can get 30mpg at 70 mph
I believe it is a bit quicker, depending on your gearchange of course, again happy to be corrected.
I think the manual XJ6 is amazing, and feel everyone should experience it once!
Grab a sports exhaust as well and you have a subdued beast for town driving and motorway cruising and an incredible sounding beasty on the B roads (and I think I am right in saying the manual holds the gears substantially better than the auto, although I am happy to be corrected)
MPG has averaged 27mpg in the time I have owned it: I have seen 35 while driving very carefully, but can get 30mpg at 70 mph
I believe it is a bit quicker, depending on your gearchange of course, again happy to be corrected.
I think the manual XJ6 is amazing, and feel everyone should experience it once!
Edited by YoungRestorer on Thursday 23 July 15:40
Before buying my manual XJ6 I used to think that I preferred automatics, but with so much of my enjoyment of the car coming from because it is a manual I am now not so sure.
A manual gearbox in a 2 tonne luxury car sounds so out of place (the oddball nature was why I was drawn to them in the first place) and yet in practice it suits the car so well.
I know it may have been mentioned once or twice, but the clutch and gearbox really are as heavy/difficult to use as we say they are. I use the car mostly in stop/start London traffic and it sometimes really is a chore and a fair bit of concentration is required to change gear without any bucking/kangarooing.
But then you get the satisfaction of nailing a perfect up shift, or heel toe down shift, or pulling away from walking pace in 3rd gear without any fuss just because you can, etc.
I really, really would like a bit more power though. Is more power worth losing the manual gearbox? In itself, not really IMO. Hence why I will probaby not buy a X308 XJR as this car's replacement as I originally planned because in a car so similar I'd miss the gearbox. I think I'll only replaced this with a X350 XJR or keep it forever if I can find someone to supply and fit the XJR6 driveline (sans gearbox
) for a reasonable price.
A manual gearbox in a 2 tonne luxury car sounds so out of place (the oddball nature was why I was drawn to them in the first place) and yet in practice it suits the car so well.
I know it may have been mentioned once or twice, but the clutch and gearbox really are as heavy/difficult to use as we say they are. I use the car mostly in stop/start London traffic and it sometimes really is a chore and a fair bit of concentration is required to change gear without any bucking/kangarooing.
But then you get the satisfaction of nailing a perfect up shift, or heel toe down shift, or pulling away from walking pace in 3rd gear without any fuss just because you can, etc.
I really, really would like a bit more power though. Is more power worth losing the manual gearbox? In itself, not really IMO. Hence why I will probaby not buy a X308 XJR as this car's replacement as I originally planned because in a car so similar I'd miss the gearbox. I think I'll only replaced this with a X350 XJR or keep it forever if I can find someone to supply and fit the XJR6 driveline (sans gearbox
) for a reasonable price.Edited by 279 on Friday 24th July 22:28
279, let me just drop this in here: many miles, but we both know these cars wear them well! I reckon this bad boy answers your questions about more power?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Jaguar-XJR-with-factory-...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Jaguar-XJR-with-factory-...
YoungRestorer said:
279, let me just drop this in here: many miles, but we both know these cars wear them well! I reckon this bad boy answers your questions about more power?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Jaguar-XJR-with-factory-...
Considered it, but at nearly 6k its dancing with x350 super v8s and xjrs which is probably where my money would/will go. Plus I'm not to be trusted with something so rare! http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Jaguar-XJR-with-factory-...
.I would tell the OP to look for a 4.0 manual to get the best of both worlds, but I don't think i have seen a 4.0ltr manual actively for sale! 0-60 in 7 seconds iirc, just .4 off xjr auto pace with all its extra power and power lock diff so must be a real hoot, I can see why people might be holding onto them.
Another thing to think about with the manuals is spec. not too sure what options were available, but lots of 3.2 manual I've seen have half leather, so I don't know what other toys they missed out on.
Here are a couple of options:
First up, an XJ40: http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C616874
To these eyes, quite expensive.
An X300: http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C625594
Super expensive, but a 4 litre and sports exhaust.
Last but not least: http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C564468
I enquired about it last year when I was trying to buy mine, and found it lacking. Since then they have readvertised it every 3 months with progressively more things having been done to it: when I looked it had a half leather interior, dropped headlining and a normal gearknob. Might be worth a look?
There is another on JEC classifieds, but it doesn't seem very good: really depends what OP is looking for?
First up, an XJ40: http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C616874
To these eyes, quite expensive.
An X300: http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C625594
Super expensive, but a 4 litre and sports exhaust.
Last but not least: http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C564468
I enquired about it last year when I was trying to buy mine, and found it lacking. Since then they have readvertised it every 3 months with progressively more things having been done to it: when I looked it had a half leather interior, dropped headlining and a normal gearknob. Might be worth a look?
There is another on JEC classifieds, but it doesn't seem very good: really depends what OP is looking for?
279 said:
Considered it, but at nearly 6k its dancing with x350 super v8s and xjrs which is probably where my money would/will go. Plus I'm not to be trusted with something so rare! .
I would tell the OP to look for a 4.0 manual to get the best of both worlds, but I don't think i have seen a 4.0ltr manual actively for sale! 0-60 in 7 seconds iirc, just .4 off xjr auto pace with all its extra power and power lock diff so must be a real hoot, I can see why people might be holding onto them.
Another thing to think about with the manuals is spec. not too sure what options were available, but lots of 3.2 manual I've seen have half leather, so I don't know what other toys they missed out on.
It is, that is correct, but I just don't trust the new cars to stay running. I'm already on a limited, student budget, and I can't afford to drop £££ on electrical problems that will never resolve! If I had £6k, it would be that car (I love the X300) or an XJS... I love them too much!.I would tell the OP to look for a 4.0 manual to get the best of both worlds, but I don't think i have seen a 4.0ltr manual actively for sale! 0-60 in 7 seconds iirc, just .4 off xjr auto pace with all its extra power and power lock diff so must be a real hoot, I can see why people might be holding onto them.
Another thing to think about with the manuals is spec. not too sure what options were available, but lots of 3.2 manual I've seen have half leather, so I don't know what other toys they missed out on.
I too have been searching xj6 manual every day, and am sick to death of Yamahas
YoungRestorer said:
Here are a couple of options:
First up, an XJ40: http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C616874
To these eyes, quite expensive.
An X300: http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C625594
Super expensive, but a 4 litre and sports exhaust.
Last but not least: http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C564468
I enquired about it last year when I was trying to buy mine, and found it lacking. Since then they have readvertised it every 3 months with progressively more things having been done to it: when I looked it had a half leather interior, dropped headlining and a normal gearknob. Might be worth a look?
There is another on JEC classifieds, but it doesn't seem very good: really depends what OP is looking for?
Thanks. Holy Grail is the 4.0 manual, Five grand is pushing it, hope it goes to a collector really, I would thrash it First up, an XJ40: http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C616874
To these eyes, quite expensive.
An X300: http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C625594
Super expensive, but a 4 litre and sports exhaust.
Last but not least: http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C564468
I enquired about it last year when I was trying to buy mine, and found it lacking. Since then they have readvertised it every 3 months with progressively more things having been done to it: when I looked it had a half leather interior, dropped headlining and a normal gearknob. Might be worth a look?
There is another on JEC classifieds, but it doesn't seem very good: really depends what OP is looking for?
YoungRestorer said:
My one is currently for sale (Ebay, Car and Classic and JEC) for anyone who is interested
I hadn't realized you were just up the road from me! Good luck with the sale, mine will be following suit in the next couple of weeks as I just don't use it anymore Out of interest what are you replacing your with?
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