Jag X-Type 3.0 AWD vs Audi A4 3.0 quattro?

[PaperCut]

I'm looking to buy a 4wd saloon with a big V6 petrol engine for winter and both these seem viable. Which would you have? And have i missed any other car that fits the critera?

Barring the V6 part a Legacy SpecB would be good but i only have £3500-£4k tops and don't really like the Subs interior.

As you can imagine economy is not a big deal nor really is handling or amazing performance just a nicely finished 4wd a-b car.

So, Audi A4 3.0 quattro vs Jaguar X-Type 3.0 V6 AWD?

[fatboy69]

I have an X Type 3 litre V6 - owned it since March. It's a good car & there isn't much, if anuthing, to complain about.

The car handles well, rides very well - even better since I swapped a set of 19" wheels for 17's (the 19's are on PH classifieds if anyone is interested!) goes well, stops good & is Grat for cruising up & down the M5 to Devon which I does every couple of weeks.

Fuel consumption? Well it's a 3 litre AWD V6 auto so I isn't going to be frugal is it??

I haven't driven the Audi some cannot compare the two however the I wouldn't swop my Jaguar for an Audi. It is however down to personal preference.

Only thing I do miss, sometimes, is rear wheel drive & a manual gearbox. To fix that I still have my old trusty BMW!

[V88Dicky]

There's barely a fag paper between the Jag and Audi as far as my taste goes, but I'd probably go for the Jag because it's not an Audi.

I think the Legacy 3.0R is better than both TBH, and should be in budget for a saloon version.

[V88Dicky]

AL500 said:

The Audi will be far more reliable and also much cheaper to run long term than the Jag.

Your source?

[300bhp/ton]

AL500 said:

The Audi will be far more reliable and also much cheaper to run long term than the Jag.

Really? Is this actually based on anything factual? What exactly costs more on the Jag and what exactly makes it less reliable.

[fatboy69]

Well so far my Jaguar has been faultless & has cost me absolutely diddly squat with the exception of the wheels & tyres which was my own choice.

I know two other people who run X Types - both have been faultless. I also know a couple of people who run Audi's of different types. One a petrol engined car & the other running a tractor engine (sorry. I mean a diesel engine). Both have season tickets to the service dept at the Audi dealer......

I cannot speak from personal experience though because I haven't driven an Audi for a long time so I cannot compare costs.

II I was given the choice between a steering wheel that said Audi & a steering wheel that said Jaguar I would not pick the wheel with Audi on it.

But as I said earlier it's a personal choice.

[Six Fiend]

AL500 said:

V88Dicky said:

AL500 said:

The Audi will be far more reliable and also much cheaper to run long term than the Jag.

Your source?

My wife ran an A4 for 2 years....nothing broke or failed.
I have owned 2 Jags (XJS V12 and XK8).....both spent more time at the dealers than on the road!

So no experience of an X-type then.

Apart from the transfer box the 3.0 V6 is very reliable and the service parts easy on the pocket.

Mine has 72k on it at 10 years old, not a single squeak or rattle throughout.

Plenty of go and drinks at 20-22mpg in town and up to 38mpg on a run (have had 40+ driving gently on a 200 mile non-stopper with the cruise on).

Very comfy, huge boot and very cheap to buy. Even £2500 gets a lot of car.

SE gets all the toys in OPs budget, softer comfy ride.

Edited by Six Fiend on Thursday 20th September 20:00

[redgriff500]

I would suggest that as both are very much FWD biased that it might be worth looking at FWD cars that are both faster, lighter and more economical.

My wife has run winter tyres on her FWD for the last few winters and it's astonishingly competent.

My only issue with FWD is wheelspin or TC interference on fast starts.

However back to the OP I'd take the Audi it feels sportier and better built.

[Six Fiend]

redgriff500 said:

I would suggest that as both are very much FWD biased that it might be worth looking at FWD cars that are both faster, lighter and more economical.

My wife has run winter tyres on her FWD for the last few winters and it's astonishingly competent.

My only issue with FWD is wheelspin or TC interference on fast starts.

However back to the OP I'd take the Audi it feels sportier and better built.

X-type is 60% rear biased and doesn't feel very FWD to me. Obviously it's nothing on my old 540i in terms of tail happy handling but it's by no means dead feeling

[Cupramax]

redgriff500 said:

I would suggest that as both are very much FWD biased that it might be worth looking at FWD cars that are both faster, lighter and more economical.

I'm sorry but that's bks, I'm unsure on the Jag but the A4 is full time Torsen 4wd.

[FreeLitres]

redgriff500 said:

I would suggest that as both are very much FWD biased..

Not really!

OP- what is the price difference between A4 and X-Type for similar age/mileage?

My money would be on the Jag.

Edited by FreeLitres on Thursday 20th September 20:22

[r11co]

AL500 said:

The Audi will be far more reliable and also much cheaper to run long term than the Jag.

Wrong and wrong again. Well done for spouting rhetoric, 2nd-hand 'acquired' wisdom and prejudice in copious amounts with that statement though.

Had an X-Type 3.0 SE and regretted selling it ever since. Pretty unburstable and most service parts can be had for peanuts if you know the Ford equivalents (a starter motor can be had for £70 as opposed to £300 if you tell the supplier it is for an ST24 Mondeo rather than an X-Type).

My father had a V6 Audi - spent £400 alone getting the tyre pressure monitor senders changed when the batteries ran out on them......

[4key]

I can only comment on the quattro as that is the only one I have ever owned, everything else has been rwd. I bought my current one just before last winter and I was out in the snow at every opportunity deliberately trying to get stuck just to see what it could do. It had 4 barely legal tyres on it and as long as it had ground clearance it moved, I spent a night just driving around with a mate rescuing stuck cars for a giggle, it would even pull loaded transits up hills without too much fuss. I had to rescue a mates evo more than once and a random impreza

[Captain Cadillac]

I've sold plenty of X-Types without complaints. Now, A4s? Those always break.

The problem is that you're getting the usual "oh it's a Jag so that means it'll explode every 10 minutes and cost $25,000 for an oil change" silliness.

The truth is, Jags are really decent cars these days and the reputation keeps prices low, therefore you get a lot of car for the cash.

[fatboy69]

When I bought my X Type, a 2001 model with just 52k miles on the clock, I didn't consider anything else. The crappy Laguna was almost dead so we needed a reliable 4 door car. We saw the Jag, drove it, left it, had a look at some other cars, drive the Jag again & bought it.

I know that the transfer box is probably its weakest point however I didn't put me off - also knew that many parts are Ford therefore relatively cheap to repair if they go wrong.

As I have said I cannot compare directly with the Audi as I haven't driven it & also didn't even consider it when I bought the Jaguar.

It is 60/40 in favour of rear wheels so it doesn't feel like an FWD car to me. Driven enough FWD & RWD cars to know the difference.

I like the car, swmbo likes the car & my 7 year old son loves going to school in it because, in his own words, 'igo to school in a Jaguar!!!'

The garage who look after my cars, a small, trustworthy local Indy, also said that the Jaguar was an easy car to look after & to work on. They also know which parts are interchangeable with the Mondeo so should anything go wrong they will sort it.

Simple as that. Doubt they could do that with an Audi!

[Six Fiend]

AL500 said:

PaperCut said:

I'm looking to buy a 4wd saloon with a big V6 petrol engine for winter and both these seem viable. Which would you have? And have i missed any other car that fits the critera?

Barring the V6 part a Legacy SpecB would be good but i only have £3500-£4k tops and don't really like the Subs interior.

As you can imagine economy is not a big deal nor really is handling or amazing performance just a nicely finished 4wd a-b car.

So, Audi A4 3.0 quattro vs Jaguar X-Type 3.0 V6 AWD?

I have owned two Jaguars in the past and now currently drive an Audi RS6. I would suggest that (in my opinion) the Audi is the wise choice here.
In your suggested price range the Jag will most likely be rusty and a potential money pit.

X-types rusty? The sills are the only possible weak point under the plastic covers. Other than that, nope, they're good.

Money pit? How? These are not XJSs or XJs!

Why keep repeating ill informed guff?

Edited by Six Fiend on Thursday 20th September 21:02

[fatboy69]

bks.

It isn't a dressed up Mondeo. Granted some parts are interchangeable but a dressed up Mondeo? Ill informed twaddle.

My car is 11 years old - not a spot of rust on it anywhere as I had it thoroughly checked after I bought it just to be on the safe side.

My neighbours two year old Mini has got rusty wheel arches - my car hasn't!

Edited by fatboy69 on Thursday 20th September 21:20

[kentmotorcompany]

Not sure why you have dismissed the Subaru based on price. Spec B models do exist for your budget.

If the car is not your cup of tea then fair enough, but for what you want it is arguably the most reliable and best handling.

[northwest monkey]

AL500 said:

PaperCut said:

I'm looking to buy a 4wd saloon with a big V6 petrol engine for winter and both these seem viable. Which would you have? And have i missed any other car that fits the critera?

Barring the V6 part a Legacy SpecB would be good but i only have £3500-£4k tops and don't really like the Subs interior.

As you can imagine economy is not a big deal nor really is handling or amazing performance just a nicely finished 4wd a-b car.

So, Audi A4 3.0 quattro vs Jaguar X-Type 3.0 V6 AWD?

I have owned two Jaguars in the past and now currently drive an Audi RS6. I would suggest that (in my opinion) the Audi is the wise choice here.
In your suggested price range the Jag will most likely be rusty and a potential money pit.

I'd go for the Jag - I've had one & it was perfect over 3 years bar a sensor on the exhaust. You'll get internet comments about it being a Mondeo etc, but I'd challenge anyone to find the equivalent 4WD V6 Mondeo....Nice comfy cars & great in the winter. When we had one, we went up to Skye one winter & Pitlochry the next - both in the middle of winter & both times coped very well indeed. They can have a raging thirst though - they do sound lovely when revved which doesn't help.

As for the Audi - everyone knows they're just a Seat or a Skoda in a fancy frock

[schmalex]

I can't comment on the 3.0, but I had a 2.5 X-Type. It was the most awful car I have ever owned. Gutless, thirsty, uncomfortable, very poor headlights (in winter, they seemed to get covered in road salt very quickly). The drivers seat position was so uncomfortable I couldn't spend more than an hour in it at a time.

It really was an awful car, with the only redeeming feature being the 4WD in winter. I was delighted when I got rid of the hateful lump.