Another, what should I buy thread. Jaguar XJR, BMW 540 etc?

[EddieJT]

Hello all,

I know a lot of these threads come up, so sorry to bore you, but if anyone's interested here's my criteria:

- £5K - £10K
- Non-front wheel drive
- At least 4 doors preferably with 3 proper seat belts in the rear (I have 3 kids)
- 0-60 < 7 secs

As for transmission, I'd want manual, but the wife is Canadian and "can't drive stick". For this reason I don't mind either; if we do end up with a manual then she'll have to learn (better add easy to change clutch to the list).

I'm pretty handy with a spanner (did many a Nova engine swap as a lad) and will hopefully have a double garage soon, so am after something I can work on (read as not afraid to maintain something unreliable). The car will only be used as a weekend car for the family - no commuting, so I'm not too worried about fuel consumption.

I was a teenager in the 90s so am of the Sapphire Cosworth generation and would have loved one of these, but I always put off buying one. Now I'm in a position to get one, and prices have gone through the roof :-( I should have bought one when I could 10 years ago. Oh well.

Would consider any age really; that said, I'm happy to do mechanical work but sorting out rust is not something I'd want to tackle.

I've had Merc W124s and love them, but I want something with a more modern powerful engine. I'm thinking Jaguar XJR or BMW 540i. I'd go a bit left-field and consider an Impreza WRX. I've even looked at imported Subaru Legacy.

Anyone got suggestions that I haven't considered?

Oh, and the cooler the better!

Edited by EddieJT on Wednesday 10th April 08:27

[Xcore]

E39 m5, w211 e55 amg, jag s type r

[EddieJT]

Thanks.

• Enters into Google.*

[EddieJT]

Do many E39 M5s go for under £10K?

W211 E55 - now you're talking! Hadn't considered one of these. First search brought up this: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2003-Mercedes-E55-amg-b...

Same with the S Type R: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Jaguar-S-Type-R-Superch...

[Krikkit]

If you're looking at the S-type, sack it off and get an XJR instead - the X350 XJR is lighter than an S-type, and looks roughly one million times better.

[beerexpressman]

Maserati Quattroporte may just be in budget...

[EddieJT]

Appreciate all the advice.

I used to be well in to cars, but over the last 10 years I've concentrated on houses and children, while the car world has passed me by; I need re-educating.

Agreed, the XJR is better looking than the S-type. Is the non supercharged XJR still under 7 secs?

[EddieJT]

beerexpressman said:

Maserati Quattroporte may just be in budget...

You're right!: https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

[P700DEE]

EddieJT said:

Appreciate all the advice.

I used to be well in to cars, but over the last 10 years I've concentrated on houses and children, while the car world has passed me by; I need re-educating.

Agreed, the XJR is better looking than the S-type. Is the non supercharged XJR still under 7 secs?

There is no such thing as a non supercharged XJR, they are either an XJ6 which is not sub 7 seconds or an XJ8 which with the 4.2 is just at 6.6 seconds to 100KPH. Wiki doesn't quote for the 3.5 V8

[EddieJT]

P700DEE said:

There is no such thing as a non supercharged XJR, they are either an XJ6 which is not sub 7 seconds or an XJ8 which with the 4.2 is just at 6.6 seconds to 100KPH. Wiki doesn't quote for the 3.5 V8

Oh I see. Thanks for the info.

[tomsugden]

EddieJT said:

beerexpressman said:

Maserati Quattroporte may just be in budget...

You're right!: https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Who drives around in a Maserati with a broken number plate for 5 years? That example looks shagged, kerbed wheels, dents on both wings, missing radiator fin.

[plasticpig]

Krikkit said:

If you're looking at the S-type, sack it off and get an XJR instead - the X350 XJR is lighter than an S-type, and looks roughly one million times better.

Or get a X350 Super V8 instead . LWB so more room for the kids in the back and they go for quite a bit less money than an XJR.

[Etypephil]

XJR is a safe bet; not much goes wrong and they go forever, so don't worry about the mileage.

This one looks decent value:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

It should have the later VVT; Jag never upped the power / performance claims, but https://www.automobile-catalog.com/make/jaguar/xj_...

quotes 4.7 seconds 0 - 60 mph and 52 seconds 0 - 160 mph.

More info http://jagchat.net/

[Mo28]

An XF S is well within budget or an XF R, but that may surpass your £10k limit.

[philipbrown123]

How about an Audi S8 with the 5.2 litre V10. Just about within budget. Might test your spannering skills !

[ninjag]

Have you considered the XF 5.0 V8?

This one has a good MOT history: https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

There's also the XFR: https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Some lower mileage 4.2 available also: https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-search?sort=price...

[ninjag]

Mo28 said:

An XF S is well within budget or an XF R, but that may surpass your £10k limit.

Ah missed this! lol

[EddieJT]

Some great ideas here; I've got a lot to learn.

[ZX10R NIN]

Jaguar XF SV8

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Mercedes E55 AMG

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

E63 AMG if you can stretch the budget/haggle hard this would be my pick.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

If you fancy something different then there's the 5.2 V10 Audi S6

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

550i

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Audi A8

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Edited by ZX10R NIN on Wednesday 10th April 23:45

[Sc0tchland]

ZX10R NIN said:

Your suggestions are what I come onto this forum for, amazing.