I'm tempted by this...Opinions please
Discussion
You can get the equivalent Jaguar for a lot less. For classic Jags and Daimler XJ6's the rule of thumb used to be that the Daimler would fetch £500 to £1000 more than an equivalent Jaguar. I am not convinced the X300 has reached classic status yet. You can get a mint Jaguar X300 for £2.5K so the dealer is asking £125O more for the Daimler.
Stealer is the right description - while a 3 grand X300 is a better overall proposition than a X308 at the same price that's way too much for both cars - especially at the mileages given.
Personally I'd avoid getting too fixated on exactly which model and trim you want - that's a privelge reserved for purchasers of much newer cars IMO - and concentrate on finding the best example you can. Don't forget that even though the X300 is a robust car the youngest you'll find is now 11 years old and that's long enough for differences in how the car has been treated and maintained through it's life to become the most important criteria of all.
Mileage is not usually a problem, providing the car has been treated with care, but rust will be. Have a look at the rear wheel arches and feel inside for evidence of filler, look very carefully at the closing plates at the rear of the sills, bottom of the front wings and bulkhead behind the engine.
Have a look on jagads (the JEC classifieds) join the JEC and get hold of the club magazine, and there's often nice ones here on PH too. Take your time and look at and drive several, that way when the good one comes up you'll spot it straight away.
It's very hard to give advice about how much to pay - you could pick half a dozen similar cars from Autotrader and find a massive difference in condition and value when you go to look. Personally I pay what the car is worth to me, having taken into account how much I want it, what the chances of finding a better example are and how much it needs to have spent on it.
As a rough guide £3000 should be your top price, unless the car is very very special indeed - and that should get you a really good one.
Personally I'd avoid getting too fixated on exactly which model and trim you want - that's a privelge reserved for purchasers of much newer cars IMO - and concentrate on finding the best example you can. Don't forget that even though the X300 is a robust car the youngest you'll find is now 11 years old and that's long enough for differences in how the car has been treated and maintained through it's life to become the most important criteria of all.
Mileage is not usually a problem, providing the car has been treated with care, but rust will be. Have a look at the rear wheel arches and feel inside for evidence of filler, look very carefully at the closing plates at the rear of the sills, bottom of the front wings and bulkhead behind the engine.
Have a look on jagads (the JEC classifieds) join the JEC and get hold of the club magazine, and there's often nice ones here on PH too. Take your time and look at and drive several, that way when the good one comes up you'll spot it straight away.
It's very hard to give advice about how much to pay - you could pick half a dozen similar cars from Autotrader and find a massive difference in condition and value when you go to look. Personally I pay what the car is worth to me, having taken into account how much I want it, what the chances of finding a better example are and how much it needs to have spent on it.
As a rough guide £3000 should be your top price, unless the car is very very special indeed - and that should get you a really good one.
Many thanks for the advice. The daimler is appealing as it's got the full main dealer history, which I confirmed with the service manager (doves croydon 9 stamps), who said previous owner had always got things done when needed. Also, 87,000 miles seems very low (too low?)which I always deem a good thing. (might be wrong there though....)
I will heed your advice though and be patient. It's just difficult as these cars have really got to me!
The only other question is: LWB or SWB?
Many thanks.
I will heed your advice though and be patient. It's just difficult as these cars have really got to me!
The only other question is: LWB or SWB?
Many thanks.
SWB every time for me unless you really do need the extra legroom. You may find a trace of scuttle shake under certain road conditions on the X300 - very subtle, but it's there. I'll assume unless sombody comes up with the bending moment figures to prove otherwise the LWB, like most stretched cars will have less torsional ridigity of the bodyshell then the standard model so all other things being equal it's likley to be worse in this respect.
There's a slight - around 100kg IIRC - increase in weight on the LWB and you'll have enough trouble fitting a standard XJ into most of the pathetically tiny parking spaces in the UK, never mind one that's even longer.
Strength and size aside, have a long, hard look at the side profile of the SWB and LWB. IMO the extra length of the rear doors spoils the proportions and balance between wings, doors and roofline of the XJ.
There's a slight - around 100kg IIRC - increase in weight on the LWB and you'll have enough trouble fitting a standard XJ into most of the pathetically tiny parking spaces in the UK, never mind one that's even longer.
Strength and size aside, have a long, hard look at the side profile of the SWB and LWB. IMO the extra length of the rear doors spoils the proportions and balance between wings, doors and roofline of the XJ.
Good point about the parking! I agree the swb looks much better and I'm sure anybody travelling in the back will enjoy the fact they are in a jag and not a mondeo.
I'm going to email the dealer and ask how much he's prepared to knock off before I waste 4 hour round trip to look at it.
Many thanks again.
I'm going to email the dealer and ask how much he's prepared to knock off before I waste 4 hour round trip to look at it.
Many thanks again.
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