JAG for an 80 yr Old - pls advise
JAG for an 80 yr Old - pls advise
Author
Discussion

Mtomlin

Original Poster:

206 posts

241 months

Wednesday 1st June 2011
quotequote all
My Father in law currently drives a Rover 75 , which he has owned for around 10 yrs.

time has come to change it as its on its last legs, the only reason he bought it all that time ago was because it looked quite similar to a Jag in his opinion!

I am tasked with finding him his new car I have seen quite a few X types , engine spec isnt important as he does about 5k per year , whats more important is cost of ownership, how problematic are they, is there a partcular one thats better to maintain - eg 2.0 , V6 , or TDI ,

I have seen a feew going for around 2 - 4k with under 100k on them I just need to know good is visabilty in the car for parking etc as the Rover is terrible, also is this a good buy?

Do they come with parking sensors?

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

arfur

4,012 posts

240 months

Wednesday 1st June 2011
quotequote all
Mtomlin said:
My Father in law currently drives a Rover 75 , which he has owned for around 10 yrs.

time has come to change it as its on its last legs, the only reason he bought it all that time ago was because it looked quite similar to a Jag in his opinion!

I am tasked with finding him his new car I have seen quite a few X types , engine spec isnt important as he does about 5k per year , whats more important is cost of ownership, how problematic are they, is there a partcular one thats better to maintain - eg 2.0 , V6 , or TDI ,

I have seen a feew going for around 2 - 4k with under 100k on them I just need to know good is visabilty in the car for parking etc as the Rover is terrible, also is this a good buy?

Do they come with parking sensors?

Any input would be greatly appreciated.
I'd be tempted to get him into something a little higher up. I had this with my dad (83 now). The easier it is to get in/out etc the better. He may well be perfectly fine at the moment, but give it a couple of years and that could change (hope not obviously)

just my 10p

Mtomlin

Original Poster:

206 posts

241 months

Wednesday 1st June 2011
quotequote all
agreed the trouble is finding something in that budget thats not korean.

the wife is 20 yrs younger who will mainly be driving it - his main problem at the moment is not being able to judge the distances on the Rover as its fairly large and visability is poor.

any other options on the car front you can think of?

diesel piston

287 posts

240 months

Wednesday 1st June 2011
quotequote all
A nice looking XJ which would do for a few years
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Jaguar-XJ6-Exec-1997-X300-Ja...

Simpo Two

92,002 posts

291 months

Wednesday 1st June 2011
quotequote all
I think everyone should have an XJ before they peg it; however it's bigger than a Rover 75...

I also wouldn't trust parking sensors - a handy aid but not perfect.


What about an S-Type?

LFB531

1,269 posts

184 months

Wednesday 1st June 2011
quotequote all
My father is 82 and finds getting out of my S a bit of a struggle, they're quite low down once you're in.

Simpo Two

92,002 posts

291 months

Wednesday 1st June 2011
quotequote all
The seats go up and down - well mine do anyway!

MDT

722 posts

198 months

Thursday 2nd June 2011
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[quote=Simpo Two]I think everyone should have an XJ before they peg it; quote] oh god yes they shoul.


I may have had mates having a dig at me for driving “an old mans car” (I am only 37) I have had my next door neighbour who is 70, but walks 6-8 miles a day and swims 3 times a week and who I would class as quite fit and health for his age and he struggles to get in and out of the XJ8 the XJ6 being just that wee bit lower is even more of an issue. It seams to be the small doors that are the biggest problem and the XJ is a low car.

I would suggest a 2.5 S-type would do the job and your dad will be comfortable and will look cool being driven about in that by his 20 years younger wife, he is a sly old dog wink and is keeping the Jaaagggg image alive and kicking

PS: I think the Rover 75 is nicer looking than the S-type.


jith

2,752 posts

241 months

Thursday 2nd June 2011
quotequote all
MDT]impo Two said:
I think everyone should have an XJ before they peg it; quote] oh god yes they shoul.


I may have had mates having a dig at me for driving “an old mans car” (I am only 37) I have had my next door neighbour who is 70, but walks 6-8 miles a day and swims 3 times a week and who I would class as quite fit and health for his age and he struggles to get in and out of the XJ8 the XJ6 being just that wee bit lower is even more of an issue. It seams to be the small doors that are the biggest problem and the XJ is a low car.

I would suggest a 2.5 S-type would do the job and your dad will be comfortable and will look cool being driven about in that by his 20 years younger wife, he is a sly old dog wink and is keeping the Jaaagggg image alive and kicking

PS: I think the Rover 75 is nicer looking than the S-type.
Lads, are you all aware that the S Type and the Rover 75 share the same bodyshell, other than the front panel?

If your dad is having trouble getting in and out of the Rover, it will be exactly the same for the Jag. The XJ series are much worse. A good deal lower with very little headroom, particularly so if you are tall.

The only "tall" Jaguars are the old classics, MK 11, Mk X etc.

J

cheesyblob

370 posts

201 months

Thursday 2nd June 2011
quotequote all
jith said:
MDT]impo Two said:
I think everyone should have an XJ before they peg it; quote] oh god yes they shoul.


I may have had mates having a dig at me for driving “an old mans car” (I am only 37) I have had my next door neighbour who is 70, but walks 6-8 miles a day and swims 3 times a week and who I would class as quite fit and health for his age and he struggles to get in and out of the XJ8 the XJ6 being just that wee bit lower is even more of an issue. It seams to be the small doors that are the biggest problem and the XJ is a low car.

I would suggest a 2.5 S-type would do the job and your dad will be comfortable and will look cool being driven about in that by his 20 years younger wife, he is a sly old dog wink and is keeping the Jaaagggg image alive and kicking

PS: I think the Rover 75 is nicer looking than the S-type.
Lads, are you all aware that the S Type and the Rover 75 share the same bodyshell, other than the front panel?
J
No. What makes you think that?

jith

2,752 posts

241 months

Thursday 2nd June 2011
quotequote all
cheesyblob said:
No. What makes you think that?
Well, because they are! Simples!

Mtomlin

Original Poster:

206 posts

241 months

Thursday 2nd June 2011
quotequote all
He doesnt have problems getting in and out of the rover , he just cant park it a visability is terrible

Also its kind of dying and is in need of some TLC which is gonna cost far more than the cars worth spending money on.

He plays 3 rounds of Golf a week , and walks for england so hes a very fit 80 yr old!

mph

2,373 posts

308 months

Thursday 2nd June 2011
quotequote all
jith said:
Lads, are you all aware that the S Type and the Rover 75 share the same bodyshell, other than the front panel?

J
Where did you get this info from ?

The S type was based on a Lincoln (Ford) platform. The Rover was an in-house design.

Edited by mph on Thursday 2nd June 12:48

jith

2,752 posts

241 months

Thursday 2nd June 2011
quotequote all
mph said:
jith said:
Lads, are you all aware that the S Type and the Rover 75 share the same bodyshell, other than the front panel?

J
Where did you get this info from ?

The S type was based on a Lincoln (Ford) platform. The Rover was an in-house design.

Edited by mph on Thursday 2nd June 12:48
Well this is interesting mph; you have me doubting myself now. When these models came out, one of my customers was having his almost new Rover 75 repaired in the local bodyshop after a prang. I remarked that it looked very similar to the S Type, to which I was assured it shared the same shell, according to the Rover approved repairer.

I have just played around with two photos to compare the cars, and they are very similar in shape and size. I just assumed he was right. To tell you the truth, I have little interest in either of these cars because I don't like them, so I never really thought anymore about it. Plus the fact that nowadays the world and his wife swops engines, gearboxes, suspensions, why not shells.

J

Simpo Two

92,002 posts

291 months

Thursday 2nd June 2011
quotequote all
This is what an S-Type is more likely to resemble!


LFB531

1,269 posts

184 months

Thursday 2nd June 2011
quotequote all
Crikey that's ugly! Bet that's real wow down at the pub...I mean bar.

Simpo Two

92,002 posts

291 months

Thursday 2nd June 2011
quotequote all
Actually if you cover up the front the rest is not unlike an S-Type... but whilst the chassis is common I'm sure the body is unique.

cardigankid

8,866 posts

238 months

Sunday 5th June 2011
quotequote all
As you have been advised there is no connection between the S-Type and the Rover 75, other than both were retro designs. Later S-Types have moved totally away from the planned Lincoln sister vehicle.

No difference in height between an XJ6 and an XJ8 either, but the X300 is lower than the X350, and my recommendation is try out a few X350's.

a8hex

5,832 posts

249 months

Tuesday 7th June 2011
quotequote all
jith said:
The only "tall" Jaguars are the old classics, MK 11, Mk X etc.

J
For tall, surely you'd want a Mk VII, VIII or IX.

Over the years many Jaguar drivers have sadly had to leave the marque when their knees will no longer allow them to pleasure. This is certainly the case with my Uncle and shortly after the Double Six was replaced by a 540 he picked a friend up from the Heathrow to be greeted by the comment, "So your knees have given up too hey, my Jag gave way to one of these old peoples wagons last year too"

jith

2,752 posts

241 months

Tuesday 7th June 2011
quotequote all
a8hex said:
jith said:
The only "tall" Jaguars are the old classics, MK 11, Mk X etc.

J
For tall, surely you'd want a Mk VII, VIII or IX.

Over the years many Jaguar drivers have sadly had to leave the marque when their knees will no longer allow them to pleasure. This is certainly the case with my Uncle and shortly after the Double Six was replaced by a 540 he picked a friend up from the Heathrow to be greeted by the comment, "So your knees have given up too hey, my Jag gave way to one of these old peoples wagons last year too"
Absolutely A8; I grew up in the back of a MKVII and subsequently a MKIX. My dad's last one was rare manual/overdrive in black over mist grey. A beautiful machine.

If my lottery ticket comes up I will search the planet for exactly the same car, as I just love them.

By coincidence I had an X350 in for a service today and it is so much taller than the other modern saloons; and more headroom as well. But my god, the spares prices! Needs a top ball joint, but they aren't available separately, you have to buy the whole wishbone. 385 quid plus VAT!! Outrageous!

J