£12K to spend on a Jaguar - options?

[Seeker UK]

Sorry but this another one of those 'what car' threads.

I'm saving up my pennies over the year to buy a decent car at the end of 2012 / early 2013 by which time, I should have about £11-12k to spend on a car. I fancy a Jag for a change and for that money, I have 3 real options: A very very good S-type, a very good XJ or a slighyl leggy XF.

The car has to a diesel and I would prefer an XF as it's a more modern looking car but at yet, I have only ever driven a s-type so I don;t know how the other 2 models drive in comparison.

Thoughts? Any models to avoid etc?

Thanks in advance.

[Simpo Two]

I'd say a very good XJ; the last chance to have a 'proper' Jaguar

[EVOeng]

Simpo Two said:

I'd say a very good XJ; the last chance to have a 'proper' Jaguar

+1

The X350 XJ is a wonderful car; especially in 2.7 form.

[pete5570]

If you want a modern Jag, go for the XF, you should be able to get an early 2.7d at a push, you'll have to look at high milers with the lower spec. OR you could go for a top spec low mileage X350 2.7d, at that money, you would get a stunner. I know what i would go for though, The X350 XJR, forget the fuel economy!!

[AmitG]

Hi OP - you mentioned that you fancy a Jaguar "for a change" which suggests that you're either new to the marque, or returning after a long absence.

In this case, the car you get should be instantly recognisable as a Jaguar. It should be grace, space and pace triple distilled into something that is the very essence of Jaguarness.

The S-type unfortunately does not meet this criterion.

The XF is a fine choice, but as you say you will only get a leggy example for that money. This will leave nothing in reserve for the inevitable repairs.

The X350 XJ is the one to go for. Spend £11K on a 2.7 TDVi with good history and as many toys as you can find. Spend the last £1K on a bulletproof warranty. And enjoy driving the last XJ whose styling DNA can be traced back to the 1968 original.

It has its detractors, for sure. Some say it is ungainly. It is certainly not as svelte as the X300. But it has aged well. I now find it beautiful; the classic XJ shape evolved to satisfy the practical demands of today's buyers.

Some parts, such as the paintwork and interior switchgear, are not worthy of the car. The aluminium construction was ahead of its time but the interior technology was behind the curve.

For £12K, this is IMHO as good as it gets.

[xkrGiles]

I thought you said a proper Jaguar ? Diesel ? How is a rattle box a proper Jaguar ? Thats a bit like driving a Diesel Range Rover, have you tried it, they are ste compared to the petrols.

I know, I know - you want a daily driver and Diesel makes sense.

Buy yourself a Focus for when you MUST.
Then buy an XKR for when you WANT.

[Seeker UK]

xkrGiles said:

I thought you said a proper Jaguar ? Diesel ? How is a rattle box a proper Jaguar ? Thats a bit like driving a Diesel Range Rover, have you tried it, they are ste compared to the petrols.

I know, I know - you want a daily driver and Diesel makes sense.

Buy yourself a Focus for when you MUST.
Then buy an XKR for when you WANT.

Given that a petrol costs significantly less than a diesel, I may well consider an XJ petrol against a diesel one. However, checking Autotrader shows that the cheapest XFs to buy are diesel and XKs? No thanks I think they're ugly - well, the ones at 12K are.

[dkatwa]

something like this would float my boat...high milage but it would not put me off at all...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DAIMLER-SUPER-EIGHT-2007...

[LFB531]

AmitG said:

In this case, the car you get should be instantly recognisable as a Jaguar. It should be grace, space and pace triple distilled into something that is the very essence of Jaguarness.

The S-type unfortunately does not meet this criterion.

Sorry AmitG, got to take a bit of issue there. So what does an S Type look like if not a Jag, I think it's an instant spot, whether you like the way it looks or not is personal.

A budget of 12k is well over S Type money but you'd get a belter either petrol or diesel for £8k.

And yes, I'm biased. My daily driver is a 4.2. Easily the pace of any of the designs you mention, blissfully quiet unless you open the taps, a very nice place to be, not so big you can't park it and easy to get late 20's mpg on a motorway run.

Duncan

[The Leaper]

LFB531 beat me to it!

R.

[Simpo Two]

LFB531 said:

Sorry AmitG, got to take a bit of issue there. So what does an S Type look like if not a Jag, I think it's an instant spot, whether you like the way it looks or not is personal.

You're right, but it doesn't have the waft factor.

[XKRacer]

Seeker UK said:

XKs? No thanks I think they're ugly - well, the ones at 12K are.

Hahahaha And there's me thinking someone is going to jump up and down all over that statement, I beleive he is wrong, but he is entitled to his opinion however.... wrong

I guess I am biased

[Seeker UK]

XKRacer said:

Seeker UK said:

XKs? No thanks I think they're ugly - well, the ones at 12K are.

Hahahaha And there's me thinking someone is going to jump up and down all over that statement, I beleive he is wrong, but he is entitled to his opinion however.... wrong

I guess I am biased

The shape of the first gen XK just doesn't do it for me (the new ones are a different issue) so if I was sepnding 12K on a car that is going to cost me more to run, the trade off is it's something I have to feel totally over and there are other GTs wot do that. ([edit] Perhaps I just need to drive one, I don't know....)

Please don't misunderstand; you've got a car which ticks all the boxes for you and that's all good - I wish I could find a car that was a perfect balance of staisfying my head & heart.

[AmitG]

LFB531 said:

AmitG said:

In this case, the car you get should be instantly recognisable as a Jaguar. It should be grace, space and pace triple distilled into something that is the very essence of Jaguarness.

The S-type unfortunately does not meet this criterion.

Sorry AmitG, got to take a bit of issue there. So what does an S Type look like if not a Jag, I think it's an instant spot, whether you like the way it looks or not is personal.

A budget of 12k is well over S Type money but you'd get a belter either petrol or diesel for £8k.

And yes, I'm biased. My daily driver is a 4.2. Easily the pace of any of the designs you mention, blissfully quiet unless you open the taps, a very nice place to be, not so big you can't park it and easy to get late 20's mpg on a motorway run.

Duncan

All IMHO, and each to his own of course. What I was trying to say was that while the capabilities of the S-type are not in doubt, to me it does not scream "Jaguar" in the way that the XJ does.

The XJ could not be anything other than a Jag and to my eyes it is the neater design.

At the end of the day they are all good choices and it's a good job we don't all have the same opinions

[XKRacer]

Seeker UK said:

XKRacer said:

Seeker UK said:

XKs? No thanks I think they're ugly - well, the ones at 12K are.

Hahahaha And there's me thinking someone is going to jump up and down all over that statement, I beleive he is wrong, but he is entitled to his opinion however.... wrong

I guess I am biased

The shape of the first gen XK just doesn't do it for me (the new ones are a different issue) so if I was sepnding 12K on a car that is going to cost me more to run, the trade off is it's something I have to feel totally over and there are other GTs wot do that. ([edit] Perhaps I just need to drive one, I don't know....)

Please don't misunderstand; you've got a car which ticks all the boxes for you and that's all good - I wish I could find a car that was a perfect balance of staisfying my head & heart.

Hmmm that depends how much of a speed demon you are, and the XK does not unfortunately tick all my boxes, if it did I would not modify them so much!!

I now have 4 XKs and a XJS, never a fan of the saloon Jags but if all I had was £12K and wanted a daily but economy was an issue, I would spend £9K on an STR and then spend another £3K getting it gassed
A friend of mine has an XFR 5.0, pheonomenal..... Only word for it, not too impressed with the interior, its nice dont get me wrong, just does not feel Jaguar.....

[xkrGiles]

XKRacer said:

Seeker UK said:

XKs? No thanks I think they're ugly - well, the ones at 12K are.

Hahahaha And there's me thinking someone is going to jump up and down all over that statement,

Even considering 99% of people think they are the best looking modern Jag ? And a number of the press said it was possibly the best looking Coupe ever made ? (quote taken from "CAR" magazine June1998)

Oh and the Jaguar dealers all call the XK "the last proper Jaguar"

But i'm sure your correct, a diesel eurobox will be the best looking

[Simpo Two]

xkrGiles said:

Even considering 99% of people think they are the best looking modern Jag ?

Doesn't say much for the XF or new 'XJ'!

[pete5570]

Anyway, back to the topic. If it as my money 12k, I would go for the X350 4.2 (probably supercharged), If i had half the budget, I would look at the S type 4.2 se or type R.

[Thin White Duke]

dkatwa said:

something like this would float my boat...high milage but it would not put me off at all...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DAIMLER-SUPER-EIGHT-2007...

This is the type of car I'd be going for. A lot of car for little money (compared to the cost when new only 5 years ago)!

[dbdb]

Thin White Duke said:

dkatwa said:

something like this would float my boat...high milage but it would not put me off at all...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DAIMLER-SUPER-EIGHT-2007...

This is the type of car I'd be going for. A lot of car for little money (compared to the cost when new only 5 years ago)!

My brother had one a few years ago; it was superb.