Jaguar XK vs Mercedes SLK 55
Jaguar XK vs Mercedes SLK 55
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Discussion

TheFungle

Original Poster:

4,194 posts

226 months

Sunday 17th June 2012
quotequote all
I've come to the conclusion that I want a V8 biggrin

Having seen an XK looking glorious whilst at Loch Lomond last week it set me off on a classifieds search and my oh my, they are certainly into affordable territory now, of course one thing led to another and I ended up looking at SLK 55s, again they are falling to an affordable level.

As I'm getting older I've come to the conclusion that I don't want a 'maximum attack' car anymore but I'm not quite ready to waft everywhere either, reading reviews of the XK would suggest that for a large GT coupe it still is a very involving drive. Reading reviews of the SLK would suggest that at 10/10 it has an overly interfering 'computer', yet at 7/10s it's perfectly enjoyable.

I plonked my arse in an XK in a Jaguar showroom yesterday and fell in love, I sat in an SLK 200 and felt massively underwhelmed, would the AMG version feel better inside?

Currently drive an MX5 so quite a change biggrin

Geoff Stilwell

679 posts

195 months

Sunday 17th June 2012
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Jaguar any day of the week. I have an XKR S and its brilliant. Also had an R100 XFR again..brilliant. Forget the Merc and get a real car that you can drive and hear.

Phil Dicky

7,193 posts

283 months

Sunday 17th June 2012
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Geoff Stilwell said:
Jaguar any day of the week. I have an XKR S and its brilliant. Also had an R100 XFR again..brilliant. Forget the Merc and get a real car that you can drive and hear.
I'd go Jag too...but an AMG Merc at full chat takes some beating noise wise

Rushmore

1,223 posts

162 months

Sunday 17th June 2012
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Jag is a grown-up car, SLK is more of a souped-up MX5/Z4. I would go for the Jag. Women love it, it is great for touring, quick and yet comfortable.

TheFungle

Original Poster:

4,194 posts

226 months

Sunday 17th June 2012
quotequote all
Phil Dicky said:
I'd go Jag too...but an AMG Merc at full chat takes some beating noise wise
That's my dilemma, I get the feeling the SLK is an ok car with an amazing engine shoe-horned into it whereas the Jaguar is the complete package.

I'd also miss roof down motoring and the XK convertible is still too pricey for me to consider.

kambites

70,289 posts

241 months

Sunday 17th June 2012
quotequote all
Why the SLK rather than the SL? I would have thought that would be more of a direct competitor for the Jag.

TheFungle

Original Poster:

4,194 posts

226 months

Sunday 17th June 2012
quotequote all
No reason at all except for I prefer the looks of the SLK. In aware the two cars are from a different 'category' but hey, they're both great in one way or another.

AlexKing

613 posts

178 months

Sunday 17th June 2012
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Just out of interest, where and when exactly did you see the XK? It might have been mine...

irocfan

45,761 posts

210 months

Monday 18th June 2012
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Is the Merc likely to be more reliable than the XK? AT 10/10s it may not be 100% fulfilling - but how often are you likely to drive at 10/10?

Hammerhead

2,706 posts

274 months

Monday 18th June 2012
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The XK all day long.

ajb85

1,124 posts

162 months

Monday 18th June 2012
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Big engined Jags can and do go very wrong. Gearbox first.

BMW 645ci manual. You can buy that one with your heart and your head!

TheFungle

Original Poster:

4,194 posts

226 months

Monday 18th June 2012
quotequote all
AlexKing said:
Just out of interest, where and when exactly did you see the XK? It might have been mine...
Last Wednesday, rolling up to Cameron House, will be very impressed if it was you!

spiritof'76

1,424 posts

244 months

Monday 18th June 2012
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SLK55 AMG for me.......... afraid i can't get round that thing of the Jag being for the more mature gentleman tongue out

The 55 is the only Merc i like too if i'm honest but that's just because i can't really get on with bigger cars in the UK frown

Could be wrong but i think if you know the correct sequence of button presses you can put the AMG in Dyno mode and drive without any electronic intrusion and go as sideways as your heart desires biggrin

Just something very 'right' about a 55 on the right 19's wink


300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

210 months

Monday 18th June 2012
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ajb85 said:
Big engined Jags can and do go very wrong. Gearbox first.
Yet they still consistently beat BMW, Audi, Mercedes and many others in customer satisfaction and reliability surveys... whistle BTW the gearbox is built by ZF... a make you'll find sitting in many other cars too wink

AlexKing

613 posts

178 months

Wednesday 20th June 2012
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TheFungle said:
Last Wednesday, rolling up to Cameron House, will be very impressed if it was you!
Nah, not me, but you should buy the XK anyway. A Jag is special, a Merc could be a minicab.



ETA Piccie

kambites

70,289 posts

241 months

Wednesday 20th June 2012
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AlexKing said:
Nah, not me, but you should buy the XK anyway. A Jag is special, a Merc could be a minicab.
Um, there's loads of Jaguar taxis around here (although admittedly there's more Mercs).

AlexKing

613 posts

178 months

Wednesday 20th June 2012
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kambites said:
Um, there's loads of Jaguar taxis around here (although admittedly there's more Mercs).
Admittedly, my views are coloured by the fact that I live in Birmingham where you seem more Mercs than Fords in some communities...

All the same, Jag don't make a small hatchback so, for me, it will always feel more special to me to pick that Jag key fob out of my pocket than a Merc one. Not even slightly rational, I know, but buying this sort of thing is as much about how it makes you feel as anything else. You'll know if a Jag's right for you.

DanDC5

19,699 posts

187 months

Wednesday 20th June 2012
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I want to say the Jag purely on the fact it looks fantastic. But the sheer ridiculousness of a 5.5 litre V8 in an SLK makes it the car I'd buy. Take the cats out and engine driving a car that sounds like a spitfire.

AlexKing

613 posts

178 months

Wednesday 20th June 2012
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DanDC5 said:
I want to say the Jag purely on the fact it looks fantastic. But the sheer ridiculousness of a 5.5 litre V8 in an SLK makes it the car I'd buy. Take the cats out and engine driving a car that sounds like a spitfire.
Or you could take the appropriate fuse out of the Jag and do the same...

Not that I ever would, occifer cop

TheFungle

Original Poster:

4,194 posts

226 months

Thursday 21st June 2012
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AlexKing said:
DanDC5 said:
I want to say the Jag purely on the fact it looks fantastic. But the sheer ridiculousness of a 5.5 litre V8 in an SLK makes it the car I'd buy. Take the cats out and engine driving a car that sounds like a spitfire.
Or you could take the appropriate fuse out of the Jag and do the same...

Not that I ever would, occifer cop
Now that sounds interesting, do tell..

Loving the picture on the beach, my favourite colour, either that or liquid silver, tough choice.

Hopefully going to look at both cars over the weekend and see which grabs the heart more, the boss has given provisonal approval which is always good smile