XJS or S5???

[glaffy]

I've been lurking on this forum for a while and this is my first post. I'm seriously thinking about buying an Audi S5; I've been on two test drives and certainly the car is handsome and well built. It is also fast and makes a nice, if rather muted, rumbling V8 sound when accelerating. But, it feels rather anodyne to me. The interior is generic Audi and I felt slightly disengaged when driving it.

So I'm now thinking: What else is there for about the same price (£40k), with the same configuration (2+2 GT), broadly similar performance and reliability, but which is much more interesting?

My thoughts led me inexorably to the XJS, specifically a KWE XJS, on the basis that this is close as one can get to a "new" XJS. I understand that a KWE V12 XJS (without any modifications or extras) costs around £37,500. With a 5-speed Keisler manual gearbox (which, from what I've read, greatly enhances the performance of the short stroke V12 and impoves economy) and AJ6 Engineering power enhancements, the car delivers performance which is not embarrassingly off the S5. All of this would take the price to £42,000-odd.

My question is: Would anyone on this forum consider a KWE V12 XJS, configured along the lines above, to be a credible alternative to the S5??? I know that KWE pitch their saloons as serious alternatives to new premium luxury executive cars, but the XJS seems difficult to place....

Look forward to your thoughs.

[Jaguar steve]

£42k? For an XJS?

IMO you'd have to be a real enthusiast specificaly for the XJS, to the exclusion of absolutely everything else in that price range, to spend that amount of money on one. Regardless of the fact that the KWE XJS is virtually a new car.

Unless you're planning to keep it forever - in which case have a serious think about where exactly you'll buy parts from in 20 years time - I'd take some advice on resale values too, as niche cars like that are almost impossible to value. If you're forced to sell it for whatever reason you could loose a fortune.

Looks like a classic case of heart says yes and head says no to me.

XK8? Porsche? Aston? How about an immacuate DB7 Manual V12 for £30k spotted in the classified recently?

Edited by Jaguar steve on Thursday 11th September 09:13

[carter711]

You cannot compare an S5 to an XJS they are completely different cars, the S5 would embarrass the jaguar in every performance test.

Saying that i honestly believe the XJS was and is one of the finest looking cars ever created, for me it would have to be a celebration model in metallic burgandy with the late 5 spoke wheels, such a good looking car and i can understand what you mean about the XJ being interesting as they have huge character.

Bear in mind that if you buy an XJS from KWE you will not be able to resell it without losing alot of money, id say you would be very lucky to get £16-£18k for it in the current economic conditions, the S5 will hold it's value alot better as they are desirable to more people.

If money was no object, or i was sure i was going to keep the car for a good 20 years i would choose the XJS as they are getting very rare now and are a very special and prestigeous English car (to me at least).

the S5 is more of a 'white good' although a bloody good one! You may look like a bit of a footballer driving it as opposed to an English gent from old money but that's not much of a consideration as it is a very powerful and precise car with tons of technology (good/bad thing?) to make your life easier.

It's a tough one, at least tougher than i first thought. I think you just have to ask yourself what you really want from a car.

Keep us updated!

[Gramrugby]

This won't help but I thought I'd add my tuppence worth. I have the following cars - 94 XJS 4 litre, 2000 3.2 XJ8, 75 MGB Roadster, 2005 BMW 645 and 2007 RR Sport. If had to choose between them, XJS wins every time !. Why not take your time and source a late 4 litre XJS and spend the rest on something more "modern".
Good XJS's are out there. Mines now done 93k and hasn't cost me anything apart from normal servicing and tyres.

[carter711]

Gramrugby said:

This won't help but I thought I'd add my tuppence worth. I have the following cars - 94 XJS 4 litre, 2000 3.2 XJ8, 75 MGB Roadster, 2005 BMW 645 and 2007 RR Sport. If had to choose between them, XJS wins every time !. Why not take your time and source a late 4 litre XJS and spend the rest on something more "modern".
Good XJS's are out there. Mines now done 93k and hasn't cost me anything apart from normal servicing and tyres.

That's a lovely collection of cars, what colour is the XJS if you don't mind me asking?

[Gramrugby]

British racing green with cream connoly leather of course !.

[Tame Technician]

I was Jaguar main dealer tech for 8 years, have driven a number of XJS's. (But never the KWE ones). Now work for Audi for last three years or so, driven all the current models.

I find it hard to believe you are considering these two cars, that are so very very different. I would have to say S5 buy a county mile. But given that I dont think the latest audi's (new 08 model A4 and A5) handle all that well. There is plent of grip, but just a lack of feel through the steering, and being 4wd no ability to powerslide. I would advise the book your self more than one S5 test drive at a couple of Audi centres and compare with say BMW 330 coupe or even M3. BMW have fairly nasty interiors etc, but driving dynamics are better than Audi.

I would try to forget about the XJS, I have great respect for the work KWE and other similar companies do, but its still just an old car. For £42k, I'd want an actual new one.

[piquet]

I think fundamentally it all boils down to how long you're planning to keep it, if you're going to sell it within 5 years then go with the s5, any longer then that the jag will keep it's value better, and it may be shorter then that, the hard part when you sell it will be finding someone who wants one, but there is a growing respect for the xjs, it always got killed for not being an e-type but is more and more being recognised as a great card badly built, your version just removed the badly build part

remember that all old cars even modernisd ones are not as good as their modern equivalents but that doesn't stop eagle selling e types at 150k and having a waiting list

the s5 is a great car, but it' just another car of it's day, really no more exciting then audi 100 from the late 80s how many of those have survived who would ever restore one, an xj will always look like something special

[custardkid]

its got to be a 2 car strategy, especially for when you dont want to drive a car that is 30+ years old (eg when its snowy) they can re-engineer as much as they like... its still an old (pretty) car


XJS 1996 - 14k miles £14k (offer £10k???)

http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/www/cars/JAGU...


so that gives you 26-30k to which gets you alot of s4!
2007 s4 £28k 7k miles
http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/www/cars/AUDI...

or save some cash for the XJS repair fund
2005 S4 £18k 18k miles

http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/www/cars/AUDI...

i have no connection with cars listed

cheers
custard

[Tame Technician]

Have to agree with the above. B7 S4 is a lovely car. Although the overall grip level is the same, there is just a better feel through the steering on the old S4 than the new S5.

[bobfrance]

I owned a (facelift 1991) XJR-S for a good few years. For me it was the ultimate XJS.
It was brilliant - best car I've ever owned.

However with that budget - Aston Martin every time.
You should get a nice V12 or even a GTA in the current climate.
And I'm pretty sure they will hold more value than the Audi.

[a8hex]

bobfrance said:

I owned a (facelift 1991) XJR-S for a good few years. For me it was the ultimate XJS.
It was brilliant - best car I've ever owned.

However with that budget - Aston Martin every time.
You should get a nice V12 or even a GTA in the current climate.
And I'm pretty sure they will hold more value than the Audi.

If you are going down the Aston route buy a real Aston, rather than a hijacked Jag project :-)
For 40K you could get a 6.3L Virage or even a Volante, certainly the Volante won't give you the dynamics of the other cars but what presence! The Volantes are also probably at the bottom of the value curve so aren't likely to depreciate if you look after it. If you do look at a real Aston get it inspected by someone who really knows what they are looking at. Get it wrong and you'll go bankrupt faster than you can say Lehman Brothers. When I was looking everyone I spoke to on the Aston group here and over at the owners club forum said get it inspected by Rikki Cann. I had several long conversation with him and he certainly sounds very helpful.

[eldudereno]

Want something more interesting, only 2 seats though.

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/690570.htm

[Jack Blag]

Would you not be tempted by a year old XKR for the same price?

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/692630.htm

[glaffy]

I just wanted to update on this ancient post!

In the end I bought a 1976 pre-HE manual XJ-S (which was re-shelled so had no rust at all) and treated it to a suspension, steering and brakes restoration and upgrade and engine and transmission service by KWE.

I am certain that this car will not be as reliable as an Audi S5 and, even in manual form, is probably considerably slower than the S5, but the pleasure of getting in a car that smells of old leather and fuel (no, there isn't a leak!), has a fly off handbrake and comedy instruments cannot easily be quantified.

I cannot praise KWE enough. The car now handles, steers and brakes so well and the other work they did addressed reliability issues.

The only real practical problem is the enormous thirst of the pre-HE V12 engine. It is dire. And I'm supposed to use super unleaded only....

[carter711]

Briliant! Pics!

[glaffy]

Here you go!

[cml]

A manual V12? - nice.

Heart ruled head then I guess - it should do at times or we would all be rather dull chaps.

You'll get more attention in that than the Audi and most of it will be of the nice kind.

Woooosh.

[Jack Blag]

Would it be rude to enquire about the total cost? (the car, not your fuel bill!)

[Paracetamol]

why didnt you consider the new XKR?