I bought my 1999 Jaguar XJR in 2003 from Swain & Jones in Farnham. At the time I had owned a number of 'hot hatchbacks' and was looking for a car that was not a hot hatchback, but was not without a bit of pace. I tried an XJ 3.2 Sport, but felt that the 240bhp was not enough for a car of the size. The dealer suggested an XJR, and I agreed to a test drive.
What can I say ... the only way to describe the acceleration is to compare it to the feeling of sitting on an aircraft as it accelerates down the runway to take off. The power delivery is continuous and only stops when you lift off the throttle (usually because you've run out of road or nerve). Being an automatic, the kick-down facility is enormously useful, and the most fun I've had is to draw alongside a boy racer (at any speed), floor the throttle and then watch them drop back into the distance. This is the ultimate Q car.
But the most satisfying thing about the Jaguar is the way that other road users treat you ... I have always been treated with the utmost of respect. If I'm waiting to pull out of a side turning, cars will stop and let me out. If I'm pulling into another lane on the motorway, a space appears. How many BMW drivers can say the same?
OK, so there are some downsides to the Jaguar XJR :
1. Beware of cars built between 1998 and 2000 - during this time, Jaguar had problems with Nikasil engines. Essentially, the low sulphur fuels would cause undue wear on the engine cylinder linings, causing problems. Jaguar (like BMW and Mercedes) had to replace many engines under warranty. If you buy any Jaguar of this age, make sure the engine has been replaced - I don't know whether Jaguar would be so generous now!
2. Fuel Consumption - this is a 4.0 litre V8 engine. It does about 20mpg around town, although I did achieve 27mpg on a long run at about 70mph. If you have a heavy right foot, you'll only get about 17mpg (and probably points on your licence!)
3. Tyres - the Pirelli 255/40 ZR 18s are about £165 each minimum, and heavy right foots will be rewarded with annual bills for a replacement rear pair of tyres.
4. Depreciation - if you bought one of these new, then you'll have lost about £40k in the first 4 years - ouch! However, if you bought one that is 4 years old, the depreciation is about the same as a new Mondeo.
But that is all I can think of, having owned one of these cars for 5 years now. On the upsides :
1. Performance - It does 0-60 in a shade over 5 seconds and has a limited top speed of 155mph. Perhaps you could do with removing the limiter if you lived in Germany, and it should then hit over 170mph.
2. Space - it's a 4 door saloon with a boot and the performance to match a PorscheBoxster 3.2S. Once you have kids, the Porsche is useless, but the Jag still suits.
3. Servicing - Jaguar main dealers charge huge amounts for servicing, so I have found an excellent independent garage (XJ Engineering in Bentley, Surrey) and the costs are in line with servicing a Ford Mondeo.
5. Road Tax - Pre-2000 cars are standard road tax - no massive bills like the newer 'gas guzzlers'.
6. Tireless driving - I can drive this car for 300 miles and get out feeling as refreshed as when I started the journey.
7. Engine - I normally reckon that 4-cylinder engines are only good for about 100,000 miles. A V8 will go on for far more than this...
8. Reliability - My Jag has had bulletproof reliability (touch wood...!) so far. In fact, I'm struggling to think of anything that has gone wrong (apart from a brake light bulb blowing...)
The best part about the Jaguar is that it has so much for a car that is 9 years old. They are about £5k now and offer supercar performance, full leather interior and all the electrical toys you can think of.
It's a fantastic car and leaves me perpetually wondering what I would ever replace it with...
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