I have now owned my 2003 X almost 4 months, I traded a 99 Mercedes Benz C280 for the X Type. Comparing the two cars, the Mercedes is far superior car in many ways, ride quality, fit and finish, reliability. The X Type is noisy at high rpm, has a rough ride but the seats are comfortable and it is easy for me to get in and out of, As I have a back handicap and the Mercedes was a bear to get in and out of. Reliability so far is not an issue. The car had a lot of paperwork with it when I bought it and over the years some major parts were replaced, like the ecu. The Jaguar handles better then the Mercedes, With the 17" wheels low profile tyres and a suspension that leans toward sporting and not luxury ride and the AWD is a plus. I have read on this forum a lot of helpful info about the XType and know what to look for in some areas, like rust. I assume you all read my post on my visit to my friends body shop, no conclusions as to whether the car will be a rust bucket or not. Engine wise the cars runs smoothly, the engine idles is stable and quiet as long as you don't punch the accelerator, but VVT engines tend to be on the noisy side. My son had an 90's Acura with Vtech and once you hit 6K rpm the engine would scream. On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the best and 1 a complete loser, for now I rate the X Type as an 8. I am going to keep evaluating the car over the coming months as winter is coming to New England, and cold weather is a good test for a car.

 

Adam, I agree the ride is a little rougher than I expected and the speakers are downright awful compared to my Chrysler Town and Country. I haven't gotten around to replacing them. But, my engine is quiet and I like that; she purrs. She has terrific pick up and handles beautifully.

I think you'll be happy with her this winter. We had a lot of snow last winter, which is unusual, and I was impressed with how easily she handled it. The only thing I had a problem with was defogging the windshield. It seems to clear faster on the passenger side and it was a little awkward to get the setting right at first

 

Interesting. I have an 07 x type. My previous cars:

1. 99 Acura Integra GSR Sedan
2. 07 Mercedes C 280 4 Matic.

Just traded in the C 280 for a new XF!

Based on my experience, the C 280 was slightly smoother, but overall I do prefer the x type for looks, comfort and the Alpine audio system is pretty good.

The Integra was fun but it was a completely different ball game! Much louder and rougher.

 

The Alpine system is awesome. The thing I hate the most is the cheap quality plastics used on the trim ane interior - causes squeaks and rattles that detract from the experience. Also agree that the ride (especially at highway speeds) is less supple than you'd expect on a car like this.

On the plus side, I love the handling and stability. Plus the X-Type is a great buy on the used car market. So far, my 2005 has been extremely reliable.

 

I agree the handling is very good in the X Type, better than I expected, the AWD will come in handy in the winter, I had an Audi A6 with AWD and it was great in the winter. The sound system is better in the Jaguar, especially the bass settings. As far as the interior I find it a more sporty seating position that the Mercedes, I haven't figured out yet if the wood trim is plastic or really well done wood. But in general my only complaint is the arm rest is cheaply made. I did have a rattle in the interior when I first got the car tracked it to the right side vent cover, it rattled and one side popped off, a little crazy glue fixed that. All in all the car is an attractive, which I liked when they first came out, it stands out in a crowd. I am still wonder about the long term reliability. My Mercedes over 11 years was in the shop twice, aside from oil changes and routine maintenance, 2 for repairs, once to replace a crankcase sensor and the other for a loose cupholder that fell off. That was it for 11 years.

 

That's odd about the ride. I had an E300, 1999, roughest ride, especially on the US concrete freeways. felt every seam.

I've got the cold weather package on mine so rain sensing wipers, heated windshield and heated seats. I had the windshield replaced and now both sides defor great. That alone is a feature worth having the car for.

Maybe my only whine is the stock radio, with the holdover phone system and no bluetooth function or ability to add it on a 2004 vehicle. I've got the premium Alpine system with the factory sub so the sound is good, but I think I'm going to put away my pennies and get an Eclipse system like Dennis Black's, not so much because it's an awesome system but because it fits, has the features (MP3, Bluetooth, ability to work with the steering wheel controls) and has green button lighting. I hate it when people add a different radio and it doesn't match up with the stock interior lighting.

 

Ok, everybody likes their sound system but I think the speakers on my stink. I've got bluetooth but I've never figured out how to use it.

 

Having come from West Dover, Vt, I am well versed in winter conditions. The X handles as well or better than my older Jeep Grand Cherokee, and my wife's Lexus RX300. The ride is far superior to both. Here we get snow every month of the year, and in winter we get more that I ever had in Vermont. Learrn the car, and enjoy the winters.

 

Is yours the ten-speaker Alpine setup? Mine is, and it sounds pretty good to me. I'm not gloating or trying to taunt you - I'm just trying to identify any differences in the stereo configuration that might lend some objectivity to this discussion.

Are you SURE that you have Bluetooth? Most '04 models don't. The mere presence of the phone buttons on the head unit and steering wheel does not indicate that any telephone options were installed.

 

The way the car handles is also in the eye of the beholder. Comparing a Jaguar, Mercedes, and BMW is like comparing apples, oranges, and bananas. Each has its advantages but they are all different. I actually prefer the way the Mercedes C Class handles over the X-Type. However I find the fit and finish on the Jaguar much better. Mercedes puts in that cheap looking wood now; you just can't compare it to the wood in the Jag. I would agree the overall build quality is a bit better on the Mercedes however. When my wifes X-Type was at the dealer for a week she had a 2010 C Class loaner. I drove it several times and enjoyed it, she hated it and could not wait for her Jaguar back.

 

It's wood. From a tree.

 

the thing about the x-types is that they really excel in the 70-100 mph area - this is where the car shows its stuff - unfortunately, in the US, you can't advertise that type of feature, so the x-type has never really gotten the reputation it deserves

but get out on the highway and put the baby up at high speed - it just floats effortlessly at low rpms - that's what it is all about

 

I guess I will add my two cents worth. I got my 2005 X-Type in January 2008. It was put into service in July 2005 and had 17,600 miles on it. Cosmeticaly it lookes perfect. Dove leather is clean, supple and soft. I had two services done on the free tickets, at July 2008 and July 2009. Oil changed when I bought and again at each service. Had to have one side marker replaced as it was loose. Otherwise, nada. I only have 27,000 miles on it now, and only put about 3000 on it since the last oil change in July 2009. Haven't done an oil change yet, but plan to get the 30,000 service in the Spring. Serviced by the local Jag dealer. Garaged always, well waxed and in Texas so not hard winters. Did replace the OEM battery about a month ago, just to be on the safe side. So far I am very happy and I think it looks great. I also like the Alpine system, I think it sounds fine. Bass is ok with me. Handles and drives great. I like the slight growl the motor has. Not dead quiet but a nice growl when I accelerate. I like that.

 

What I preferred on my C280 v x type ( both 07)

1. Seat adjustments and rear window power shade

2. Dual zone AC

3. Smoother revving engine.

What I prefer on the x type:

1. Seats

2. Internal fit and finish. The chrome on the C was peeling and the plastic on the center console was scratched. I treated both cars equally.

3. Paint quality on the x type is better

4. More interior space, better trunk design.

5. General audio is better, including the ACM which I have.

7. Feels more stable at higher speeds

8. More responsive steering

9. I love the x type styling...

10. While both are AWD, the x type outperformed the C during our last snow storm. Could be the extreme contact on the x type v pro contacts I had on the C.

Maintenance on both ate about the same based on my experience. Of course I paid nothing out of the pocket for either car. The x type has never been put of service. On the C the only repair was the window regulator.

 

Yes comparing a Bimmer, Mercedes or an Audi to a X Type is probably not a fair. I have owned all three of these cars and the Audi comes in first in build quality, but the Mercedes and the Bimmer had their high points. The X Type is general well put together, there are some points however that are not as good as the other cars. As I said before the suspension is noisy, but the X handles better then the other cars, The interior is general well thought out and good quality, except for the center arm rest and in my car the horn/airbag cover which does not fit flat onto the steering wheel. When I first saw this I thought the car had a airbag deployment. But I did some checking, Carfax had no record of an airbag deployment. I even called the dealer in FL where the car had most of its service done and asked them if they had any record of an airbag deployment. By law they have to tell you by the way. They said no. They did say however the right front fender was replaced in 06 as it was creased in a parking lot. Other then that I could find no other record of damage to the car. As I wrote I took a magnet with me and went over the entire car looking for Bondo, I also check the trunk for rear end damage and the front frame rails for damage, nothing was bent or rewelder and no bondo. I like the power the car has, the 2.5L is faster then the 99 C280 with a 2.8L engine. The Mercedes is a heavier car. Fuel economy has been OK about the same as the Mercedes, but not as good as the Bimmer or Audi. I like the engine growl also, the Brits are good at this, as they like to hear their cars I am told. The sound system is superior to the other three cars and the styling is timeless. Back to the interior the leather is of much better quality then the Mercedes or the Bimmer.

 

I've had my car up to 110mph and it does ride smooth and floats along the highway. Once the VVT kicks in the car takes off. The Mercedes I had was a bit unsettling at those speeds, so was my Audi, the Bimmer however was road solid at high speeds. I find that once you pass 25mph the car starts to perform. If you press the S button, and floor it the car holds the gears right to redline. Also the brakes on the X are fantastic. I come come from 110mph very quickly and smoothly. One thing I did notice the front rotor are mounted to the front of the disk. I had a car with the rotor mounted up front and had to change brake pads every 30K miles and disk every 60K miles. Good design for stopping, but hard on pads.

 

Thanks I had a feeling it was really well done wood.

 

I don't know how many speakers. I just haven't checked. That's not like me, but I haven't. The speaker in the driver's door sounds blown and sometimes it sounds like another one is, too, but I haven't figured out where it is because I don't think about it until I'm already buckled in and on the road. I adjusted it so all the sounds comes from the back until I find out what to do about it. Not a big deal.

Thanks for the info! That's good to know.

Most '04s don't have bluetooth? Aha! That could be why I can't figure it out. lol

 

Sorry, I have to chime in again. She does fly. After I bought her, I let the guy I was dating at the time drive her; he raced in his younger days. We took her out on the highway and had a blast. No worries about getting a ticket. He's a cop.

I hadn't driven her over 70. She loves doing 70; unfortunately I don't have a get-out-of-ticket-free pass. My daughter does 90 every chance she gets. It's a lead foot's dream. Ok, I'm done. Carry on...

 

If your front speakers have a chrome rim and say Alpine you most likely have the 10 speakers premium sound. Those should sound pretty good. IF you have a blown speaker just replace it.

The reason the x type sound system is good is because of good speaker location and they don't vibrate at high volume. They aren't the booming type, but the sound is very clear and punchy (is how I would describe it).