Okay simple question.

You have £10,000 / $15,000

Buying a Jag. What do you buy?

Feel free to add in year and if you would rather buy an older car with lower mileage etc?

Thanks,

 

I would buy an XK8, 2003 or newer. Then you wouldn't need to mess around with upgrading the chain tensioners. As per usual, you would want one with as few miles as you can, and despite what the factory says, the transmission is not sealed for life. You would need to do regular transmission maintenance. Why else would they have filter kits for them? I have a 99 convertible, but the coupe looks great also. Don't worry about the interior much, because those parts are readily available, and as with all Jaguars they are DIY propositions. I think the XK8s and XKRs are going to be the classics, of that era. I love my X Type, but am in lust with my XK8.....Just my opinion.....Mike

 

FollowMe, not to sound cynical, but this is a very loaded question. Kinda like asking what your favorite motor oil is or what color looks best on a vehicle. These are all very opinion based answers.

This is the thought process that I would recommend. Lets start off with eliminating vehicles to then see what you have left. Do you need AWD? If yes, for the money that you have, then the X-Type is going to be pretty much your only option unless you can come up with a little more (say around $25000 USD, then the XF AWD becomes an option). If the X-Type is the only option, then the newest and lowest mileage you can get will be in your best interest.

If you don't need AWD, then I would look beyond the X-Type (it is a good car, but atleast around where I live, there are too many of them and you will get lost in the crowd). The question then becomes how much in the way of nicities do you need? I think the first question we need to answer is whether you want something to zoom light to light with or if you are after something to cruise a highway with in luxury. If you just want to cruise the highways, then getting your hands on a V6 or a diesel engine will be worth your money as these tend to have lower resale value and therefore you can get a nicer vehicle for the same cost as one with a V8. If you are after power, then you are looking at the XJ or the XK (the difference being whether you need to seat 5 or only 2, yes, I know the XK has a back seat, but if you look at it, not really meant for people to be back there).

The second question is whether you need all the Nav bells and whistles or if a more plain radio will do you fine. This can be a game changer. A lot of people like the idea of having the Nav built into the vehicle (I know I do). Others are happy with using their cell phones to do this. A car without the Nav is going to be cheaper as it was a fairly expensive option when it came out and therefore relates to higher costs later.

I feel the last question you need to answer is what other options do you require? Every Jag (atleast in the modern era) is going to come with heated seats, power mirrors, etc. The question becomes do you need memory seats (handy if you have 2 people that drive the car routinely) or are you the only one that really drives the vehicle? Do you need a sunroof? Must you have 20 way seats or will a simple 8 way seat be enough? Do you want the ability to insert a memory stick into the car to play all your digital music (this will force you into a vehicle that is fairly new and may push you out of your budget)?

From a personal stand point, I would try to get the most loaded XJ you can with the lowest miles. Getting one after 2003 will be in your best interest for the more reliable engine (ie, no need to really worry about the timing tensioners). Those should be fairly plentiful and in your price range.