I’m going to go look at a 2017 XE 35T AWD in a couple of days. If I like it I’ll replace my ‘04 XJR with it. What should I look for aside from the normal car things of no damage, how it feels to drive, et cetera? Are there any quirks or problem areas to be aware of? It has 33000 miles with 1 owner.

 

I always recommend a pre-purchase inspection from a trusted mechanic-- make sure they check for any coolant leaks or anything of the sort. If the car is coming from up north you should check for early signs of rust.

Now, from a package perspective-- what trim is it? I made the mistake of not looking into the different packages prior to purchase and missed out on keyless entry, the larger InTouch Pro screen with Android Auto/Car Play. Does the car you're looking at have the xenon headlights? Are you interested in the R-Sport trim with nicer rocker panels and dashboard material?

Unfortunately you cannot retrofit many things into this car so you have to pick right at time of purchase.

 

My XE is a 2017 Portfolio AWD on 30k miles and I've had no trouble with it other than when I bought it in January 2019, the steering wheel shook on braking, so I managed to get new discs and pads fitted by the dealer at no cost to me. That cured the problem, ad the car at that stage was only on about 12k miles. As it was a main dealer, I got the usual Jaguar warranty, but only had to use it to get the transparent screen between the two circular instruments replaced as it was cracked. Other than that the car just goes !
So I would take a test drive and check the brakes as per above. Also try going down a bumpy road to make sure you're happy with the ride. Sport models can be bone-shakers. Also check everything is working incl the electric trunk lid. I don't use a lot of the gizmos like lane departure warning, because here in England one is constantly crossing over the central line on our twisty roads. The speed limit sign recognition can miss signs, so again, I turned this off too after some limit signs on a road were partly obscured by foliage. My Mark 1 Eyeball saw them but not the car detector !

 

We didnt have any issues with our first gen XE. Make sure it has split fold rear seats. I didnt option them in our second as I didnt realise they werent standard, what a PITA.

 

The car I'm looking at is a Prestige trim. It looks like it does have the smaller screen. There are a bunch of Premium and Prestige cars available around here, but only one R-sport and no Portfolios. The R-Sport is slightly more expensive but has double the mileage, which doesn't feel like as good a deal.
It looks like the screen is something that I can upgrade/have upgraded, CarPlay would be nice to have. It also seems that these engines are easily tuned up, not something I've felt the need to do with the XJR, but its nice to know its possible. Good idea on the pre-purchase inspection. Do you think it would be better to go to the dealer who I don't know or the mechanic who I know but doesn't know the model? I think the dealer would probably be better.

 

Hi. I dont think you can upgrade the screen without massive cost or going to something like the Merriway unit which some people have had success with. We have android auto capability in our XE (with the incontrol touch duo system) but it needs a cable to connect and who can be bothered with that? There is quite an extensive thread about the stereo upgrades on the F Type forum if you want to check it out, personally I have the same system as you are talking about (hard side buttons) in my F Type, personally I think it is the easiest to use out of all of them, but I dont need carplay or android auto, and run music through spotify.

For the tune, I have the pulley and tune on the F Type so it gets 450hp now. That is pretty wild. The 340hp 6 is a very nice, brisk drive, 380 is more fun, tuned to 400 is really good. 450 in an XE would be fantastic but maybe the prestige isnt really set up for it, suspension and brakes wise.

 

I’d say make sure you are getting all the packages and options you want. That will prevent you from saying things like ‘I wish had gotten this, I wish I had gotten that’. Also, advertisements and sellers often know all the subtle features in a car. Therefore you can download a window sticker using the vehicle’s vin from monroneylabels.com. It cost $8 but is worth it.

As for how it feels to drive, it reallllllllly likes going fast.

 

My main regret is the headlights... I have the 2017 Prestige 3.5t. Bought it in the daytime and didn't even notice until I got it home and then was mystified that a car in this category had plain old halogens. I swapped bulbs to make it look slightly better, but still. Carplay/Android auto would be my second thing I'd do different, were it possible.

 

I forgot about the split-fold seats ! Yes, these are a very good option to have, because the trunk is quite small, and you'll likely struggle if you want to move bulky items around.
Maybe this is the reason everybody is buying huge double-decker buses nowadays (aka SUVs) !!
I also forgot to mention the electric heated seats and steering wheel. I am really glad I have these options, and I live in England where people tell me it never gets really cold. Well, let me tell you, they are a godsend if you're a more mature citizen !

 

So this particular car has the "Vision Package" which includes the Xenon headlights but it does not have the "Touch Pro" navigation, only the "Touch" which is the 8" screen with buttons around the edge. CarPlay would be nice, but I'm used to bluetooth, so its not the end of the word. So there aren't really any mechanical or electrical gremlins to look out for? This is quite a different experience from buying my last few cars, which were much older at the time. The XJ-S in particular; rust free, V12, and green? I'll take it, even though it hasn't moved in five years...

 

The car can very well handle the ~450hp with the Velocity AP pulley and tune, especially if you're going for an AWD. It makes the car extremely fun.

Prestige vs R-Sport-- you'll only really be missing out on the sportier rocker panels (which make a big difference in looks) and the upgraded dash look/material.

8" screen is definitely enough if you just use bluetooth but CarPlay/AndroidAuto would be a good feature to have if you'll be keeping the car for a good 3,4+ years.

As far as a PPI goes, the dealer might not offer them (they didn't in my area).

 

If you buy a Carmax or Carvana car you have a 7 day no questions asked return or credit towards another car. During that time, you can have the car inspected. Only thing is, you have to buy the car first. I have the touch pro, 10” screen, current software. Its a bit slow but no little gremlins hiding inside.

 

sorry to hi-jack your post but look at my XE I just listed in marketplace. Suffice it to say, it will be quite the XE if performance interests you.

 

Got one! 2017 XE 35T AWD in Italian Racing Red. By far the newest car I've ever owned. Super excited

 

Looks a very nice car, and from the snow lying around, you'll appreciate the AWD. It might be prudent to invest in a set of wheels with winter tyres on, or change to all-weather tyres. Or alternatively get a "banger" for winter use. I always think that no matter how carefully you might drive on winter roads, it will be the other idiot who'll total your car !
My XE is AWD too, but so far I haven't had to put it to the test too much.
We're having a bad winter here in the UK too, at the moment, but we've avoided it here so far in rural Cheshire.

 

Its got all season tires now, time will tell how they do. Winter tires were essential for the XJR and I'll probably get a set for the XE as well. But the question is do I get them next week or in November.
I've never quite understood the concept of a winter beater. Its another car to tax, insure, maintain, and the whole point is that its a bad car? No thanks! I'll keep the XJ-S for nice weather and drive the XE the rest of the time.

 

I have to agree - never understood winter beaters either unless you have something truly exotic or winter unsuitable as your summer car. In my area, housing and insurance are expensive enough that the luxury of a second car is seriously expensive.

 

Just to say that we have four cars ! OK, two are hobby cars, (the MG and the MB), but our workhorse is my wife's 2009 VW New Beetle. It's not worth much at all now, so I prefer to risk this on icy and snowy roads because so many people seem to have no idea how to drive in bad conditions. It also has plastic wings so rusting due to salty roads is not an issue. The XE was bought for outings and holidays, but due to the Covid19 crisis thats all kyboshed at the moment.

 

That's fair! I would love to be able to justify more than mine and my wifes, but at present I can only dream. Would love to add a true toy like an MX-5 or Cayman, but I can't imagine a seasonal "daily". But that's just me!

 

I'd say make sure it has adaptive cruise and automatic emergency breaking and lane keeping assist. Nice modern features not many get.
plus sat radio idk how but many didn't oot for that either. But it's 2017 I can't believe it's not standard like many others.

I'd also want the larger touch screen version. Don't worry about the heads up display. More gimmick than anything.

Other than that just make sure the car is solid. And that's probably about it other than color

Also make sure it's a 35t prestige. Don't skimp