Hi all,

I own a 2012 base XF 5.0 litre V8 which is a CPO and has a little over 20,000 miles. The car is rear wheel drive since all wheel drive was not added until the 2013 model year. I live in New Jersey where we do get some snow and I think that AWD would provide some benefit. I am not really into spending quite a bit for a full winter tire/wheel set up and having the hassle of making swaps each year.

I have had some warranty repairs done by the dealer such as; window regulator, adaptive headlight assembly needed to be replaced twice, and a gas tank replacement due to incorrect fuel level readings. However, for the past 9 months or so the car has been running really great and after having owned the usual suspect high end luxury cars, I think that the XF is the best total package out there. My car is super solid with not a squeak or rattle even on the coldest days, great braking, suspension, steering, exterior/interior styling, and amenities. I can in no way make the same statement for previous BMW's and Audi's that I have owned.

Now for my question........ I have the itch to trade my current car in and add some cash for a new 2015 XF Portfolio AWD version. I know that this car has a 3.0 litre supercharged engine and the newer start/stop feature. The cars that I have been looking at have the usual amenities and a 825W 17 speaker Meridian sound system. I have not yet driven the 3.0 AWD version but plan to do so in the near future. I have recently looked at and test driven various Audi's, BMW's, new Mercedes C class and E class but I keep coming back to the Jaguar which I feel is a superior overall package from the previously mentioned cars.

What do you folks think about me going from the 5.0 litre V8 engine to the 3.0 supercharged AWD with start/stop? I have heard and read mixed reviews of the newer engine which is supposed to be more fuel efficient but I have heard that it is not. My 5.0 gets lousy gas mileage which is not really a problem since I am retired and put very few miles on the car.

I would greatly appreciate any input that anyone could provide to help me with this decision. Thank you.

Ed

 

I drove a service loaner 3.0 AWD and my general impressions are while not as smooth and powerful as the 5.0 I could probably live with the 3.0 setup. You can feel/hear the difference from thee 5.0. I just love the NA 5.0 V8. Will be hard to give it up. Don't know why Jaguar dropped that engine choice. They should at least put the higher output 3.0 that they offer in the F-Type in the XF. While AWD is a great option not sure I want to give up the 5.0 just yet - although my warranty runs out in May which may force a decision. I may just take my chances and wait for the XE which I believe will offer AWD and the 380hp 3.0 or go for a 2013 CPO 5.0 SC.

I think the 340 HP 3.0 is good but the 380 HP 3.0 would be a better option if offered. I do the show tire switch every year myself and its not a big deal as I have the snows mounted on separate wheels. I think Costco will do a seasonal remount and re-balance of your snow tires if you bought the snows there for like $60.

I would just drive one and see for yourself. If you need the AWD then the 3.0 XF would be a great choice.

Good Luck

 

Test drive the 3.0 V6 and I think you will quickly make up your mind.

 

I bought a full set of winter wheels and tires from discount tire for $1200.00 a few years back for my 10 5.0.

Simple to swap over and the car becomes very stable in all conditions.


With only 20k on the clock, I would hold onto it for a few years and snag a set of wheels, might even find a used set from a member here on the FS section for a lot less.

 

We have a 3.0 rear wheel drive and like it a lot. We got 27mpg with it running 80 plus on the highway. It has a flat torque curve and with the 8 speed transmission you are not going to notice much of a difference in normal driving on the street. Do not like the start/stop so we just push the button and turn it off.

 

You can completely disable the stop/start function if you want to, if you are handy with some spanners (disconnect the 2nd battery).

There are options to have the 3.0L S/C in the XF tuned up to 398HP and 495Nm torque (compared to the old 5.0L which was 385HP & 515Nm) which will probably set you back $1500 or so.

Honestly I don't think the 3.0L S/C can ever perfectly replicate the low-rev lazy torque of a 5.0L V8, but if you are prepared to spend a bit on tuning, it will come pretty close.

 

I'd strongly urge you to invest in a set of winter wheels and tires, or at the least, a set of tires.

What's your rationale for wanting AWD but not winter tires? Hopefully it's not: "we don't get too much snow here so I can get by with AWD and all seasons". You seem to appreciate what a great car you have, so seriously, why compromise on safety and driving enjoyment?

Just my .02 ...

 

Thanks everyone for your thoughtful replies.

Sybarite- I understand your points and can't disagree with anything you stated. My wife's Infiniti with AWD and my sister's Lexus with simply front wheel drive do just fine with all season tires. We don't get much snow here and they clean up the roads rather quickly. As I said in my original post, I am retired and just use the car for local errands and stuff like that. I rarely take long trips and don't need to commute with this car every day.

I will often use my wife's car (sometimes my sisters) if they are available and I really need to be somewhere.

I am not looking for a car that is a monster in the snow or else I would certainly invest in winter tires/wheels and a set of TPMS.

I just don't really think that I need this and the newer XF Portfolio would provide me with some extra features that I would like in addition to AWD. Such as; upgraded leather and interior, upgraded sound system, keyless entry, 19 inch wheels and tires, questionable? improvement in fuel economy, and of course AWD.

I am just having trouble deciding if these "extras" are worth trading in a car with such low mileage that runs as well as it does and still has plenty of factory and CPO coverage. I know that only I can answer that question. I was simply trying to get a feeling from 3.0 SC AWD owners as to how they felt about their cars performance. Thanks again for your input.

Ed

 

Say, just to establish possibilities...


What was the last year for the NA 5.0?


When my S-Type 4.2 is ready to be replaced that is what I will be look'n for...

 

As far as I know the last year when the 5.0 naturally aspirated V8 engine was used as a base engine in the XF was for the 2012 model year.

For model year 2013 they offered a 2.0 turbo and a 3.0 supercharged engine unless you went to the more performance oriented versions of the XF. The 3.0 super charged engine was supposed to be comparable to the previous 5.0 NA V8 and the 2.0 turbo was deemed by most reviews to be inadequate as a base engine for this car.

The 3.0 SC has actually received good performance reviews from the automotive press but minor complaints were that it is not as smooth as the previous 5.0 NA and lacks the beautiful sounds that the V8 makes. Improvements in fuel efficiency were considered minimal if at all.

I have watched over 20 professional You Tube reviews of the 3.0 SC (which is also used in the flagship XJ) and for the most part, the overall consensus is that the 3.0 SC is a suitable replacement for the 5.0 NA and a good performing engine. In fact, several reviews state that the 3.0 SC is actually derived from the 5.0 NA.

Ed