Hello,

I am in the market for a certified preowned XJL and was wondering which would be the best year to pursue....2011,2012, 2013? I simply cannot afford anything newer than 2013.

I live in Wisconsin and will be using this as my daily driver all year round even throughout our cold, snowy winters. (How does the rear wheel drive fair in the snow and ice?)

Ultimately, looking for most reliable. Also, which engine would you recommend for best reliability. The need for speed is not an issue for me. Problem free and longevity are of most importance and then gas mileage comes in second.

Many thanks to all who are willing to share their thoughts and experiences with me.

 

I think you will have to get a 2013 to get all-wheel-drive, which is probably recommended for where you live, and it comes with the V-6 and auto shut-off at stop lights for decent fuel economy. But the XJ has only has 4.1 inches of ground clearance, so don't expect SUV or pick-up truck ability in the snow if its over 4'' deep.

 

I agree that for your needs in winter driving AWD is the way to go. Other reasons to buy a CPO 2013 are that it's the first year for the 8-speed transmission, stop-start technology, and the Meridian sound system with Bluetooth music streaming from your smartphone. Of course, you need to drive it to know if it meets your needs and expectations.

I continue to be amazed by the fuel economy of my 2013 XJ 5.0L SC (470HP). It consistently gets well over 16 mpg in city driving with the A/C on. I credit that to the 8-speed and stop-start. That's 2 mpg better than my 2009 XKR 4.2L with 420 HP and 6-speed. Love both of them.

 

I am in Indiana and have a 2011 XJ SWB 5.0 NA. During the winter, I swap out my summer wheel/tire package for OEM wheels with Pirelli snow tires and get along just fine with a little extra weight in the trunk.

Suggest test driving the 2011 and the 2013 to compare a V8 to V6. If the you fancy the V8 and can swing the cost of an extra set of tires dedicated for winter driving then look for a low mileage 2012 to take advantage of the remaining factory warranty.

 

Hi No Regrets: good luck in your future purchase, whatever year XJL you end up getting.
In November I lucked into a 2012 Portfolio w/ only 7300 miles--have only 9000 on it to-date.
It's not a daily driver though, and it won't be driven in the winter especially if snow is on the ground.
I'd suggest, as another person recommended, getting snow tires for your XJL. I once had Blizzak winter tires on my Lincoln Mark VII and ran those for two winters. I liked them but I've owned a 4 x 4 wheel truck since 2000 and that's what I've driven when snow is on the ground.
Again, get the Blizzaks, and if you can afford it look for a beat up ole truck that you can drive during winter months.

 

I wanted to give a quick thanks to each and every one of you who replied to my thread. It is much appreciated!

I would love to have AWD, but to find a low mileage one in 2013 might push the envelop of my budget. I'll have to see how much a set of good snow tires would cost for the winter months vs just opting for the AWD.

On a disappointing note, I just found out last night that you cannot get these Jag's with a remote start, not even an aftermarket one. I have to say, here in Wisconsin, it's nice to be able to remotely start your car have it all nice and warm inside and have the snow/ice defrosted from your windows for you. I've been spoiled having that with my other cars and must say it is saddening to think that for what you have to pay for a luxury vehicle such as this and you can't have this simple feature.

I have only just begun doing my research on the XJ and still have a ways to go yet. I love the looks of them, have sat in one, but have not yet had the experience of driving one yet. I'm hoping it rides as nice as she looks. I'm leaning towards a 2013 XJL Portfolio...hoping that by this model year most of the issues have been worked out of the design and will be reasonably trouble free.

Thanks again for your comments.
Best wishes,
No Regrets

 

Good luck on your quest. For reliability I would choose a naturally aspirated V-8 over a supercharged V-6, and rear wheel drive over four wheel drive. I'm not aware of any reliability problems in the 2011, all in all a very reliable car, that were overcome in latter year models. Later year models featuring start/stop, supercharged V-6, and eight rather than six speed transmissions, may actually prove less reliable.

 

I personally believe the best year would probably be 2012. 2012 was the last year of the naturally aspirated V8, right?

 

Thanks John for sharing your thoughts with me on this. Even many tout the virtues of the supercharged engines, my gut feels like it's it something more to go wrong. Maybe simply due to my lack of experience with superchargers. I like the sure-footedness that AWD provides in snowy conditions, but would have to believe that it would cost both my arm and leg to replace when the tranny dies.

As for the start/stop feature goes...I would not be a fan of that at all. However, I read there is a temporary way to defeat this (each time you start your car) and also a more permanent fix by disconnecting the small alternate battery in the trunk....something that I read on the forum, so I personally don't know it to be true or "wise" to do, but thought I would mention it.

Best wishes,
No Regrets

 

I do not believe that 2012 was the last year for the naturally aspirated V8, as I am looking at a 2013 XJL Portfolio RWD with a 5.0 V8 which I believe is aspirated.

Best wishes,
No Regrets

 

If you search this and the other Jaguar model forums for "supercharger" and "8-speed transmission", I think you'll find very few problems.

Of course, problems caused by failure to follow factory maintenance don't count.

The 5.0L supercharged V8 and 8-speed tranny in my 2013 XJ are a great combination, smooth, quiet, sedate and, when needed can be called upon to be very fast! I doubt that I would be happy with a less powerful engine unless AWD was a priority. Just my opinion.

 

In 2013 The V6-SC replaced the V8-NA in the Base SWB XJ and the XJL Portfolio retained the V8-NA. That was the last year the V8-NA was offered in the USA.

 

Thank you XJsss for clarifying this for us.