My loving wife is DEAD SET on a XJL.

I have tried, effortlessly, to get her to consider all options....as I prefer to do my due diligence getting a complete offering of the market's competitive offerings.

However, there is no negotiating with a terrorist....lol...and she won't even entertain the idea. She loves the look of the XJL body, and could care less about anything else the car may...or may not...offer.

So, XJL it is for our little one's to have some legroom.

We have never owned a Jag product, and I personally have heard so many poor reliability stories from the older models....I'm hesitant to plop down our hard earned money on a lemon.

Is there anything I should know about the XJL, or the various options that you would recommend.

Any advise when buying used? We're looking to pay cash for a 2011-2012 model. My goal is to keep the price under $50K as a CPO.

My Best,

Chris

 

It's a nice car.


Get as many options as you can especially safety ones!

 

It is a gorgeous car, no wonder your wife would look at nothing else. By far the best looking large sedan on the road, IMHO.

Having said that; two potential issues to watch out for.

1) Frequent low battery warnings. The car uses lots of power when ever you open a door and power up all the screens and computers. I had a battery replacement under warranty at 10K miles and, once again, I am getting lots of warnings from nothing else than loading my car for a trip and opening the door for short periods of times.

2) Be sure that the car you actually consider, you take it for a long test drive over various FREEWAY surfaces. Many pro testers noticed a "jiggly" ride and it bugs the heck out of me.

Other than that, it handles well for a big car and the freeway fuel economy is rather good. My driving includes 90 percent freeways and my 5K miles average sits at 24.5 MPG.

 

Yes, here is a big tip that will come up.
Don't settle for an XJ, if you want a XJL.
XJL's seem to be harder to find and slower to discount.

 

2011 XJL have come down in price drastically. The can be had in the low to mid 40's with 20K-30K miles. I would recommend and 11 that has the 5/50 warranty and maintenance. Also there a some features that were found on the 11 that become optional on 12' and up such a the picnic tables.

 

Tell me more about the Jaguar 6 year/100K extended warranty.

How encompassing is it?

It is worth buying one?

Or find a low mileage 2011 with under 30K miles.....and take advantage of the 20k miles left on the factory warranty?

 

The 6 year/ 100k mile warranty is part of the CPO package, and an extension of the factory warranty. You'll pay more for a CPO, but the extra warranty is worth it. Also makes higher mileage cars a little more attractive. Reliability really started to improve after Ford bought them, and Tata has put more money into the company. With the longer warranty, I'm not too worried.

I just bought a 2011 XJL. My wife and daughter fell in love with it as well. Probably wouldn't have looked at one if it hadn't been for Top Gear. Traded in a 335i for it, because the BMW was getting a little cramped (both wife and daughter are rather tall).

It handles very well for that size car. It's no sports car, but it's an excellent Gran Turismo, and quite happy on a curvy road. It's much lighter than the competition. The NA 5.0L is very smooth, but quite capable of writing checks the suspension can't cash if you let it. It could really use a set of proper summer tires.

As far as options to look for:
-The B&W 1,200W stereo is incredible. Seriously.
-The optional Adaptive Cruise Control can't be turned off, so if you get it and don't like it, you're stuck with it. Sometimes it's great, sometimes it can be annoying.
-I see you live in OKC...you might appreciate the 19" wheels over the 20" for ride quality and better rim protection on the OK roads. Don't know if they're all that way, but there's some that just turn to crap when you get south of the OK-KS border.
-Active/Auto headlights are kind of nice.
-Some folks don't like the heated windscreen because of distortion.
-I would probably not opt for the rear entertainment system...one more thing to go wrong, and I believe it makes the headrests less adjustable.

 

We just bought my wife a 2014 XJL about three weeks ago. It is our 5th Jaguar and our 3rd XJ. 1990, 2004 and now 2014. We have had good luck with all of them as far as maintenance is concerned. We had looked at the XJL back in 2011 but for financial reasons went with the XF Premium instead. It was a nice car but my wife never loved it like the new XJL. How do I know she loves it? Because she doesn't eat in the car or leave trash all over the cabin as she had done with every other car she had in the past.

I say if your wife wants one get her one. You'll be happier for it. They are really beautiful cars.

 

Adaptive Front Lighting is an option which features intelligent high beam control, and sensors that react to the cars speed, steering input and environmental light conditions, and smoothly alters the power, direction, and spread of the beams to maintain optimal coverage. At 31,677 miles I installed Continental ExtremeContact DWS ultra-performance all season P245/45HR 19.0" front and P275/40HR 19.0"rear tires for superior hydroplaning resistance, wet traction, ride comfort, 186 mph speed capability; excellent snow and ice traction, noise comfort, longer life (50M mile warranty) and less unsprung weight. I also installed front and rear wheel arch Jaguar splash guards. My 2011 XJL came standard with Jaguar's Platinum Coverage which provides five year 50,000 mile basic, powertrain, roadside assistance, maintenance, and wear and tear warranties I updated the voice activated GPS navigation this December but I still much prefer my 7" Garmin placed atop the dash with a sun blocking hood I constructed. I intend to instal ceramic brake pucks and caliper covers in the near future for reduced brake dust dirtying and improved appearance. I receive many compliments on this car and its Metallic Caviar premium paint.

 

Happy wife happy life. Get it for her and then can you call my boyfriend? I want one too!

 

Well, we ended up finding a BMW 550I Gran Turismo over the weekend that she fell in love with after the test drive. The extra room, by having the rear hatchback, will be nice for our little guy.

So, we're picking it up this afternoon and having the windows tinted before it comes home to our garage.

We'll definitely pick up a Jag at some point, as it really is a nice car.

I appreciate the feedback, and hope this thread helps future owners.

 

Well unfortunately you now own a brand that you pass every 5 minutes on the road..........

 

A female prerogative is to change her mind. Anyhow, as long as she is happy, mission accomplished! Enjoy your new car.

 

We (as owners) would make horrible sales people.

How did we drive him to jump from a Jaguar XJL to a BMW Hatchback with newly tinted windows?
BMW Inc. better send us a big Bird Dog Fee!
Because that does not just happen, in the free range wild kingdom.

 

Women love big vehicles. The BMW GT is bigger.

 

As stated, hope you and the wife enjoy the vehicle, gotta keep momma happy. But also as stated now your blending in just like the rest of the millions of BMW's on the road.


In the PHX, AZ area where I live the only BMW I EVER notice is the one the guy had chrome foiled....... noticing an XK, XF or XJ is way more rare and I kinda have to look for them. I would rather drive unique than the Ultimate, Everyone Has One, Driving Machine IMHO.

 

Chris.....Divorce is the best solution, but then again they get you on that front as well, LOL. As the blues song states...."it's cheaper to keep her". All in fun of course!!!

I have a theory. If a person takes care of an asset such as this with the kind of care warranted, and the money is also not an option.....make your spouse happy. If both of these variables are not present, and i mean both.....then don't do it, and make her understand the reasoning behind it. Not an easy task, as men are from mars, and women are from venus, and I truly believe this. We just look at things totally different, i.e.. cars to a man are like jewelery is to a man. I for one don't appreciate the jewelry like my wife does, and she doesn't appreciate my "catalogue" of cars that I have owned over the years. BUT OUR MARRIAGE HAS WORKED, thank God for 37 years.

Good Luck!
Joe

 

I have had the pleasure of driving a newish XJ x351 loaner car - a 5.0 litre XJL. Very interesting. Here are my observations;

1. Fantastic sytling, inside and out. Good to stare at.
2. Use of wood and leather still there, though muted
3. Of course it has more nice electronic/iphone gizmos, missing on my 2006 XJ VDP.
4. 8 speed gearbox with paddle shifters is a lot of fun.
5. Economy still possible - managed 31mpg on a short 20 mile freeway commute going 68-70 mph.
6. My wife likes it

But I won't be buying one and here is why. I'm 6'5" and try as I might, I cannot get comfortable in the driving seat without feeling I am hemmed in and too close to the roof. What a shame. The windshield slopes far more dramatically than in my XJ VDP.

 

I can empathize. I, too, am being lured by a BMW 5 Series. (Not a GT, but still.) It has better build quality than the Jag, more technology, and better driving dynamics than the Jaguar XJ (and XF for that matter). It also can match the level of comfort/convenience options as the XJ (and surpass those of the XF by far).

However, it doesn't have a distinctive look, British style and a luxurious feel. No exclusivity either.

Tough decisions...

 

I have never been impressed with the BMW. I do not believe the build quality is better, crappy interior and care less about the video arcade technology gadgets. There is no value for the dollar. Would have to spend over 75,000 to equal my wife's XF. BMW is the world's largest user of battleship gray and silver paint.