Doing the research on purchasing an X351 XJL. I've driven the V6 car and really wasn't wild about it. I've driven a 2013 5.0 NA and really liked it, but the supercharged 5.0 also has my interest. Unfortunately, there's not one anywhere near me to test drive. Are there any differences in the suspensions and ride quality between the two? Is the supercharged model more trouble prone, more expensive to maintain and lastly, is it overkill?

Thanks

 

Biggest effects on ride are tyres (tires lol) (make, model, size - lowest profile = harshest ride), suspension (old bushes are not good! and is there a choice of Sport / non-Sport?) and such as whether you have sport seats etc.

You have to be realistic about the low volume very hi tech 5.0. And its cost (to you). If you love high performance cars, that's one thing but if you're not that bothered then maybe get a lower spec engine made in higher numbers. The 5.0 is crammed in so various jobs are awkward (such as spark plug changes).

 

I've driven both and own a Supercharged model. My advice is to find a SC model and go for it! The supercharger itself is lubed-for-life and required a new drive belt at around 120,000 miles, but other than that, all engine maintenance is the same as the naturally aspirated motor.

The driving dynamics are quite different. The suspension setups feel very similar, and it's safe to say that they ride and handle near identically. If the naturally aspirated model has the standard 19" rims, it will undoubtedly ride smoother and handle less precisely than the 20" rims on the supercharged models. The 5.0 SC has significantly more power and torque curve is super low, so regardless of speed or revs, you have a seemingly endless amount of power. It's definitely not overkill; it's a great balance between performance and usable passing power. Once you feel the torque, you won't want to drive anything less!

One big difference in maintenance costs is the brakes, however. The Supercharged models have almost 15" discs front and rear and replace rotors and calipers are about 50% more expensive than the NA models. That is a very infrequent service though, so it shouldn't be deal breaker.

The other thing to mention is the build volume of each model. There are significantly less Supercharged models out there, and there isn't a huge difference between the sale prices of NA and SC models. Where will you notice a difference, however, is in the value it holds over time. For instance, there are a lot of discussions on the forum lately on the XJ trade values, so I decided to get my car appraised just for fun. Mine is a 2011 Supercharged with 60K miles and 2 accidents reported (pothole, uninsured driver rear-ended me). The dealer offered me $23K as a baseline figure. Others on the forum here with similar mileage NA cars with CLEAN titles are getting offers in the $12-14K range.

Hope this helps.

 

from what I remember there is no suspension difference between the SC and NA. the larger rims can make it feel like there's a difference.

is the engine overkill? well....thats an issue of personal taste that we cant answer. do I really need a 510hp engine in my XFR? well.....no.....but did i want it? yes. I like knowing i have the power, i like punching the gas from time to time and watching how quickly i go from 20-100

 

Thanks for the info guys. I'm now on the hunt for a supercharged XJ.

 

I don't think you'll be sorry; we love ours!

Dwayne

 

I have driven both, they had the same 20" orona wheels and honestly, the ride was the same, even when they say that the Supersport has a 10% stiffer coil rate, there was not much difference to me.
But the power, ohh boy....

 

I my hunt for a low mile XJ I saw a few comparable XJ supercharged at the same $30Kish price point so there are some good deals on them.

We don't need the extra power so did not want a supercharged XJ

Happy hunting