Jaguar - advice please
 

Thinking about buying a Jaguar - have got a budget of perhaps £5-6k and for that I reckon I'm looking at something between an X - 2002 plate. The X-type is ok but you really seem to get so much more by opting for an XJ6/XJ8 which also have more of a 'class' look.
Either car would be used as the only car, commuting a couple of days a week etc as well as foreign trips. Present mileage of around 10-12k pa. I accept the fuel bills will likely be higher than the scoob (maintenance costs as well?) but hey perhaps a small price to pay for getting a load of car.

Look to get the new model XJ, 2003 onwards. They'll be high on miles for that price, but its a good car with the aluminium chassis, so performance and economy are both better than you'd think.

Another approach would be to buy a Jag with the 2.7 twin turbo diesel (made by Peugeot) - the amount you'd save in fuel alone would be £750 a year. £6.5k would get you an S-Type; £10k would get you a very high mileage XJd. This car/engine combination got rave reviews at launch and at over 200bhp and 35+ mpg it starts to stack up. Should hold its value better too.

X-Type 3.0 Sport ? 4wd and 236 bhp.

Go for the manual, the X-Type auto box is a dreadful five speed from the Ford Exploder (sorry Explorer)

Or an S-Type from 2002 onwards with the lovely ZF 6-speed auto, easy way to tell is if the car has the 'electric park brake' it is the newer model with the 6 speed.

The 2.5 V6 petrol is okay with decent economy, 3.0 V6 is better and shouldn't cost much more.

Look to buy privately rather than from a dealer but pay for half an hour of workshop time to check the car over before commiting yourself.

The diesel S-Types that fit your budget are likely to be very tired examples, usually the stuff we send to the auction.

We have had a few with bottom end failure, cost of replacement would write off a £6k car.

The 'X350' aluminium bodied XJ from 2003 onwards is a great car, 3.0 V6 and the ZF 6 speed auto are a nice combination, average MPG mid 20's better on a decent run.

You would need to look at a higher mileage example to hit your budget, once again main dealer is a no-no, cheapest XJ I have sold recently was around £10k for a 2003.

PM or email me if you want to discuss, 8 years main dealer experience to draw on and advice is free !

Good cars particularly the later ones. My first Jag was a green 3.4 with a triple carb engine, 3.8 from an e-Type and I was only 20.
Had a number of XJ6, XJ12 and XJS and very impressed with the XJ and XKR that I have driven.