I'm looking to purchase a new 2010 XF-R or a 2011 BMW 535i. The Jag is about $5K more than the 535i since the dealer discounted the 2010 model once the 2011's came out.

Driving both cars, I think the Jag is a better performance car, looks better on the inside and out. The BMW has a great navigation system, and better gas mileage, but everyone seems to have one so it's really nothing too special.

My biggest concern with the Jag is reliability and don't want to have to take it to the dealership every month. Plus, it will depreciate faster than the BMW so I probably will get more for the BMW if I sell it after 5 years.

Anyone here have any feedback to help me make a decision?

 

The Jag will put a smile on your face everytime you bury your foot in it for those 5 years while the BMW will get boring after the new car smell is gone. I always bought the car that stirred my emotions instead of the more rational choice and rarely had regrets for doing so.

 

I bought a XF-R 18 months ago when they first came out. My competitive set included the M5 and the E63/CLS63. Reliability was a concern, but to date I've had a sunroof trim ring realigned and a brake shield tightened. And that's it.

The car is a hoot. I used to own 911's but in a straight line this car is faster. It's the only car I have ever owned that makes me laugh out loud when I put my foot down. The BMW is like food without seasoning and spices - dull. The Jag can do the commute, the long distance road trip and the backroad carver and feel accomplished doing all 3.

Ask yourself as you look over at the 5 Series owner if he looks like he's enjoying his drive...

 

Seriously, this is not even close. I used to have a BMW 550i, and it was a good competent sporty sedan. But you know something, it bored me stiff. It was a refined car that was very well engineered. I can't say anything bad about it, but it didn't leave its mark on me. I didn't miss it when I traded it in... not one bit.

Enter the mighty XFR... this car is simply amazing. It's smooth, quiet, fast.... but can be powerful and aggressive. It's an all-round great car. It looks classy and fierce. It's interior is avante garde, properly proportioned, and nicely appointed. It's rarer than a Ferrari.

I have not loved a car the way I love this car in a long time. I drove the Panamera Turbo, and while nice if not ugly, it is not worth double the money when optioned up. I drove the M5, and it's not even close. The M5 has an awesome sound, but that's it. I drove the Aston Martin Vantage V8. Great looking, drives awesome, and sounds aggressive... but the XFR is faster... I drove the Maserati Gran Turismo S which sounds unbelievable, but after all is said and done, I favor the XFR's aesthetics and linear power delivery.

Now for the big question... reliability. Jaguar has come so far, that this is no longer a valid issue. I have 21,000 miles, and have owned my XFR for 13 months. I really drive this car the way it's meant to be driven. Honestly, I have had no more issues with this car than I did my BMW. The fit and finish is about 90% as good as BMW, but as far as reliability, they really are equal and the XFR may be a little less problematic....

Ultimately, what makes a car memorable is soul. You can define soul by its uniqueness, idisyncracies, and even its changing character. A car that feels different when driven one way as opposed to another has soul. A car that sometimes acts of does something one way, then does something else another time oozes soul.

You will not forget about a car with soul. You will not forget the XFR.

 

Amen to that !

 

Google BB King singing "The Thrill is Gone". That will be the BMW's theme song a year from now.

 

Thank you XfactoR, I could not have put it better myself.

I have had several BMWs and even though I "only" have the XF Premium, your remarks apply equally. The Jaguar has "soul", the BMW's tend to be efficient transportation machines (something the British press used to apply to Audis).

In this case comparing a 535i with an XFR would not quite be comparing apples and apples as the XFR is more in competition with the M5 (which does not exist in the current BMW F10 5 series, yet). So even ignoring the Jag v BMW dynamic, the XFR is a faster, better handling machine.

Reliability has been the "bete noire" of Jaguars for a long time (I am an expat Brit and remember well the issues with BLMC manufactured Jags). However since Ford had a go at their processes they seem to have been able to get it under control, but it takes a long time to loose this type of reputation (it is very easy to get it). My experience so far is very good and certainly on a par with BMW whose reliability is nothing to shout about.

 

When I was shopping around I was looking at the XF Premium, BMW 335 and MB 350. I ended up with the XF and have no regrets. Its been 6 months now and the only service was one minor recall notice. I have owned BMW and MB in the past and I definitely enjoy driving the XF over them. The only car in the stable to top the XF is my 89 911 Cabriolet.

 

I much prefer the Jag to the BMW, but before buying one, I went to test drive an XFR yesterday and I felt a bit disappointed by the way it performed. Power was good but not as explosive as I expected, on two occasions when I floored it the engine had a second of hesitation or lag before taking off. Also the message centre between the gauges stayed red all the time showing "Bonnet open" even though we checked that the hood and trunk were properly closed. When I put the car in reverse the back-up camera was OK, but returning to drive and again in reverse it now had a loud annoying beeeep indicating an obstacle in the back when it was all clear.
I then tried an XJL with the regular 385 hp and was really impressed by this one having more right now power then expected and everything worked flawless in this luxo barge. Sound system with 600 w was a big step above the 440w one in the XFR.
The Dealer said the XFR may not have been well prepped, so I should go back sometime next week to retest it, along with an 470 hp XJ SC that has the 1200w radio.

 

I'm surprised but there may be reasons.
Was the car fresh out the box? Mine at 10,000 suddenly became much much faster.
Did it have winter tires on? If not the DSC may have held the car back.
The throttle is quite heavy so you have to push harder than you think, but when it drops 2 gears it's mesmerizing. And by comparison I had a 997S before the Jag...
Did you try the car in "S" and "Dynamic"? Both make a huge difference.
The parking sensors and back up camera lens get clogged with salt and road grime. Clean them every week to keep things clear and avoid false alarms.

The "hood open" is likely a small misalignment which is easy to correct. Not had it on mine.

 

I have had a 2011 XF Pemium since last May and have experienced no problems whatsoever..........highway mileage is consistently 27 mpg, love the ride and the power....a friend of mine test drove a MB E350 and remarked how much quieter the Jag was than the MB.
The Jag is an outstanding auto.......I had reservations also before my purchase, but I can't say enough about the car....it stands out!

 

Hi Chef
As you said, the car was fresh out of the box and did not have winter tires in 30*F temps. I did put the car in "Dynamic" but only found out about the "S" while testing the XJ afterwards, maybe that's why this one impressed me for a 385 hp car.
The Dealer has rescheduled me a proper road test for Monday but the weather forecast says 5*F, so I will postpone it for a warmer day as the Demo cars are on summer tires and I know traction will be nil.

 

Thanks for all of the feedback. Unfortunately the 2010 xfr sold and I'll continue to look around. I'm not feeling too bad be use based upon my research the 68k asking price was too high and I would do better either buying a slightly used model or a 2011 with a much better warranty. It's funny you say the car wasn't prepped to drive. The first two xf model I drive also had minor issues on the test drive. One had a rough brake feel and the dealer said it was because it had not been driven in a while and rust accumated. At the end of the drive it was better. The xfr had a low tire pressure reading but we went on a test drive anyway as the dealer said it was not a problem. Since the xfr sold I'm not in a big rush now and am thinking to wait until I can try the new m5 for a final comparison, but the xfr is still high on my list.

 

I have the 2010 XF and can feel the differences when I cycle through the various Dynamic / S settings. But what are the technical differences and the benefits of combining them. I read the manual but don't understand the explanation.

 

I may be wrong as I still dont know much about this car, but my understanding is the Dynamic mode puts the suspension in sporting mode and the "S" on the gear selector puts the transmission and engine management in the Sport mode giving it more crisper throttle control and holding the gears to rev higher before shifting.

 

When looking to replace our 2004 XJ8 we looked at the BMW 5 series, Mercedes and Jaguar XF. We bought a XF Premium. The power is more than adequate, the ride is superb and I don't see myself at every corner. This is our forth Jaguar going back to a 1990 XJ6. We have never had any real maintenance issues with any of these. I have owned BMWs and Mercedes in the past and every one had more problems. I am very confident with the 2011 XF and the included maintenance and service for 5 years.

The XF is a blast to drive. Mileage is not quite as good as it was in the 2004 XJ8, but still over 24 mph on the highway is very good.

 

"Dynamic" stiffens the suspension (though the manual doesn't tell you that) and sets DSC to "Trac". "S" on the gear selector locks out 6 and alters the shift points by making them more aggressive. If the the car is in "Dynamic" and "S" and you shift using the paddles the gearbox will neither shift up or down automatically.

The reality is the instruction manual is very poorly written. It leads out important information and is misleading in others. Frankly other luxury car manufacturers do a much better job of educating their owners on how to get the most out of their new cars.

 

I had a BMW 7 series that was complete garbage always in the shop, so BMW isn't exactly quality anymore as well. Just look at the new JD powers rating. Also pop the hood on a lot of the mercs and bimmers and look at the abundance of plastic every, doesn't exactly scream quality. It's sad these german companies are cutting costs so much..

 

I was going to add my 2 cents, but that would be redundant. OK here it is: BMW 535, nice car, but no match for the XFR, period. Even the 550 is second place when it comes to acceleration, the new R & T does test the 550, real nice car for $70 large, but no XFR.

Although I have never driven the XFR, there are a few things I do not like about the nav on the XF. First, no NAV traffic on this type of car, really? Second the screen for the sat radio is from the 70's when compared to my daughters TSX. This thing needs to be much better to compete properly.

Now that I have done a short rant, you might wonder how I got off track so far. How does this work into a comparison between an XFR and a 535? The nav screen in that car is superior to the XF and to earlier 5 series cars. The XFR is not in everyone's driveway and is the subject of many stares. I like being different and not being what everyone else is.

If you can afford the XFR, get one, I am sure you will not regret it.