Well here comes another (not so generic) post asking "why should I buy the xf" and what not.

Just kidding.

First of all I should highlight that I am a new member here and have some opinions to express and advice I seek to receive from you gentlemen and ladies.

My name is Martynas, I currently reside in Chicago and I'm just a few months shy of being 21. Now I bet most of you are looking at your screen the way some dealers look at me when i tell them I'm in the market for a jaguar. I don't blame you.

I currently drive a 2008 Nissan 350z roadster which I love, however I am craving something else. I want something more mature yet subtle. Something that stands out but doesn't draw too much attention. Something that can give me a thrill and a comfortable evening ride home. And here I am looking at a jaguar.

My all time dream car is an Aston Martin DBS and since I prefer something 4 door at the moment and something winter friendly I shifted my eyes off a db7 to a jag, the next best thing. I was initially looking at a 2010 XFR, however one dealership experience ruined it for me and I resorted to driving a 2012 XF 5.0 at a jag dealer. I must say that I fell in love with it more than a 2015e55 Amg (bit of a stretch but a true statement). It was minimalist in everything but the engine yet was more than enough for a 20 year old.

The main reason for my need of extra seats is that with my business starting at the end of this month I need space to transport potential clients and my partners when needed, aswell as family to and from airports when needed. I had my fun with the Z but I think I rather fancy myself a bit of Aston Martin blood in my car.


Now as for the reason I'm making this thread.

Aside of all prejudice of a 20 year old driver and assumed financial capabilities, should I invest my money into a 2012 xf rather than an e39 m5 (which seems to increase in value same as the e30 once did) or bite the bullet and buy the xf hoping that it won't depreciate to crap in the 4 years of projected ownership.

What should I expect or I suppose set aside for maintenance for this car, I've read dozens of positive reviews on This car and its reliability however most of those threads now seem outdated. What is it like owning (in financial terms) in 2016. Is the warranty really warranted if the car is in its 30k mile region as most of the threads suggest that these cars don't see major repairs until 100k with proper repairs.

Are there other cars you'd recommend before the jag under $32k mark that would offer such a rewarding drive and feel to the car? (I see no interest in Honda or any generic car that loses value worse than Bmw.)

My other choices are but not limited to:
-2015 mustang GT MANUAL/standard
-2010-2012 Subaru STi hatchback
- E39 M5 BMW
-Lexus ls460

 

Going by my experience, and despite your apparent issue with one dealer, a 2010 or 2011 XFR is your best bet. They are a brilliant car and fantastic value for money, I got mine in near new condition for less than 1/3 the new price and have had no problems with it after 12 months of ownership.

 

If you don't mind me asking what is your current mileage on the xfr? And if it had any major repairs that it needed? Have you had a chance to drive a naturally aspirated model, and if yes, is there any significant difference (regarding engine performance) as far as acceleration feel, on paper it is only slightly faster as the supercharger only tends to help out in the top end climb

 

I'm currently at 60,5xx km which is around 40,000 miles.
No major repairs at all, it's been completely reliable. But I replaced the original battery a few months ago because it gave up the ghost, quite common for a five year old XF battery.
I've never driven an NA 5.0 version, but by all reports the XFR with 510 hp vs the NA with 385 hp is quite a lot quicker. I can tell you the response from low down in the rev range is pretty damn good, as it makes max torque from 2,500 rpm right through to 5,500 rpm.

 

Hopefully I'll have the same luck with my jag when time comes, sounds almost too good to be true lol

Will hopefully test drive an xfr this Thursday of the dealer doesn't insist that I sign a binding statement that I'll be buying the day of if I'm allowed to test drive (true story).

 

The 2010+ 5L Supercharged models (470hp) will be nearly identical as far as performance but should be significantly cheaper. Keep an eye out for those as well when looking at the XFR. The front bumper, rear diffuser, seats, and R badges are the main differences. If you want to save money the 09 Supercharged can be had for under $20k now and they had more options standard in that model. The 420hp 4.2L is more than enough to beat out that 350z. I know I had some fun with one last year and the driver pulled up to me after and said "Wow, that thing is fast!"

The major issues will depend on the model year you go with.
-All have battery issues so I'd recommend swapping the battery for a new one unless it comes with a battery that is less than a year old. Get a good battery tender and put it on the car if you don't drive it for greater than a week.
-Some note excessive battery drain from the entertainment system. A dealer software update seemed to help. Lock the doors to shut the electronics down whenever you park it (even in your garage) to help minimize.
-The leather letting go from the dash is common on all XF's so keep an eye out for that. It's expensive to fix if you pay the dealer to do it ($3k). Make them fix it before you buy it if it's showing signs.
-The 2009-11 models had issues with the rotating shifter. The cars would get stuck in park (bad solder joint in the circuit board). Most have been replaced under recall.
-The ducting for the cooled seats is fragile and appears to break apart over time. It is an easy fix if you do it yourself. This might be all model years.
-The 2010+ 5L SC and XFR have had a decent amount of complaints related to the E-diff giving them errors. I think some have had them replaced under warranty to get around the issue. This is probably big money out of warranty.
-The 2010+ 5L's have gone through a decent amount of water pumps.
-The 2009 4.2L NA/SC models had some issues with the rear diff making noise and leaking (change the diff fluid immediately to avoid issues down the road).
-Coolant tanks on the 2009 SC seem to be a week point. The tank nipple cracks and leaks. A new tank is $150 and it's easy to replace.

I think that's most of the major issues you could run into. As long as you know what to look for up front you will be able to diagnose them and save your self time and money. I love my XF. For the price I can't think of any other car I'd rather have.

 

I really appreciate you taking the time to give me an excellent write up. Definitely brought some issues I wasn't paying attention to and I'll have it on my radar when I go check out any other xf can't wait to have one in my garage

 

I'm a bit of a sucker for BMW, so I'll give a little bit of a comparison.
I've owned a 550i and a 335iX, as well as the older 540i and 330xi. I looked into getting an M5 about every time I've gone for another car, but have decided against it every time. I have an 09 XF supercharged right now that I chose above an M5 as well.

1. For looks, the XFs win every time. This is not only on general aesthetics, but they also look more elegant and subdued. Truly more "adult" than the M5s. This applies both inside and out, although I think the materials are better in the BMWs. This is in part due to me seeing what they look like at over 100k miles, with a bubbling dash and really crappy seats.

2. This is my personal opinion based on the cars I've owned and the M5s my friends own, but I really think the cornering is a lot better on the BMWs. I'm open to evidence to the contrary, but my XF rolls a hell of a lot more than my BMWs did.

3. The BMWs have more options/gadgets. My 550 had a heads up display, heated rear seats, window shades for the back doors, auto-dimming headlights, as well as a bunch of other things that are just not an option on the XF (unless that's changed). However, Jag has a touch screen system that means you don't have to use the incredibly clunky and stupid wheel in the BMWs.

4. V10s are awesome until you have to work on them. They're finicky and you have to pay people a lot to even touch them. Ultimately, this is the main reason I didn't go M5. If it was a naturally aspirated V8, I'd have had a really hard time saying no, but with the v10 or the older ones with the turbos, it's just not worth it. They're fraught with problems. My 335 went through injectors like air filters and the turbos were just a matter of time before they'd have to have the carbon cleaned out. By contrast, the the supercharged 4.2 that I have is rock solid and has proven it for an extremely long time in other Jags. I have 2 friends with V10 BMWs (E60) and it seems like they rarely get to drive them because of random sensor issues and such.

5. Did I mention looks? Because the XF is incredibly good looking.

 

I would just get a 2011-12 XKR personally. Or if you are into Aston Martin a Vantage, but that might be out of your budget. XF is cool but if you are 20 you probably don't need 4 doors and you might NEED that later.

 

I started with a 2010 Premium 5.0 n/a and 3 years later switched to a 2013 5.0 SC. 385 hp to 470hp upgrade.

Huge difference in power. Also gives you bigger brakes and adjustable suspension along with a few more interior options.

If you can afford a SC V8, do it.

To truely experiance a SCV8, turn on the "flag" button, put the DSC in TRAC mode, and select Sport on the shifter. Then let that 5.0 eat some 91 octane. She will not disappoint.

 

Well I really don't need the 4 seater however as I mentioned my business is officially opening by end of month and I need to account for potential space to transport my partners and clients if needed. I also need something more winter appropriate, I was beyond lucky with my 350z this winter however if next year I get hit with 8 inches of snow I need to be able to maneuver through it hence why I'm sticking to he xf/xfr for now.

As for the supercharged version I was hoping to hear input on that aswell, I can survive without he aesthetic touches and the slight reduction in body roll offered in the xfr. Was just hoping that there is a reason to spend a little extra and get the extra low torque rather than just top end torque

 

The 5L SC version is going to be identical as far as drivetrain and engine to the XFR. The power difference (470hp vs 510hp) is in the tune.

If you don't care about the XFR bumper/seats/badging then get the SC version instead of the XFR. You won't really noticed a difference in performance.

 

I've gone head to head with a friend in his XF SC and through second gear, the SC is just as fast (traction is a major problem for me though). After that I walked out on him. Although I won't be able to do that quite so much anymore, since he got a tune.

If you don't feel the styling and seats are worth it, go 5.0 SC. Great sleeper power and super comfortable. The better suspension and power are definitely worth it over the base V8, which is really good in it's own right. Had one as a loaner and it had the same character as my XFR, just not the same abilities.

 

Bmw''s have more issues in my experience. I am selling my XF supercharged, but not because of its realiabilty. It has been a great car, and people I transport in it, love it. You will need a good set of winter tires. Good luck.

 

are there really any differences between a 2010 and a 2012 face lifted SC model besides the passenger seat? You guys really convinced me back into looking for xfr's, was looking forward to checking out a one owner 70k highway mile xfr but I guess someone snatched it with only 5 days in the market. Bummer