Hey guys, I am commuting approximately 250kms each day so I need a fast diesel and the standard BMW/Audi/MB options are so boring. I have always loved the look of the new Jags so I test drove a Jaguar certified 2013 XJ with 80,000kms on a diesel motor and have a few questions about living with it every day, I hope you guys don't mind:

It was great and comfortable but seemed a little floaty. I understand that this is a big car and I am coming from a 3 series but is that normal?

It seemed to struggle to put the power down, with a lot of wheelspin. Does the 6 speed vs 8-speed impact that? Is the 8 speed (or 2013+) worth the extra cost?

Even though it has a read view camera, it seems like parking that thing would be a nightmare.

Thanks for any input!

 

ryan, welcome to JF. I think you will find a lot of honest and straight to the point information here (unlike what you may get from other sites where they think they have the best thing on the road). But, we do ask that you stop by the new member section if you are going to stick around so we get to know a little bit about you. As you will find, we pride ourselves in being a better car group and as part of this, we like to get to know one another. This will also help introduce you to those that make this place what it is.

Now, for the car. If you are coming from a 3 series with a tighter suspension, then yes, this car is going to seem to float. But, there is also a button on the center console (dynamic suspension, the checkered flag looking button) that will stiffen up the suspension and also modifies the shift points to make the car a bit more sporty. But, with that being said, I think you will find that you can toss this bigger car around like the BMW and have it hold the curve with relative ease. It may be a big cat, but she can make the turns.

I had the same issue with my XJ (2012 with the 5.0L NA motor) when I first got it. Once you get to driving it, you will find that your foot will learn where it needs to go and the wheel slippage will go away unless you start to play and well, the car will then keep things under control. Keep in mind that the XJ tranny has a pretty low 1st gear to give it lots of off the line torque. So, this makes the wheel slip a little bit of a problem. BUt, like I mention, once you start driving it daily, you will learn what the kitty needs. Not sure the 6 or 8 speed tranny is going to make too much of a difference when it comes to wheel spin.

As for parking the car, if you are going from a 3 series to this, yes, the car is going to be more difficult to park. I went from the X-Type (3 series competitor and about the same size car as the 3) and I didn't find things all that difficult when it came to parking. But then, I also have driven large vehicles most of my life (full size dodge van, Ford Expedition, etc), so, this wasn't anything unusual to me. LIke with the driving, once you do it a few times, you will pick up what it can an can't do. Since you are getting the short wheel base version (you don't mention getting the XJL), the car has a pretty tight turn radius and will fit into a lot of spaces. The big thing that gets me is the passenger side mirror will tilt down to help you see along the side of the car. If you are quick to start moving once you get into reverse, the mirror is still moving as you are moving the vehicle and this can make for a challenge if you are looking at that mirror.

 

I have the 3.0 diesel as well, mine is the LWB and yes it is huge to park but you will get used to it, with the parking aids you can get into very tight spaces if you need to.
In dynamic you can really throw it around and it really does stick to the road, again, as mentioned above, you will get the hang of how far you can push it.

 

Haha, that's a big car in a small space! Thanks for the feedback, I will properly introduce myself in the future. I understand your points about adapting to a new normal so to speak.

I am trying to decide between a 2012 with 65kms and a 2013 with 85kms and more options at a 4,000EUR premium. As an owner, do you think the updates from 2013 are worth an additional cost?

 

IMHO 2013 is one of the best years as it was the 3rd or 4th year into the run and there were several significant updates. Audio cnanged from B & W with a Harman Kardon head untit to Meridian speakers and head unit that is one of the best sounding car audio systems I've ever heard, 8 speed ZF transmission, suspension tweaks, and much more.

 

+1 on XJsss' comments. In addition, the 2013-up XJs have Intelligent Stop-Start. Initially, I hated it but learned to love it as I found that I could control activation by the amount of pressure on the brake pedal. It really does work to improve mpg, although fuel economy was the last reason I bought mine.

 

Hi Ryan,

It is definitely a floaty car compared to a 3 series, but I didn't feel it was noticeable compared to others in the same class and as Chris mentions you can stiffen it slightly. Have you got the opportunity to compare the one you drove with another? With a 250km per day commute I would prefer an XJ to a 3 series... but then I am a little biased.

It sounds like you test drove the 3.0D version. I have the same one a few years older that also has the 6 speed. I have driven the 8 speed equivalent a few times as service loaners and didn't notice any real difference to the handling (or anything at all really). I've only managed sustained wheelspin in mine the once when pulling away on ice in normal driving mode. In five years of normal driving (including frequent spirited stretches) I can only recall the DSC kicking in a handful of times other than that - usually pulling away with a rear wheel on a wet manhole cover.

I've not noticed any issue laying down power even with kick downs but I don't tend to do racing starts in my XJ. Where you testing it from standstill with particularly firm presses of the gas pedal? The 3.0D has a lot of torque very early on. Do you know what tyres were on it?

The newer ones are a bit quieter and come with a better upgrade sound system and extra features like stop-start which is good with city traffic.

Newer ones were also offered with an upgraded blind spot monitoring system which can include rear traffic detection which is a very handy feature to have on a long car like these. (It will tell you if a car is approaching from the side when reversing out of a parking spot. Not sure if a 2013 will have that or if it came in with the 2016 refresh.) You will get used to the parking fairly quickly though. It seems huge at first, but after a couple of goes reversing it into spots you will get the hang of it and find it is actually much more maneuverable than you first think. If it has the tinted rear windows it can be a pain to reverse at night but you can always open them if it is not raining. Never ever park it nose in if other people can park next to you and it is not clear behind or you can end up trapped in a 10 minute back-and-forth exit dance with both front and back parking sensors permanently screaming at you. (Incidentally, sometimes the front sensors were an option. They are required!)

Your biggest problem with parking will be finding a space to start with, especially end-on. You can't park mid-row in tight car parks else the surrounding cars won't be able to manoeuvre without risking scrapes, and at least in the UK where we size car parking spaces to barely hold a shopping cart you may find you can't even get into some car parks at all. Multi-story/covered ones with big curved concrete walls are the worst - I had to reverse all the way down a large circular on ramp in one because I finally got to the top only to find a 90 degree turn that I couldn't clear.

I feel a certificate is required for roviw for getting his into that space!