I found two pristine XJ's that can be had for the same price ($46k), one is a 2012 Supercharged w/ 40k mi, the other is a 2011 Supersport w/ 25k mi (original MSRP $110k)
On paper, the SS appears to be better value. Does the SS cost more to maintain and does it drive significantly better than the SC?

Which car would you guys get?


Cheers,
Wolfy

 

Wolfy,

Asking which one is the better deal reminds me of the traveling salesman and the farmer with two daughters. For the salesman, it was love at first sight - the sisters were equally gorgeous; one was a blonde and 19, and the other was a redhead and 22. How could he choose? A difficult decision, indeed. Nevertheless, he married the blonde the next day because she was younger and he noticed that her sister was just a little bit cross-eyed. It wasn't until their wedding night, however, that he learned that his beautiful bride was just a little bit pregnant!

You can't make an informed decision without doing your due diligence.

Your comparison of the two XJs "on paper" isn't worth the cost of that paper. Was the oil ever changed on the 25,000 mile SS? Lower miles, by itself, doesn't mean it's a better choice - particularly if it was 1/4 mile at a time. Buying any used car without a warranty is always a gamble, even with perfect service records and a "clean CarFax" because mechanical and electrical stuff breaks and not everything gets reported to CarFax. Get a Due Diligence Checklist and evaluate both cars in person, and pay a Jaguar dealer for a written pre-purchase inspection. Also pay a body shop qualified to do aluminum repairs to inspect for any paint or body work.

In real world driving, I think you would be hard pressed to tell the difference between 470HP and 510HP. All things being equal, the maintenance costs should be the same.

Stuart

 

I like the response you got from Stuart S.
My comment is that horse power is not always that important but it depends on how you intend to use this luxury automobile.
I would suggest that you also take into consideration what options are on each vehicle, i. e.
sound system, adaptive cruise control, and many other luxuries that are available.
An old guy like me with my '12 XJL Portfolio w/ 385 horses does the job. In the future I'd like to get another one with the dvd on each head rest and the tables, and the comfort seating in the back seats, etc. and with the V-8 power.
Good luck in selecting for your pleasure one of these fine luxury automobiles.

 

The SuperSport was the top of the line, it's a lot more than just more horsepower. SuperSports had every option, except in 2011 the entertainment system was the only option. It was the most customize-able model and came with aniline leather interior. Even the headliner is leather. Some say it was comparable to the previous model's Super 8 series. In 2014 it was replaced by the XJR here in the US, but was still available in many other countries through 2015. It is now in 2016 known as The Autobiography model. But as has been said earlier do you due diligence before you buy.