Isn't it a shame that a car that was $80,000 10 years ago, that is in perfect condition with a high performance engine is now worth $10k, where a 10 year old Honda Accord that sold for half of that is also worth $10k?
Are there varying opinions on this or is it, has I hear, the fact that they cost a lot to keep running. I'm curious what more knowledgeable Jaguar owners think.
I hope no one takes offence to this question. Thanks

 

Varying opinions? Yes, of course

Generally those who buy new hate taking the loss, naturally. Those who buy used love getting so much car for so little money !

I'm in the latter group.

Cheers
DD

 

I have had 3 Jags. Presently I have a 2006 XK8 and a 2007 XJR.
First of all I wouldn't trade either one for 10 Hondas. Nothing against the Hondas, they are fine cars. It's about my personal driving pleasure.
My Dad was into E Type Jags in the sixties. He was quick to point out that they were a royal pain in the neck. He equated them to a beautiful woman that you knew was psychotic, dangerous and big trouble but you just couldn't stay out of her bed.
For decades Jaguars had a well deserved reputation for being temperamental, unreliable and very needy of expensive maintenance.
Jaguars, for the last 20 or so years, with general preventative maintenance are almost bullet proof and mine cost little more than a Honda to maintain. Finding a good independent mechanic is essential.
To answer your question, it is my opinion that people like me are capitalizing on the past reputation that no longer applies. I'm delighted and hope the reputation continues so good used Jaguars will remain affordable.
Also, check the value of ten year old BMW's and Mercedes. They drop like rocks as well.
2X

 

I agree that the choice to drive a Jaguar most likely comes down to driving preference. I have never owned a Honda but have owned many Toyotas. I have an 89 Supra turbo that I bought new and a 03 stepside Tundra that have never given me a bit of trouble.
I bought this Jag, first one, because I too like to drive a nice car and I don't like to be one of many on the rode at any given time. When I bought this car a comparable Lexus LS, which is what I was coming out of, was some $10k more. But since I've owned it, putting only 15k on it, it has dropped $5k in valve, plus, in the past 6 months a check engine light cost me $500 for 2 plastic fittings installed, $500 for ECU failure (they originally quoted me $2500 to replace it) caused by the rain washing down the windshield (rain never hurt any of my other cars), $500 for a used air strut installed, $200 to get the suspension calibrated, then of course I hit a pot hole in town and lost 2 Michelin tires, $600. I've never owned a car that just used up money this way with out making improvements to it.
So yes I love the style, I have no interest in most BMWs or Mercedes, but when that beautiful woman empties you wallet every time you turn your back!?
Are there mechanics other than Jaguar dealers that have the proprietary software needed to do many of these repairs? I haven't found one here. Thanks again

 

I'm a long way from you but here in NC I have an independent that is equipped to do ANY thing the dealer can. (Including codes and programming.) Our local dealer is unbelievably expensive and I will not use them. They will charge an $80 diagnostic fee to tell you that you need new windshield wiper blades!
With what you have experienced so far, I can understand your concern. Guess I have been lucky.
I would check the web and find the local Jaguar enthusiasts club and check out there news letter or e mail some members to see if they have anyone good and reasonable.
Good luck
2X

 

2 years ago when I bought by xj8, I was in that same boat. I started out looking at new cars in the $20-25k range. I can't imagine paying $40-50k for something that depreciates 10% or more as soon as it leaves the lot. So, I was looking at Ford Fusions, Chevrolet Malibus, Honda Accords, and Toyota Camrys. What I found is that you don't get very much for $20-25k in the new car market - 4 cylinder engine, cloth interior, plastic everywhere, loud road noise, and in general a less than satisfying experience.

Then, I spoke to my uncle who had driven Jags in the past and he recommended I start taking a look at them. For the same $20-25k, I could get leather interior, dual climate, heated front and rear seats, wood trim, and a driving experience that put a smile on my face every time I sat in the driver's seat or punched the gas getting on a freeway. It really is a piece of artwork that drives on the road.

I ended up finding a 2004 xj8 in immaculate condition sitting on a lot in West Chester, PA. The back seats looked like they had never been sat in. It was 8 years old when I bought it, had 54k miles on the odometer, and looked like it had been kept in a garage and barely moved. I ended up paying $15,750 for it.

I posted a thread a few months back about it's current value only being $8k or so. But, that doesn't really bother me all that much. I look at it as if I bought a slightly used $70k for $15k. I hope to get at least 150,000 miles out of it and I'm just over halfway there.

Not to get too much into the math, but $15k spread out over 10 years is $1,500 per year (+maintenance). Where else would I find a car that would cost me a little over $100 per month to drive that puts that kind of smile on my face and gets 25-30 mpg?

I also think Jaguars are driven by a different demographic. And, that may not be the correct term in this case. I really believe that when someone buys a new Jaguar they treat it better than their kids and maybe even better than their wife. I don't know if that is true with other brands of cars and maybe I get that impression from the way my uncle used to talk about his Jaguar ('86 xj6).

The other thing I've found is that Jaguars look expensive. They are usually attributed to a higher level of living. As such, I don't think people really look at them when buying used cars because they think they are so out of reach. Whereas, most people can relate to a Honda or a Toyota that there's also a certain longevity associated to.

 

"what beautiful woman empties you wallet every time you turn your back!? "

While your Jag might not always love you back either (sometimes you hate it when you have to repair it) - at least when you've finally had it with your Jag you can just sell it - you won't have to pay a $10k retainer to a lawyer, and then pay her to go away too.

 

Used Jaguars are also a steal here in the UK. However all up-market cars seem to fall out of bed depreciation-wise. Most people I know are scared of used up-market cars associating them with expense and trouble. Well, that can happen, but for me, I could never, ever, afford a new Jaguar, yet here I am driving a Jaguar and it's cost me less than if I'd bought a new Ford Focus.

Mind you, my recent tyres purchase at £667 for four was a bit eye-watering !! Pirelli P6000 Powergy, the original factory fitment if you want to know.

 

I just used that analogy,
"He equated them to a beautiful woman that you knew was psychotic, dangerous and big trouble but you just couldn't stay out of her bed."
as I was responding to 2ndxk8.
We have nice cars. An oil change on a Ferrari can cost $1000. It's all relative.
Thanks guys

 

After buying and selling four Jags in the last five months (trying to find the "right" one for me) I have had to explain some logic to folks that don't always seem to get it. I have expressed thoughts that most of us here can easily grasp, but some others seem to have a tough time with. When listing one of my last ones, I had a tag on it that was higher than NADA Guides listing and I had the CarFax for it (reporting a significant increase in value for past care). Here's one message I sent to a perspective buyer when he brought up the Kelley Blue Book (KBB) rating and his purpose along with obtaining financing for it.

"I completely understand. KBB is notorious for undervaluing and NADA is notorious for over. Financial institutions vary between which they choose to go with. My Jag is like my Harley; I have over $30,000 retail in it, but the "book" price has it under $10k. The value of something is what someone will pay for it and not necessarily what someone who is not looking at one particular item says the value is. I hope that helps put things into my perspective. She is quite a car, low miles, excellent interior & exterior. Plus, I've just spent over $300 on custom floor mats and other beautification accents for her as well."

He was stuck on the KBB and I repeated my stance that I did not need to sell her, I was just looking for something else and he's free to come and look and/or keep searching and I wished him the best of luck. He messaged a couple weeks later asking if she was still avail and if I'd lowered my asking price as mine was still the front-runner in his search, except for the price. I said that she was and I hadn't as I didn't find her any less valuable. My $0.02

 

I think only to those who bought it new.........

 

Until recently I drove a 03 S type R. Got it with 22k mi and currently for sale with 91 k mi. That beautiful women went thru at least $25k in repairs including a jag remanufactured trans at 85k mi. I had protection with that beauty--a extended warranty. Never own a jag without a warranty.
You say that's just a bad experience. I bought my daughter an 04 X type Sport in 06 with about 25k mi. It has 105k mi. Over the years it went thru about $10k in repairs. That too has a $2k warranty good thru 2015.
Just purchased a 2006 XJ Super 8 with 33k mi for $24k from jag dealer. Beautiful seductive black beauty with rear entertaiment and picnic tables. Love leather and wood. Dealer 100 pt inspection with new tires and brakes. Protected with a 4 yr/48k extended warranty.
Never own a Jag or other expensive car without a warranty as stated by my jag dealer service advisor. My experience confirms that--especially if you have an eye for these extremely seductive & beautiful types.

 

Hey esloser,
I pretty much agree with your reasoning there, have told friends the same thing. Did you get your XJ from West Chester Jag? Also did you see my post in the regional section about the Brits on the Beach car show Sept 20th in Ocean Grove, NJ?

 

No, I didn't get it from West Chester Jag - I ended up getting it from Import Cars of West Chester. It's now PA Auto Select. They were really easy to work with and I even negotiated a 3-day return period so that I could get my mechanic to check it out. I'm over in Southern New Jersey - down in Cumberland County. I might have to check out the Brits on the Beach car show on Sept 20th, although Ocean Grove is almost 2 hours from me.

 

Two years ago I bought an '04 XJR with 91,000 miles for $12,000 from the Jag dealer and paid $4,000 for the Jag extended warranty: 24 months or 20,000 miles.
I've only been able to put 10,000 miles on it (it's my daily driver) because it's been in the shop a full third of that time. (I own a backup car.) The warranty has paid out about $18,000 in repairs (I've paid about $2,000 in deductibles.)
Each time I bring it home with a new system repaired it feels closer to new. Warranty is now expired and the car is wonderful.
Conclusion: I now have the world's finest 100,000 mile XJR (total cost to all parties is $34,000,) my mechanic has become my friend and I've met his wife, the porter at the service department knows me by name, I have been blacklisted by the warranty company...and my car is worth about $5,000.
Priceless!

 

Quite so - I recall reading decades ago that the maintenance cost of a used prestige car will be pro rata the new price - rather than pro rata the giveaway price they fetch after half a dozen years.

Hardly earth shattering news - but I find a battle twixt heart and head when a car with rapidly falling "book value" wants far more than it's worth spent on maintenance.

I guess the head bit then needs a secondary analysis - and accepting that one saved a bundle at purchase stage (in buying used) and that part of that saving will need to be drip fed back in to maintaining the car.

 

These X350s can run a LOT of miles, many going over 200k, so if you can support the maintenance costs they will give many years service without failure of major parts. Only trouble is the cost of those not-so-major parts that seem to wear out far too quickly !! I am thinking of suspension parts here. Mind you, the aftermarket are pretty much up to speed on these cars now, so it is better than it was. I have to say, I would have preferred it if Jaguar had not fitted the air suspension. When the cars were announced in 2002, it was stated then that only the more expensive cars would have the air suspension, the lower-end models would have steel. I do wonder what happened to cause Jaguar to fit air to all the cars.

 

Not so nice for the new buyer, but as all say it can be very nic for the second hand buyer.

My first was a 2000 Dailmer which I bought in 2011 for 8% with 68K miles of the new price for a 11 year old car.... so far no major repairs, just oil change and finally replaced the original plugs. THough not done many miles on it, currently on 79K miles.

Second was the 2009 XJ Portfolio, 4 year old car at 20% of the new price, and still had 1 year warranty with Dealer, so another great deal. For the same price I would have got a 2 year old plastic Toyota or alike.... That 4.2 supercharge purrs everytime.. love it..though I have had about $6000 repairs done under warranty in the year, and the good news is I just managed to extend the dealer warranty for another 2 years....was having thoughts of selling her if I didn't get the warranty but now feel alot more relaxed to keep her and not worry for any major repairs, as there are really no alternatives to the dealer here....its a toyota and nissan world here.

 

Another issue for the DIY home mechanic in the modern era - is that the one element you can not escape is parts prices.

Whilst not a wholly valid comparison - I ran an MGB for nearly 20 years as daily transport (12000 miles annually) and for some of the electronic module prices on a modern Jag - you could buy a new engine or gearbox - or indeed have the differential rebuilt cheaper than buying a pair of Jag tyres.

Here in London UK - my recent research suggests an after market Jag warranty is only available until a car is 12 years old (max 150,000 miles) at an annual premium around £400 - say $700 in greenbacks.

The issue of modern electronics is common to all cars these days - so I guess it kinda levels the playing field between the high cost of overall costs if buying new/nearly new - versus older examples for 10/20% of original sales prices.

Subjectively when I see a late 2002 car on the road - it strikes me as a "relatively" new car - but of course in UK that purchase means you are on your own with maintenance costs.

Overall buying a series of 8/9 year old cars (and buying after market warranty) then getting rid when warranty runs out or later if running well - may be the way to go.

Even after 10 years ownership I remain very fond of my 1998 XJ8 - but need to explore tensioner issue.

 

Good read...bottom line for me is that I wouldn't be on here but for the fact 2nd hand they're a steal.