Jag XF greenhorns guide required

[crankedup]

Just sold my car and now looking to replace our 12000 miles each year stead. Love the look of the xf and read up in the online reviews, likely we will go for the 3.0 D as our best all round choice.
Our spend will be around the 9/10k mark and hope to find a 2011 car with around 100,000 miles on the clock. Am I mad or are these cars just fine for 200,000 miles, with proper service of course. Advise / comments gratefully sought.

[mike_e]

You might find yourself a face lift model with high mileage for that budget but they're still fairly rare compared to the older model. If it were me on your budget I'd be tempted to look at the old model but aim for a top spec. e.g. Portfolio XFS with lower mileage and lots of extras. I'd go for the S model if you can find one, they're just as economical as the 235BHP model. They age well if looked after and can clock up quite a few miles but 100k (or 10 years) is Cambelt change time so make sure it's been done if just over that or budget for the work to be done. They can suffer with a few electrical gremlins too. 5 different warnings on mine, all false alarms, nothing wrong but the relevant sensor had failed each time. Ride can be a bit harsh on 20" rims so look for something smaller if you prefer comfort over handling.

[crankedup]

Thanks mike, much appreciated and notes taken.

[Simpo Two]

I don't know what car you're coming from but compared to 'previous generation' cars you might find the ride a bit of a shock, so take a test drive before getting too excited. As Mike says the cambelt is most of £1,000 so try to avoid that. They can look good if you get the colour right but brace yourself for the 21st century with 'sporting' ride, engine noise, tech you don't need, a distracting-to use menu-driven screen - and don't expect a fuel gauge, oil pressure gauge, temperature gauge, dipstick or any of that old st!

[miniman]

I've had a 2012 facelift 3.0d for a few weeks now. It's "bottom" of the range but I prioritised the 8-speed gearbox over some of the more fancy extras I would probably never need. It's nice, very comfortable, very quiet, reasonably swift. Quite good fun too, in "dynamic" mode on the suspension, S on the gearbox and using the paddles.

40mpg so far.

[crankedup]

Thanks again chaps, didn't know the vital readout information was computer images, that is a big move away from what ai am used to. I need a test drive or two as advised.

[Simpo Two]

miniman said:

Quite good fun too, in "dynamic" mode on the suspension, S on the gearbox and using the paddles.

I can't think 'Dynamic' has any effect on suspension unless you have adjustable shocks. It does make the gearbox behave properly though.

[crankedup]

Blimey I wanted a car, this jag sounds like a gaming machine. Beginning to wish I had not sold my car. When are car manufacturers going to go back to relative basics and move away from mobile computers, it's all very disappointing I love the looks of the xf but already fear the electronics!

[Paulprior]

Why fear the electronics, all modern cars have similar systems, if you dont like that sort of thing then you would need to consider an older type of car, all new models will almost certainly increase in technology and electronics and obviously the more options you tick off then you get still more, but personally i find modern electronics to be very reliable, you always hear horror stories that some people face but its not true for most.
Just buy it and enjoy it, i have the XFS Sportbrake and its a great vehicle

[crankedup]

Paulprior said:

Why fear the electronics, all modern cars have similar systems, if you dont like that sort of thing then you would need to consider an older type of car, all new models will almost certainly increase in technology and electronics and obviously the more options you tick off then you get still more, but personally i find modern electronics to be very reliable, you always hear horror stories that some people face but its not true for most.
Just buy it and enjoy it, i have the XFS Sportbrake and its a great vehicle

Appreciate your input, I do fear modern electronics in cars and hold a pov that once a car is four or five years old those electronics are going to be a source of problems which require a garage bill to resolve.
Getting to the stage now that, as you mention, most new cars have a the electronics and the content is rising. This leaves very little choice for buyers in the used market, buyers like me perhaps. I can't change the trend and at some point will need to 'bite the bullet'. Having read the used car reviews for the xf I have noted that the early examples were troublesome in the electronics department with the later models resolving the issues.
Maybe your right, buy and enjoy and I will avoid those very early cars.

[w824gb3]

Dear me. I remember the same fear when electronic ignition replaced points, and fuel injection replaced carbs, and Cat converters appeared in exhausts. All too complicated and doom and gloom to some. Probably the same when pneumatic tyres replaced solid rubber ones on wooden wheels.

All these things work and are not to be feared. I had a top spec X type for ten years without a single electrical hiccup except for a boot lid switch. My XFS is 6 years old & is just as reliable. Only needed a new battery in that time.

[crankedup]

w824gb3 said:

Dear me. I remember the same fear when electronic ignition replaced points, and fuel injection replaced carbs, and Cat converters appeared in exhausts. All too complicated and doom and gloom to some. Probably the same when pneumatic tyres replaced solid rubber ones on wooden wheels.

All these things work and are not to be feared. I had a top spec X type for ten years without a single electrical hiccup except for a boot lid switch. My XFS is 6 years old & is just as reliable. Only needed a new battery in that time.

Think I may buy a Morris 1000 instead.

[Simpo Two]

I recenty drove a facelifted XF Luxury (2014), and unlike my 2011 Premium Luxury it had the 8-speed box. I've always criticised mine for a harsh ride, even on 17" wheels, noise and unpredictable gearchange - but the later version was notably better in both respects.

Take a test drive and see what you think. If ride is more important than looks, go for 17" wheels. As for trim levels, there may not be much difference as the first owners specced what they wanted. The 'Luxury' I drove had a reversing camera whilst my 'Premium Luxury' didn't - so read the specs not the headline... I think the facelifted models also have xenons as standard - though to be fair the lights on mine seemed perfectly OK.

[crankedup]

^^^^^^
Thank you, very useful advise, just sold my e46 M3 after a short ownership, found the ride in that very hard. Great car but just not the one for me. I will be looking out for likely xf candidates with test drives.

[BenjiS]

crankedup said:

Thanks again chaps, didn't know the vital readout information was computer images, that is a big move away from what ai am used to. I need a test drive or two as advised.

If you're referring to the speedo, rev counter etc as 'vital readout information', then no, it's not an LCD display in the age of car you're looking at. You can only have that in the very latest 2016/2017 cars.

Early cars all had a central LCD touchscreen for the radio/satnav etc, but not the main clocks.

[crankedup]

BenjiS said:

crankedup said:

Thanks again chaps, didn't know the vital readout information was computer images, that is a big move away from what ai am used to. I need a test drive or two as advised.

If you're referring to the speedo, rev counter etc as 'vital readout information', then no, it's not an LCD display in the age of car you're looking at. You can only have that in the very latest 2016/2017 cars.

Early cars all had a central LCD touchscreen for the radio/satnav etc, but not the main clocks.

Some good news, thanks.

[Tyre Tread]

I had an XFS for almost 2 years and it was a fabulous car. Bought second hand at 2.5 years old.

The one constant worry was that some wildlife might run out and trigger the airbags on the pedestrian safety system. Repair and reset cost is quite high.