The highs and lows of a new XK
Discussion
after having my deposit down for 14 months and having the worst service from a dealership ever (str*tst*nes) I finally got my XK in May.
First impression is that it looked far better in the flesh than it does in photographs.
I spec'd my car as follows
Quartz Paintwork ( after the Vanquish I had seen)
Charcoal/Charcoal leather with Poplar dash wood inserts
20" Senta allays
Active Lighting
Powerfold mirrors with the dimmer pack
Auto Air recirc
Keyless entry
CATS was mandatory
The first thing I noticed when I sat in the car was the shock of the poplar wood. In my old XJS I had light wood and it was superb, this looked like unfinished MDF. It has sibce really grown on me, so much that I have ordered it on my XKR. It lightens up the dark interior and gives it a more hand made appearance - avoid the aluminium at all costs, far too BMW
So, what is the car actually like? Well it certainly gets better with the miles. My first impression was not good as it felt only slightly better than the XK8 it replaced. The exhuast note is impressive but you cannot hear it on the move at all. It sounds like a Mustang and I thought Jag has said they were pipiong the sound into the cabin. The suspension is excellent and firm, so much for the don't buy the 20" alloy brigade. The reason why I have gone for an XKR is the lack of a kick in the pants response when the throttle is floored. When you look at the speedo it rises very fast but you would not know it as you are not pushed to the back of your seat.
I think the XK is a very accomplished car and certainly one that you can look forward to driving every day and if you fancy racing up to 140+ it will happily do so with no fuss but also no drama.
What don't I like.
this car is very frustrating as I really want it to be perfect but just when you think things are good it bites you with some rubbish design and thinking.
Three sets of stereo controls !!!! WHY? One set on the console, another on the sat nav and the third on the steering wheel, absolute madness. No DAB and no iPOD support as yet.
Don't use the screen wash with the windows down, I have the coupe and it wets me inside, heaven knows what its like in the convertable? Maybe you have to put the top up first!
Cheap plastics surrounding the sat nav and the cheapest set of seat controls of any moving vehicle.
NO temperature gauge or oil pressure gauge!!! This is unforgivable expecially as the manual suggests taking the engine up to temperature before attempting high revs. If anyone remembers the XK8 impellor problem they will know that the engine had localised overheating which could only be caught by spotting occasional blips on the temp gauge, the computer never picked it up.
Whoever thought it would be a good idea to blip the throttle automatically on fast downshifts wants shooting. Race along, leave the braking late and the gear management blips the throttle on the downshifts, sounds like a neat idea until you realise the gearbox is still engaged and therefore it has the effect of throttling against your braking effort and so extending the braking distance - very unnerving.
Understeer - do not throttle down in corners as the car has a big understeer problem and mine has 20 inch alloys!
Flappy paddles, if you drive at ten to two then forget these, if you are in a spirited mood they are never in the right place when you need them, unlike other top cars these are not in a fixed position. I personally would make these an option as the sport mode auto is far more satisfying.
Blutooth phone address book only works if you have one of the two phones that it supports.
I bet you think I don't like my car well it just shows how good it is that I can live with these stupid poor details.
Can't wait for my XKR!!
First impression is that it looked far better in the flesh than it does in photographs.
I spec'd my car as follows
Quartz Paintwork ( after the Vanquish I had seen)
Charcoal/Charcoal leather with Poplar dash wood inserts
20" Senta allays
Active Lighting
Powerfold mirrors with the dimmer pack
Auto Air recirc
Keyless entry
CATS was mandatory
The first thing I noticed when I sat in the car was the shock of the poplar wood. In my old XJS I had light wood and it was superb, this looked like unfinished MDF. It has sibce really grown on me, so much that I have ordered it on my XKR. It lightens up the dark interior and gives it a more hand made appearance - avoid the aluminium at all costs, far too BMW
So, what is the car actually like? Well it certainly gets better with the miles. My first impression was not good as it felt only slightly better than the XK8 it replaced. The exhuast note is impressive but you cannot hear it on the move at all. It sounds like a Mustang and I thought Jag has said they were pipiong the sound into the cabin. The suspension is excellent and firm, so much for the don't buy the 20" alloy brigade. The reason why I have gone for an XKR is the lack of a kick in the pants response when the throttle is floored. When you look at the speedo it rises very fast but you would not know it as you are not pushed to the back of your seat.
I think the XK is a very accomplished car and certainly one that you can look forward to driving every day and if you fancy racing up to 140+ it will happily do so with no fuss but also no drama.
What don't I like.
this car is very frustrating as I really want it to be perfect but just when you think things are good it bites you with some rubbish design and thinking.
Three sets of stereo controls !!!! WHY? One set on the console, another on the sat nav and the third on the steering wheel, absolute madness. No DAB and no iPOD support as yet.
Don't use the screen wash with the windows down, I have the coupe and it wets me inside, heaven knows what its like in the convertable? Maybe you have to put the top up first!
Cheap plastics surrounding the sat nav and the cheapest set of seat controls of any moving vehicle.
NO temperature gauge or oil pressure gauge!!! This is unforgivable expecially as the manual suggests taking the engine up to temperature before attempting high revs. If anyone remembers the XK8 impellor problem they will know that the engine had localised overheating which could only be caught by spotting occasional blips on the temp gauge, the computer never picked it up.
Whoever thought it would be a good idea to blip the throttle automatically on fast downshifts wants shooting. Race along, leave the braking late and the gear management blips the throttle on the downshifts, sounds like a neat idea until you realise the gearbox is still engaged and therefore it has the effect of throttling against your braking effort and so extending the braking distance - very unnerving.
Understeer - do not throttle down in corners as the car has a big understeer problem and mine has 20 inch alloys!
Flappy paddles, if you drive at ten to two then forget these, if you are in a spirited mood they are never in the right place when you need them, unlike other top cars these are not in a fixed position. I personally would make these an option as the sport mode auto is far more satisfying.
Blutooth phone address book only works if you have one of the two phones that it supports.
I bet you think I don't like my car well it just shows how good it is that I can live with these stupid poor details.
Can't wait for my XKR!!
voituer said:
The reason why I have gone for an XKR is the lack of a kick in the pants response when the throttle is floored. When you look at the speedo it rises very fast but you would not know it as you are not pushed to the back of your seat.
I had that feeling driving XK8s in the US compared with driving a T.Bird.
The T.Bird is realy quick - till you look at the speedo
I found the XK slow - till you saw what speed you were doing.
Have fun with the new toy.
Have fun when the newer one arrives.
Interesting points you make, esp. to the use of materials and the glaring obvious doneshift and crappy paddles, which seem to just tick a trend, nothing more.) It is true about these lack of big picture details on the XK. I went to see the new XKR at the EXcel this week. Really liked the look of it. BUT what is going on with this new 'brushed aluminium' paint effect. Half the car has 'chrome' accents (badges, exhaust tips, roof trim) and the other half has this really nasty 'primer' looking finish (grilles, boot plinth, side gills.) It has to be one or the other. On the greys it will look fine, but dark colours it looks awful.
Anyhow, that aside I really like it, (but not love it, due to the certain amount of cheapness to soem of the ,materials used) When you getting the 'R, what colour?
G
Anyhow, that aside I really like it, (but not love it, due to the certain amount of cheapness to soem of the ,materials used) When you getting the 'R, what colour?
G
Phil Hopkins said:
G, it's no cheaper than the previous XK. Infact the quality of materials have improved dramatically.
That may well be the case Phil, but as you can see, the customers don't agree, if it isn't cheap, why does it look it.
I'd like to order my XKR with body coloured side gills and chrome boot plinth and front grilles please...................................................
Edited by triple7 on Saturday 29th July 09:44
Ah well you can't please all the people all the time, 
, the choice of dashboards needs to appeal to a wide audience (Europe Yanks etc), the Aluminium dash for example has been very poplar (or popular) so far, along with the more traditional Burr Walnut. I think the quality of finish is excellent, FWIW.
, the choice of dashboards needs to appeal to a wide audience (Europe Yanks etc), the Aluminium dash for example has been very poplar (or popular) so far, along with the more traditional Burr Walnut. I think the quality of finish is excellent, FWIW.I don't think the wood interior works very well, prob why the alu is popular. A carbon fibre insert would look the biz, although that is probably being saved for the 5.0Ltr.
What i did see at the motorshow, which was probably inexpensive but looked fab, was that in the BMW Z4M Coupe, they had a leather insert for trim in the dash, but it had a carbon fibre weave stamped into it. I would prefer just a black leather inser to be available so you didn't have to choose between the aluminium which I don't love, but prefer over the wood.
Like you say, it is to appeal to as many as poss.
All the same it is on my list as my future car replacement.
G
What i did see at the motorshow, which was probably inexpensive but looked fab, was that in the BMW Z4M Coupe, they had a leather insert for trim in the dash, but it had a carbon fibre weave stamped into it. I would prefer just a black leather inser to be available so you didn't have to choose between the aluminium which I don't love, but prefer over the wood.
Like you say, it is to appeal to as many as poss.
All the same it is on my list as my future car replacement.
G
triple7 said:
Phil Hopkins said:
G, it's no cheaper than the previous XK. Infact the quality of materials have improved dramatically.
That may well be the case Phil, but as you can see, the customers don't agree, if it isn't cheap, why does it look it.
No idea G. One of the chaps at the old wood shop in Browns Lane once told me of the veneers; "We take this beautiful veneer and spend hours polishing it to make it look like plastic".
Very true really.
so very true. 
Hi,
Firstly I love the look of the Elm wood in the XKR-S 'gorgeous', to use a certain tag line. My ultimate would be ebonised piano black, really high gloss. The worst Faux-pas was the grey wood they started using some time ago.
I have ordered my XKR in the same colour combination as my XK, BUT I will be changing the side vents to body colour and may even have the extra front grills body colour. BTW I really wanted the red interior, you know the deep dark red, apparently its not going to be an option, I always thought it looked stunning and it wore really well.
Str*st*nes story will follow and had it not been for the fact that I felt screwed as my deposit was with them and I had a very early slot I most certainly would have told them where to go!
Firstly I love the look of the Elm wood in the XKR-S 'gorgeous', to use a certain tag line. My ultimate would be ebonised piano black, really high gloss. The worst Faux-pas was the grey wood they started using some time ago.
I have ordered my XKR in the same colour combination as my XK, BUT I will be changing the side vents to body colour and may even have the extra front grills body colour. BTW I really wanted the red interior, you know the deep dark red, apparently its not going to be an option, I always thought it looked stunning and it wore really well.
Str*st*nes story will follow and had it not been for the fact that I felt screwed as my deposit was with them and I had a very early slot I most certainly would have told them where to go!
I went a test drive in the new XK - I would like to think of myself being very young for a Jaguar market at 31 but it looks great on the road. I agree that the car doesn't feel fast even though it is quick, maybe its the seemless automatic gearbox. I did like it very much though - regarding the interior the wood trim does make the interior look light and special, maybe a new trim offering should happen - from what I saw the aluminium trim only came with the dark leather options, it needs a saddle coulour leather maybe with the piano black?
What were my conclusions: I was offered the demo model and looking on autotrader etc I think that they might take a large hit in residuals as per the previous. I did drive the BMW 535d touring again impressed but the extra 10k on the jag took you to something special. My plan is to buy a 'normal' car and run it for a year whilst saving up for a 997 S - The Jag was nearly but not quite...
What were my conclusions: I was offered the demo model and looking on autotrader etc I think that they might take a large hit in residuals as per the previous. I did drive the BMW 535d touring again impressed but the extra 10k on the jag took you to something special. My plan is to buy a 'normal' car and run it for a year whilst saving up for a 997 S - The Jag was nearly but not quite...
nobbles said:
I went a test drive in the new XK - I would like to think of myself being very young for a Jaguar market at 31 but it looks great on the road. I agree that the car doesn't feel fast even though it is quick, maybe its the seemless automatic gearbox. I did like it very much though - regarding the interior the wood trim does make the interior look light and special, maybe a new trim offering should happen - from what I saw the aluminium trim only came with the dark leather options, it needs a saddle coulour leather maybe with the piano black?
What were my conclusions: I was offered the demo model and looking on autotrader etc I think that they might take a large hit in residuals as per the previous. I did drive the BMW 535d touring again impressed but the extra 10k on the jag took you to something special. My plan is to buy a 'normal' car and run it for a year whilst saving up for a 997 S - The Jag was nearly but not quite...
What were my conclusions: I was offered the demo model and looking on autotrader etc I think that they might take a large hit in residuals as per the previous. I did drive the BMW 535d touring again impressed but the extra 10k on the jag took you to something special. My plan is to buy a 'normal' car and run it for a year whilst saving up for a 997 S - The Jag was nearly but not quite...
In the same boat, looking to buy either the new XKR or 997S, infact the Jag comes out at nearly £4k cheaper with all the extras (and is my prefered choice as 997's are common as much and although a lovely car, it may be too 'hard' for an all around car I am looking for. Depreciation is my main concern also, having lost a certain amount of cash on running 3 consectutive Jags to date, the key is to buy smart, but to be honest the 997 has been out for over 2 years and sitting in my local dealer are 3 used 997S's which have been there for a while. I recon they will both lose 15% a year. (Jag are looking into protecting residuals by not increasing supply further) So who knows, I'm waiting for a test of the XKR before my final decesion.
I'm 33.
G
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