YSE Car of the Week: 2005 Jaguar XJR
In honor of the global meltdown’s effect on used car prices, we’re initiating a new feature: YSE (Your Shitty Economy) Car of the Week. We begin with the Jaguar XJR. I mean, who would pay upwards of $80 grand for a luxo sedan that has brought up the rear of every comparo test it has ever been in? The main reason: it lacks key technological features. But now, when Mercedes S-class and BMW 7-Series owners’ credit cards are smoking from repairs to radar cruise control and cooled seats, the Jag XJR is sitting pretty. I know: Jag’s are hardly what you’d call exempt from repair and maintenance “issues.” Still, at $25,000, with low miles and driven lightly, you can afford to put aside a chunk of change to cover those running costs. Or, come to think of it, not.
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I noticed there are a lot of these around for a steal of a price, especially here in Denver, where any luxury car that doesn't come with AWD is tough to sell. Could explain some of the following bargains I've been considering: 2008 Mercedes-Benz E550, black with all the options, brand new, never titled. List is $72,000, asking price $56,000. 2007 Mercedes-Benz E550, 20K miles, $40,000. 2006 BMW 745il, 36,000 miles, CPO, $46,000. If it weren't for Idrive it'd be a bargain. And for this week's champ (I may write a review on this one): 2007 Chrysler 300C SRT-8, 19K miles, CPO, mint condition, $23K.
Did anybody mention the 0-60 in 5 seconds?
Jag has upped it's game from the 'always buy two, one for driving, one for spares' days quite considerably. In Europe it's seen as the most reliable non-Lexus luxury vehicle. My gripes with the current XJ are the very cheap looking buttons and switches in the interior (think lower level Ford parts bin) and the fuel consumption, which on the XJR (the one to go for in any other respect) is not for the faint hearted. But in line with other large cars, these have now depreciated so far that it no longer matters. On the other hand, you can pick up an Audi A8, or 7 Series for similar money, epsecially the petrol powered ones. 2 years ago a friend got a 3 year old fully loaded, company owned 760il with fewer than 60k miles for something like $40k. And prices for that kind of car have dropped since. Makes one seriously think about a new car purchase...
Second hand Jags are bargains and the repair costs are less than the other European marques. You get a very well engineered car that marches to it's own drum. It's not a "super techno" car busting a gut trying to shave off that last half second.