10 years ago on this hallowed forum was umm-ing and ahh-ing about selling an Jag XJ-S V12 convertible. Seems like yesterday...
It was lovely when it was running, and top down in the sun it was fabulous, but it's constant need to have something doing to it ground me down and it was sold to a chap who had managed to write his off and this was a perfect replacement. Interestingly, I did not miss it other than on the sunniest of days.
At the time I had lusted after an XK or XKR (not the earlier XK8) - either coupe or convertible but 10 years ago I could never have considered it due to cost. With the depreciation they have had since, things are a little different...
When I had a Jag I was in the owners club. A nice bunch and we went to shows, London to Brighton runs etc, and now one of the leading lights there who I knew well at the time (who also ran his own specialist Jag workshop that I used and that he sold a couple of years ago) is selling one of his personal collection. XKR Coupe limited edition version. 4.2 litre Supercharged V8, 2007 model with 85k miles.
At c. £15k I'm tempted. But.... I don't need another car.
I have a company V90 estate and my wife has a Golf GTi. We have a car port for these and additional parking in front of the house. If we got the Jag then probably the V90's going on the drive but that brings back the scraping of ice off windscreens in winter, more frequent cleaning, etc, but sticking the Jag on the drive instead seems a crime unless covered (which is both an eyesore and a fiddle when you want to drive it).
Clearly I don't need another car.
Other than my daily commute (11 miles each way on busy and not very exciting A roads), we don't do much other driving. Weekend's are for an occasional trip to a town or pub within c.15 miles but other than that we stay at home. We have a dog so weekend trips are always with one eye on the clock to get back to feed and let it in the garden.
Clearly I don't need another car.
But. It's a Supercharged V8 Jag with 420hp, sounds and looks fab and I want one badly and it's been owned by a Jag expert for years.
Argh!
I could afford it, but in discussions with swmbo, she is quite ambivalent. She won't drive it and for health reasons she might struggle to get in and out (not physically seen it yet to try), but says that if I really want it she won't argue against.
It should be a clear cut case here, but....:
The car's has been owned by this Jag specialist (now retired) for 7 years but in that time he has done about 400-500 miles in it. It has been MOT'd every year and he says he changes the oil too as a routine annual thing with all of his cars (he has 6). He bought it because he loved it and it's rarity value, but now has to rationalize his collection and this and an XF estate are for the cut.
I know car's don't like being sat doing nothing (he said he has replaced a number of rubber bushes underneath, and it has a new battery last year) so I am wondering if it's a good idea.
I can imagine I will only use it for a day or two's commute a week, plus an occasional short weekend journeys, so it seems a bit pointless.
Pros: Specialist owned for years, not too high mileage, relatively affordable, lovely
Cons: I don't need it, it will cost to run and service, could be expensive if there's an issue, fear of it being a money pit as barely used in 7 years (the XJ-S was exactly that) and don't do enough driving to really justify another car.
I hope to get one one day whatever, and the balance is whether to get this now because of it's provenance, or a different one with possibly less clear history in the future (maybe a later 2011/2012 5-litre version when they become more affordable).
I am in a bit of a quandary (although I have had worse ones) so interested to throw it out to the crowd to get thoughts and opinions. :)
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Jaguar - XKR - Should I, shouldn't I.... new
Jaguar - XKR - Should I, shouldn't I.... new
