[DallasCars]

Hey everyone!

It's been awhile since I posted on L4P, due to school and such (Well, I only have 3 posts :lol. I have been really busy however, between my jobs, business, college, athletics, etc. Things are finally starting to slow down academically and athletically and I have saved up enough money to begin searching for a new car. Through my search, I narrowed my want list down to a few cars. They are as follows..

- BMW M3 E46...(Possibly an E92 if I can find a great deal...)
- 1999-2004 Porsche 911 (Not too sure if going that old is practical)
- 2001 BMW M-Coupe Convertible (I honestly never have seen this car before, but one is for sale nearby.)
- and finally... A 2009 Jaguar XF Luxury..

So, to me, the Jaguar was the most practical choice of them all...It fit everything I needed in a car currently. In short, I don't live on campus, so the car isn't sitting in a parking lot all day. I want a car with 4 doors preferably just to be able to haul people around if necessary or to pack things into the car. I want some kind of performance figure in the vehicle. The XF probably has the lowest Horsepower of the four cars however.. Finally, I wanted a type of luxury factor into the car.

The Jaguar I am looking at is a 2009 Jaguar XF Luxury. I know it isn't top of the line, but it seems to fit my needs very well. At least I think so. I wanted some input, however. I want to make sure I am not disappointed in the car 3 months into the purchase.



TL/DR.... I have some questions about the XF and my next purchase..

1) How reliable is it? The car has rather high mileage, for how old it is, pushing just over 55k. I maybe drive 5-6k miles a year, so is it going to be dependable maybe 3 or 4 years in the future? How is the build quality of the car? Will knobs inside break? Will interior pieces fall off? Things like that.

2) How is the performance? I saw it has about 300HP and around 310 lb. torque. I don't race or anything, but I like to be able to hear a nice engine roar and be able to pass trucks and cars on the highway.

3) Should I maybe wait a little longer, save a little more, and buy the XJ Supercharged?

4) Or should I go a different route?

5) (Last questions I promise!) The Jaguar is located in Florida and I currently go to school in North Carolina. I am from Florida and have friends that can go look at the car, but if I don't see the car myself I don't know how honest of an inspection I can get on it. I am very articulate when it comes to inspecting used cars. So, has anyone else purchased a car out of state? What was your experience and was it worth it?


You don't have to answer all the questions, I am just looking for some input and guidance from some fellow L4Pers that obviously have a lot of experience in exotic cars.

Thank you everyone for your time!! Sorry for the lengthy post!!

 

[DialM]

Why not consider the XF-R?

 

[khango]

I'm another XF owner who's also a student. I might not be much help because my car is the 2011(my12 model).

1) The car does have fairly high mileage, and is abit old for an XF too. However, in my 2-3 years of ownership, the only problem I've had was the right headlights needing to be replaced. Other than that, everything else has been working and operating fine!

2) That should be plenty of power to overtake! I believe those specs belongs to a 8cyl 4.2 which accelerates from 0-60 in 6.5s? Should make a lovely sound (or maybe with an aftermarket exhaust)

4) The car seems like a fit for you! Unless you think you can find a better option in the future, go for this one Personally, a must for me is a facelifted XF.

 

[DallasCars]

I'm another XF owner who's also a student. I might not be much help because my car is the 2011(my12 model).

1) The car does have fairly high mileage, and is abit old for an XF too. However, in my 2-3 years of ownership, the only problem I've had was the right headlights needing to be replaced. Other than that, everything else has been working and operating fine!

2) That should be plenty of power to overtake! I believe those specs belongs to a 8cyl 4.2 which accelerates from 0-60 in 6.5s? Should make a lovely sound (or maybe with an aftermarket exhaust)

4) The car seems like a fit for you! Unless you think you can find a better option in the future, go for this one Personally, a must for me is a facelifted XF.

Thanks for the response! That is some great feedback. I'm probably going to see if I can find one nearby to test drive first, but this car just keeps making more sense for me to get.

 

[Pushn'lbs]

Ever consider a G37?

 

[LuxeDRIVE]

55K on a 5 year old car isn't high mileage. It's about average. Of the cars on your list, I'd probably go for a low mileage BMW M3 E46. It's a beautiful body (will still look good 15 years from now...) on a bulletproof engine and an absolute blast to drive. I own an 08' E92 M3 that I bought new and currently has 25K on it and while I still enjoy the car quite a bit, it's not as beautiful to me as an E46. That car is a future classic!

 

[In AWD We Trust]

Wait for Jag XE and see how it competes with the BMW 3 series.

 

[DallasCars]

55K on a 5 year old car isn't high mileage. It's about average. Of the cars on your list, I'd probably go for a low mileage BMW M3 E46. It's a beautiful body (will still look good 15 years from now...) on a bulletproof engine and an absolute blast to drive. I own an 08' E92 M3 that I bought new and currently has 25K on it and while I still enjoy the car quite a bit, it's not as beautiful to me as an E46. That car is a future classic!

I actually test drove an M3 today that was just traded in to a local dealership. I loved it. It performed amazing and was really a great car. So many choices now. hwell:

Wait for Jag XE and see how it competes with the BMW 3 series.

Never honestly even looked into the XE. I heard about it, but never cared to research it. Something I will definitely keep in mind.

 

[khango]

The e46 m3 will definitely be more superior performance wise compared to the Jaguar XF

And the Jaguar XE would most likely be better than the chosen Jaguar in many areas, but it may be 1-2years away sadly.

 

[In AWD We Trust]

More time to save dat monies.

Pay it in cash, Jag will be very eager to fight with boosted sales and do cutthroat pricing.

They are probably still giving away cash incentives for the F type coupe to take on the 911.

 

[Sketch]

I would really consider the M3. The E46 is one if not my favorite generation of them all, and they are an absolute blast to own in many ways.

 

[DallasCars]

Thanks everyone for your responses. I have decided the M3 is probably the car I'll be the most happy with. After test driving it I just couldn't go with a less powerful car. I'll post pictures when I get it!

 

[Sherusalem]

There is a reason the e46 m3 has such a devoted following. It is literally an amazing car! just whatever you do; opt for the 6speed. You'll be doing yourself injustice if you go for the smg!

the e46 is still (IMO) one of the most beautiful cars ever. timeless.

 

[LuxeDRIVE]

There is a reason the e46 m3 has such a devoted following. It is literally an amazing car! just whatever you do; opt for the 6speed. You'll be doing yourself injustice if you go for the smg!

the e46 is still (IMO) one of the most beautiful cars ever. timeless.

+1

Everything in this post is spot on.

 

[Aaron]

Stay away from the Jag. I bought an XF-R a few months ago and am already thinking about getting rid of it. Besides the fact that it hurts my back even with dynamic mode off (I'm 26 but have slight back issues), it just doesn't feel solid. Coming from a rock of a Lexus, the Jag creaks, rattles, moans, and makes other weird noises. Also, the infotainment system isn't that user friendly. Lastly - and this may not pertain to you - my local service center treated me like shit and the next closest one is pretty far.

 

[Captain McFunk]

I've been seriously considering an XFR as my next vehicle when I trade in my CTS-V. I think this steered me away from it :/ not sure what to get now, but most likely not an M3.

 

[carzaddict]

ive had a 2009 XF.....no issues at all. solid reliable car. its not like the Jag of the past under fords control where you needed a prayer to start the car. I really loved the car. it had everything i needed...sporty, sexy and comfortable

Id say no on the XJ depending on how often you parallel park the car. I currently have a 2012 XJ L and the thing is a BOAT. i love the car to death but I cant take it to places where I have to parralel park because of how big it is. finding a spot is a pain.

id say the XF would probably be more reliable than the E46...with that being said....get a 6MT with the E46, the SMG will give you headaches when it comes time for repairs