Drove by the Jag dealership the other day and a Staggeringly handsome Red 5.0 Supercharged XKR caught my attention. Had some free time and decided to check it out.

Salesman offered a test drive; the vehicle is a 2011 with only 2500 miles on the clock. The second i fired the V8 to life, i was sold. Took it for a nice test drive and absolutely loved it, everything about it makes you think.. I WANT! The solid drive, steering feel, adrenaline you get when you mash the accelerator, the handling, exhaust note.. EVERYTHING. It felt like perfection.

I was drive the SC there and the salesman was trying to have me trade 'up.' I just did not want to give up the SC, its too rare and unique, i don't want to regret this because the Jag is NOT a car to own when your warrantee is over after Nov/2015. I read a lot of reviews and tests for the car, everyone loved it from critics to owners and it doesn't seem to be as troublesome as the Germans, maintenance costs are quite up there though, typical of European 'exotics.'

The deal kept getting sweeter until i decided to pull the trigger and purchase the vehicle.. Picking it up in a few hours - Can't wait!

Wanted to post a thread to see what you guys think, and prove my loyalty to the SC

I'll leave you with some pics... I only have those quick cell phone pics for now, will take some others with the SC when i get it.

 

Those are sweet my buddy had one until the warranty ended and then he picked up an Audi A4. He also wanted to save on gas. The engine start up reminds me of when I went to pick up my F. Congrats!

 

Nice car, congrats. My only worry on a Jag would be reliability. But as long as you're under warranty, you shouldn't have anything to worry about.

 

Congratulations, really nice car, I love the color. But lets be honest, which do you like more ? I find they are both luxury cruisers but the jag definately has alot more power so i guess its a bit more sportier .. Tell us what you find different between both? hows the handling in the jag compared to the SC?

 

Thank you for the kind words guys..

Robert; Reliability is an issue, Jaguar have invested 60% of their profits in mechanical quality, the reviews seem very impressive but it will never be as reliable as a Lexus. The warranty is valid up till Nov/2015, it won't be a good idea to keep it after the warranty's over but i will see if it gives me any trouble in the next two years.

Bimmer; Although they may seem aimed at the same customers, the vehicles differ quite a bit, the Jag feels very special, sort of exotic, when you're sitting in it, the long hood, and the general feel of the vehicle is reminiscent of an exotic, something very upscale. Granted, the SC430's build quality IS better believe it or not, the materials have a nicer touch in the Lexus but this car does one thing VERY nicely. It's a GT when you want a calm cruise or commute back and forth from work, and a complete ANIMAL when you get on it. The performance, handling, steering and braking are absolutely intoxicating haha. I'm just not used to something like this from the factory.

The SC on the other hand has sentimental value, it has a special place in my heart and theres just something even MORE special about that car. On paper, the Jag is a better car in every way; The recent mods i had done on the SC made it a lot more fun to drive but its still no comparison to the Cat. All i can say for now is; i ASSURE you, i will end up getting rid of the Jag before the warranty ends and the Lexus will be the one to stay!

Here are another 2 pics of my dad picking it up from the salesman haha. He loved it, ended up taking it all day yesterday while i was more than fine running errands in the SC.

I'm sorry about the size of the pics, makes reading the posts difficult, not too sure how to resize them.

I should have time on the Weekend to properly test it out and form a final opinion, if you'all are interested, i'll be more than happy to write a detailed review with pics on Saturday

Thanks again for the kind words.

Moe

 

very well put! and I myself love performance or luxury vehicles but have never been as comfortable with reliability as I have been in the Lexus.

anyhow enjoy your Jag I will be looking forward to the detailed review!

 

Thank you, already forming a verdict haha, will update the thread on Saturday

 

As promised, here is a review of the Jag compared to the SC..

Firstly, i noticed a few issues with the car, sent it over to the dealership and they gave me an appointment on the 27th of October!!

- Tires are 09 production and are somewhat dry-rotted, going to need replacing.

- I'm getting a superbly annoying rattle from what seems to be inside the passenger side of the dashboard.

- The A/C does not BLOW enough air for the setting, might be a clogged filter. It's not bad just sound alot louder than it should be for the amount of air it pushes out.

- Getting an air leak from between the driver front and rear window weather strip.

- Seatbelt tensioner makes a ticking noise when accelerating or braking.

Gonna have to wait till the 27th to rectify the latter 4 points stated. Pretty disappointing IMO since i had agreed with the dealership a full service and a new set of tires before purchase and they assured me they will do it - which the didn't. They did perform an oil change to maintain the warranty thats it. I went back to the salesman and told him about the tires, he was like "Sir, you have purchased a used car, CPO does not mean it will be perfectly flawless. If you are not happy with your purchase, you have the option of returning the vehicle for a full refund!" - Not what i wanted to do having blown $1k already in detailing and tinting! Whats even worse is the delay on a flagship i just purchased! 3 week wait for a backjob is just pathetic - Maybe i'm just too used to Lexus service

Other than that, the car is an absolute pleasure, when i drive it, i forget about all of that, it's just a pure thrill to drive. Makes you feel really special. I do not regret the purchase whatsoever and would advise anyone looking for a nice GT.

Compared to the SC, i think i'm just too used to the Lexus. I'm still very happy when i drive that, the Jag made me appreciate the build quality because in all honesty and without being biased; they do not compare. The SC is so much better built on the inside, the quality of leather on the Jag feels closer to vinyl, there are more plastics than one would like on a car of its league. Rattles and wind leaks here and there (nothing significant yet worth noting for a newer car with less miles and a higher price). The best way to explain it would be that the SC fits me like a glove, i just feel at home in it and enjoy every bit of time i spend. The Jag feels more special and has more of a character, it performs better in every way. As i mentioned earlier, although both considered GT cars, they are so far apart and are aimed at different customers. I love both and wouldn't choose one over the other, i'm just obviously more excited about the Jag now since its the newer car, but i have no doubt the SC will be the one to stay longer.

If i had the financial capability to trade up to another XK when the warranty is over, i probably will.

I think i found my favourites and plan to stay in them for some time to come

 

I don't like them and rejected these Jags when in the search for a nice convertible.
I know of 4 within my extended circle of friends and 3 blew the engines in the last two years.
2 of those 3 have not turned a wheel since as it was easier to buy another car than fix one of these
whilst waiting metaphorically for the "other shoe to drop". They both bought BMW 6 series cabrios afterwards.

Enjoy the car for what it is, but I wouldn't take one if I got it for free.

 

That sure is a nice car. They look so exotic.

 

Thanks for the pics and info. I enjoyed your comparison! I like the styling of the Jag but would be scared of the service and reliability.

 

dealers always turn there backs when you drive out of the dealership, I myself have many stories but ateast you have good care at Lexus, the one here suck! and yeah the jag seems like it must be a blast to drive, but something you can't keep for long... very nice car, love the color !! lol and I myself change cars often so im thinking of selling the SC but there is nothing else that i seem to like plus Im super happy with the reliability, so I might jump in another one with low mileage.. not sure yet but we will see

anyhow thanks for the comparison, hope you enjoy it!

 

Nice choice, watch out for speeding tickets, you have a red car that cops love to pick on!

 

Thank you for the comments guys... My apologies for a late reply, was absolutely swamped with work!

Graham, being from Ireland, i thought you'd be Biased towards Jags haha. I actually read alot those cars, the earlier 4.2s were plagued with issues, the newer 4.2s and the latest 5.0s (which is what i have) seem to be a lot better built. If you go on their forums, you will see that the newer XKs are somewhat reliable in comparison to the older cars. I have no doubt that i will run into an electrical glitch or a quality issue, but the powertrain seems to be build well. I doubt this shall be an issue but time will tell i guess.

BarnCat; One of the cars i would love to have is a 65' Riviera (GS would be very nice but prices are too high). I am a big fan of Rivi's. I have a 72 Boat Tail GS.

I've added another few pics of the XK and the SC together, Funnily enough; having driven the XK enough, i have just grown to appreciate the SC more and more. It still is the car i drive most and enjoy it very much especially with the convertible and the nice weather we've been getting lately. The XK is the monster that puts a smile on your face when you're up for a spirited drive.

 

I-FORCE, most of the cars I have owned over the years I would like to have kept! Just couldn't afford to do that. (And the grass is always greener......) The Riv engine over-heated and blew! Traded it in in the new (at the time) Opel GT!