[JCC]

My family is moving to California and need to buy a car for them there, debating between a 550i and Jag XJ Supercharged. Price difference is about US$19K in favor of the 550i (US$89K vs. US$70K), but I do like the new XJ's interior and the digital instrument, any thoughts?

[css]

definitely XJ if you can afford it, 550i is nice, but XJ is one class above (same as 7 series), and the looks is stunning, interior is so well executed, but a few common problem for XJ and other Jaguars, Depreciation and electronic / mechanical problems, not sure how the service / repair work in Jaguar in US but i've heard very good comments on US dealership / service center for BMW, and Jaguar XJ being top of the line usually comes with a more hefty price in services / repairs

Both will be a good choice, however BMW will be a safer bet if you are looking into long term use + depreciation, on the other hand, XJ will look special and stunning but you will probably pay a premium for the special and stunning look

[JCC]

Originally Posted by oda

definitely XJ if you can afford it, 550i is nice, but XJ is one class above (same as 7 series), and the looks is stunning, interior is so well executed, but a few common problem for XJ and other Jaguars, Depreciation and electronic / mechanical problems, not sure how the service / repair work in Jaguar in US but i've heard very good comments on US dealership / service center for BMW, and Jaguar XJ being top of the line usually comes with a more hefty price in services / repairs

Both will be a good choice, however BMW will be a safer bet if you are looking into long term use + depreciation, on the other hand, XJ will look special and stunning but you will probably pay a premium for the special and stunning look

Actually, the price differential is pretty big, US$19K, almost a small econo box, Civic, for example, but She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed likes Jag's styling. But one thing is certain, the US XJ seems such a bargain when compared to HK prices, in HK, non-supercharged XJ's sell for HK$1.3 mil! Will take test drives when we get there in a couple of weeks, maybe get new perspectives seeing the vehicles in person. BTW, other considerations include Jag's 5yr/50K mile all-inclusive maintenance (including all oils, filters, etc) and BMW's 0.9% financing, decisions decisions....

Other candidates include non-supercharged XJ, C63 (E63's too expensive), and Cayenne S. Who knows, maybe we'll settle on a Honda Accord....

[css]

how many family member do you have? C63 may be a bit too cramp if you have 4 or 5 on board all the time, and c63 is due for a facelift soon and probably will have a 5.5 biturbo engine, you can wait for that

but in this choice, 550i is probably best bang for the buck here

[JCC]

Originally Posted by oda

how many family member do you have? C63 may be a bit too cramp if you have 4 or 5 on board all the time, and c63 is due for a facelift soon and probably will have a 5.5 biturbo engine, you can wait for that

but in this choice, 550i is probably best bang for the buck here

Just wife and one 13-year old daughter. Didn't know about the facelift and a new engine on the C63, but honestly, the C63 ranks pretty low on the list of candidates. Did a little research on the XJ, seems like all car mags (car&driver, motor trend, road & track) gave the XJ pretty high marks, and the supercharged version comes pretty much full-optioned, except the cruise control with adaptive breaking. And the rarity of the XJ is definitely an attraction... Might need to break open a couple of my piggy banks

[akhter]

That XJ price territory you should also look at 750i with integrated active steering...

[JCC]

Originally Posted by akhter

That XJ price territory you should also look at 750i with integrated active steering...

To be honest, to me, the 7-series is just a big car, the level of utility/excitement I'd get from a 7-series I'd find in the 550i. Whereas the XJ, while big, it's different, if you know what I mean....

[Wolfman]

Well OP, I wish I was on your shoes to be in a position to choose between a 550i, C63 or a XJ supercharged. So darn lucky! Me unfortunately, I will have to wait for at least another 10 years to be able to afford an XJ supercharged without emptying my savings, in HK at least, hehehe.

Anyway, my personal advice is this: 550i, is an ideal choice for those who want a bigger car then a 3 series, but not so big as a 7 series or S class. The 550i strikes a good balance between wanting the agility of a smaller car and the extra legroom of a bigger car. Plus, that V8 in 550i will give you that atheletic performance and torque that will push you back in your seat as you accelerate.

The XJ: The main selling point is XJ's new design and aluminium space frame. The new design is a refreshing change from the rather dated Jagaur look of past XJs. It's design also offer an interesting alternative to the functionalist simplicity you see in German designs. Driving-wise, it performs brilliantly on long cruises and is right up there with the 7 series or S class in comfort and steering. It also handles quite well for it's size, and especially with the firmer suspension of the supercharged model, can grip the corners at a decent speed. The XJ is for someone who wants a luxury car but also wanting to drive something different then the common S Class or 7 series.


C63: A car with monster power and torque that can blast down the straight with truly blinding acceleration with 451 hp. The downside is the ride is quite harsh and you may not enjoy it on long cruises or any road with some bumps and unevenly paved sections. It has a 7 speed auto transmission with comfort, sport and manual mode. For the same price, I would pick a M3 sedan. It may have slightly slower 0-100 times, but it's more then made up for that with superior handling and better ride comfort. In terms of driving pleasure, the M3 wins over the C63.

[kenken]

Originally Posted by Wolfman

Well OP, I wish I was on your shoes to be in a position to choose between a 550i, C63 or a XJ supercharged. So darn lucky! Me unfortunately, I will have to wait for at least another 10 years to be able to afford an XJ supercharged without emptying my savings, in HK at least, hehehe.

Anyway, my personal advice is this: 550i, is an ideal choice for those who want a bigger car then a 3 series, but not so big as a 7 series or S class. The 550i strikes a good balance between wanting the agility of a smaller car and the extra legroom of a bigger car. Plus, that V8 in 550i will give you that atheletic performance and torque that will push you back in your seat as you accelerate.

The XJ: The main selling point is XJ's new design and aluminium space frame. The new design is a refreshing change from the rather dated Jagaur look of past XJs. It's design also offer an interesting alternative to the functionalist simplicity you see in German designs. Driving-wise, it performs brilliantly on long cruises and is right up there with the 7 series or S class in comfort and steering. It also handles quite well for it's size, and especially with the firmer suspension of the supercharged model, can grip the corners at a decent speed. The XJ is for someone who wants a luxury car but also wanting to drive something different then the common S Class or 7 series.


C63: A car with monster power and torque that can blast down the straight with truly blinding acceleration with 451 hp. The downside is the ride is quite harsh and you may not enjoy it on long cruises or any road with some bumps and unevenly paved sections. It has a 7 speed auto transmission with comfort, sport and manual mode. For the same price, I would pick a M3 sedan. It may have slightly slower 0-100 times, but it's more then made up for that with superior handling and better ride comfort. In terms of driving pleasure, the M3 wins over the C63.

you get commission from BMW??

[Wolfman]

Originally Posted by Ken Ken

you get commission from BMW??

No, I don't.

[css]

Originally Posted by Ken Ken

you get commission from BMW??

everything Wolfman said is true, why are you accusing him? and this is a BMW forum , everyone is bias ga la..i dont think you need to say those words..

[akhter]

I personally don't understand who outside of germany would by the C63. Its made for blasting the the autobahn with no speed limit. On all other countries enjoying an AMG car for their straightline performance is illegal (after about 5 seconds) and I have yet to see one at the track because they suck at handling compared to M/RS/Porsche cars.

[PKumarM3]

jaguars are notorious for reliability issues. i am sure they have solved most of them, but

fool me once, shame on you.

fool me twice, shame on...me.

get the bmw 550i. stay away from the n54/55 motor, and enjoy the free maintenance for 4 years and sell it when the warranty is up.

[kenken]

Originally Posted by oda

everything Wolfman said is true, why are you accusing him? and this is a BMW forum , everyone is bias ga la..i dont think you need to say those words..

i was just curious and i understand everyone is bias but didnt mean anything else......
dont get me wrong

[css]

Originally Posted by akhter

I personally don't understand who outside of germany would by the C63. Its made for blasting the the autobahn with no speed limit. On all other countries enjoying an AMG car for their straightline performance is illegal (after about 5 seconds) and I have yet to see one at the track because they suck at handling compared to M/RS/Porsche cars.

quite a lot of c63 actually goes on track in HK

[whiteboard]

Just a few comments:

Jaguar XJ is nice but it is so different compare to a bimmer in terms of its style and your needs, guess it is very personal taste and is hardly comparable.

In your mind if you want a sport sedan, guess bimmer definitely is on the top of the list no matter is a 3/5 series. Someone who would like to have something a bit classy, for sure MB is another option. But XJ is never a choice to me in this case.

If you are thinking of a more luxury n prestige sedan, MB CLS or Maserati Quattroporte maybe another option for you to consider. They look great n stunning to me on the street, maybe because we all have enough 7 series n S class in the past years.

Choice of Jaguar is very personal, I found it sometimes maybe influenced by the cultural background as some of my friends (very rare) who own or think of buying one, they all come from UK or have some UK background in their family. Bottom line, it is still a nice car but bear in mind Jaguar has well-known electronic or even mechanic problems in the old days, not sure they have improved in this generation. If Jaguar really offer all inclusive maintenance in US for few years, maybe dont have to worry so much on this. As I know the Jaguar maintenance cost is very high as they dont have much after mkt parts avail! Another thing you may consider is the resell value as second hand mkt on Jaguar is kind of tough.

[Wolfman]

Originally Posted by Ken Ken

i was just curious and i understand everyone is bias but didnt mean anything else......
dont get me wrong

That's fine, maybe next time just elaborate what you mean to avoid misunderstandings.

Anyway, the XJ is indeed a different car to the typical German cars. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. The magazines Car and Driver as well as Road and Track gave the XJ great reviews, so there are quite a few American admirers of the brand. It's true that old jaguars are known for reliable issues but the newer ones should be alot better. Bottom line, Jaguars are great cars in their own way. Ian Callum, their chief designer of both the XJ and XF cars, also designed for Aston Martin as well.

[RC3]

I used to live in California. You can't go anywhere without a car so my opinion is choose a more reliable car like the 550. XJ might need to go into the auto shop a few more times. If your friend has another back up car, I would say he can consider XJ

[JCC]

Checked out the 550i yesterday, the exterior styling is awesome! But the interior is pretty plain, i.e. no excitement, will check out the XJ soon.

[JCC]

Picked up the car today, wasn't the Jaguar, wasn't the 550i, it is.. ............................ Looking forward to some cruisin' this weekend!