A supercar for Fiesta money (Jaguar XKR)

Member Name: lizdav

Product:	Jaguar XKR
Date:	21/12/08 (62 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap to buy; Long Term prospect as an investible classic

Disadvantages: Low mpg; uncertain maintainance costs

The XKR has now been out for around 10 years.

In the early days, the cars topped £55,000 for a basic model and with all the potential loaded extras, you would easily look at £70,000.

In 2008 we have a different story. As with all new cars, the depreciation starts to kick in, and now you can get a very fine early example for £15,000 or less.

I am delighted to say that I signed a deal today and will shortly be an owner of a fully loaded early (2000) model.

Unlike some of the reviewers here, I have actually driven the car and can give a real opinion.

The car is in some ways understated ... you drive it for the first time and wonder what all the fuss is about. In normal driving, the car is a smooth, sedate, but responsive car ideal for town driving, but it is a sleeping giant. Once you decide that you want to drive the car aggressively and kickdown the accelerator, all 370bhp is unleashed and available to you ... and you really feel it - my spine impression is embedded in the back of the seat!!

The car I bought (and drove) is a fully loaded specimen with the 20" Detroit wheels and Brembo brakes with sports handling on board.

Sat Nav was an early option and on top of the premium wheels/brakes/handling pack, that is probably the biggest additional optional extra available from new.

For an 8 year old car, it was a delight to find that everything worked as intended and is a testament to Jaguar engineering.

Maybe it will surprise you .... it certainly surprised me, but I actually had a sporty new shape Fiesta on order. But when I did the maths, it made sense to buy the older Jag which has potential to hold value, whereas the Fiesta can only lose value ... it seems to make sense to enjoy the sportier jag and have the scope to possibly hold its value rather than buy a depreciating new Ford.

Sure the new (well, old!!) jag will cost us a bit more at the petrol pump, but given that the car will never do more that 5,000 miles p.a. as a second car and will not drop in value like the Ford, it seems to make economic sense overall.

Only time will tell, but a (close to) supercar for less than £15k is too much to pass up on.

Summary: Over the long haul should be cheaper to run than a new Ford Fiesta

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