looked at an XJ X350 today

[purplebargeken]

The C6 is a fine looking thing. I would if I could. 

[Dead_E23]

I was admiring how well a mk4 Mondeo filled its vast parking space earlier and couldn't believe the 607 would be even lardier. Sure enough, they're not - the Mondeo is nearly 56 inches across the back seats.

 

I also noticed a Kia Sedona, which looked pretty roomy in the back (& diesel auto), but handing money over for one of those would be a real triumph of head over heart.

 

Alternatively, you could cause revulsion in the company carpark and become king of the forum by treating the kids to a Ssangyong Rodius! Plenty of elbow room (& furniture) in one of those.

[dieselnutjob]

I'm not really a true shitest.

I like under appreciated and unusual cars.  Most of the stuff you are talking about is too horrid for me though.

I like the idea if a 200bhp nice looking diesel auto car and I don't want a Merc or BMW or anything with hard suspension.

 

Concerning the Mondeo is it 56 inches between armrests?  That's how I measured the 607 / XJ.  Anything much wider is not going to go through the width restriction at the end of my road.

[Dead_E23]

I just Googled it and the dimensions came from carwow.com, whoever they might be. They are pretty big though, and I'd have thought that if they didn't fit through the width restriction your council would be beseiged by angry middle management car scheme types. Mondeo have a dull reputation, but seem pretty capable - even my stopgap mk3 is proving much better than I imagined, and I am currently battling the logic that suggests I should get a late Focus estate for daily duties (curses!)

 

I did think a Phaeton might suit, but they appear to have a propensity for generating enormous bills. Similarly an A8, but you would hate that.

 

How about a nice Chrysler Voyager? Thought not.

[dieselnutjob]

i thought the Phaeton only has four seats.

I meant that if a Mondeo is 3" wider than a 607 or XJ it wouldn't go through the width restriction, therefore I don't believe that it really is.

[MarvinsMom]

i that the width of the car over the wing mirrors or over the width of the body?

 

mondeo has grown into a big (granada) sized car, but it cannot be as big as an X350 Jaguar? surely?

[Dead_E23]

The Mondeo (at 2078 mm) turns out to be wider than the 607 (1835 mm) but narrower than the Jaguar (2108 mm), and for good measure, here are the interior dimensions.

I reckon even the Jag will go through a width restriction, otherwise the road would be carpeted with door mirror components and full of purple faced executives photographing it with their phones.
 
Anyway, BUM to sensible choices.  Capacious diesel auto, you say?  Unfortunately winner wagons like the Toyota Alphard don't come in that flavour, so je vous presente an obscure and probably underrated (but still surprisingly expensive), Nissan Elgrand that did!:
 


What? There's no pleasing some people!

[dieselnutjob]

This won't make me popular here, but....

 

I drove one of these from Dublin to Belfast last year and I quite liked it

I have no idea if you can get three teenagers in the back though

 

[Dead_E23]

How about a nice Delica?  Diesel auto, just like you wanted!:

 

 

("STOP THAT CRYING IN THE BACK!")

[andrew e]

This won't make me popular here, but....

 

Kia Sportage

Diesel, I travelled a few hundred miles in the back of my brother in laws and two things come to mind: Heated rear seats (!) and the car sick ride. I never get car sick, think mark 2 Granda levels of car sick. Anyway with 3 kids, might be worth thinking about.

 

How about a E class? W212 have a flat broad rear bench. The internet teases with this autoshite gold* trim combo:

 

[mercrocker]

One of these wafted past me t'other day and whilst I have no desire myself it certainly looked imposing enough.   Rear seat view..... 

 

  

 

 

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2005-SKODA-SUPERB-ELEGANCE-1-9-TDI-130-BHP-ONE-OWNER-FULL-SKODA-HISTORY-SAT-NAV-/201562289370?hash=item2eee0c74da:g:KLEAAOSwE3BXFUV-

[NorfolkNWeigh]

How could I forget these;

 

Mine iwas the only car my lot would sit 3 up in for long journies (1000 mile plus) without whinging or fighting with each other. They won't even go in the back of my w211 E-Class ,because it's too small and we have to use the Gaylander on the odd occaisions there's a car full.

 

Added advantages are lovely torquey unbreakable OM642 goodness but with tough 5 not 7 speed box. Also built like a brick shithouse , just don't expect feel good plastic trim.

Take mile ages with a pinch of salt as they can be clocked in 30 seconds- apparently.

[dieselnutjob]

Is there an estate?

[carlo]

Someone mentioned a Skoda Superb which is a good shout for you I think, it's something I'd look at i the future.  Autocar absolutely raved about its ride quality when they tested both versions, remember being very impressed that a car was actually designed for comfort after the year 2000.  Huge rear room (huge car) and plenty of diesel autos.

 

Not that I've driven one, or heard particularly good things about VAG auto boxes.

[sierraman]

A jag that goes wrong all the time? What!?

 

No seriously I'd consider a Superb. If you can find one that hasn't been cabbed.

[AnthonyG]

Are you sure a Mondeo Mk4 is too small? They are basically the same car as the Volvo S80, the estates are enormous. The Galaxy is even bigger.

[dieselnutjob]

I found a colleague at work who has a Mondeo Mk4 today.  They seem much higher than the 607 but I haven't had a chance to look inside yet.

[Pete-M]

Mondeo Mk4s are ok. I was driving one today. The handle well but the ride is slightly buzzy.

[rantingYoof]

SnrYoof test drove an X350 with the 3.6 V8 before he settled for his XF (retirement present).

 

This one was in black and was in incredible condition. It had a very low mileage - it was a '55 plate and had around 55k - and had been dry stored but it had the first signs of corrosion coming through on the pillars.

 

It had also only done 11k in five years and not been serviced once ("because the mileage interval is around 15k"), which we felt wasn't really an agreeable approach for what is a fairly complicated car, and the owner wasn't desperate to sell and wouldn't move on price so we walked away.

 

From reading this thread, it sounds like it was for the best!

[NorfolkNWeigh]

Is there an estate?

If you mean the Chrysler 300, yes that's what I had.not the biggest load lugger due to the low roof line but nice and wide with loads of underfloor and cubby storage , one year we managed to fit 24 bottles of Rose' under or around an already full boot ( still got most of the fuckers- what tastes amazing sitting in the sun in St Tropez idoesnt necessarily translate to a wet grey Milton Keynes!)

Of 3 cars I've had with that engine in different flavours( CLS 265bhp, E-Class 190bhp, 300C 221bhp) it was the quickest off the line and bizarrely better on fuel than the CLS. Did about 38 compared to 34- the E does 43. Must be the aerodynamics.

[Urko]

Disco 3 has nice ride and plenty of seat space (big improvement on D2) Heated rear seats on some models.  Loads of diesel autos about.  Not cheap, reliable or unloved though.  

 

<trivia>

Range Sport is basically the same car with slightly less cabin space (no 7 seat version and curtailed rear end, slightly different interior design) - but mechanics are identical) so you could say you're getting the fancy car without the fancy price tag with a D3

</trivia>

 

Personally always fancied a Skoda Superb but the later model with the boot/hatch mode and the estates are still a bit salty for me.

 

For left field choice (not a diesel auto though) - W8 Passtit estate.  Plenty of space.

 

VW toerag ?

[Urko]

SnrYoof test drove an X350 with the 3.6 V8 before he settled for his XF (retirement present).

 

From reading this thread, it sounds like it was for the best!

 If my X350 was any guide, yes, bullet dodged.

[sierraman]

Mk4 Mondeos are built like a tank. The diesels are much better than the previous mk3 for reliability given its the 2.0 PSA lump in them. Obviously you've got the DPF to worry about in some cases but do some long runs often and you should be ok.

[dugong]

What's the story with Mini petrol engines? My sister's fiance has a new petrol Paceman or whatever that pointless coupe one is called.

Is that the one with the glasshouse resembling a croupier's hat?

[SiC]

I dunno your budget, but these are coming down and are huge. Look fab imo.

 

 

http://www2.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201512049211563

[OwdChina]

 Anything much wider is not going to go through the width restriction at the end of my road.

Width restriction.......eh ?.......... How do emergency services (ambulance, firetruck) cope with that ?

[dieselnutjob]

Width restriction.......eh ?.......... How do emergency services (ambulance, firetruck) cope with that ?

 

They have a key for a gate in the middle which is wider.  Something like a transit can just about get through but a truck can't.

 

The Saab is nice, I have looked at those before but they are too pricey.  I think I would like to keep it to £6k or less.

 

If I was going for a Disco then the TD5 D2 looks like something that you can actually fix yourself and it would actually be useful for the business, BUT, it is going to be a lot more juicy than a big saloon, and when I drove one many years ago I didn't really like.  The specific moment that I didn't really like it was when I attempted to fling it round a roundabout....

 

I am still a bit on the page of the X350.  Things that I really like about them:-

1. The looks

2. V6 diesel noise.

3. 200bhp

4. pretty reasonable economy

5. air suspension softness

6. lots of nice toys

 

I can deal with electrical gremlins and failures as I am into computers and electronics.  From what I hear most the x350 problems are down to bad earths.

Engine and gearbox issues would be dealt with by neurotic levels of servicing, so find a good one and keep it that way.  I have a mechanic mate who does a lot of Jags, particularly local funeral companies.  He told me that even around town the V6 diesel is okay if you put the expensive diesel in them.  Also the DPFs can be disabled and removed.

 

The boot is too small for five peoples luggage or DIY, but I can use a trailer or SWMBOs freelander, or even roof bars.

 

The real, real concern is corrosion.  Are people talking about holes appearing in the metal? or is it that the paint flakes off and needs respraying?  Again I have a tame paint spraying guy on hand, but I don't have a handy aluminium welder around.

 

I figure that I have about a year to decide what I want and look for it.  I probably should wait for OMG snow chaos and buy one then when everyone else is looking at 4x4s

 

If I go for an x350 it will have to be a dark blue short wheel base sovereign TDVI about 2006 or 2007.  I think dark blue is the best colour for these.  Something about 100k miles or just over that needs a timing belt would probably be a good buy.

[Urko]

Please don't do it. Especially if offered BL05 NOH a TDVI in Ultraviolet (dark blue). I am pretty competent with electrickery - been doing it years and I work in IT. I did manage to mend the broken wiring loom in the boot so the boot lock began working again.

 

The continual but random occurence of "restricted performance" was one of the less entertaining foibles that 2 Jag stealers with no limits to expenditure couldn't solve. This little feature cuts back the power to nissan serena settings just when you actually need it. It was marginally more likely to happen in damp weather, but in spite of replacing a shed load of parts, never cured. If you think I had a friday afternoon one, google restricted performance for numerous tales.

 

The power steering would ftp on initial startup about 5 times out of ten, whereupon a stop and restart would cure it immediately.

 

 

The exhausts rot away right at the back of tbe block - Jag cure is a new pipe inc Cat at £700+ specialists will weld the pipe, but it's still a lot of labour and you can't ignore it as it chucks noxious fumes into the cabin.

 

I could go on,but honestly, they are crap.

 

Another issue is that they are neither as common nor as old as the 308 etc and so there's not the specialist backup, and spares are expensive many only available from Jag.

[Urko]

Oh, and teens will be cramped in the back unless you get a lwb

[rantingYoof]

The corrosion will start out as little rust bubbles which tend to pop up at the top of the door pillars and on the windscreen pillars. Sometimes at the bottom of doors too.

 

I imagine if left they'll become scabby, although there shouldn't be holes appearing or anything.

 

I can verify Urko's point about space - I sat behind the seller on SnrYoof's test drive, who was quite short, and had just about exactly the right amount of room (I'm 6ft 2"), but if someone of average height was in front or they were a bit more demanding in terms of their own legroom it would have been surprisingly tight for such a big car.