Hmmmmm

LOL@Monaro. It is reasonable. It can't be much worse on fuel than an M3.

--=20 Carl Robson Audio stream:

Heh. I tried to get a VR4 past the boss once. Once he worked out the service interval was going to be every six weeks it was back to the shopping list.

I think they'd have a heart attack over the engine size.

I'd be OK with a 2.5 V6, maybe a 3.0 V6 at a push.

What I feel like doing, just to highlight the stupidity of the new list and policy, is to buy an Impreza Turbo.

'But it's only a mid-sized 2lt saloon' :-)

w.italiancar.co.uk- Ducati 750SS - Hongdou GY200

Monaro on LPG? If it's an Aussie import, chances are their government will have paid for the conversion... Shame it won't come with the lack of yearly MOT and "throw anyone the keys" insurance built into the tax disc.

There are only Vauxhall Monaros on Autotrader, none of which are LPG.

Not that I'd want an LPG vehicle anyway.

Can you contract hire a Jaguar XF 2.7HDi?

I got VERY close to changing my mind from the C6 when I looked at one; I can't imagine all the gadgetry working for as long as I plan to keep the car though (yes. I know the C6 also statistically stands a low chance of that, but at least the gearlever doesn't magically pop out of the console).

Richard

I don't know why you shoudl have a fear of the Jaguar not workign after a time. Jaguar's build quality woes seem to about 17 years behind them. The current range generally do well in reliability and satisfaction surveys.

Well, I had been considering an S-Type. Preferably some kind of 'sporty' model. But my father in law's is on its 2nd slushbox, so I'm not too sure.

I happen to think the 'Sport' models which are de-chromed look hard as nails.

Where are you? Where are you? Let's be 'aving you.

On a vaguely sensible note - did someone mention that the new XF comes with the 2.7HDI (although it's probably not badged as such)?

Who'd have thunk it? A luxury Jaguar being sold with an engine that's not only diesel, but french as well. I wish I'd put a bet on that one happening....

"L'homme d'AstraVan" gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

That'll be the same engine that's been in the S & XJ for a few years now, and is also in the Disco 3 & Rangie "Sport" - and 3/4 of the TDv8 in the Rangie...

LOL. V6 Mustang?

It sounds VERY nice under the bonnet of an XF, too. Lovely distant "throb" rather than a "rattle". Not sure if I can remember how it sounded in the C6; I probably couldn't hear it ;)

Richard

I think that the baseline for "quality" and "longevity" has fallen a long way and cars deteriorate in a more uniform manner. Frankly, Jaguar have come up, but all modern cars are shit, be they GM or BMW, Ford or VW.

Which is why I'm having a C6 next; I'm getting a car which is what I wanted in terms of space, comfort, performance and yes - image/personality, and don't care if it is going to go wrong - my Mazda needed a cat at 17K, my Beetle leaked, my 306 fell apart, and my Ignis needed a wheelbearing when I got it at only 4 years old/55,000 miles, and has a leaking A/C pipe, rattles and was doing odd coolant stuff.

The Jaguar's interior complexity - rotating vents, disappearing rotary gear selector etc... just looks like more needless crap to go wrong on top of the needless crap the C6 has. Who reckons the 30GB HD in the C6's RT4 nav system will have survived 7 years? Or the LCD backlight (let alone Citroen's past history of LCD panel reliability - the Fiat Tipo did better).

Once I have the C6, I'm fairly sure my next car will be expensive, garaged (new house by then, I hope) and 30 years+ old. I'm thinking DS, or E-Type, or Alvis TD drophead, maybe a TR6.

Richard

Oh I'd have one, as a toy. Not to rely on as a daily driver.

I have to say I'm not keen on the "Sport" range since it seems to mean "cloth seats and that awful grey "maple" trim with a feeble engine".

The 'SE's and 'R's are all nice.

The S-type R was extremely good in a "f*ck off out of my way, peasant" style.

But are any of them, especially petrols, going to be reliable and cheap enough to maintain for 90k miles over the next few years?

I love the idea, but not sure it's sensible.

Mind you, most bits are nicked from elsewhere where they are reliable, but the auto box really worries me.

IME, it's having any car as a toy without decent garage space that makes it age horribly and go wrong. Using them seems to be the answer. In Birmingham I don't need a daily driver, though - I live close to a rail station and easy walking distance to shops, I work from home, any PR work I get in the region I'll cycle or use the MX5. The C6 is for long drives and holidays, and I expect it to probably only cover 8,000 miles a year since London is only 100 miles (park in Burnt Oak, Northern Line in, or at my friends' in Enfield).

If I were staying in the Borders and sticking with contract hire, I might have considered the XF for a three year, 20,000 mpa contract.

Richard

I've run Jags up to 240,000 miles without serious problems.

It's a ZF, same as the one used by the Bayerische Mist Wagen.

That Andy bloke who hangs around here some times and works somewhere in the Ford engines department explained the 'frenchness' of that engine once, and I seem to recall it was like, 1% French hehe.