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why so negative?

7K views 141 replies 29 participants last post by  Black Pig 
#1 ·
i recently got my X type, loved the look of them for years, always wanted one & planets finally aligned for me to get one at last. while waiting to pick it up i made the mistake of reading various reviews on it. the majority slated it, the usual "its a mondeo" came up a lot, build issues on early models, lack of space in front, rear passengers & boot, lack of refinement, not thrilling to drive, boring etc.. what X type did they drive? did they actually drive one?
i love driving it, it is luxury, handles well, looks FANTASTIC, my grown up kids fit well in back, plenty of room so far on trips away in boot etc..

reading posts on here, i know there's issues & gripes but everyone who owns one seems to love it.

so question is, why was everyone else so negative on it?
is it just me? am i still in some "honeymoon" period with mine & will soon get negative? i hope not..
 
#2 ·
Haters are always gonna hate no matter what the brand.

The only thing that matters is what you think and how it makes you feel, bugger everyone else. If, at some point, you have any problems, then there is no end of help within this forum to keep you going.
 
#3 ·
i recently got my X type, loved the look of them for years, always wanted one & planets finally aligned for me to get one at last. while waiting to pick it up i made the mistake of reading various reviews on it. the majority slated it, the usual "its a mondeo" came up a lot, build issues on early models, lack of space in front, rear passengers & boot, lack of refinement, not thrilling to drive, boring etc.. what X type did they drive? did they actually drive one?
i love driving it, it is luxury, handles well, looks FANTASTIC, my grown up kids fit well in back, plenty of room so far on trips away in boot etc..

reading posts on here, i know there's issues & gripes but everyone who owns one seems to love it.

so question is, why was everyone else so negative on it?
is it just me? am i still in some "honeymoon" period with mine & will soon get negative? i hope not..
This is a reasonable recent write up.

 
#4 ·
Hi... its true that all cars no mater witch make will allways have something that an individual finds they can't put up with it is down to personal choice and if the car has problems then they will find a way to point it out for all the world to see..... We somtimes lust over a car that we like and when we get one.... we put up with its flaws for the love of ownership..... With the X-Type just wash it polish it drive it show it off... and most of all enjoy.....
 
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#5 ·
People used to be the same about the Honda CX500 motorcycle back in the day, and usually the negative and sarky comments came from people who'd never ridden one - perhaps it's just down to a degree of jealousy.
 
#6 ·
As far as I am concerned it was really stupid of Ford to use Ford switches and automatic gear leavers etc in the premium Jaguar range.

When a car reviewer or prospective buyer gets into a car and stares straight at Ford switches it absolutely reinforces the fact that it was owned and built by Ford. There was no point in spending large sums of money fitting top quality hand finished wood dashboards and then inserting Ford switches.

The Mondeo is a superb car but it is not something to brag about. I am very happy to have a Ford engine and platform but it was a marketing disaster to save a small amount of money by using Ford switchgear and gear lever.
 
#9 ·
The old "Mondeo" thing again. That's why I looked for a recent review - I posted a link to it above. They say "Yes, you can spot bits of Ford-derived trim and switchgear here and there, but the same goes for a contemporary Aston Martin" which I think is fair comment. They're now being appreciated for what they really are which is a pretty good car, period (as they say in the US of A).
 
#8 ·
Be warned! I bought an X-Type after having 2 Mercedes Benz. I followed it up buying an S-Type, 2 x XFs, and F-Pace, and 2 x XJs. It has a lot to answer for.
 
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#11 ·
In the motor industry and motorcycles nearly all will have parts from other cars / bikes.... for example a brake Reservoir on... yamaha could well be the same on Honda... suzuki as these parts are made by a company that supplies parts to the industry.... but yes if you are buying a top of the range item you would like to get something special
 
#12 ·
The Mondeo was a superb car. It is just a shame that rather than being parts hidden from view being used it was so many 'in your face parts'. I used the hazard flashers today when reversing into our drive and I remember thinking what a lovely texture the button had. Its just sad that as soon as get into the X-Type cabin you stare at Mondeo heated seat switches and as soon as you select a gear in the auto diesel at least, you grab hold of an obviously Mondeo gear selector.

It would have been so easy and inexpensive to overcome and if every other part that was used had been kept the same and just those few parts changed I am strongly of the opinion that we would have heard far less 'Mondeo' jibes about the X.

Have a great weekend everybody.
 
#14 ·
Not the case, every switch that is redesigned has to be exhaustively tested by the manufacturer, to ensure it will achieve the requisite standard, then it has to be assessed by SAE and then there are the various governing bodies that need to confirm the shape, function and repeatbility are achieved, ths even goes down to ensuring the visual design meets certain standards, so a new switch will cost a many months, even years to prove and implement, not to mention the horrendous costs ensued.

Which is why it is easier to design an interior around a switch rather than the other way round.

Back on topic though, when I got mine I was chatting to a chap from work and he was telling me all about how poorly built they are and drove like utter donkeys...

"Oh!" says I, which version did you drive?

"Well.. erm" says he..

Clearly repeating third hand hater garbage.
 
#13 ·
The X only shares 20% of the parts as the Mondeo and they are almost all out of sight. I had a Mk2 Mondeo and was travelling in Mk3 Company cars when my Stepdad bought his 2004 SE and there was nothing about the interior that reminded me of either car. The heated seat switches in the Mk2 and Mk3 are not the same as in the X, the icon might be but the switch is a different shape, the headlight switches are not the same. I bet 99 out of 100 people, if not told by journos, would not have had a clue the X shared any parts at all with the Mondeo.

I've said this before, high end cars share parts with cheaper cars, things like the XJ220 and Citroen, Lamborghini Diablo and Nissan 300ZX, Aston DB7 and Mazda 3, Pagani Zonda and Rover 45, Ferrari California and Chrysler Sebring (infotainment system). McLaren-Mercedes SLR and Mercedes Sprinter. Its always been a thing and will continue to be.
 
#16 ·
Ford do not make switches, they buy them from third party vendors who will manufacture a switch to your design, but as they are selling to the industry they have to go through the hoops, why do you think it takes so long to get a new car from design through to production?

How do you cut that time, by using industry proven components.

If a component is is part of a MMI it MUST got through rigorous testing, a switch is one of these, whereas a dashbord isn't.

Then you have to couple all of this with the fact that safety specs are always changing, allowable materials are always changing, then there is the H?&S qualification, not to mention REACH.

So it really isn't that simple, if it were, car manufacturers wouldn't use common parts.
 
#17 ·
#21 ·
i recently got my X type, loved the look of them for years, always wanted one & planets finally aligned for me to get one at last. while waiting to pick it up i made the mistake of reading various reviews on it. the majority slated it, the usual "its a mondeo" came up a lot, build issues on early models, lack of space in front, rear passengers & boot, lack of refinement, not thrilling to drive, boring etc.. what X type did they drive? did they actually drive one?
i love driving it, it is luxury, handles well, looks FANTASTIC, my grown up kids fit well in back, plenty of room so far on trips away in boot etc..

reading posts on here, i know there's issues & gripes but everyone who owns one seems to love it.

so question is, why was everyone else so negative on it?
is it just me? am i still in some "honeymoon" period with mine & will soon get negative? i hope not..
I've always had jaguar's and I've enjoyed the whole experience. I've heard all the negatives about X Types, I put it down to the lack of a V6 or V8 under the bonnet. But the model was not as heavy and didn't need a large engine, the economy on fuel was good. I have an S Type which is my third one and it's mint condition, but a diesel. And I've heard a Lot of comments about a true Jaguar can't have a Diesel engine. Ignore them and enjoy you jaguar.
 
#22 · (Edited)
I've always had jaguar's and I've enjoyed the whole experience. I've heard all the negatives about X Types, I put it down to the lack of a V6 or V8 under the bonnet. But the model was not as heavy and didn't need a large engine, the economy on fuel was good.
Errm... you do know the X-Type launched in 2001 with ONLY V6 engines, a 2.5 and a 3.0L V6 both with AWD? The 2.1L V6 FWD came along in 2002. The diesel models didn't appear until around 2003.
 
#23 ·
I wonder if it's a peculiarly British trait that we put ourselves and our achievements and products down while lavishing praise on those of other countries ?
Why all the talk of 'wonderful German engineering' and putting Audi, BMW and Mercedes on some kind of pedestal as ( somehow more ) 'Premium Brands' at the expense of Jaguar when we can all easily find owners of those brands with horror stories about reliability, flaws etc?
The media have been guilty of this for years (see attached) and (as well as some poor marketing decisions by Ford/Jaguar ) played no small part in keeping sales figures of the X-Type and other British cars down.
The Mondeo was a fine car, well built and with ride and handling to match or better anything Audi, BMW or Mercedes had but was another victim of this peculiar British 'self denigration' and 'brand snobbery' in as much as we do not consider Ford in general to be a 'Premium Brand'... Based on the same basic platform yet more refined and improved, the X-Type was, from inception, unfairly and unreasonably maligned merely by association.
Forget the past stupidity an enjoy a fine vehicle!
 

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#27 ·
After looking long and hard at the X-type, I have concluded that the "hate the X for lunch bunch" are deluded. The X-type is/was, from its inception, an "everyman's" Jaguar. What's wrong with that? While many see the 2.1 and 2.5 liter(s) engines as a bit underpowered, the 3.0 was more than sufficient for almost all practical applications for the platform.
The Ford Mondeo may not have been a "spectacular" basis for the automobile, but it is better than many others. The main thing I hear from most X-type owners is that it rides and drives well (in a manner befitting a Jaguar). I wouldn't mind driving an X-type to see how well it drives before making any buying decision.

Objectivity would seem to be the watchword when it comes to these automobiles.
 
#28 · (Edited)
After looking long and hard at the X-type, I have concluded that the "hate the X for lunch bunch" are deluded. The X-type is/was, from its inception, an "everyman's" Jaguar. What's wrong with that? While many see the 2.1 and 2.5 liter(s) engines as a bit underpowered, the 3.0 was more than sufficient for almost all practical applications for the platform.
The Ford Mondeo may not have been a "spectacular" basis for the automobile, but it is better than many others. The main thing I hear from most X-type owners is that it rides and drives well (in a manner befitting a Jaguar). I wouldn't mind driving an X-type to see how well it drives before making any buying decision.

Objectivity would seem to be the watchword when it comes to these automobiles.
... and anyone that thought the 2.5L V6 with AWD was underpowered were indeed deluded. It can and does shift. (The AJ25 was also fitted in the S-Type 2002-2006, with about 7 more horses - 194hp in the X, 201 in the S). And the X-Type was of course a compact saloon, the smallest Jaguar had produced. So it was never going to be rocket powered. That wasn't the target market.
 
#30 ·
The X Type is a fine car in any of its guises. My 3.0 sport is now 17 years old and still drives very well. It has the odd need for a repair but no more than any other 17 y/o car with high mileage. And for you especially Axat, I know you have a thing about the switches, but every one of mine still functions perfectly after 17 years and that matters to me. I don't have a problem with the look of the switches and strangely enough every one of my friends that get in the car always say how much they love the car and its interior. The other thing they ask is for me to hit the gas because they like to hear their girlfriend or wife go in to panic mode. Great fun!
Overall, the car is a joy to drive and drive hard. This years heavy winter in Poland saw a lot of snow and the AWD was not just good, it was spectacular! I never had a worry or a scare during the endless weeks of extreme cold(a few -25C days and nights) and the only problem I had was the fuel flap not opening when the cold froze it shut. It started on the first turn of the key every time and never left me stuck when other people and their vehicles were on the side of the road unable to move because of the extreme conditions.
The X type is the most engineered car Jaguar have ever produced. It's not a perfect car and with just a little more thought it could have been, but i'm not perfect either so car and driver are ideally suited in my case. As for what it cost me, it comes in as the buy of the century.
 
#31 ·
As of this moment, I am firmly convinced the naysayers of this finely-crafted automobile are utterly full of bovine scat. While it may not be an S-type, or an XJ6-8 or XJ12 L, the automobile is still a fine representative of the marque. Granted, it isn't an E-class Mercedes, but I would rather own one of these than a Mercedes-Benz made today. There are just too many plastic bits under the Merc's bonnet age rather poorly due to their exposure to engine heat and other chemicals. These costly parts eventually fail and contribute to the expensive "modern headaches" that are the hallmark of the current "Herman The German" cars.
 
#32 ·
The people who started all the Mondeo in drag nonsense obviously had some issue with Jaguar themselves, because there was just no justification for it. I wonder if the same people are now slagging the Lamborghini Urus or the Bentley Bentayga off and calling it a VW, seeing as they share the same platform as the VW Touareg?

I'd also like to know what they think of the vomit inducing Pace range? Now they are definitely NOT proper Jaguars.
 
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#33 ·
I'd also like to know what they think of the vomit inducing Pace range? Now they are definitely NOT proper Jaguars.
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If it has a Jaguar growler or leaper on it (and it came out of a Jaguar factory) then - love it or hate it - it's a proper Jaguar.

The I-Pace is blisteringly quick - just as a Jaguar should be.
 
#42 ·
Do you read posts before you reply??? I was talking about how it drives!!!
 
#43 ·
Having owned several Jag’s in the past, (a 420G, 2 XJ6’s and a Daimler Double Six Van Den Plas), I love the cars, but having heard the Mondeo in a party dress jibes I’d never considered an X Type until just over a year ago when I moved home and found myself needing a cheap, (under a grand), car that would be comfortable and economical on the regular Blackpool to Edinburgh, (mostly motorway and fast A roads), trips I had in front of me and spotted the 04 2.0d SE for sale with a local dealer up for £750.00.

Although the car had over 150,000 miles, it was immaculate, and when the dealer let me take it out for a drive on my own, I was really surprised by the way it drove, especially on the motorway where I was able to take it for a blast, with the average MPG readout of 53.4 MPG on the trip computer impressing me too.

It’s very rare I buy a car on impulse, but that half an hour test drive in the car sold me on it, me returning and after negotiating an MOT extension, (it was out of MOT and the 6 month COVID extension was in force, the dealer offering to MOT it for me at the end of the 6 months if I bought it), I snapped his hand off.

I’ve now done almost 40,000 miles in the car since then, (a lot of them fast motorway miles), and despite having to have the sills replaced for its MOT, (something the dealer thankfully paid for, him having promised me a 12 months MOT in 6 months’ time, a promise he honored even though it cost him over £500), fit a replacement front wheel bearing, a power steering pump and front pulleys, (the pulleys as a precaution), and then replace the clutch and duel mass flywheel, (another £375.00), I’ve never regretted buying the car, it having carried out the job I wanted it for, (getting me to Scotland and back on a regular basis in comfort without costing too much in fuel), perfectly

Before I bought the X Type I’d test driven quite a few cars including a BMW 320D and a Merc E220D, (both with far higher asking prices), and neither grabbed me like the Jag did, the 320D feeling too urgent to be relaxing on long journeys and the E220D leaving me feeling nothing other than knowing it wasn’t for me, whereas with the X Type I’d immediately felt comfortable and at home driving it, something I still do.

I think one of the best things about the X Type is the type of person who bought them new, a lot of them appearing to have been bought by retiring senior manager’s/company directors/professionals who wanted a car that offered them some of the comfort and prestige of their previous executive company cars without the high running cost, (as it wasn’t going to be run on an expense account), which has led to a lot of really clean well looked after and not thrashed X Types surviving, many only coming on the market when the original buyer gives up driving due to old age or dies which is a good thing for X Type lovers now as there seems to be plenty good low miles cars left.

I’m currently looking for a later FSH low mileage 2.2d Sports manual, preferably with one owner. If anybody hears of one on the market, could you point me in its direction please.

Regards,

Landie
 
#46 ·
I enjoy my 2003 S-type because it handles well, gets decent fuel mileage, and looks the kin to the early S-type that it is. It is a proper Jaguar as is my 1997 XJ6 L. The SUV craze should slowly retreat and people will eventually return to driving sedans and coupes.

My father's last "daily driver" was a 1970 International Harvester Travelall. (One of the 'original' SUV-type units that resembled the Chevrolet Suburban). He purchased the vehicle for towing a large travel trailer. (He never had the opportunity to buy the travel trailer before he died). This was powered by a 243 cubic inch V8 that ran on regular 88 Octane leaded gasoline and obtained 24-25 miles to the gallon of fuel on the highway and had a 3-speed automatic gearbox. This vehicle had bench seats and was a "bare-bones" unit that had no options save for an am radio (wireless).

This was over 50 years ago.
 
#47 ·
I enjoy my 2003 S-type because it handles well, gets decent fuel mileage, and looks the kin to the early S-type that it is. It is a proper Jaguar as is my 1997 XJ6 L. The SUV craze should slowly retreat and people will eventually return to driving sedans and coupes.
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Keeping in mind this thread is primarily about the 'negativity' and 'fake news' that has surrounded the X-Type since its inception ;)

I don't think the credentials of the S-Type were ever in question :) But then, neither should the credentials of the X.(y)
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#48 ·
The X-type resembles a miniature XJ Saloon (sedan). Granted, this may have garnered the reputation of being owned by a pensioner. Frankly, I view it as a saloon/sedan that is preferred by those that want to drive a comfortable luxury car on a budget. (Either student or pensioner).
 
#49 ·
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I wouldn't be so specific. The X-Type is suited to absolutely anyone who wants to drive a good car. Doesn't need to be a student or a pensioner. It can be everyone in between as well. But again, the nature of the thread is not about 'pensioner' reputation. ;)
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#51 ·
I stand corrected. The X-type is a robust saloon/sedan that was designed as a "daily working saloon/sedan". My dear friend drives a 2004 Toyota Camry with a 2.4 liter DOHC 4-cylinder engine. She's happy as a clam at high tide. When she drove my S-type, she was thrilled. I want her to test-drive an X-type. The handling of the X-type along with the intrinsic comfort and leather appointments would be quite appealing as well. (I'm certain that she would fall in love once again).

What do you think?
Since you ask... I see mine as an Estate. As do many, here.
 
#52 ·
... to be fair, it was designed as a saloon/sedan... with the Estate not coming out until 2004, once Ian Callum had got his hands on it.
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#53 · (Edited)
This is just my personal opinion after reading nearly all of the posts on several threads ref "Mondeo in a Party Dress"

It seems to me that most if not all the people who complain about the Mondeo ref / link are more concerned about what other people think about their cars than what they think themselves. Does it really matter what somebody else thinks? I personally don't give a ** I love my X-Type and that's all that really matters. My car was a budget buy and still needs a few things sorting (paintwork mainly/ crap headlights and a current wheel bearing issue) to get it spot on but I'm doing those things for me not because someone might comment on it. Not everyone likes the clothes I wear, the haircut I have or the way I speak - to those people- 'No ** Given'!
 
#55 · (Edited)
This is just my personal opinion after reading nearly all of the posts on several threads ref "Mondeo in a Party Dress"

It seems to me that most if not all the people who complain about the Mondeo ref / link are more concerned about what other people think about their cars than what they think themselves. Does it really matter what somebody else thinks?
Good point, made strongly :)
And I agree that it doesn't matter what other people think.

However, I also like to make sure people are educated in the facts and not allowed to run away believing their mis-information.
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