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