Luxury car for £5500

[geekman]

Basically, been offered £5500 for my car. I paid £4500 for it almost a year ago, and it'll need some work soon, so needless to say, it's a good offer. However, I love the car and can't really think of anything to replace it with. I could buy an identical one for £3500ish and bank on it not costing me another £2000 in repairs, or I could use the £5500 for an absolutely mint, low mileage example, or of course I could simply refuse the offer and stick to what I've got.

My car is a 2003 Jaguar XJ6 (see here) and I'm looking for something fairly similar, i.e. relatively quick, luxurious, and with lots of toys. MPG isn't a massive concern but I'd like over 20 average.

I've had a brief browse on autotrader and suchlike, and I can't see anything that massively appeals. The main issue I have is insurance - I'm 19, so cars like the XJR, S600, Phaeton W12 etc aren't insurable.

To be entirely honest, I'm leaning towards just keeping my car and turning down the offer, but I've got a while until I need to make a decision so I thought I should at least look at other options.

Any ideas?

 

[Lethal`]

I'd be tempted to keep it. Whilst £1k extra is pretty good you're right... it could cost you a lot more to find the right car and get it to your liking.

What kind of person offered that? If I was a typical XJR driver I would be somewhat apprehensive about buying one from a 19 year old

 

[[TW]Fox]

I would keep it, why change it for such a bizarre reason? It's difficult to buy a better car of its type for £5.5k.

 

[geekman]

I'd be tempted to keep it. Whilst £1k extra is pretty good you're right... it could cost you a lot more to find the right car and get it to your liking.

What kind of person offered that? If I was a typical XJR driver I would be somewhat apprehensive about buying one from a 19 year old

I'm not worried about the legitimacy of the offer, the guy is pretty much your ideal car buyer. I keep the car in good condition and know a fair bit about them so I guess he must have been impressed.

I would keep it, why change it for such a bizarre reason? It's difficult to buy a better car of its type for £5.5k.

I agree, which is why I'm leaning towards refusing the offer. However, I find it difficult to ignore the fact I could probably get this for £3k, probably get him to raise his offer to £6k, and I've got £3k in my pocket whilst still driving the same car. My car will need new tyres soon (getting on for £1k) and a gearbox service (around £500) - that much is certain. If I buy another one, will it realistically cost me another £3000 in repairs, on top of the £1500 I'm going to spend on mine in the next 6 months?

Like I said, I'm leaning towards keeping it, but I want to make very sure I'm making the right decision and have considered all my options

 

[Maz]

Sell sell sell.........

 

[richolmes72]

You sound fairly savvy on these Xj's and that's a very strong price for your car. I would do it and switch but not sure if you'd change to something different, the car that you linked to looks OK and a potentially better spec too (Heated seats, heated screen, nicer wheels too in my opinion).

Insurance is probably prohibitive but try a 4.2 v8 maybe, it's the perfect engine for that era XJ.

My last XJ was a 1998 4.0 XJ8 bought in 2009 for £1700 and sold with a slight mis-fire (advertised as such) for £1850 9 months later.

Having said that, I changed it for a 740i which was a complete lemon! So maybe don't take my advice

 

[mjt]

The one you posted has 19" rims and what if it's on LingLongs? There's a grand.
Keep yours! Better the devil you know, etc.

You don't know the history of the other one. You could well end up with a lemon and fork out thousands.

 

[SilverTongue]

I would personally keep yours, it's a beautiful example better the devil you know than the devil you don't

 

[commited]

I'd at least go and have a look at some alternatives available then make my decision.

 

[geekman]

The one you posted has 19" rims and what if it's on LingLongs? There's a grand.
Keep yours! Better the devil you know, etc.

You don't know the history of the other one. You could well end up with a lemon and fork out thousands.

Indeed, although mine will need new (20") tyres soon - that's a certainty.

I would personally keep yours, it's a beautiful example better the devil you know than the devil you don't

Thanks I'm certainly closer to doing that than selling it.

I'd at least go and have a look at some alternatives available then make my decision.

I've spent a few hours on autotrader, and other than another XJ6 I can't really find anything I want. I like the Citroen C6 (don't ask why!) but in all honesty I'm too much of a snob to go from Jaguar to Citroen

I've always wanted a 4x4, but the only ones I like are either too expensive, or not possible to insure, so that's out really.

 

[Scania]

Good price, especially given it needs money throwing at it, perhaps sell buy a cheap runaround and save for something really special?

Sounds like change for the sake of a good offer IMO - although tbh when I had my 728i which I loved I turned down a couple of good offers for it, I loved it and didn't entertain getting rid, that your considering it at least makes me wonder if you should accept.

What to replace it with mind you I've no clue!

Jag to Citroen would be as bad as my eventual and reluctant move from an e38 7 to a mk2 Diesel Mondeo! - don't FFS!!!

 

[[TW]Fox]

Good price, especially given it needs money throwing at it, perhaps sell buy a cheap runaround and save for something really special?

Yes good idea, sell a nice car and then drive around in a cheap nail.

Or not.

 

[geekman]

Yes good idea, sell a nice car and then drive around in a cheap nail.

Or not.

I've got another car so I wouldn't be buying something lower quality. I also think I'm unlikely to be able to increase my budget in the near future, at least not to the extent that I would be able to get something vastly better, as I'm moving to France next year and need to save my money for that.

At the moment, the choice seems to be between keeping it, or selling it and pocketing £2-3k, in the hope that the replacement won't cost me £3k in repairs, plus the £1500 I'll need to spend on mine soon.

 

[Scania]

Depends if this fits what he wants to do surely?

I regretted doing that myself, for different reasons,but yes, sure. On the other hand, he seems tempted by the offer but unsure as to what if anything to replace it with, the big hint in my post was the word "perhaps" you comment as if I'm saying this is by far his best option! It isn't, it's a suggestion which is what he's here asking for.

 

[Jez]

I think you would be mad not to accept £5500 for a 2003 XJ6, regardless of condition. Its easily replaceable if you have another car to use in the interim while you search for something, and that is way over what it is worth.

 

[Scania]

I've got another car so I wouldn't be buying something lower quality. I also think I'm unlikely to be able to increase my budget in the near future, at least not to the extent that I would be able to get something vastly better, as I'm moving to France next year and need to save my money for that.

At the moment, the choice seems to be between keeping it, or selling it and pocketing £2-3k, in the hope that the replacement won't cost me £3k in repairs, plus the £1500 I'll need to spend on mine soon.

Given this, it's a lot easier, you have alternative wheels, great!
Just now decide if you like the XJ enough to keep it and plough the money into it, if you see yourself changing it soon regardless, they I'd be sorely tempted by the offer especially if you can make him up his bid.

 

[hurfdurf]

Whats the other car?

 

[bledd]

Show us a full sized pic of your car. Your sig bothers me greatly

 

[geekman]

I think you would be mad not to accept £5500 for a 2003 XJ6, regardless of condition. Its easily replaceable if you have another car to use in the interim while you search for something, and that is way over what it is worth.

That's what I'm struggling with - £5500 is an extremely good price, and there's the possibility I could get a bit more out of him.

Given this, it's a lot easier, you have alternative wheels, great!
Just now decide if you like the XJ enough to keep it and plough the money into it, if you see yourself changing it soon regardless, they I'd be sorely tempted by the offer especially if you can make him up his bid.

I don't see myself changing it soon, and I'm happy to plough money into it - I'm just wondering if I could save myself a bit of cash by swapping it for another one

Whats the other car?

1998 MR2 N/A. Decent condition and very reliable, but not exactly comfortable.

Show us a full sized pic of your car. Your sig bothers me greatly

It is rather poor, I admit! Here's a couple of VERY high res pics:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7315/11037739995_c1dcea7d2a_o.jpg

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3829/11038099384_31b1c922ff_o.jpg

 

[Vita]

I saw a XJR? I think it was that had a R badge on the back. Really liked the look of it, looks really smart and almost like a sitting down Jaguar by it's side profile. Beautiful cars but they are rather on the large side.