JAGUAR XF 3.0d V6 S Portfolio 4dr Auto (2009)

Jag XF 3.0d - Cheap on fuel, not to cheap on insurance

We had meant for some time to try out a diesel car, given how they're supposed to be catching up with petrols in terms of performance, and also becoming less noisy dirty beasts. We sized up the Jaguar XF a couple of years ago and plunged in shortly after. We had a Jaguar back in the 70s which seems a lifetime ago and of course it is. Of course they've kept pace with all the latest gadgetry and bells and whistles, but you still notice the Jaguar touch. A lot of their old styling remains I think, although updated a bit. It's a good mix for an old timer like me.

We purchased the XF 3.0d itself through an independent middle man who did all the bargaining between the different dealers. For a small fee you can get a really significant discount. I think we saved about two thousand in the end, although there were some differences in the amount of extras we could get with different dealers. We did have to travel to pick up the car itself (or pay a bit more for delivery).

One little warning I would offer is that it is really quite surprisingly powerful. It is a diesel but that can be easy to forget. We take it on the motorways for weekend visits and trips, and it doesn't seem happy to stay anywhere near 70. You have to really concentrate. That sounds funny but it can be quite frustrating. You can use the cruise control of course, but it's already an automatic vehicle, I want to feel like I'm at least doing something other than steering (and on the motorway there isn't even much of that).

Another excellent little doodah in the Jaguar XF is the parking system with little cameras to show you how close you are to things, both front and back. As an ageing gent this did take me a good while to get my head around, and I think my wife still doesn't like it, but it is a must. The bonnet is quite long really, and the boot quite high, so it wouldn't be easy parking without them. Just make sure you're happy with them first.