Mark is out for a while and Thomas is out sick, so I have hijacked this post to ask a very local, very terrible question about an awful decision that’s now awfully tempting do to Mr. Gossin’s post about restoring that Jaguar X-Type that seems to be everywhere. Oh no…
Yesterday, arguably, had no losers. Both cars were wonderful and sketchy in equal proportion and both were really worthy of saving. If I had to choose one I’d probably be tempted to take the Opel, merely for the novelty, but the well-loved MG just edged out a victory. Someone should buy one of these cars.
No one, especially not me (right?) should buy one of the next two cars.
Here are life’s great ontological questions, in this order:
- Is there a God?
- Do I exist?
- Better to have a car with a manual that isn’t a wagon or a car that’s a wagon but isn’t a manual?
Let’s test at least two of those today:
2003 Jaguar X-Type Manual AWD – $2,500
Engine/drivetrain: 3.0-liter Duratec V6, probably, AWD, five-speed manual
Location: Port Jervis, New York
Odometer reading: 185,000 miles
Runs/drives? Both, apparently
I am equally attracted to, and repulsed by, this car in roughly equal measure. Black, sedan, with bad custom aftermarket wheels is really doing all you can to make this car unappealing. But then it has an AWD setup and five-speed manual transmission. That’s great! It’s the inside that counts, right folks?
Here’s what the seller says:
2003 Jaguar X-Type AWD, black, four-door sedan. Manual transmission. Everything works, AC/Heat, no check-engine lights. Current inspection. Well maintained, many new parts. Tires are good. Leather interior. This car drives nice! Ready to go. Price is firm. CASH ONLY
Can one expect rust? Oh yeah. It isn’t particularly noted here, but just look at this thing. It lives in Port Jervis. This thing has seen road salt at those miles and the pics of the door sills don’t leave much to the imagination.
But then…look at this:
That’s nice.
2007 Jaguar X-Type Wagon- $2,000
Engine/drivetrain: 3.0-liter Duratec V6, probably, Five-Speed Automatic
Location: Bensonhurst, New York
Odometer reading: 185,000 miles
Runs/drives? Both, apparently*
This also isn’t the ideal color, but I’m a sucker for a wagon. Is it AWD? I have no idea. The seller doesn’t say much:
Motor is perfect runs and drives cars been sitting needs transmission fluid. It is a close case transmission. It would have to be put on a lift but car runs and drives. Everything works for brand new tires fully loaded leather sunroof navigation clean title in hand 190,000 miles please serious buyers only not 1000 questions call sold as is trying to sell by today. Have nowhere to keep it it… $2000 today takes it
That was 27 days ago. So either today came and went and the owner is keeping the ad up, or it didn’t actually sell.
The motor is “perfect” but the transmission “needs transmission fluid.” Hmm… let’s just look inside.
Automatic aside. That looks pretty clean.
I’m torn. What should a sane person do?
If I was a masochist with time and money, I’d buy both and convert the wagon to an AWD 5-speed manual using the sedan as the donor car (I’m assuming that the 2003 and 2007 are interoperable).
But I’m not, and I don’t, so therefore, I’m going with (C) None of the above.
I would take the manual simply because it’s the only chance I would have to own a manual AWD Mondeo in the US, without spending a crap-ton of money to import one
I’m going to translate “needs transmission fluid” as “it doesn’t work right and I really hope it’s the easiest thing possible that’s wrong”. Even if being low on fluid is all that’s wrong if it’s a sealed case there’s no telling how long it’s been low or what kind of damage has been done until you open it up and look. After you buy it.
Not that the manual looks great but it doesn’t sound like it needs a major powertrain component replaced immediately. No one’s buying these to restore or spend real money on and there’s better daily drivers for the money so that leaves people who want a cheap Jag to play with. I’m pretty sure those people want one that works out of the box and with the fun transmission.
Seller: “easy fix can be done in an hour”
Buyer: “why don’t you do the fix before selling it then”
Seller: “NO TIRE KICKERS!!!”
Whether ‘tis nobler in the hand to suffer the delays and vagaries of ye auld slushy box in return for a long roof, or to stomp foot on the clutch, shift as desired, and leave it all (a cubic yard or two of cargo?) behind…
I went through this when I chose to buy an ‘03 540it sport wagon (auto only in the U.S.) instead of fronting a bit more for an e39 M5. The wagon has done an admirable job of hauling people, dogs and stuff, but after many years and miles, a real shifter (and less germane to this post, 100 more horses) would have been worth the splurge and a more minimalist take on what to carry.
I guess where I’m going with this is that, as a longtime wagon driver, I can say that the promise of “one car to do it all” has rung a bit hollow. Saddle a great sport sedan with a mediocre automatic and a couple hundred more pounds of glass, steel and such over the rear axle and you lose a fair amount of what you wanted in that platform.
Don’t like either, but went with wagon assuming the transmission checks out. Also would negotiate $20 off to replace the hideous shift knob.
The black one works, while the silver one needs a new tranny (likely, these autos are known to be garbage) = the working one (no-brainer).
Seems others in this thread agree with this assesment.
After the last article I low key want an X-Type wagon as something AWD that’s neither Subaru nor crossover s9 my stops complaining she can’t see out of our Mazda CX-5.
It needs transmission fluid? Are you kidding me? Sedan by default.
My car is broken.
Yeah, what’s wrong?
It needs gasoline.
Ooohhh. That’s a damn shame!
Confirmed wagon lover, but the manual, “Everything works”, and confirmed AWD are more important that the roof length today. I feel the best of both cars so buy both approach, but if you value your time, tools, and storage space at anything remotely reasonable you’re better off buying what you actually want, an AWD MT Wagon with enough niceness to make you want to be in it.
Oh yeah, and make sure it has a damn LSD or you’ll get stuck on flat ground.
Certainly one of the more prolific reported issues with the X type is auto trans failure. Therefore the manual wins the day for me. I like some wagons, but not this brand’s versions. Silver is also a non starter for me. it seems like nobody sees it and just hits the rear of cars this color constantly.
The manual sedan described as “everything works” is losing our to the wagon that “just needs transmission fluid”? You can drive the sedan and check if everything works, unless you and seller arrange for the filling of the transmission and verification that everything works on the wagon before finalizing the sale, the wagon is very much a crapshoot. If you have space and you can negotiate both prices down quite a bit so you are paying less than $3000 for both, I suppose both might be the most interesting option. Happy wrenching.
The wagon looks to be in much better shape. Bonus for not wearing shitty Pep Boys wheels.
Same mileage, both have nice interiors, both probably have similar rust, both have blah colors, both have the leaper.
It’s worth the extra $500 to not need any repairs immediately, and I prefer the stick. Gimme the sedan.
Another day of just buy both. In this case, make the wagon the daily and keep the sedan for parts. Starting with making the wagon a manual AND AWD if it’s not already. I live in Colorado, so that matters at times. And I would assume it would drive better than FWD. After that, store the sedan, and pull parts as needed until it’s scrap.
Exactly, estate over saloon any day, but it needs a proper transmission driving all the wheels. It becomes like a nice Impreza.
The correct answer is buy both, swap transmissions, sell the now automatic sedan to recoup some of the investment…
The Wagons are rare, something like 1,600 sold in the US. But all were automatic… but there’s nothing preventing them from becoming manual.
These are both utter piles of shit, and I really don’t want either of them. I guess I’ll take the wagon.