Faults:

Had a fair few suspension problems at 60,000 km- had to replaced the wheel bearings and various suspension bushes.

Radiator hose off the thermostat split, at the same time also found two other lower hoses were in need of replacement.

Tyres seem to last only 20,000 km. Trying an alternate brand.

General Comments:

This car has the best Jaguar interior to date- a superb flowing dashboard in maple walnut, fitting in well with the central instrument console. Leather seats and carpets have stood up to the wear well and still look like new when treated. Analogue dials for rev counter and speedo suit the ambiance.

All the electrics work well- minimal extra "gadgets", but all the expected gear- climate control, CD stacker, quality sound system.

A seriously quick car- recently managed a 13.9 second / 105 mph quarter mile. The handling is excellent- good enough to take on most other cars on the winding roads of New Zealand. Wide tyres give plenty of grip, and the traction control intervenes well to prevent the rear swinging out if you are taking the corner too fast.

Only complaint is that the boot is cosy- can be forgiven given the looks of the car.

Faults:

Number 8 piston keeps bashing the electrode on the spark plug, causing it to run on 7, probably crank wear.

Smokes like a chimney on start-up and whilst running.

Air filter box is filling with oil, probably worn bores causing back pressure.

Windscreen wiper parks where it wants to and sets off by itself.

Steering judders and the car has new brakes all round, and has had all bushes checked and steering tracked and wheels balanced.

General Comments:

I have wanted a quick 8 potter for ages and thought that the Jag V8 supercharged would be the one. After having the S-type, I enjoyed the traditional English character and thought of staying with the manufacturer. I am used to running around in run of the mill stuff, for example I had a 180,000 mile 1043cc VW polo and thought now's the time to treat myself, but I wish I hadn't.

The XJR has a full service history up to the last minute, so what the heck is it doing giving me all this grief in so little miles?

My 21 year old 1.0 litre VW Polo was a better workhorse and I treated it like a dog. All I can say is that I am very disappointed and this car has cleaned me out without giving me any fun..

You don't expect to buy a prestigious marque of this calibre and have these types of problems at such a low and well maintained mileage. Beware.

Faults:

The car has been absolutely brilliant. The dealer has been completely unprofessional. They "lost" the service book. They do not return calls, always complaining that they are "too busy". I have since learned that this is not uncommon for jaguar dealers. Also, there have been several bodywork defects that were clearly "covered-up" before selling.

General Comments:

From my experience, I would not recommend using a Jaguar dealership to purchase your dream car. E-bay offers similar models at £3-5K saving on approved dealers. Obviously do your own homework, as these cars can be expensive when they go wrong. What I am saying is that, from my experience, buying from a registered dealer is no guarantee of quality.