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Old 23rd September 2021, 20:34   #11
FLYING BANANA
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My love for my ZT will continue no matter what it costs. It saved my life, literally.
You cannot take the money with you so why not spend it on something you love.
I’d sell the V8 ZTT tomorrow if it meant keeping Banana on the road.

At the end of the day only you can make the decision.
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232750. Be patient Banana, we will soon be back together and enjoying the shows again.

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Old 24th September 2021, 07:31   #12
AndyN01
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This is a question that I'm sure many of us wrestle with quite frequently

Something inconvenient happens and there’s the pressure to "get something newer" rather than spend and get it fixed.

As has been said the final decision is obviously yours.

My twopenneth......

£4K is a significant sum of money to spend BUT how much will you need to spend on replacing the ZT?

Will that extra cost definitely, certainly, absolutely result in a car you are happy to own and are willing and able to fund?

If new cars go wrong - and they do - the bills can be eye watering and a significant amount of stuff requires specialist kit so it's Main Stealer or a good independent. No more getting the toolbox out .

IMHO this is possibly THE best car forum and provides the answer to pretty much anything and everything that can happen to our cars and the folks with the kit & expertise to put it right. That in itself is worth many ££££'s and then there's the social aspect too.

If you want reliability then the only car on your list I'd consider is the Mazda. We've had 2 and both were/are bomb proof. Avoid diesels in the Mazda 6 - they are well known to have big issues. Our current Mazda has been with us for 8 years and the sum total of non service items in that time and about 90K is a brake switch that controls the cruise and a windscreen washer pump.

Don't get sucked into the hype that German is wonderful - it was once but it's pretty much on par with a lot of other stuff now. For instance: BMW - £350 for a rear light unit 'cus it's LED and sealed and dealer only...... Our Passat needed an electronic handbrake replaced. The unit was about £400 plus fitting plus electronically coding back onto the car.

The only other makes I'd go for are Lexus & Toyota. We've had several Toyota's in the family and all have been great. Never had a Lexus but the independent surveys always put them at or very near to the top.

Good Luck with what is a difficult decision.


PS Remember that at some point 75/ZT's will start to appreciate so perhaps some of the money you put in may come back when it's finally time to sell.
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Last edited by AndyN01; 24th September 2021 at 07:55..
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Old 24th September 2021, 08:50   #13
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Fortunately kept my 75s/ZTs when when buying a couple of Jags. Whilst I love the latter as much, they have cost me more in the past 18 months than the Rovers/MGs have in 5 years!

Intend to keep the MGRs going with comparatively small outlays each year to see me out - much cheaper than the initial outlay and running costs of newer vehicles. Incidentally, I have owned my 1977 Triumph 2500TC for 34 years, and all it has cost me are the usual consumables plus MOTs and servicing. it is also now worth 4 times what I paid for it! Win, Win.
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Old 24th September 2021, 10:11   #14
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I am in a similar situation , i have 4000 to 5000 pounds to spend and must have an automatic . I have a Jaguar S-type 3.0 petrol that replaced a 75 nearly 7 years ago, I always regretted changing the 75 but it needed the belts doing a clutch and welding amongst a few other jobs but my health was on the downward slope so I couldn't do it myself, the S-type came up at a price that I couldn't refuse so went for it. In my opinion the Jags build quality isn't as solid as the 75s, plastic door handles and switches are just a couple of gripes but she has lasted me well , she has been reliable and I have grown to love her. Now I need to replace the Jag as it needs money spending on radiator ,suspension overhaul ,welding, some paintwork and a few electrical grey.ins have popped up. I've looked and looked but I'm not sure what to go for, one rule the missus has set out is it needs to be newer than the Jag which is an 03 plate. Ideally I would like an estate, it was crucial at one point as I needed to get the wife's electric wheelchair in the car, but we have changed plans now and a saloon would be suitable. I've looked at Jags an S-type and XF, the S-types are now needing welding as the tin worm is taking its toll , same with the XF tin worm and the reported reliability problems with electronics and the fragile V6 diesel engines with there plastic inlets, waterways, twin turbos and DPF regeneration problems, and the chance your bottom end gives up , and they are not the most accessible engines to work on. HEART says S-type as I know and love them now also consider XF as its the more up to date S-type same suspension similar engines etc. HEAD says move on as you will end up spending loads of money on both models due to rot or electronics and you aren't able to do much now due to health so its independent garages for repairs. I've looked at Volvo V70 estates but they seem a little soulless, but very comfortable and a peach of a diesel in the 2.4 5cylinder D5 which is available in a 200+ hp version WOW in later models 2008 onward, the parts are not too expensive for repairs.HEART says very plain not to much to love, HEAD says practical reliable OK on fuel and go on forever. I have also looked at 5 series BMW estates as they have rear air suspension which would be beneficial with the electric wheelchair as it is heavy although not as necessary as before, the diesels are good engines the 2.0 has its issues with timing chains its not the m47 fitted to the Rover MG range the 3.0 is a beast but the auto gearboxes can be fragile along with some electronics problems. HEART says I like these but HEAD says can be expensive to repair, reasonably economical in 3.0 diesel flavour excellent in 2.0 diesel but all a bit complex. So do I stay with the know S-type and spend the money on the repairs or swap it for a newer one of the same flavour or buy into an unknown. Decisions Decisions.
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Old 24th September 2021, 21:39   #15
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Thanks all, I’ve given it some more thought over the last couple of days, and also gone and sat in a couple of cars. Decided I couldn’t live with the Toyota, just too bland and sensible. The XE for sale locally however was a lovely place to be and I’ve booked a test drive.

I agree that when a big bill comes my first response is get on autotrader and look for replacements. But I always ended up coming back to fix the ZT. However this time the ZT is running fine, still getting a steady 48-49 mpg on my daily drive to work, and nothing that I’m aware of that needs fixing. The money to be spent is on bodywork, and on things that at 17 years old and 200,000+ miles I feel if I don’t replace preemptively soon, I’ll be left at the side of the road. I also think part of me is just a bit bored with it, it still looks lovely, and is nice to drive, but Ive owned it for nearly 9 years now, and only ever had 3 cars, so think I want to try something different. I also crave something a bit sportier.

I think this feeling is partly driven by everything supposedly going electric, I think while I’ve got the extra money to spare, I’d like to get something a bit livelier but still partly practical. Part of a longer term plan, get this now, to last 5-6 years, then get another IC car before the cut off date, and give myself extra years of manual transmission IC fun.

The idea of getting a replacement ZT is self defeating, any replacement ZT will most likely come with the same issues as mine already has, with the added downside of not having owned it for years and know what’s already been done. I also doubt the future classic status of the diesels. Had it been a petrol then maybe more relevant, but (and happy to be proved wrong in the future) I can’t see the diesel ever being sought after.

If I had anywhere to keep the ZT, I would probably store it, and do it up a bit at a time myself, but last time I enquired about a council garage they wouldn’t even put anyone new on the waiting list!

I know I’ll regret selling the ZT, I still regret selling my Rover 25 GTi when I bought the ZT. But pending the test drive, the XE should be a happy medium between the speed and fun of the 25 and practicality of the ZT, helped by the fact the XE is a very similar shade of blue to the Tahiti blue of my 25.

It may all change after I’ve driven it, but at the moment I’m swayed towards, get something sportier and enjoy IC and manual gearbox while I can. Which is something my dad actually agreed with when I explained it to him. He’s got an old 25 and if he keeps it a few years more, then 1 more IC car will likely see out his driving days. But for me, whether it’s 2030 or 2045, I’ll end up having to have an electric car if they continue down that route, so make the most of not having to have one now.
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Old 25th September 2021, 22:55   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bikerdude666 View Post
Thanks all, I’ve given it some more thought over the last couple of days, and also gone and sat in a couple of cars. Decided I couldn’t live with the Toyota, just too bland and sensible. The XE for sale locally however was a lovely place to be and I’ve booked a test drive.

I agree that when a big bill comes my first response is get on autotrader and look for replacements. But I always ended up coming back to fix the ZT. However this time the ZT is running fine, still getting a steady 48-49 mpg on my daily drive to work, and nothing that I’m aware of that needs fixing. The money to be spent is on bodywork, and on things that at 17 years old and 200,000+ miles I feel if I don’t replace preemptively soon, I’ll be left at the side of the road. I also think part of me is just a bit bored with it, it still looks lovely, and is nice to drive, but Ive owned it for nearly 9 years now, and only ever had 3 cars, so think I want to try something different. I also crave something a bit sportier.

I think this feeling is partly driven by everything supposedly going electric, I think while I’ve got the extra money to spare, I’d like to get something a bit livelier but still partly practical. Part of a longer term plan, get this now, to last 5-6 years, then get another IC car before the cut off date, and give myself extra years of manual transmission IC fun.

The idea of getting a replacement ZT is self defeating, any replacement ZT will most likely come with the same issues as mine already has, with the added downside of not having owned it for years and know what’s already been done. I also doubt the future classic status of the diesels. Had it been a petrol then maybe more relevant, but (and happy to be proved wrong in the future) I can’t see the diesel ever being sought after.

If I had anywhere to keep the ZT, I would probably store it, and do it up a bit at a time myself, but last time I enquired about a council garage they wouldn’t even put anyone new on the waiting list!

I know I’ll regret selling the ZT, I still regret selling my Rover 25 GTi when I bought the ZT. But pending the test drive, the XE should be a happy medium between the speed and fun of the 25 and practicality of the ZT, helped by the fact the XE is a very similar shade of blue to the Tahiti blue of my 25.

It may all change after I’ve driven it, but at the moment I’m swayed towards, get something sportier and enjoy IC and manual gearbox while I can. Which is something my dad actually agreed with when I explained it to him. He’s got an old 25 and if he keeps it a few years more, then 1 more IC car will likely see out his driving days. But for me, whether it’s 2030 or 2045, I’ll end up having to have an electric car if they continue down that route, so make the most of not having to have one now.
Electric cars are only good if you are traveling from A to B and there is a charger
station at one end of the trip.
If the power grid goes down your stuck- ie storms or if were going renewable,to many cloudy days or no wind or to much wind.
If your towing somthing, cut your battery distance in half before you need another 20 minute charge.
Hydrogen fuel cell the only way to go. Toyota and Honda already have models on the market Two minutes to fill up, 700km out a tank, you can run convert current coal and gas fired power stations across no probs.
Only emission- pure water!!!
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Old 26th September 2021, 08:39   #17
MSS
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Please come back and tell us how you felt about the XE after your test drive.
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Old 26th September 2021, 21:09   #18
bikerdude666
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MSS View Post
Please come back and tell us how you felt about the XE after your test drive.
Will do, 10am Monday, looking forward to it, just hope they've managed to get hold of some diesel to put in it! Apparently they'll let me take it out on my own, don't need someone sitting in there with me, he even joked I could take it out for the day and go to Skeggy and get a bag of chips.
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Old 27th September 2021, 13:00   #19
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Had the test drive this morning, very impressed, nice and quiet, pulls well, though I never have been and still am not a fan of 6 speed gearboxes. Everything was a bit lighter than the ZT, but not so light that there's no feeling. Interior quality I'd say is a bit better than the ZT but maybe not as good as you'd hope from a Jag. Steering wheel was nice and comfortable, easy to use the steering wheel controls and dash computer. On my short round trip with a cold engine, the computer was reading an average of 42mpg. I went along some roads I regularly use so I could compare the ride over bumpy surfaces, and definitely a nicer ride than the ZT. Can't comment on handling, wasn't going to push it on a test drive, wet surfaces, and rear wheel drive which I've never driven before, the 1 exit from a roundabout I did take enthusiastically the back stepped out slightly. Seats didn't feel quite as comfortable as the ZT, but at the same time, I've had 8 and a half years to get the driving position just right in the ZT, so I'm sure once I get it all right it'll improve.

All in all, depending on a decision re. working hours which I should know by the end of the week, I intend on buying it.

And car specific details, it's a 2015 plate, 2.0 diesel, R-Sport, in a lovely metallic blue, 86,000 miles, Jaguar service history up to 65,000 miles, then a receipt from an independent garage at 82,000 miles, which included a service, brakes all round, and a couple of other things. Only marks I could see were some small scratches on the drivers door, presumably from a ring, and some wear to the top of the gearstick. New tyres all round, and it'll come with a fresh mot and 12 months warranty.

Downside, offered £500 for the ZT as it stands, as part exchange, so pending the final decision, I'll put the ZT up on here in case there's any interest. It currently sits on 16" rover wheels but I do have the originals in need of refurb, which can be included for the right price, as well as quite a lot of other little bits I've built up over the years. It's surprising how many bits you acquire without really realising it.
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Old 27th September 2021, 14:11   #20
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That's great. In terms of handling, the XE is better than even the 3-series. It's the best of all in its class.

The gearbox is actually a ZF8 i.e. an 8 speed auto, the same as the 2012 onwards XF.

Thank you for the feedback.

Last edited by MSS; 27th September 2021 at 14:30..
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