If you had 80 grand to spend... Benz or JAG?!
 

I went off on someone today for choosing to get a JAG!!! I tried all that I could to talk them into getting a mercedes. They "change cars like underwear" so they don't care they're buying a piece of ****! Makes me SO MAD! I really hate jags... overpriced fords is all they are.

A W140 S600 for sure. Jag's are horrible vehicles. My friends jag is falling apart and I think its an early 90s model my my 83 300sd with 250k is still goin strong.

Well, $80K in my neck of the woods is way too short to buy an E55, but I look at it this way:

2002 E430, about $80K. In four years, it's worth $50-55,000.

2002 Jag S-type 4.0, about $80K. In four years, it's worth $30,000.

Okay, much bigger hit to own the Jag.

Next problem? The Jag has Ford parts and looks like the previous generation Taurus from some angles, and the chrome bumper strips are identical to the old Ford Contour. Yick.

I think I'd go for a new Viper for fun and a used 123 sedan for the sake of practicality-- lol. Give me horsepower!

Ron
German Star

I would just fix the crap out of my car and have it repainted in Diamond Blue!

I probably wouldn't touch a Jaguar even if I had $80K. I'd love to have one for free yeah.. (XK8, XKR).

However, I'd definitely not mind owning a Viper! There's something about that car!

Well I'd probably get a fully loaded SLK32 AMG. OR an old 3rd generation 500SL and fix up my 190 to brand new condition! I'd take car of all the rust, all the interior flaws, all mechanical up to new running order even tho it is perfect. I'd put xenon headlights in, upgrade the alternator, pimp out the sound system, and get some really nice looking wheels and wider tires. hahah IN MY DREAMS!

definitly a Benz. E55 to be exact.:cool:

I would spend $80K on a Benz definately, but on something like a 450SEL 6.9 to Euro Specs or a 280SE Coupe with the 6.3 tucked under it's hood, or just completely tear through mine and rebuild it to OEM specs.

I would spend the $80K on a Jag. Just not that one, probably a XK140 and an early E-Type 2+2.

Alex

Ditto what Capt Kirk said! Nice choices! :)

No Jags for me...I like to DRIVE cars a lot more than I like to FIX cars, so that rules out a Jaguar for sure! :(

Mike

Howdy All,
Had to come out of the mud & dirt forum:D to see what the rest of the world looks like. Let me think; Well I think I would have to settle for a Mog & if I couldn't find one in the righ color I would lower myself to get a Gwagen ;) Well back to mud & dirt:D

If I 80K to spend on a car, I would buy a 1999 E300 turbodiesel for my daily driver. With whatever money I had leftover I would find some old MB diesels (built before 1970) and fix them up for weekend drivers then as soon as Mercedes offers a diesel passanger car in the U.S. I would trade in the '99 for one of them if I liked it ;)

Oh Please...
 

I think the original statements of "Jags suck" is just wrong. While the Mercedes is a very fine car, its not for everyone. While Jags have had a questioned past, their present is very much enviable. The new Jaguar is quite a car, albeit it may not be for a person with Mercedes tastes. But here is some food for thought. While both marks are now part of huge conglomerates, which make has bettered? Jaguar! Since Ford bought Jaguar in the late 1990's, their quality has improved, their models broadened and their perception has changed. This is more I can say for Mercedes Benz. While the Mercedes is a fine car, I just don't think its what it used to be. Sure they are advanced, safe, and run very well... They lack (in my opinion) the magic they once had. Sure, they keep their value better than a Jag, sure they may carry greater prestige. But if I had 80k to spend on a car, it would be the new Jaguar Super V8. I feel its a pretty car, that's true to its heritage. And when I want to drive a Mercedes, I'll drive my W123. While I may spur a huge debate on the above, keep in mind, I'm not alone on many of the points. I'm also far from biased, just because I drive a Mercedes, I don't think anyone else is crazy for buying another make. That is just plain wrong.

Randall,

You've got a very good and legitimate point about the NEWER cars. I made the assumption that this post was mostly talking about older models, but I may have been mistaken.

Jag quality has improved, while MB quality is not quite what it used to be, I think. Hardly the situation it was 10-20 years ago, however. I've watched a friend of mine pour OBSCENE amounts of money into his old Jag, only to have it break down again a few weeks later. Sad. I've seen the same thing done to some NEWER Mercedes, I must admit.

:)
Mike

This thread is interesting.

I mostly agree with Randall which brings up my thoughts about the mentions earlier in the thread regarding Fords effects on Jag.

It seems that some of you (Randall) are looking at the engineering/technical/production reasons involved with Jags association with Ford. Others of you are looking only at the IDEA that if Ford is associated, it must make it bad.

It is an indisputable fact that Ford has made massive improvements to the Jaguar automobiles from the engineering/technical/production viewpoint. From an IMAGE standpoint, there are those people who feel that if Ford is involved it must be junk.

My viewpoint is that, although I would probably never own a Jag, the fact that Ford is curing many of their problems is a very good thing. Unlike some of you, the Ford brandname does not conjure up a terrible image in my mind. To me, it is much more important to look at the practical and technical side of the issue, than to just say something like; "I don't like Fords therefore since Ford is associated with Jaguar it must now be junk." On the contrary, in reality, Fords involvement has improved the breed.

Although their vehicles are not built like a Benz, their ability to put together sound production lines is enviable. Production was Jaguars largest problem before they were bought by Ford. Fords association has helped this quite alot.

My $0.02,