Jag XF probably for me because I haven't had one but for a lot less money one I have had is the Octavia TFSi with a mild remap to 240 bhp. Very very good engine, smooth and torquey, 0-100kph in 6 seconds, great on the motorway and twisty bits, 150 mph easy and 35mpg on a run driven only half sensibly. Not as classy as a Jag inside and out (what is?) but a bit of a Q car. Maybe an older, well run in BMW 330i would work if you fancied something a bit more common and lowered your mpg expectations quite a bit.

Many thanks for the feedback to date. Volvo I had not considered, might be worth a look. One time I liked the look of the XC70 but thought it had rather sluggish and not particular efficient engines.

Still pondering the vRS petrol Octavia as it seems a practical vehicle, of a size my wife would drive and also has plenty of grunt without needing a fuel tanker following. Although the new 2.0 litre petrol Mondeo Titanium x sport has 240hp (the non sport has the 203hp) engines IIRC. These seem to shift it along at vRS Octavia pace and seem to be cheaper. Could get a new one of these (pre-reg delivery miles) for less than a vRS from the searches I have done.

Agree with the above regarding the XK, a different league but, as a used vehicle (2.7D prem lux) comes in about the same as "new" mondeo.

Interesting no-one has offered a vote for BMW or Audi.

Best wishes

Z

Hi Avant,

Yes, when not working in Germany my home is the Western Isles.

Interesting what you say about the Ford powershift as, from my limited searching, most DSG problems seem to relate to the VAG 7 speed dry clutch (one of the reasons I would only consider the vRS petrol Octavia as it has the 6 speed wet clutch DSG). My heart is with the Jag XF. checked up on that and it is 2"-3" longer than the Mondeo and, very fractinally, narrower. That was a surprise, always considered the Mondeo to be a "normal sized" family car but the latest version seems to have swelled and stretched somewhat!

As for 4wd: i like the idea of A4 avant quattro (or similar vehicle, not a Full blown 4x4). But it is finding something with enough "poke". i tried the A6 allroad last year and could not get on with it. Just didn't feel correct when I sat in it. However, saying that, the XJ on SotoZeros has always got me home through the winter weather. Even the past 2 years when the snow has been bad I got home with only the occasional heart flutter;-)!

Rgds

Z

Morning all.

Just thought I'd pop in an update on bthis one and, once again, to thank everyone for the responses.

We had a look at the Jag XF. Wife didn't like it as she couldn't see the front or the rear of the car. She was sorry as she loved the look and the interior but she does like to be able to see, at least to a small degree, the extremeties of a car.

We looked at A3 sportback. Loved it but thought it was just a wee bit small and, compared to some of the others, lacking in "bits and bobs" without having to pay a lot for extras.

We went to BMW and were very surprised. One chap was really nice, The other salesman chap quite, hmmnnn, what's the word...obstreperous. This was relating to our discussion about the tyre/spare wheel possibilities. We were looking at the 3 series touring. When talking about the possibilities of getting a spare we were told there is not even a place to put one on the newer models. One chap was quite forceful in the way he told us that the 87 miles from Skye to Inverness would be fine on a deflated run-flat. Anyway, bottom line is that the policy of BMW to not even allow the possibility of a spare-wheel means the entire range is now ruled out for us. Shame, as I really did fancy a 330i touring ;-))

Wife wanted a look at the Insignia. She loved it but said rear vision was "like looking through a letterbox". had ato agree, rear vision is very poor on the hatch. No-one seemed to be able to find an estate anywhere in Inverness or Dingwall. So that was ruled out.

Skoda Octavia vRS. very nice. very different from the Jag but very nice. I drove a fabia vRS estate too and was VERY surprised with it. I was almost tempted by that!! But the wife didn't like the fact that she could not see the bonnet at all. The slope being so great that one knows not where ones nose is:-))! Anyway, Octavia vRS. Fantastic car. Looked as estate and hatch, loved them both. However the p/x offered against a new Octie estate vRS petrol with a few extra bits and bobs (23K pounds total) on my diesel XJ (2005 sovereignm FSH, 3 owners, 62k on the clock) was 2,500 pounds below what ford offered on a similar value Mondeo! Salesman was a nice chap mind.-) can get a space-saver for the Octie too.Which we do require if we cannot get a full sized spare.

Ford: loved the Mondeo TiTx 2ltr powershift. Plenty toys, nice ride/drive, comfy. Quite a big car though, bigger tha n the Octie. Can get a full sized spare too....excellent ford, well done for remembering those of us who cannot just tootle a few miles down the road to Kwak-Fat.

So, in the end we are down to just 2 cars. Mondeo and Octavia.

I have decided to keep the Jag XJ until the end of this year. The p/x figures offered were not quite what i was expecting (Ford being close, Skoda being miles off) so I will wait until I finish my current overseas work and have time to be able to sell the XJ privately. Then I will re-visit ford and Skoda and, possibly, one or two others. So, until later this year, on this subject.

many thanks

hope you all had a fine festive time?

Zuave.