From XC60 to Porsche Macan or BMW X3?

[Arianne]

Dear All,

We're getting close to delivery date for our new F-Pace. Returning from our New Year Austrian Skiing holiday meant it was time to get down to the detail of selling my XC60, her winter wheels and finalising the very best package for the whole transaction.

My problem has been the way we entered into this process way back in April 2016. We placed a deposit on the F-Pace at a time when it was too early to discuss part-ex on my XC60, too early to discuss finance packages, interest rates, incentives etc. At the time there were absolutely no deals being offered on the F-Pace. So, in summary, this is NOT how we would normally go about trying to negotiate a decent deal!

Having effectively given away almost all of my traditional negotiating leverage it left me somewhat frustrated because, let's face it, nobody likes paying full list on any car. I balanced this in the knowledge that very, very few folk have secured any kind of deal whatsoever on their F-Pace's and so that's the price one pays for ordering a newly launched model which is in fairly hot demand.

Well, I have had my faith restored in car dealerships - well some of them anyway. My Sales Executive from Clelands Jaguar in Galashiels transferred to Lloyd Jaguar Land Rover in Kelso on 4 January following a buy-out / consolidation of the JLR brand here in the Scottish Borders. They invited me across for a chat to explain their business and assure me that they will look after us. So off I went on Monday.

Result!!!

My Sales Executive and his Sales Manager have offered me the Jaguar F-Pace S five year service pack at no cost (worth £699), a fabulous part-ex for my Volvo XC60 guaranteed as at 4 March 2017 and they've now also provided a bundle of different and discounted financing options for me to consider and discuss with their Business Manager! They asked to see my best offer from Bank of Scotland (4.4% APR) with their PCP so that they could try and beat it - previously the best rate was the standard Jaguar PCP currently at a whopping 6.9%. And each element of their offer was not conditional upon accepting any other element.

I thought securing anything from a dealer was meant to be like 'pulling teeth' and required stamina, resilience and the ability to walk away as leverage. But these guys acknowledged my loyalty and stated that the key moment at which they believe they can influence repeat business is when the first car is sold to the client - crikey!

So, having done all the calculations with WBAC, Mike Brewer, Glass' Guide, Parkers and CAP it seems that I am very unlikely to get much of a premium over the part-ex offer from Lloyd Kelso. Even though I am an expert at selling privately on eBay Motors (and eBay generally) it just isn't worth it.

The F-Pace is being built week commencing 23 January. They will then call it down, have agreed to my extended PDI and only then will invite me across to undertake an inspection and test drive on trade plates to ensure I am completely satisfied. If not, they have left themselves sufficient time to resolve anything I discover prior to the magical day when I take Mrs A and the lad along on 4 March for collection.

Well that's a fantastic outcome. Importantly, they provided us with a cup of tea and the all important biscuits! Seriously, the Sales Manager told me that he has worked for them for 40yrs since age 15 and gave me his back-story. Loved it.

Apologies if I am a bit effusive but Mrs A and the lad had told me that I stood about as much chance of securing any incentives at this late stage and on this car as winning the lottery (which I don't do anyway). The lad was almost in disbelief when I told him!

Okay, it's not the massive discount you can secure on a BMW these days but, having monitored the F-Pace forum for about a year, I know of only a handful of folk who have secured anything from their dealer beyond a full tank of fuel and key ring!

Do car dealers have a heart? This one does! More to follow...

Arianne

[Roland_F]

Maybe this dealer has seen how many pages your thread on this forum runs to!

[AngloScot]

Originally Posted by Arianne

Ah, I know that spot well. The sense of proportion between the Forth Rail Bridge and everything else underneath it is quite astonishing.

Your XC60 is lovely. I like the colour, the sidesteps and your integrated rear exhausts.

The F-pace is a modest, Prestige entry level model. It looks okay but it hasn't been specified as well as your XC60 in my opinion. I always think that cars can look very different depending upon how well the buyer has selected the choices from the configurator.

Nice pics, thank you.

Arianne

Flattery will get you everywhere. Lol.

[Arianne]

Originally Posted by Roland_F

Maybe this dealer has seen how many pages your thread on this forum runs to!

It's been one hell of a journey TBH. I wouldn't recommend ordering any car 12mths beforehand based upon my experience - never again! But let's hope for a happy outcome at the end of it all. We're almost there and this is the tricky part.

I haven't ordered the ICTpro interface which, while it's powerful and has tons of amazing functionality, is prone to glitches - the more options it has to 'talk to' the more likely it is to freeze. I am not that bothered about the latest ICT and I actually quite like the cowled analogue dials with the TFT insert and the standard ICT system. The software issues are beyond the dealer network to resolve as they need to rely upon updates being pushed out from HQ in the West Midlands.

The other issues thatfolk have been experiencing on the F-Pace have largely petered out after the first six months following launch in April 2016. What glitches do arise are within the capability of a decent dealership to resolve.

Arianne

[SuffolkBoy]

Adrianne, as a matter of interest, will your F-Pace come with all season tyres or will you have to buy a new set of alloys and winter tyres?

[Arianne]

Originally Posted by SuffolkBoy

Adrianne, as a matter of interest, will your F-Pace come with all season tyres or will you have to buy a new set of alloys and winter tyres?

It comes with Summer tyres on the 22" rims. Summer is all that you can specify from Jaguar in the U.K. I wouldn't want All Seasons anyway as they're a compromise and I want to enjoy the Summer's edgy performance and fun in this car while having the very best traction for our Winter ski holidays with dedicated tyres.

Sadly, with the gorgeous 22" alloys, there is only one tyre manufacturer which is Pirelli with their Scorpion Snow & Ice winters. I am using them at the moment on the Volvo and they're fine, although I think I preferred the Nokians before them.

Arianne

[MikeIOW]

Nice result! Sounds great!

Winter tyre choice limited? Do you mean you plan to have the tyres physically swapped on the rims twice a year?
Would it not be better to get smaller winter rims+rubber? Cheaper tyres, less of a concern about the winter months tarnishing the smarter summer rims?

Look forward to hearing all about it!

[Arianne]

Mike, I might get the smaller rims and then open up the much wider choice of tyres and access the lower prices. The only trouble with this, which I have found with my XC60, is that my car doesn't look as gorgeous for six months of the year and by some margin. The 20 Ixion alloys, in my opinion, transform the look of the car whereas with my 18" Mantus winters the car is 'ordinary'. I know this will sound funny but it's the difference between Mrs A in her pair of flat, comfy shoes compared to her in her pair of stilettos when dressed up for a night out at the theatre (I hope she never reads this!) in Edinburgh.

The position is more profound with then F-Pace because Ian Callum designed it for 22" wheels. Hmm. A second set of 22" rims would currently cost about £2k as there is not much of an eBay market for them yet as the car is so new. But I will have about six months to consider my options and then decide. After market wheels are not an option!

Regards, Arianne

[id5]

Originally Posted by Arianne

... difference between Mrs A in her pair of flat, comfy shoes compared to her in her pair of stilettos ...

The concept of a 4x4 in stilettoes, the incongruity made me chuckle

I have enjoyed reading your thread so far, and the reasons behind your selection. For me it would currently be the Macan but I can wait a year or two although I will have to do a similar search if Volvo do not give the UK an XC60 T8 or make a hash of the design.

P.S. I do hope your wife doesn't read it though, given my belief that female logic is not linear, as she may wrongly get the idea that you meant that she is the size of a 4x4; you may be in for a bit of trouble.

[RoyMacDonald]

Originally Posted by Arianne

Mike, I might get the smaller rims and then open up the much wider choice of tyres and access the lower prices. The only trouble with this, which I have found with my XC60, is that my car doesn't look as gorgeous for six months of the year and by some margin. The 20 Ixion alloys, in my opinion, transform the look of the car whereas with my 18" Mantus winters the car is 'ordinary'. I know this will sound funny but it's the difference between Mrs A in her pair of flat, comfy shoes compared to her in her pair of stilettos when dressed up for a night out at the theatre (I hope she never reads this!) in Edinburgh.

The position is more profound with then F-Pace because Ian Callum designed it for 22" wheels. Hmm. A second set of 22" rims would currently cost about £2k as there is not much of an eBay market for them yet as the car is so new. But I will have about six months to consider my options and then decide. After market wheels are not an option!

Regards, Arianne

I'd bit the bullet and buy the extra set with the car Arianne. Reason being if you need two sets for the tyres anyway it will give you the backup of a full size wheel in the event of a puncture and a full set if you need to get them refinished if you have a machined set that don't weather the winter as well as the painted ones.

I realise the car is pretty expensive though but as a percentage of total cost not so much. That's how I'd justify it anyway.

As an afterthought you might be able to get a good deal from the dealer as well if you buy them at the same time as the car. I got a set for mine at cost.
Roy