The Best Big Cars For Your Money - Fifth Gear

Jonny tries out some cars that might be for you if you're not afraid of the petrol station.
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[@biggerbitcoin5126]

I got a Lexus LS430. Bulletproof Japanese reliability. Has everything, double glazing windows, fridge, massage seats, heated and cooled seats, air suspension, keyless entry, almost 300 bhp, electric everything and leather/wood everything. £1800. Bargain of the century.

[@Samastano]

A fridge? Nice 😎

[@eoinoconnell185]

@@Samastano behind the fridge is the kitchen sink.

[@Samastano]

@@eoinoconnell185 gets even nicer 😏

[@Krezo200]

You brits have extremely low prices

[@biggerbitcoin5126]

@@Krezo200 don't be fooled though fuel prices are $2 per litre

[@edwardbristow2276]

I’ve got a xk8 in the same colour it’s a gorgeous car I love it

[@unemeoj]

I prefer the earliest version of the Phaeton, it had much better understated clean styling. The XK8 hardtop late90s-00s, is one of my all time favourites for styling(yes, I know of Etype's influence), & is obviously so collectable.

[@arrenlambert8044]

Jaguar xk8 is a timing chain engine not belt. The 4.0 was the problem tensioner engine, factor a chain and tensioner change into the cost of the car if you want to buy one, I good garrage will do this with genuine parts for arround £1200. You could spend a bit extra and get the newer 4.2 which has revised tensioners. I have owned mine for years,and a bonus to these cars is of you look after them you won't loose a penny, prices have gone up since I got mine and good ones with full history and good miles like mine now fetch 10k these days you stay away from a 3-5 k xk8

[@tollyt7465]

Other problems with pre 99 XK8/R as well as cam chains/tensioners, are thermostat housing, and water pump as it had plastic impeller that shredded and caused engine failure.. Having said that any you buy now should have had all these upgraded, or a new engine from jaguar, who replaced any failed units under warranty with upgraded engines.. Nikasil liners shouldn't be a problem either on cars that have survived this long.. The 4.2 is a better engine generally though.. I've got a 2005 XKR-s final edition that's an absolute joy to drive..

[@2JZDestroyer]

@@tollyt7465 you guys are ignoring the elephant in the room that god damned zf 5hp24 gearbox.

[@2JZDestroyer]

both the xk8/xj8 and the 7 series are equipped with it.

[@ruymxsx7]

Despues del 2002 también es una nueva caja de cambios, mejor.

[@gavinlove2112]

Have to say the Phateon is amazing value. I remember going car shopping in 2007 and seeing a brand new one in a showroom, a W12 LWB with a few bespoke bits and pieces for around the £100k mark. I was driving along the road the other day saw one for sale for £15k and honestly if I had the money I would’ve stopped and bought it. Beautiful spec, it looked lost facelift, and had beautiful alloys and paint not too dissimilar to the one in the video. Absolutely Amazing.

[@toycorpukebayworldwideship5761]

Saw a xjr the other day and my god it's aged well. Even with the fat boy wheels. Bloody georgous!

[@MrSodapop91]

You can get an xk8 for 5 thou.......(goes to carguru)

[@ArturoPerez-si2xk]

My favorite by very far is Volkswagen Phaetom, it's just perfect, W12 engine, can carry 5 passengers, amazingly luxury, big boots space

[@alecdavies8057]

I have been lucky enough to have a Phaeton for three years, and 40,000 miles. A joy to drive, one leaky power steering hose, and an electric motor in the air-con system are the only problems. Plan on keeping it for many years to come

[@ms-tk]

country where i live, that Jag still cost like $15000(£8000) at least.

[@hewyn1]

“If the cam belts go pop on an XK8?” Er, they are chain driven.

[@donaldtucker4914]

But, unfortunately can still fail. Bit of preventative maintenance though and it's a very seductive machine. I've got 2 and I love them.

[@hyunseongpark7330]

Published 2017. But looks like 2000s of uk. Video

[@r3h4n786]

Yea its an old vid

[@MartinIrwin]

Well spotted Sherlock

[@jamesreed9672]

Jag has 6cd changer in trunk.

[@MadIIMike]

A Phaeton V10 TDI sounds really tempting, but they cost 772€ tax / year here in Germany and aren't allowed in cities (Pheaton is limited to EU3, while the Touareg manages EU4). So I might go for a 4.2 V8 Audi or something else.

[@ritujoyc]

The Phaeton...really OMG. Surprised not to see a Lexus here.

[@genericallyaccepted]

I bought a '92 Lexus SC400 in December of 2014 for $1,000. Fantastic car.

[@Krezo200]

Tommy Cruz lovely Extremely rare in germany

[@Krezo200]

And way more expensive ofc

[@leediffenderfer9326]

Anyone else notice that those center air vents in the XK8 are from a Ford Taurus

[@ghazalajahangir]

At 2:16,is that a song from dancing line?

That xk8 will have a cd changer in the boot, so not just a tape deck.

[@Krezo200]

Never heard of failing oilpumps with bmw m52 engines

[@DailyDrivenBikes_1]

The old school bmw 5 and 7 series is awesome

[@spudlet366]

just got a volvo s40 sport. got a lot of car for the money :)

[@jessicacopeland1644]

The XK8 has a timeless sexy design. Short of chrome bumpers, I dare say it nears that of the original. VW Phaeton? Hands down AMAZING car. Reliable? Not so much... but the ride and accoutrements are extensively good. 7 series? Eh. Arguably the most reliable of the lot... but definitely bottom of the list on trim AND performance. The XK is definitely the better option. Replacement engines are plentiful and cheaper than replacing the timing assembly, and large production number won't leave you wishing you'd kept the matching numbers block.

[@Dervraka]

Don't know it's the same in the UK, but in the US the BMW 7 Series craters in resale value quickly (like losing 75% of it's value in 3 year). A a great used car purchase, you can get a 4 or 5 year old low mileage $100k+ car for around $28k. But pretty lousy if you're the poor sap who paid $100k for a new one off the lot....

[@marklydon435]

2009 525d 3.0lt BMW, £4k, 200hp 400NM and currently averaging 57.6mpg, nice figures and comfy and quiet. Or you could have a proxy Smart four 2!!!!!!!!! and bleeding arse and ears.

[@Darthadios]

Jaguar and Phaeton are +10000€ cars at here but you can get cheap like -96 BMW 730i at here, but that is not something what I recommend to do.

[@akshayacharya2895]

That Volkswagen phaeton is mine😎😎

[@davidpeters6536]

If you are thinking XK8 get a 4.2, problems were fixed.

[@Bembermastic]

Just find a V8 Phaeton and you will enjoy every inch of the vehicle. More if you find a SWB 4-Seater which comes with all the toys.

[@banpowel9784]

Cheap to buy, but maintenance will empty your pockets very quickly

[@nicholasbabeaux2052]

the phaeton w12, and phaeton V10 TDI are some of the most unreliable cars ever made, beautiful yes reliable no way in hell

[@hurguler]

I love the Jag design. I owned one of those for 3 years. Amazing gliding drive, such a beautiful car. Yet mechanically and electronically it was a nightmare. Out of 3 years it probably sat in repair garages for 4 months. I wish they made the same Jag design with Lexus LC 500 engine and electronics.

[@dfweurocars]

which jag did you own? the s-type?

[@tollyt7465]

I've not had one issue with my XKR-s in the 4 1/2 years I've owned it.. Serviced properly, and consumables only.. Its been to the Migle Miglia twice, Spain 4 times, to the ring in Germany and never missed a beat. Its also my daily driver.. You obviously didn't buy wisely..

[@richy10vtec52]

Love your thought process Jonny, however the VW Phaeton is £515 to tax per year, shame because I found a 56 plate with 80k for £6900, but please keep the vids coming...I CHALLENGE YOU TO FIND A PERFORMANCE CAR THAT IS NO OLDER THAN 10 YRS OLD WITH LESS THAN 80K FROM 5-6K THAT HAS TAX £305 PER YEAR & IS EASY TO LIVE WITH DAILY AND HAS OK FUEL ECONOMY IF YOU DARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@djmrhill]

I like your thought process too, Richard. It's similar to my own, but if you keep the car for 5 years the difference in tax between £515 and £305 is £1050 over the 5 years. That could be the difference between waiting around for a month or so for the right one to come along at the right price or just going for the 1st/2nd/3rd one that you see. Don't get me wrong, £515 is a total ripoff for tax but it enables people to get these great cars for cheap. Also bear in mind that all of these 5th Gear videos are from shows that are years old so the info is outdated. The principle still works though.

[@richy10vtec52]

Cheers for the reply Paul, to be honest i was daring a video on a car that tax is 305 because i feel that if you ever need to sell 305 is easier to swallow than 515, but a vid on a what i suggested if at all possible would be awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@TorqueSteer]

Jaguar XJ8 x350. If you call 27MPG ok, but for a 300BHP auto V8, that doesn't seem too bad. Tax is 305 too.

[@deadmarch101]

audi s3 8p

[@VisioningHail]

Complaining about 515 pounds a yeaR, in Ireland a 2.0 costs 710 in taxes a year :(

[@aaron___6014]

Anyone see the Swiss car guy who spent over $70k USD during his ownership of a phaeton?

[@guidodezwaan1788]

That moment you have to repair it.

[@Krezo200]

I had two e38 Best cars ever made

[@Krezo200]

E38😍

[@IceMan-il7dx]

Those 7s are awesome. But hard to find a non-snotter. Jag, beautiful but I'd be too stressed I'm gonna breakdown somewhere. I just don't like the Phaeton. Get a bloody W140 S for presence.

[@aldenino2019]

BMW 728i... Are you rich or poor ???

[@jab1720]

No way. Scotty kilmer said these are money pits. There is a good reason they are so cheap.

[@NicholasSpartan]

How in Gods name you compare those German square things on wheels with an XK..? That’s sacrilege !

[@Hauuy-el1vv]

I'm buying an e30. It's little...

[@tccexposed274]

5:10**

[@RobertLeBlancPhoto]

Those used values were terribly inaccurate.

[@fasthracing]

Cambelt on the XK8. Really?

[@1MineGuy]

Fifth gear... But wheres the rear gear

[@marcoscelestrino3676]

Eu escolheria o Jaguar J-Type.

[@stringer-ik1pc]

A VW. 😄😄😄😄I don't think so. The only classic is the jag.

[@tccexposed274]

5:11 failed

[@tccexposed274]

5:09

[@Eduardo-bt1dz]

Amoah’s Life like all cars

[@santinoramirez7796]

End confident vital key aide actress hi minimum conscious.

[@rs11200]

More like second hand zeros These shit boxes will like you on the side of the road and steal your wallet

[@cats400]

These are "big"? Lol

[@nikolanikola8543]

cats400 These are considered big in Europe

[@liamjohnston9358]

Hi

[@Sens-tn8zu]

HA

[@wordreet]

This is obviously nonsense. A big car is an estate car! You can get two or three mountain bikes or half a dozen dogs/kids in the back. That's what "big car" should mean, not big engined ponsy poser cars! 😝

[@lanceflanagan]

I like an xk but the interior is always so old man

[@liamjohnston9358]

4

[@tehno394]

72 like

[@harapaki3412]

Oh, I cant STAND jonny smith! hes second only in annoyance factor to nasally plato - none of these guys can compete with Tiff on screen

[@miskatonic6210]

Never listen to these tv morons that never tell you repair and maintainence bills of these cars will eat through your wallet like nothing. The Jag is a nightmare. The Phaeton is a bad choice, too. They are cheap to get, because nobody with a brain buys them! And good luck reselling them later when they are even older.

[@Ben_Mayall]

Sirion people like you get on my nerves. You think every one of them is bad because of a few that rolled badly off the production line. Yes the maintenance will cost more than usual cars but what do you expect? The cars cost £60K plus when new. Most of the cars that you’re saying are bad are perfectly fine but because you’ve heard a few bad stories it then means they’re all bad.

[@djmrhill]

That's not always the case. I drive a Saab 9-3 from 2006. £30k when new and I paid £1500 one year ago. It had full service history, I spent about £500 on tyres and servicing when I bought it and it has just passed MOT with no problems, good to go for another year. TV morons often get it wrong, and maybe these aren't the cars to go for but the principle is absolutely sound. Cheap car, more expensive to run and tax, waaaay better value.

[@audiwankenobi361]

Ohhhhh! You're the type of fella that takes your car to someone else to get the oil changed....you are thee "TOP QUALITY CAR GUY!".....not.

[@djmrhill]

Who are you talking about here?

[@audiwankenobi361]

Paul Hill ignorance is not a excuse.....but i wasn't talking to you anyways.

[@AndieBlack13]

So the Jaguar only managed to retain Ten Percent of its original price?...this should tell you of the inherent value of the car, Ninety percent of the car is all smoke & mirrors, $45,000 worth.

[@Arrrbol]

The Jag is cheap because of the bad reputation of those early V8s and their Nikasil cylinder liners. This is just a reputation issue though, as they replaced them with steel liners soon after the problems were discovered. Its no less reliable than a BMW or VW.

[@chappy2121]

None of these are good used buys. Old European cars equals money pits. This is terrible advice

[@hydrochloricacid2146]

"European cars" is a massive umbrella term. A French car is in no way similar to a German or Italian one, and then again there's brand-to-brand variance.

[@YUSKHAN]

Bmw is a shit box

[@bumpyrandomshit1469]

Third

[@doodemog]

BMW is ancient, wouldn’t buy even for 2grand

[@dutchy38NL]

Firstt

[@fwu.nathan7717]

my dad crashed his bmw i8