With the car being for sale I haven't posted here for a while, but I thought I might just do a bit of an update.
For the first 10 days or so while the car was still insured and on the road there was absolutely no interest apart from one guy who wanted know if I'd like to do a swap for a Volvo... I thought I'd managed to make that pretty clear in the advert. However, in the last 24 hours I have had three more promising enquiries, but as yet noone to actually view the car. Since placing the advert I have also had a slight coolant leak from the degassing chamber rectified and the system bled and returned to full strength and I have had an aircon regas done - the first in the time I have owned it, just to make sure it is ready for the impending heat wave (I like to be optimistic

).
The replacement vehicle is a Jag X Type 2.5. I didn't set out to buy one of these, but I came across it as an unusually good example: 2 owners, 54200 miles, very recent coil pack and even more recent warranted gearbox overhaul, and it came at a good price. I did the deal and then immediately replaced all 4 tyres and had the alignment checked and adjusted.
Having both cars on the road for a week meant I have been able to do some like for like comparisons which I found interesting. On successive pleasant evenings I took the Jag and then the XM on the same route encompassing A roads, rural lanes and motorway. Without going into lots of detail my perceptions were that the Jag feels much more modern than the XM even though there are only 5 years between them. It is certainly a very taut car with almost no squeaks or rattles although the driver's door card has clearly been off at sometime and doesn't seem to fit very well. The cabin is less spacious in feel but there is plenty of room to accommodate my not inconsiderable height and bulk; I have no intention of ever travelling in the back so the lack of room there doesn't bother me. I like the look of the cabin, especially as I have always been a sucker for light colours inside a car, but one does rather sit on the seats and not in them.
On the road the Jag is "urgent", it is keen to rev and make progress rapidly. The suspension is there but it is much, much firmer, which is not surprising as the intention was to challenge the BMW 3 series. Following the same route in the XM the next evening I was aware that while I didn't seem to be going as fast, I most definitely was. The XM is a much more relaxing way to travel! There is a little more wind noise in the XM, but the engine note is far less intrusive, I really feel the Jag lacks sound insulation from the engine bay and the exhaust. I am certain that when I next do the journey down to the west country I shall quite enjoy the experience, but I will arrive more tired than I am used to. (I do know I'm not supposed to end a sentence with a preposition, but hey ho

)
Overall, have I done the right thing? It was probably the sensible thing but that is not the same. There is much less of a sense of occasion in driving the Jag even though family, friends and neighbours all seem to think it is a lovely car (and probably a big step up for me). I had got itchy for a change of wheels, and had considered all sorts of motorway cruisers but I could not afford what I wanted, on which I was quite clear. Therefore a compromise had to be made, and what will be telling, is how long the Jag lasts at Brunning Towers. Other than SWMBO's Multiplas (which I must never again make a move to sell after the last experience) 21 months is as long as I have kept any car as far as I can tell. I am debating whether to include the spares I have when the car goes or to hang on to them "just in case"...