Man buys a cheap Jaguar XJ for $5,971 and takes it straight to a main dealer to be met with an eye-watering repair bill
Published on Nov 14, 2026 at 5:12 AM (UTC-5)
by Ben Thompson
Last updated on Nov 14, 2026 at 5:12 AM (UTC-5)
Edited by
Mason Jones
This man thought he’d snagged a bargain when he spent $5,971 on a Jaguar XJ – only to be met with an eye-watering repair bill.
Rob Cubitt is the founder of The Logbook, a British automotive YouTube channel and car dealership platform.
In a recent video, he’d purchased a 2012 Jaguar XJ for a fraction of what it would have cost brand new.
But his joy would be short-lived as he paid a visit to a Jaguar dealer to get an estimate on repairs.
In the world of cars, if it sound too good to be true, it often is
Cheap cars are hard to come by, so it’s understandable why so many people get excited when they find one.
But as the old adage goes, ‘If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is’.
Plenty of drivers have found that out the hard way.
Just look at the Florida man who quickly learned why he’d only spent $4,100 on a Mercedes-Benz SL 600.
There was a similar story of buyers remorse for the California woman who got her hands on the cheapest Lamborghini in the US.
Countless people have learned a brutal lesson about cars that appear cheap up front – you’ll end up paying a lot further down the road.
This man only spent $5,971 on this Jaguar XJ
Rob Cubitt has snagged himself a good deal by spending only $5,971 on this Jaguar XJ.
It previously belonged to Ronnie Corbett, a late Scottish comedian who was a regular face on British TV back in the 1970s and 1980s.
When bought brand new, it cost $79,464, to give you some idea of how cheap it now was.
This led Cubitt to question whether cheap luxury cars were a bargain or a trap.
This particular unit was a Portfolio spec with 70,000 miles and a Bowers & Wilkins sound system, plus heated and cooled massage seats and a panoramic roof.
So there was a lot to love about it – but what was the catch?
For one thing, it wasn’t a particularly enjoyable car to drive.
“It’s not unpleasant. It just feels you can really feel the road surface,” Cubitt admitted.
“If you kind of go over some broken tarmac, you get all of that feedback through the wheel and unfortunately through your posterior as well.
“Because these seats, as lovely as they look, they’re not actually very comfortable.”
How much was this Jaguar XJ going to cost him in repairs?
The car had other issues, including a corroded rear subframe and a worn rear suspension arm ball joint.
His usual mechanic, Al, deemed the subframe rust to be ‘not that bad’.
Cubitt took it along to a Jaguar Land Rover dealership to get a quote on repairs.
He was quoted the following figures – $1,860 for the subframe, $403 for the brake hoses, and $330 for the wish bone (suspension component).
Along with the cost for the ‘nuts and bolts’, the repair came to around $3,300.
Cubitt concluded the wishbone and hoses really needed attending to.
“I reckon we can get this turned round for about a grand,” he said.
“But that plus their labor, I suspect would have been nearer £5,288. But you pay the price if you want the stamp in the book.”
It admittedly wasn’t the worst repair bill we’ve seen – but it just goes to show that cars are often cheap for a reason.
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Ben joined Supercar Blondie in February 2025 after being published by international organizations including LADbible, The Sun, the New York Post, and the Daily Mail. He covers supercars, rare and collectible vehicles, aviation, luxury assets, and the fascinating people behind them. His reporting has explored everything from seven-figure supercars and historic Ferrari collections to unusual aircraft adventures and extraordinary automotive discoveries from around the world. Ben has also gained first-hand insight into vehicle craftsmanship and customization, including visiting specialist workshops to see bespoke vehicles up close.
