I have a strong and possibly illogical compulsion to buy an older S-type. Could any S-type owners or similarly experienced backroomers either talk me out of it, or stoke the flames of my desire, as it were?
Budget's about £6k, though this could be stretched a fair bit, given sufficient desire-stoking.
BTW I know all the arguments about high milers and the possible benefits of motorway miles as opposed to a life of cold-engine shopping trips, but would prefer not to get something with 120k+ miles.
I'd intend to keep it for 5 years or so and do average-plus-a-bit annual mileage.
What's to watch out for? Any solid gold tips to spot an S-type that's had a haircut? Best variant? Would I be better off with a XJ6/XJ8 (size isn't important, in this case)?
I've read the car by car breakdown info, but would like to hear personal experience too, if possible.
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Try
www.jag-lovers.org/
They seem to know more or less everything, although most (by no means all) members are US based.
Hope that assists
Neil
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Incidentally, although you seem to be veering upwards rather than downwards from an s-type, it might be worth knowing that at least one of the jag sites seems to know the X-type as a'jaguaren't'!
N
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You may not need to buy an older one. It depends how you feel about mileages a little smaller than your 120K example. A bigger engine auto is unlikely to have suffered much engine stress. I bought a 95K mile one, three years old, straight from a fleet for £8,250. Add in auction buyer Joe Dowd's fee and it was £8,500 (bit of a stretch from £6,000) I don't fear high mileage motors, so I was content with this. It had every stamp in the book and was spotless. It's a 2.5SE Auto.
Wife on the school run and trips into town over weeks when I'm away does about 22mpg. On my trip to work, straight up the M3, it does 38-40mpg. Mixed over the past 6000 miles or so, it's averaging about 28mpg. All figures from the onboard computer.
Now, I've never driven a new one, but it feels pretty taut to me, so I have some faith in its ability to handle a few more miles.
Warning, if you have tall friends or tall children, the headroom in the back is comically insufficient. Be warned. A mate of mine was going to buy one till we got his 16 year-old son in the back.
Mine's had a minor problem after some severe weather - on here in technical help section. It's also been hit in an accident. Other than those two, it's been fine. It's the most luxurious motoring I've ever experienced. I'm still in leeeeeeerve after about 8 months of ownership.
V
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What do you mean by older?
Mine is a 2000 plate 3 litre, 60k miles, so pre-facelift (only one cupholder, boo). And 6k or a hint less is about right for that at the minute, to give you an idea of market prices.
As far as driving goes, it's pretty comfy, pretty quiet, not very brilliant in spirited driving or cornering. You need the CATS suspension pack to make it better in cornering, which mine doesn't have.
For my part, I bought it to replace a 98 Lexus GS temporarily. I've driven it a year and I'm still viewing it as temporary - not as good as the Lexus for ride/quietness I'm afraid, but way better than most other cars I've driven in the past 25 years.
Does reasonable mpg - up to about 32 tops on a run. Been reliable, with no unexpected issues, although there were some aircon hiccups to solve when I got it, all put right under warranty with no problem.
Expansion tanks fail at 50-60k, sudden coolant loss, apparently. Just waiting for mine.
Would I buy another? Hmm, maybe with CATS and in 4 litre guise.
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Thanks for your replies.
Dipstick,
"Older"- I know they've not been around *that* long in the greater scheme of things, but I was thinking of a T or V plate ("early" would have been a better description). There seems to be a fair few for sale on Autotrader.
Mileages. Hmm. I guess my reasoning is that buying a 120k car and putting, say, 15k miles on it pa would leave you with an intergalactic mileage after 5 years. Not that it matters if the car behaves itself, but will it?
Also a car with that kind of mileage would be worth about 12p (and probably quite hard to shift), tho' I suppose it's reasonable to think that a currently £6k S-type won't be worth too much in 5 yrs anyway.
Neil,
Thanks for that forum- have found a couple of others, but not that one for some reason.
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It's a great car - go for it.
A few problems to watch out for. The automatic box on pre-2002 cars is a known weakness. When you check the car make sure you check the gearbox when cold and hot through all gears. If there is any serious amount of juddering or jerkiness when selecting gear walk away as the 'box will need to be changed shortly.
Less serious problem is the header tank - these are prone to cracking and can leak. About £80 plus fitting from a dealer or do what I did and buy one off Ebay for about £35 and fit yourself - not a hard job.
Finally the front suspension ball joints can go and are quite expensive I hear. Also the front antiroll bar bushes go - not too expensive I understand.
Other than that it is a really cracking car to own and drive. You won't be dissappointed with a good one.
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Early car has Lincoln based chassis & their are some weak spots such as ARB links & front ball joints. Later cars are pure jag so much better. Mine is a 54plate 2.7D SE so not relavent to your enquiry but I did intend buying an earlier car but my no. plate snob wife wanted a newer one. Lots about so choose carefully some are quite neglected & money pits.
I really enjoy mine, near 40 mpg in near silence!
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I drove a 2003 one owned by my bro-in-law a couple of years back, having driven my own W124 twin-turbo saloon to meet him. Apart from the limited rear accommodation already mentioned, I found the driving position so snug as to be almost claustrophobic, but perhaps that's a typical Jaguar experience. The car was smooth and quiet, but not that much more so than the 1990 MB W124 (even with its first-generation very firm Sportline suspension). The boot looked very shallow but reasonably capacious. I think he got upper 20s mpg (2.5 engine).
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Ah, it wasn't that long ago:
tinyurl.com/382kw7
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but my no. plate snob wife wanteda newer one.
She'll 'ave to go!
MD
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I must be getting old as I read "S-Type" as the original 1960's S-Type!!
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Victor I have to confess so did I ! I read the entire OP based on this. (47 yrs, own hair and teeth btw)
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Lughole,
Last months edition of Jaguar World Monthly (01959 541444) had a comprehensive spread on the S Type and any foibles.... there weren't that many really.
Mine is a 1999 'T' and i've owned it for nearly 5 years...... with 60,000 miles it's about what you're looking for price wise, if not a bit less.
Over 5 years i've had the following to deal with......sticking drivers door lock; 2 coils (individual on each cylinder, ended up changing the lot as a precaution, they were only about £20 each); 2 front ball joints (quite expensive, £300 each.. but apparently nowadays specialists will let you have them without all the arms attached, which is why they were so expensive); front suspension bushes £80; just done the discs.... was told speed humps did the ball joints and bushes.
When i first had it I occasionally noticed a slight tappets type noise and worried about it...rang the Jag dealer and the service chap said "don't worry about it, it's only the 'variable valve timing' they all do that, just blip the throttle a bit, it will stop".......he was spot on.......4.5 years later there's nothing untoward.
I now use a specialist out of the Jag mag, which cuts the costs for servicing etc.
boot is shallow, but fairly long.........other than that i can't fault the thing....very, very smooth, comfortable, swift car. With SE spec you get loads of kit.
Don't dream it,do it. I have no intention of getting rid, lovely car.
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