Jaguar S-Type

mjd39 · April 2006

Just bought a 2003 S yesterday in Houston. 26000 miles and paid 28K. KBB put the price between 26 and 29K I felt I got a good deal. We shall see.

delmy · April 2006

I was wonderimg if somebody responded t your post. You should get an extended warranty. I have one but it could be better. Apparenly Jags brake down alot. But i still love mine.Mine turn on a tranny fault on the dash board, i was wondering if any body knows what could this be.

bazabee · May 2006

Could someone tell me whether the 2001 'S'Type wing mirrors fold right back to the car automatically - using electrics - or do I just have to open the window and pull them in? I have the wrong owners handbook and I know the later model is electric.

hero70kb · May 2006

have cylinder misfire po304 cylinder 4, had plugs and coil replaced, mis fire still there, could possibly be internal engine failure??? anyone seen this???

jordyca · May 2006

I have a 2006 S-type 3.0. The brake pedal feel is very inconsistent. Sometimes the pedal is firm with good feedback; othertimes the pedal is soft and very little feedback.

I complained to the dealer (Hornburg) and they said they could'nt find anything wrong!

Any ideas?

Thanks

Jordy

Karen_S · May 2006

A reporter would like to talk with current and former Jaguar owners. Please respond to jfallon@edmunds.com no later than Friday, May 26, 2006 with your daytime contact info and a few words about your ownership experience.

Thanks,
Jeannine Fallon
Corporate Communications
Edmunds.com

worrickj · May 2006

I have a 2000s-type. Just tried to change the rear light bulb, and now nothing works. Could anyone give me so help.

Thanks

worrickj · May 2006

I have a 2000s-type. Just tried to change the rear light bulb, and now nothing works. Could anyone give me so help.

Thanks

mylemon2 · June 2006

Just got your message today. Usually reporters give you some leeway with their deadline. I would really like to speak with this reporter!! Please email me or have the reporter email me.

pat · June 2006

Use the email address KarenS referenced. She doesn't have anything to do with this; she just posted the message for the PR department.

wshfl · July 2006

READING THESE POSTINGS IS SCARING ME OFF MY INTENTION OF BUYING A 2003 JAGUAR S. HAS ANYONE OUT THERE EVER PUT 150,000 MILES ON A JAG.S WITHOUT ITS SUFFERING CATACLYSMIC FAILURE OF A COMPONENT, OR THE CAR FALLING APART? I'M BEGINNING TO HAVE SERIOUS RESERVATIONS ABOUT BUYING A JAG.

cdnpinhead · July 2006

As well you should.

I'm having a similar awakening regarding the Mercedes C-series, having read their problems board on Edmunds.

I have a Lincoln LS, built on the same platform as the S, & haven't had much trouble as I approach 100K miles in a bit over six years (bought new). It appears the Jag is not so dependable as its American cousin.

BTW, sending a message in all caps is interpreted as shouting. As you don't have the car yet, you may want to save it for when you do.

wshfl · July 2006

Thanks for the reply re: the "tragically flawed?" Jag.S.
Still hoping for some positive experiences, particularly since my two American vehicles -- a Dodge and a Jeep ( not particularly loved by Consumer Reports) have about 200,000 miles each, without unusually high maintenance costs. Hope springs eternal! ( The caps. on the previous message were not deliberate).

mylemon2 · August 2006

I had MAJOR problems with my Jaguar S-Type! A sudden acceleration, for one, which resulted in a crash that could have killed me or someone else! Dealer couldn't reproduce it, so they said it never happened! But, IT DID!!!Of course, Jaguar Cars, the manufacturer agreed with Dealer! Neither will take back my car & exchange it. They want to STICK me with it, and STICK ME with all of the remaining lease payments for a car that I will NEVER drive again! Jaguar doesn't care about their customers or their safety. All they want is our money! They have made that very clear to me! I loved the body style of my Jag, and the XJs, but I will NEVER buy or lease a Jaguar again!! They advertise their cars as Jag-u-ar in their affected English accent, like they are only appealing to the upper class, but they treated me like scum! My experience with both Jaguar Cars and Jaguar Credit has been a LIVING HELL that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy!!!! (All "caps" were intended!) I had a Nissan with over 100,000 miles & never had one problem! My Jag had under 30,000 miles! Does that answer your question?

dhanley · August 2006

Well, look it at from jaguar's perspective. If they replaced your car because you confused the gas and the brake, anyone could break their least at any time, returning a damaged car in the process.

mylemon2 · August 2006

Jaguar is only ASSUMING that I stepped on the gas pedal instead of the brake, because THEY can't seem to "duplicate" the problem during their 50 minute inspection or their 20 mile road test!!! Can't imagine why!!! Meanwhile, checking through NHTSA complaints, Jaguar websites customer complaints, and reading a book entitled "Sudden Acceleration" by Ralph Nader & Clarence Dutrow, there have been MANY legitimate complaints of unexplained sudden acceleration. This book, and also Anthony Anderson, an engineer, in his report, have many explanations for "sudden acceleration", relating to MANUFACTURING defects, computer malfunctions, electro-magnetic interference or noise, and cruise control malfunctions, etc. As you are aware Jaguar S-Types do NOT have an on/off swith for cruise control. It is permanently ON, but supposed to kick in only at about 30 mph. Mine was previously in for service because the cruise control DID malfunction. Maybe it did, again, & this time caused the sudden acceleration. Or, maybe it was electromagnetic interference. How come my favorite AM radio station ALWAYS screeches or gets extremely fuzzy, or goes off completely EVERY time I pull into this same parking lot where my "sudden acceleration" accident happened? It goes back to normal as I go away from the lot! There is an MRI Center and many doctors & dentists with X-Ray and other equipment right near where I had my accident. Electro-magnetic interference???? MAYBE!!! Hospitals have signs warning visitors NOT to use hand held radios or cell phones because they can cause hospital equipment to malfunction! Can't this also work in reverse, where this equipment can cause radio or a computer malfunction to visitor's things-- like to my car's radio or computer, causing my car to malfunction? Anderson thinks so!! And so do I. What if I'm RIGHT & Jaguar's WRONG? Even if the odds are 50/50, isn't it more prudent to get this car off the road than to just go with Jaguar's ASSUMPTION that I pressed the wrong pedal? (And I KNOW that I did NOT press the wrong pedal!!!) If I were in Jaguar's position I would NOT take the risk that I (Jaguar) just might be wrong, and that someone could be killed or very seriously injured. What is "money" compared to human life or suffering? Obviously, to Jaguar, "MONEY" is the ONLY important thing!!! Or, they would have just exchanged my car for another of comparable value! Their loss on my car would have been nothing compared to the lost sales they may suffer just from my friends & family alone. Until this, I had loved my Jag & would have bought or leased many more in the future. I was dreaming about someday owning a XJ8L My friends & neighbors had also admired my S & would be in the market for an S or XJ8 or Vanden Plas. Not after my experience! My friend loves his Vanden Plas, but now has second thoughts about leasing another when his lease is up soon! I am now in litigation with Jag. Free lawyer for me- but Should cost Jag some bucks(possibly enough legal fees to equal what it would have cost them to just have given me a different comparable car!) Hoqw STUPID of them to spend their money on legal fees rather on making a customer happy. Instead I am EXTREMELY UNHAPPY & word gets around!

dhanley · August 2006

"Jaguar is only ASSUMING that I stepped on the gas pedal instead of the brake, because THEY can't seem to "duplicate" the problem during their 50 minute inspection"

No, they are not. They are assuming this, because if you readlly did have the brake pressed to the floor, the car wouldn't move forward. The brakes are MUCH stronger than the engine.

Put yourself in _our_ position. Would you assume that an anonymous person on the internet had made a normal human mistake, or that something physically impossible had happened?

mylemon2 · August 2006

That might be true, IF the car operated as expected. How do you explain that when my foot was on the brake,at first I felt the normal brake resistance, but then, suddenly the brake pedal lost all resistance and just went down to the floor? I then put both feet on the brake and car still wouldn't stop. Both my feet can fit on the brake pedal. I most certainly did not have 1 foot on the gas & 1 foot on the brake! Especially since I use my right TOE on the gas and the Ball of my foot on the brake, and it was the BALL of my foot and then the BALLS of both feet that I applied to the BRAKE. I cannot reach the gas pedal with the ball of my foot, so I KNOW that the ball of my foot was on the BRAKE when I tried to stop the car! Also, I was so shocked that the car was not stopping that I LOOKED DOWN at my feet on the BRAKE to see, in fact, that I was on the brake pedal. It was easy to see this, because , when my feet went to the floor on the brake, it slid me forward, almost off my seat onto the floor, as I pushed down on the brake with all my might.I have spoken to several of my engineer friends and computer wiz people about this, and EVERYONE concurs that system glitches in cars CAN occur which can cause intermittant failures which are hard to duplicate=especially in the short term,like during only a 50 minute inspection or 20 mile road test by Jag! Again, I reiterate, what would the financial cost be to Jaguar to just exchange this car for another car COMPARABLE in price, versus paying attorney fees, since I sued them,(PLUS my attorney fees, if I win, & my lawyer feels confident that I will),PLUS a settlement or replacement car to me, if I win, PLUS lost future sales from me and my family, PLUS loss of future sales of my friends & neighbors who know of my accident and my dissatisfaction in dealing with Jaguar, PLUS loss of future sales from anyone hearing about this from people that I told! Wouldn't you say Jaguar would have come out better financially in the long run just exchanging my car for me???? If they felt it was a safe car,they could just sell it or lease it to someone else and it would be a win/win for all! Even if they lost some money on it due to it being in an accident, they would still be better off than paying legal fees + all this negative publicity, which could result in loss of sales. (car has been repaired by authorized Jag body shop & actually looks brand new now, plus parts are new, replacing 3 year old parts)

dhanley · August 2006

Question: why do you not sell the car yourself?

Why don't you trade it in on another car?

jaxs1 · August 2006

http://money.cnn.com/2006/08/06/news/international/ford_landrover.reut/index.htm- -

I wonder who wants it?
Jaguar is so unattractive that they need to bundle it with a Land Rover sale.

joebob123 · August 2006

2003 S-type.....groans when I come to a complete stop..doesn't groan when I apply the brakes untill I stop. Any Ideas of what this is or how to fix it. I would like to know before I take it in.

mylemon2 · August 2006

I can't sell or trade a car that I don't own. Jaguar Credit owns it. I only lease it. That's why I can't understand why They are so stubborn about just exchanging it for another car, and then they can sell it or lease it to someone else if they believe it is so safe!

dhanley · August 2006

You can indeed sell or trade a car you have a lease on.

mylemon2 · August 2006

Yes, you can sell the LEASE, however, I am not familiar with the process. How does it work? Do they buyout your lease at the same price that you owe on the lease? Or, would they want it at a substantial discount? Then, the loss would be to me, not Jaguar! I would have to pay Jaguar the difference. Also, I would have lost all the money I was paying monthly on the lease while I was not driving the car during my claim with Jaguar Cars. I felt like Jag Cars was trying to drag out this claim so I would continue to pay the lease, while not putting any mileage or wear or tear on car.

dhanley · August 2006

Unfamiliar with the process? So you haven't even asked the dealer about getting out of the lease?

Do you _want_ to be angry and upset?

If your car is so low in mileage, you can sell it and use the proceeds to pay off the lease. You may well have money left over.

A friend of mine had a leased BMW with low miles, and he did this exactly. He ended up with money in his pocket.

mylemon2 · August 2006

Of course I asked the Dealer about getting out of the lease!!! The dealer will NOT do it Jag Credit will NOT do it, and Jag Cars says they "can't" do it. Jag Credit OWNS the car, and has the Title to it, not me. Maybe your friend got his lease through a bank who loaned him the money, using the car for collatoral, but not taking title to it. Did your friend own the Title on the car? How could I sell this car if I don't hold the title to it?

dhanley · August 2006

You just said you're not familiar with the process.

You don't seem to have interest in solving your problem.

mylemon2 · August 2006

If you are familiar with the process, then why don't you educate me and spell it out for me. Of course I am interested in solving the problem!! Obviously, I just don't know HOW to solve it! You seem more interested in badgering me then in trying to help me! Thus, I am beginning to suspect that you work for Jaguar!

dhanley · August 2006

There are lease forums here on this site. You can go and explain your problem of wanting to get out of your low-mileage s-type lease. There are several ways to do it.

Car dealers will take a leased car as a trade in. Say they appraise the car at 40K and the lease buyout is $35K. They use the 5K difference as the payment on your new car.

You can also find a private buyer. If it's like the above case, you and the buyer agree to $40K as the price. You go with the buyer to the dealer, the buyer cuts you a 40K check and you cut the dealer a 35K check. The dealer signs the car to you, you sign the car to the buyer. The dealer can also sign it right over to the buyer in some cases.

There are other ways as well, such as swaplease.com Again, i suggest you ask on the leasing forums here.

I think many on these forums would find the idea of my being a jag employee highly amusing.

Good luck!

mylemon2 · August 2006

Thanks. I will check it out.

dhanley · August 2006

You should scroll back, i edited my post after you responded. Sorry about that.

mylemon2 · August 2006

I tried doing this lease-swap with my Jag Dealer. He refused to do it the way you described. He quoted me on a new Jag and then added on the balance I would owe on my old Lease to the quote he had given me! My new monthly payment would then be double the amount that someone walking in off the street would pay for that same new Jag! That's when I decided enough was enough! Time to sue!

dhanley · August 2006

That doesn't make any sense. He would stand to make a profit in the scenario i proposed.

Did you ask what your current buyout is?

Did you talk to another salesman? The manager? Another delaer?

cdnpinhead · August 2006

The scenario you proposed assumed that the vehicle was worth more (by far) than it actually was when you wanted to get rid of it.

The reality is that as soon as the vehicle is driven off the lot (with a signed contract), the value drops by, oh say, 30%. Drive it around the block and try to sell it back to the same dealer you bought it (if you were buying) from & see what happens.

Two words -- GAP INSURANCE.

If none of this makes sense, that could be why you're leasing, or want to.

dhanley · August 2006

Not really. There's downpayments, and he indicated that's he's had the car for awhile but put almost no miles on it. He ought to be right-side up.

sctybones · August 2006

Any luck yet on this? I am taking my 2003 s type in tomorrow for the dealer to look at it. I just bought mine 5 days ago....

tb4me · August 2006

Hey Ray,

Don't know your age but in the late 70's early 80's there were conversion kits for a chevy small block into the jags. Many were done here in NJ. Was a trip to hear 350 horses of fresh SB in a Jag--ran like the dickens too!!!!!!!! and almost maintenance free.

tb4me · August 2006

I'm new to this forum. I own a 2002 Trailblazer with over 160,000 on it and the TB forum here has been most helpfull. Truck runs well still..... knock on wood!

I'm possibly looking to by a used S-Type in the 2002-2005 year range. Is there any thing that should worry me about doing so--as in inhert problems that continue to repeat? I understand that you can luck out and have no problems or get a lemon right from the start--been there already. But , I never owned a Jag before. Bunch of Toyos and Chevys and a couple of nissans.

Any kind word would be extremely helpfull. Thanks.

wshfl · August 2006

Back in July, I posted a message asking whether or not anyone had put 150,000 miles or so, on a Jaguar S type. Given the many responses as to the problems most people seem to be having, and no one having put 150,000 trouble-free miles on the "S",I must conclude that it is nothing but a "piece of junk" -- over-priced, and under-engineered. It is a "money-pit" that I'll avoid.

jaxs1 · August 2006

Well, many people buy or lease them and rid themselves of them before the warranty expires. So, what the car will be like at 150,000 miles is not something they need to think about.
It is not car for driving 150,000 miles. If you can afford to buy one, you should be able to afford to dump it a 50,000 miles or earlier and get another new car at that time.

dhanley · August 2006

Plus, the car has just been out for just four years. You;d have to drive an awful lot to put 150K miles on on that time.

150,000 trouble-free miles is a pretty tall order. That didn't happen on my old toyota, nor on hondas, toyotas, lexuses, and subarus friends of mine have.

wshfl · August 2006

That's true; 150,000 miles is a lot to put on in 4-6 years.It's just that it seems that most people who comment have a litany of consistent niggling problems, punctuated by catastrophic failures of transmissions, engines, etc.
Then, posting #908 states that a Jag should not be expected to go 150,000 miles. To me, any car that can't be relied upon to travel that distance, should not be on the market. It's not a matter of affordability; it's a question of manufacturing integrity, and honest value for the money.

dhanley · August 2006

Shrug... You may be right. I won't use internet forums though.. There are problems forums for lexus, an they are #1 in reliability. Still, i'd probably lease one, and see how it behaved for those three years.

150K miles is really a tough metric--in general you're talking about a very old car. My bmw has 120K miles and has been great. I do recall hearing about a 150K+ XJ8 from a friend. The owner owned businesses in several states and visited them every week.

There are several such jags on autotrader..

jaxs1 · August 2006

Of course the car could go 150,000 miles or 300,000 miles as long as you were willing to keep replacing whatever parts broke or wore out as the miles piled on.
The repair and maintenance is so expensive that it makes no sense to do that.
Who wants to drive a raggedly, rattling 100K mile plus S-Type with worn seats and cracked leather anyway? What is the point of that? Just dump the car at 36-50K miles and move on to the next car before it starts falling apart.
If you want to drive high mileage, get a Corolla or Civic that might hold up for 250K miles and you can replace the engine and transmissions when they finally die for 1/3 or less of the cost of Jaguar parts if you are inclined to take the car even further.

wshfl · August 2006

Why, exactly, do people buy Jag S Types, when every comparative test with similar BMW's, Audis, M.B.'s rate it as lagging behind the competition in almost every field: handling, perfomance, build quality, and resale value?
Not only that, post #912 points out that by 100,000 miles, the car is apt to be raggety, and rattling, with seats that are cracked and falling apart.Inferior, even to Toyotas and Hondas.
What are buyers getting for their money? The "Leaper"?

mylemon2 · August 2006

I test drove the BMW 5 Series before I test drove the Jag S type, and I liked the Jag better. Had much better pick-up. Didn't test drive the Audi or MB. Why? Because, I realize now, that I got SUCKERED in by the Jag S's good looks and uniqueness, since not nearly as many get imported to the U.S. as BMW, Audi & Mercedes Benz. Boy, did I learn my lesson! Not only did I have a catastrophic problem with my Jag, but the jerks at Jag Corporate have let me know in no uncertain terms that they don't give a damn!!!! Their service people spent less than an hour "diagnosing" my car and then said there was "nothing" wrong with it! Since an intermittant fault might not show up all the time, I asked them to re-test it. They refused, and Jag refused to pay them (or any other Jag Dealer) for a re-test. If you had Medical tests done and they came out negative, but you KNOW that you were not imagining that there really might be something wrong with you, wouldn't you request that additional tests be done? Jaguar won't do any more tests! Jaguar tells you it's all in your head, and their cars are perfect! I won't drive this car any more, so I didn't drive it to any other mechanic. I thought about towing it somewhere else, but then Jag wouldn't accept another mechanic's test results, anyway. Lesson: DON'T buy or lease a Jaguar!!!!!
I recently test drove a Mercedes C Class. Plain, cookie-cutter styling, but, GREAT pick-up and GREAT handling. DEFINITELY on my A List!! And, cheaper than a Jag S Type!

pat · August 2006

Great post, xjsguy!! I moved it to the more appropriate discussion for you: xjsguy, "Jaguar XJ-Series" #2455, 26 Aug 2006 9:19 am.

xjsguy · August 2006

Too bad for you.
I have no interest in new cars however, I certainly love my '93 XJS.

gak62 · September 2006

I recently bought an S-type and the drivers seat won't move front to back. Under the passenger seat there is a rod that extends from the motor on the right side to the "gear box" on the left side. There is no rod on the drivers side but there are supports for one. The deal says I need a new seat tray. Is it possible to buy just the rod?? or are there other issues.

dr8a · October 2006

Anyone have any experience regarding the CPO on S types? If so, is leasing a good option?

Jaguar S-Type

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