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Jaguar S-Type

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Comments

  • electricmanelectricman Member Posts: 2
    Can anyone comment on how the Jaguar S-Type handles in snow or generally wet conditions?
  • saifusaifu Member Posts: 23
    electricman i have a similar question actually now that winter is fast approaching here in Boston. My friend had the XJ8 with XJR body kit and wheels and it was quite bad on snow.These are rear wheel drive cars keep in mind and not designed for snow....i dont expect the S-type to be anything good either on snow.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    The Lincoln LS uses the same DEW98 RWD platform as the S-type. Our northern LS owners have reported NO problems with the LS in snow. The key (which is probably different than the XJ platform) is the near 50/50 weight balance and traction control. If you have the stability control it's even better. If you get a lot of snow then you'll probably want dedicated snow tires like Blizzaks. If you have the 17" wheels you can still get 16" wheels with snow tires as the overall diameters are the same.
  • cfgrosscfgross Member Posts: 54
    If you scroll back a bit, I think this has been addressed here before. In a nut shell, with a good set of 4 snow tires, it will handle superbly. With the standard summer performance tires, it will handle very poorly (as would any car using summer tires in snow/slush/ice or just plain cold).


    A contributor to Jagtalk that lived in Finland with an S-Type has a write-up on his personal homepage, including a detailed description of winter handling in Finland. He referred me to it to answer the same question when I asked it before I bough my S-Type. Check it out at http://www.geocities.com/siliconvalley/hub/1000/jaguar/stypeobs.htm.


    Craig

  • brucec35brucec35 Member Posts: 246
    The idea of a student being given a Jag by his father has me a little nauseated. No wonder I can't find any employees for my business. Why have a work ethic when daddy will buy you a car?
  • whatupwhatup Member Posts: 26
    You can still appreciate what you have, and strive to have one of your own. Why have a work ethic? For me, so I could only be as fortunate to be able to one day provide my children all the things my parents have given me. And besides, you're not going to live off your parents forever.

    While my parents did not buy it just for me, I'm happily driving a much appreciated hand-me-down 1996 Mercedes-Benz C220, amongst the sea of X5's, A4's, RX300's, 3-Series, and the likes buzzing around Cornell University.
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Um, let's just talk about the cars, folks, rather than getting into a debate on how folks ought to raise their children.

    Thanks.
  • whatupwhatup Member Posts: 26
    Finally, Pat makes a good point.

    My parents came up to visit me this weekend...in a Mercury Sable rental car. The S-Type at the dealer getting some issues fixed. It's getting a new transmission cable since the car has gotten stuck in PARK on a couple occasions. They're also fixing the loose chrome trim and the rattling dash.

    And after driving the Sable, I don't know how anyone could say the S-Type is a prettied-up Ford. A universe of difference separates the two. At least I got to try out adjustable pedals (my parents did not opt for them in their S-Type). I really like that feature, and it's fun to play with...you can accelerate the car by bringing the pedal to you (not the smartest move, but I had to try it out). And by the way, the switch to adjust the pedals is the same as the window switch in the S-Type. I'll get over it.
  • saifusaifu Member Posts: 23
    I dont know what my father getting me a S-type has do to with you not finding any employees.....nor the nausea you seem to be suffering from.
    It is our business what we do for each other in my family and please do not comment on my work ethics when you do NOT know me.
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Folks let's move on. We are here to talk about cars. Ethical and moral debates are out of place here.

    Further messages that ignore my request will be removed.
  • ppowerppower Member Posts: 93
    with 18k miles on it and comes with a 6yr/100k mile extended warranty. On, the warranty what does the extra 2yrs/50k miles cover just driveline or everything? Car is a 4.0 too.

    Ppower
  • kinleykinley Member Posts: 854
  • saifusaifu Member Posts: 23
    I got my 2000 S-type 4.0, 28K miles with Sports package,Heated seats,Moonroof,Navigation System and Premium Sound/6CD for $31,600 after alot of bargaining.
  • brobnson1brobnson1 Member Posts: 2
    There are about 3700 miles on my 2003 S-Type. Recently, the transmission has been acting up. Under normal acceleration, from a stand-still, the transmission will hesitate, or take a long time to shift, or even stumble from 1st to 2nd gear. The rest of the shifts up to 6th gear are fine. It is just from 1st to 2nd that gives a problem. Anyone know anything about this?
  • brobnson1brobnson1 Member Posts: 2
    Same car as in msg #465.

    When the car is turned on about 40% of the time the screen will say "emergency service only" and when I hit the phone button it will say "phone not fitted". Jaguar has replaced the fiber-optics and the transceiver unsuccessfully. Alpine (they make the phone and radio parts) has made a new transceiver that is supposed to fix this problem but the part has not come in yet.

    Other than these two problems I love the car. Plenty of power, good ride, good handling and unique looks.
  • cartesiocartesio Member Posts: 36
    There is a discussion of this on the "other" Jaguar forum. Jaguar apparently has a software fix for it. You can email me...
  • cartesiocartesio Member Posts: 36
    I thought my email address was under my profile. Apparently not:
  • cfgrosscfgross Member Posts: 54
    As mentioned, Jag is aware of the problem that some people are having, and they are working on a permanant software fix for it. My understanding is that the software patch that they released recently is a temporary partial fix.

    FYI, this is the same transmission that is in the new BMW 745, and as I understand it the BMW is having far more difficulty with this problem than is Jag.

    Craig
  • merrelmerrel Member Posts: 45
    From 1995 until 2002, my wife and myself owned FIVE XJ8 cars, and one XJ6. In March 2002 I bought her a pre-owned 2001 S, 3.0 from the dealership which was owned by the manager. It is in the rare one year only color, ROMAN BRONZE. Car had 15,000 miles and now after 8+ months has 16000 miles. So far, drivers window motor replaced, remote trunk lock replaced, radio/cd burned to a crisp and was replaced. The S is nowhere near the quality of the XJ series. Jagiar may have lots of success with the S in all the ads but the body style of the XJ from 1995 to 2003 is identical and when sales start to drop off, they won;t realize that nine years is too much for no change. Cadillac did the ElDorado from 1992 through 11 years, now dropping it. DUH???? Same car, no change. Looks like Detroit (and Coventry) love slef-flaggeration.
  • wcollinswcollins Member Posts: 45
    The answer is: Little to none. I've owned my S-Type 3 years this coming Christmas Eve. Even though we haven't had much snow in the Washington D.C. area, the little that we have had (less than an inch)has left my S-Type (4.0) and my friends S-Type (3.0) paralized. I was spinning in slush. My friend had to be towed to a dry spot. I am told the problem is related to the equipped Z-rated tires with my sports package. Being rear wheel drive and all, I need snow tires for this car. Z-rated tires aren't designed for snow. No traction, they depend on heat for tractions. This is the advice from the dealer.
  • cfgrosscfgross Member Posts: 54
    You are right about the tires. They are summer performance tires that are not designed for cold or sloppy weather. When the temp gets below 40, the rubber they are made from gets very stiff and loses much of its gripping ability. These tires would perform poorly in winter weather on ANY vehicle. The S-Type does as well as other cars in its class in winter weather when equipped with the proper rubber for the conditions. You need an all season tire at least, but snows would be better.

    Craig
  • scottc8scottc8 Member Posts: 617
    There are several good all-season tires that are V rated (safe to 149 mph). Michelin Pilot Sport A/S and MMX are two of them. If you don't need to break trail in deep snow they will do fine and you'll still have good handling/riding/quiet the rest of the year. This has been my experience with a Lincoln LS for three winters, built on the same platform as the S-type.
  • b_lelandb_leland Member Posts: 1
    I'm considering new v. recent used S-Type. The relatively steep initial depreciation (as compared, for instance, with the 540, E500 or LS 430) makes a two-year old S-Type look especially attractive.

    While the '03 interior re-design doesn't mean too much to me, the new suspension might. I've seen in this string reference to a common front-end shimmy problem in the pre-'03 models, likely (as reported) associated with wheels slightly out of balance. I'm wondering if anyone knows:

    1) Has this problem persisted in the '03?

    2) Is the problem exacerbated or mitigated by any stock combination of suspension (sport/non-sport) and engine weight (6 vs. 8), or by tire choice?

    3) What is the magnitude of the problem, and at what speeds and conditions does it occur? For instance, how often are folks balancing the front wheels, does it completely solve the problem when they do, and if so, typically for how long?

    4) Are there any other common problems or characteristics associated with the pre-'03 S-Types of which a prospective buyer should be aware?

    Thanks for your help.
  • rstoergerrstoerger Member Posts: 17
    I leased a 2000 3.0 Jaguar S-Type in April of 2000 and am now nearing the end of my 3 year lease. Jag has been calling and sending me stuff to try and get me into another one.

    I have had a wonderful experience with my Jag. I have not had major problems and even the minor ones were small. White Plains Jag has been excellent with respect to service.

    So...do I want to continue driving a Jag. The answer here is Yes. The big question is to either buy the one I have or lease a new one.

    I have read some of the recent threads and see a few really bad experiences. Anyone out there with a happy 2003 or 2002 Jag.

    One observation, Edmunds does not list the Invoice price on the 2003 Jag S types....Why? Other like cars are listed...Did I miss something.

    Thanks for any help here.
  • saifusaifu Member Posts: 23
    My friend i was in quite exactly the same position as you till about 2 months from now.I did not know what to do even though i wanted to buy a Jaguar.I did get some discouragement from some people and i almost ended up getting C320 sport......but thankfully now im a happy owner of a late 2000 Black/Black S-type 4.0,Sunroof,Premium sound+6 CD,Navigation system,Voice command,heated seats. I love the drive even though i just wish it had more torque and was a bit faster.It has alot of grip which is vital for me even though the suspension has the tendency to transfer alot of the shock to the passengers if you happen to drive on a non-smooth road or holes n that kind of stuff.I do not think you can get more style and attention for that money so it is definately a big if not the Biggest bang for the buck.

      The biggest and the only problem i have had in my car is the fact that it gets dirty all the time!!!(its black)


    PS: i would be glad to answer any more questions as i know how eager one can be....if you scroll back i was asking questions the exact same way as you are about 2 months back...get the Jag man!

  • cfgrosscfgross Member Posts: 54
    I have a 2003 4.2 that has been near flawless. On the "other" message board I participate in, there are numerous similar reports by 2003 owners. With the 2003 S-Types, I think Jag has come as close to "perfection" as I have ever seen in a car in terms of quality and performing as intended.

    Craig
  • cartesiocartesio Member Posts: 36
    Chiming in here with cfgross: I also have a 2003 S-type (with about 300 miles so far) and it is the smoothest, silkiest, most perfect car I've ever had, so far. It is so fine in the "fit and finish" area, that I won't be upset if a little problem (or two)appears.

    I get a barrage of pleasant communications by mail from the dealer, as well as a couple of phone calls. Looks propitious!

    Happy motoring!
  • whatupwhatup Member Posts: 26
    Hey,

    My parents just bought a 2003 3.0 in July. My parents are in love with the car, at least with its looks. They're not thrilled that it's going in for service for a third time. Not that more problems keep springing up, but the dealer was unable to fix certain problems each it was brought in (i.e. parts were not received). They're minor problems, though one is extremely annoying: (1) the dash rattles; (2) detaching chrome trim; and (3) a defective shifter cable, which prevents the car from shifting from park every now and then. Problems 1 and 2 were fixed on two successive visits, but the car is going back soon to get a new shifter cable (the first 2003 to get this work done at the dealer, so we're the guinea pig). But they love the way the car looks!
  • fndlyfmrflyrfndlyfmrflyr Member Posts: 668
    Had two S-Type 4.0 cars. The 2000 had the standard suspension with the weather package and H rated tires, and had a steering wheel shimmy and vibration (speeds above 60) the dealer and Jaguar were unable to correct. Jaguar replaced the car with a 2001 car. The replacement had the sport and weather packages and Z rated tires. Never had a vibration problem with the 2001.

    On the 2000 model the dealer replaced wheels, tires, suspension parts and also sent the car to a specialty shop for wheel balance. Nothing worked to stop the vibration and shimmy. Balancing the wheels with a machine that mounted the wheel on the balancer through the lug holes instead of the center hole removed about 90% of the vibration, but did not eliminate it.

    The 2000 was a lemon but Jaguar stepped up to the plate and hit a grand slam by replacing the car with no hassle. The 2001 had just one significant mechanical repair: The steering column was replaced. At the time I got rid of the car the wood inside had faded. These were the only significant repairs needed.

    We loved the look of the S-Type and found the replacement car reliable with a comfortable ride, great handling, and enough acceleration. We took it on one trip but found the rear seat and trunk too small (rear knee room and trunk height) for long trips, but ride and front seat comfort were very good.
  • kinleykinley Member Posts: 854
  • kinleykinley Member Posts: 854
  • wcollinswcollins Member Posts: 45
    Well gang, I'm back again, with more problems with my 2000 fully loaded Jag. As you might remember, I've so far received 1 new engine, transmission replaced twice, gearbox once. Now Jag emergency response center is receiving erroneous messages from my car that my airbag has deployed. Jag requested I immediately take the car to the nearest dealer. My answer was come get this car, the bag might explode enroute which is about 20 miles away. 'No can do', says Jag. Car is not disabled. Dealer can't find problem, maybe its the phone cradle ($350) or maybe it's the Vimes Module ($1,200). We'll just replace both. Me - no way, unless you know for sure. Don't need a $1,550 cellphone. Well we will just have to disconnect your phone so Jag won't continue to get the signal. By-the-way, we mistakenly pulled a mess of wiring from your dash. We had the wrong schematics. No problem we'll get it back together (Laurel Jaguar in Maryland). Two weeks later, drivers rears taillight and brake light completely stop working along with the heating system, as well as sporatic lost of dashboard lighting. Strange intermittent pinging from steering column. Could this be the airbag getting ready to deploy. I am a nervous reck by now. I just love this car. Regional Manager of Jag tells me, if I had leased the car, it would be no problem in getting you into another, but since you purchased it, we can't help you.....sorry. Looked into trading vehicle. Vehicle worth is somewhere between $18,000-$24,000. Like new exterior and interior condition. Original cost $58,900. Age of car 3 years old. Number of days in shop 85 to date. I just love this Jag.
  • cfgrosscfgross Member Posts: 54
    Contact me at cf144@netscape.net. I may be able to offer real assistance for your very real problems.

    Craig
  • spjdcbspjdcb Member Posts: 1
    I have leased a 2000 S type Non-Sport with 44,000 miles and I need tires. I have researched Tirerack. I live in Atlanta - no winter issue. Ride Comfort and Noise Reduction from the Bridgestones Turenzas it has on it are my biggest objective. Tirerack has the Firestone Firehawk S250EP's as the best for ride and noise but I am wary of Firestone. The Michelin Pilot XGTH4 has good marks for ride and noise also. Please, any thoughts? I am not looking to spend a forturne since it is a lease but I want the noise to be reduced. Both tires above are 225/16. Also, is H rating OK (since I don't drive above 80 let alone 130mph). I don't seem to have the shimmy on this car as others do.
  • scottc8scottc8 Member Posts: 617
    Many fellow club members have put the Michelins you mention on their Lincoln LSs (same platform/chassis as the S-type). Nobody doesn't like them, but they are expensive. A few have gone to Kumho, much less money, good quiet performance & ride on dry roads. The verdict is still out on tread wear. And we've heard very little good from owners of Bridgestone or Continentals.

    Doesn't the 4.0 have 17" wheels?
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Can't go wrong with Michelins - but they are expensive like Scott said. You can get them at Costco for almost exactly the same price as tirerack.com. If you're looking for budget tires try the Kumho Ecsta 712s. Around $100 each. And they come in both the 16 and 17 inch sizes for the S-type/LS/Tbird wheels.
  • kinleykinley Member Posts: 854
  • russell30russell30 Member Posts: 3
    I am recently in the market for an s type jag. my first question is, other than horsepower difference is there an advantage from one motor to the other. I'm looking at either a 2000 or 2001. I am also interested in knowing if anyone has an informed opinion concerning the service dept. at Collier Jaguar in Orlando. Do they provide loaner cars even if you don't purchase the car from them? Also, did the 3.0 come with a sport suspesion package and if so does it make an appreciable difference in the ride? I am more interested in obtaining a smooth and quiet ride as opposed to a sporty responsive ride. Did the 4.0 motor have more or less problems than the 3.0? Also, any opinions concerning the certification program are welcome. The program here through the dealer certifies the vehicle to be warrantied up 100,000 miles. I'm trying to decide between a Jag and a Q45. My gut tell me to buy the Q but my heart tells me the Jag. Thoughtful input is encouraged.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    If ride quality is your priority go with the standard suspension. I don't remember any major problems with either engine - it's basically personal preference.
  • russell30russell30 Member Posts: 3
    thank you for your reply. i drove a 4.0, 2000 today and was reasonably pleased with its performance. it had 38000 miles. it had16 inch wheels. can i assume that the 16 inch jaguar wheels means that the car does not have the sport suspension? the car did not feel particularly tight, but was pleasant and had nice road manners.
    it did shimmy but not until it reached 80 mph. the asking price was $25000 which i thought was pretty good for a retail dealer. How does the local Jag dealer think they can move 3.0s asking $30000 and up? Just because they're certified? Since many stypes are now coming back off leases i'm finding there is a significant disparity in the condition level of each unit. really low mile units are rare and many of the 2000s willbe off warranty this year. Anybody have any thoughts about the q45 versus the s type? thanks.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Should be the standard (non-sport) suspension. As for the Q45 - personal preference. Drive them both and decide for yourself.
  • kinleykinley Member Posts: 854
    a controversial segment of the market that usually has no wife, no kids, but a lot of disposable income not shared in the normal way with others. If you are not concerned about that, buy the Jag.
  • keyrowkeyrow Member Posts: 214
    When I am in the market for a new vehicle I look for those qualities and amenities that will satisfy ME. I am not concerned with who else might also purchase the car.

    If the car is right FOR YOU, what does it matter who else also realizes that it fits their needs?
  • bsellers2bsellers2 Member Posts: 4
    Hello!
    I purchased a 2003 S-type two weeks ago. The car has 551 miles. As I was exiting the interstate The steering locked up and failed causing me to lose control of the vehicle and nearly colliding with on-coming traffic. Needless to say it scared the stuff out of me and the family. The car was towed to the dealer, no word on the problem yet. We have lost confidence in this vehicle, wife say's she does not want to get back in the car. Has anyone had similar problems? What can I expect from Jag? Thanks for any suggestions. Worried the car is not safe!!!
  • cdnpinheadcdnpinhead Member Posts: 5,498
    are anxiously awaiting the outcome of the investigation into your vehicle, for a variety of reasons.

    Best of luck
    '08 Acura TSX, '17 Subaru Forester
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Could you describe the failure in more detail? Was it a momentary lockup or did it stay locked up? Was it hard to turn or actually locked in place?

    I think it depends on what your dealer finds. If it's a broken part and it's replaced and the dealer inspects everything then it should be fine.

    OTOH if they can't definitively say what caused it and prove that it's been fixed then I would definitely be worried.

    This is the first I've heard of this type of problem on any of the DEW98 cars (Stype, Lincoln LS, T-bird) so I don't think it's a systemic problem and is probably an isolated failure of some kind.
  • bsellers2bsellers2 Member Posts: 4
    The steering remained locked for several seconds. Some steering control returned, however it felt like was diving a Mac truck. No info from dealer. I have placed several calls to Jag and all they said was they will check with the dealer. I can almost understand a water pump or transmission going bad, but the steering!
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Sounds like a problem with the rack and pinion or possibly a bad power steering pump, or both. Should be easy for the dealer to pinpoint. That's still the only failure of that type I've heard of. (I know - small consolation)
  • bsellers2bsellers2 Member Posts: 4
    As soon as I hear I will post information from dealer. Anybody want a new Jag??
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