Hey guys,

I'm a NYC native that just moved to Kentucky, so I've never actually driven in my life. I've been looking around for a cheap car and stumbled on a 2000 S-Class Jaguar.

The thing looks drop-dead gorgeous and it's only being sold for $2.5k, which seems like quite a steal. 2000 Jaguar S-Type *Sunroof

After scouring the web, though, I've read a lot of concerning things about the reliability of Jaguars after a certain mileage. Oddly enough, it seems like things either go splendid for an owner or catastrophically. This car is at 120,000 miles. Is there any way you guys can take a look at this listing and give me your thoughts?

Thanks so much, and hopefully all pans out well and I'll be sticking around! It's a damn beautiful creature.

 

I'm sure some S-Type experts will chime in with some specific advice but there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Jaguar :-)

" Cheap car" and "reliable" and "Jaguar" are three things that don't usually exist in nature simultaneously.

Those early V8s are known to have some issues with timing chain guides, water pumps, Nikasil cylinders, etc. You want one that has had all the updated parts installed.

S-types have their quirks. Good cars but if you're not a DIYer things can get expensive.

Cheers
DD






Cheers
DD

 

Alright, I lied a little bit. The first Jaguar I saw that got me intrigued was this one:

Jaguar : XJ6 Vanden Plas in Jaguar | eBay Motors

It's an 88' Vanden Plas with 66k miles on it. If I had to choose between that and the S-series, which one should I go for? How much maintenance should I expect to pay in the first year? I'm okay with having to put down, say, $1k for repairs and the like if necessary.

I keep thinking I'll find that magical combination of affordable, functional, and good-looking for my first car.

 

Read the ad carefully. After $3500 invested by the seller there are still issues that have yet to be resolved. These are of electrical nature that usually tend to cost quite a bit to resolve completely.

No mention of the A/C (did I miss it?) - bad sign. If A/C is on the fritz, you could be looking at about $1200 to convert it to to R134.

The XJ40, which is the factory designation for this car is overall a decent car but nowhere as reliable as the later X300 models. I'd consider the X300 - 6 cylinder engine in that model is the best mill Jaguar ever built. Better brakes, transmission, etc. If you like performance look at the X300 supercharged.

If you want function, prestige and reliability take a look at the Lexus. The ES models are basically Toyota Camrys. They have a good reliability record but don't have the same presentation as Jags. However, compared to the equivalent MY Audi, MB and BMW the Jaguar, especially the X300/X308 are quite a bit more reliable.

 

Welcome to the forum Arthur Dubya,

Good to have you here with us at Jaguar forums.

The XJ6 you've found will drive like a dream, return 60 mpg and need nothing more than an oil change once a year.

Alright, I lied a bit too.

I can see several issues on the XJ6 bodywork and electrics on Jaguars can get very costly. Follow this link XJ40 - Jaguar Forums - Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum to the XJ40 section for help, advice and information. The 'HOW TO' thread at the top is a good place to start for info on regular issues.

You can also visit the US Southern MidWest Region section by following this link Southern MidWest - AR LA MS KY TN AL - Jaguar Forums - Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum to find other members in your region.

Enjoy the forum.

Graham

 

Thanks for all the feedback guys. It's a difficult realization to finally accept that I may not be at the point in my life to have to deal with all the maintenance most Jags come with.

TireFriar: When you say X300, is that the same as the "X Series?" 2003 jaguar x type. This guy is a 2003 X-Series going for only 3.4K, but it looks like it's hit 186k miles. Is that probably around the time a Jaguar could be expected to retire?

Thanks again so much for all the help!

 

A spotters guide to Jaguar models:

XJ40 (1986-1994) a.k.a. XJ6



X300 (1995-1997) a.k.a. XJ6



X308 (1997-2003) a.k.a. XJ8



X-TYPE ((2001-2009)



Graham

 

welcome to the forum

 

Or most any 15-20 year old high-end luxury car in the $2500 price range.

Cheers
DD

 

Welcome to the forum Arthur Dubya,

Good to have you with us.
Enjoy the forum.

If you haven't done so already you should add your car details to your signature to help others to help you.

 

Hey there and welcome aboard....... good to have you here with us here at Jaguarforums

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