Hello,

I am buying a 2004 s type 3.0 which has been fitted with the sports package.
Can anybody tell me the specific areas that I should check with this car.
I have the essential buyer's guide for the car but I have found that it does not go into the various production types in much detail.

Any help would be appreciated.

Ducmon

 

I was a certified ASE mechanic in the 70s-80s but I took my Jag to a certified Jag shop and had it put up and gone over.. $40 well spent.. I've had it 8mos and I like it much more that any used Mercedes or BMW I ever bought.. There are real experts and techs here that can shed more light than I but that's my $0.02.

 

Read all the sticky threads at the top of the S-Type forum page. There are a number of well-known problem areas that exist on these cars. They include cooling system leaks due to lousy plastic parts, ZF 6HP26 transmission issues, new-and-improved IMT O-rings replacing the original factory IMT O-rings, fuel filler door latch issues, lousy two-piece capped lug nuts, etc. Spend a couple of hours reading this forum and you'll be well-versed on what to look for. If the seller cannot supply the car's maintenance records, walk away very quickly. All of the known problems can be addressed with time and money, but DIY maintenance and repairs are the only way to go on these cars. If you must pay someone else to care for your vehicle, Jaguars can drain your checking account very quickly....

 

Do you work on cars and are handy? Do you have the tools? Alternatively you need to be prepared to pay for occasional repairs - they can be rather pricey. This age of car needs a fair amount of TLC to keep it roadworthy. This forum has all the answers if you're prepared to get your hands dirty. Since my original Jaguar warranty expired, I have never taken the car to a dealer or a mechanic - not once - thanks to all the DIY guidance I got from here. On the flip-side I don't drive the car much either, not my primary car so I can take my time work on it at my leisure while it's jacked up on stands. If you're looking for a daily driver this may not be the best choice.

 

I have quite a lot of experience working on old landrovers and always do all the servicing on my renault and I have two friends that are car workshop masters who would help me when I need specialist help.

I have read all the stickies. I was just wondering if there are any specific problems with this model.
ducmon

 

There is no "master list" of common ailments, as each generation of S-Types pose their unique challenges. Take Jon89's advice- check threads specific to your year and drivetrain.

Not surprisingly, my 2002 has had just about all of the problems common for 2002 with the 4.0 and the 5N55 transmission; all identified by fellow 2002 ST owners. Plenty of help here, so at least you'll save some money by avoiding chasing ghosts.

For example, a dying battery will generate false codes, since these cars' electronics do not like under voltages. Now, that's common to all S-Types; learned here.

 

I check the S-Type section of the forum almost every day just to see what comes up.. I also started hitting the "today's posts" at the top out of boredom when days would pass with few or no additions and noticed when all models are included the S-Type don't seem to have as many questions or problems as some of the others.. It's not very scientific but just an observation..

 

I check the S-Type section of the forum almost every day just to see what comes up.. I also started hitting the "new posts" at the top out of boredom when days would pass with few or no additions and noticed when all models are included the S-Type don't seem to have as many questions or problems as some of the others.. It's not very scientific but just an observation.. Go hit new posts and see...

 

I'm retired and I check the S-Type section of the forum almost every day just to see what comes up.. I also started hitting the "new posts" at the top out of boredom when days would pass with few or no additions and noticed when all models are included the S-Type don't seem to have as many questions or problems as some of the others.. It's not very scientific but just an observation.. Go hit new posts and see 3 pages with one S stuck in park and one asking about fog lights..

 

Thanks for all the help. I have finally managed to get my car registered in Germany. It was a bit of a marathon caused by the German bureaucracy. They were unable to find out in their data bank any thing about the car to issue a log book.
It's was only with the help of jaguar customer service office here who faxed over the information was I able to get all of the paperwork completed.

It looks like the Germans only want you to buy their cars any thing else they have problems with. It took 3 hours to do an exhaust gas analysis because the ob2 devices that they had did not work. It was only when they used the equipment from lorries did it work.

Ducmon

 

Congrats - must be a relief!

 

Ah yes, the Berlin TÜF at their finest! I spent several stressful days at the Templehof location discussing the finer points of motorcycle certification. They were determined not to let mine pass till I pointed out that no motorcycle already sold and certified locally met the standards either.